The Civil War was arguably the most passionate battle our young nation fought. It was a war that began with a bang as the Confederate soldiers fired on Fort Sumter April 12, 1861, yet ended with a whimper as General William Wofford surrendered in Kingston, Georgia May 12, 1865. During those four short years over 365,000 brave men (and a few well disguised women) perished in approximately 10,500 battles. Soldiers who found along this stretch of path were on average 26 years of age, 5’8, and 143 pounds. They had a 1 in 5 chance of dying while enlisted, especially if in a prison camp.
The Blue and Gray Trail tracks battles from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Whitesburg, Georgia. Included in this stretch of battles and sites are the historic battle of Atlanta with Sherman’s fiery siege, The Great Locomotive Chase, and the Battle of Chickamauga, the site of the second bloodiest battle and the confederate soldiers’ greatest victory. Along this trail the Army of the Tennessee constructed over 300 miles of rifle pits. They fired over 149,000 rounds of artillery and 22,000,000 rounds of small-arms ammunition. It saw the first utilization of the repeating rifle, the trench warfare system, military telegraphs and national conscription (the enlistment of soldiers by way of the draft). There were submarines and working machine guns for the first time in warfare. The Blue and Gray Trail is comprised of what many say is the heart of the War and stretches over 100 miles. It includes historic markers, battlefields, railroad depots, historic houses, and cemeteries. The Blue and Gray Trail is a nationally recognized trail on the Civil War Discovery Trail.
Stops along the Trail
Chattanooga National Cemetery in Chattanooga, TN
Battles for Chattanooga, Electric Map and Museum in Chattanooga, TN
Historic Read House/Crutchfield House in Chattanooga, TN
Medal of Honor Museum in Chattanooga, TN
Coolidge Medal of Honor Park in Chattanooga, TN
Lookout Mountain Battlefield/Point Park in Chattanooga, TN
Battle of Orchard Knob in Chattanooga, TN
The Cravens House in Chattanooga, TN
Battle of Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga, TN
Signal Point in Chattanooga, TN
Trenton Courthouse Square Veterans Park in Trenton, GA
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park in Fort Oglethorpe, GA
Chickamauga Battlefield Site in Fort Oglethorpe, GA
Gordon-Lee Mansion in Fort Oglethorpe, GA
Lee and Gordon’s Mill in Fort Oglethorpe, GA
John B. Gordon Hall in Lafayette, GA
Western and Atlantic Depot in Ringgold, GA
Atlanta Campaign Pavilion #1 in Ringgold, GA
Western and Atlantic Railroad Tunnel in Tunnel Hill, GA
Prater’s Mill in Varnell, GA
Atlanta Campaign Pavilion #2 in Dalton, GA
Dug Gap Battlefield Park in Dalton, GA
The Blunt House in Dalton, GA
Western and Atlantic Depot in Dalton, GA
Crown Gardens & Archives and Hamilton House Museum in Dalton, GA
Confederate Cemetery and Memorial in Dalton, GA
Statue of General Joseph E Johnston in Dalton, GA
Resaca Confederate Cemetery in Resaca, GA
Atlanta Campaign Pavilion #3 in Resaca, GA
Noble Brothers Foundry in Rome, GA
Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Rome, GA
Oak Hill in Rome, GA
Rome Area History Museum in Rome, GA
Adairsville Depot in Adairsville, GA
Barnsley Gardens Historic District in Adairsville, GA
Kingston Confederate Cemetery in Kingston, GA
Kingston History Museum in Kingston, GA
McCravey-Johnson House in Kingston, GA
Cassville Confederate Cemetery in Cassville, GA
Atlanta Campaign Pavilion #4 in Cassville, GA
Cartersville Depot in Cartersville, GA
Bartow History Center in Cartersville, GA
Rose Lawn Museum in Cartersville, GA
Battle of Allatoona Pass in Cartersville, GA
Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, GA
Lake Allatoona Visitors Center in Cartersville, GA
Cooper’s Iron Works and Furnace in Cartersville, GA
Pickett’s Mill Battlefield Historic Site in Dallas, GA
Atlanta Campaign Pavilion #5/Battle of New Hope Church in Dallas, GA
Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, GA
Gilgal Church Battle Site in Kennesaw, GA
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Kennesaw, GA
James Lemon Antebellum Home in Kennesaw, GA
Marietta Confederate Cemetery in Marietta, GA
Marietta National Cemetery in Marietta, GA
Marietta Educational Garden Center/Fair Oaks in Marietta, GA
Brumby Hall and Gardens in Marietta, GA
Western and Atlantic Depot in Marietta, GA
Kennesaw House in Marietta, GA
Bulloch House in Roswell, GA
Roswell’s Historic District in Roswell, GA
Roswell’s Mill Workers Monument in Roswell, GA
Roswell Presbyterian Church in Roswell, GA
Roswell Visitors Center in Roswell, GA
Shallowford Site (on Azalea Drive) in Roswell, GA
Vickery Creek Trail in Roswell, GA
Atlanta History Center in Atlanta, GA
Cyclorama: The Battle of Atlanta in Atlanta, GA
Margaret Mitchell House and Museum in Atlanta, GA
Sweetwater Creek State Park in Lithia Springs, GA
Historic Banning Mills in Whitesburg, GA
