Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

The next morning, June 22, I left early and went to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park here in Marietta before we headed into South Carolina.

Web Photo

Kennesaw Mountain was only 6 miles from our RV site.  I purposely saved this for the morning because we didn't have to check out until 11 a.m. so I thought I'd be smart as be at the Visitor Center just before 9 a.m. and get there before anyone else did and I could go faster.  Boy, was I surprised when I got there and the parking lot of PACKED FULL of cars!  I couldn't understand it!  Was there a special event, a 5K race or something?  Well, I was lucky to find one parking spot and then I walked up to the Visitor Center and it was closed since I was still early.  People kept walking past me and I didn't understand what was going on.  Finally, I saw a man with lime green gloves who was directing traffic and I asked him what happening.  He just chuckled and said that people come here every morning to "walk the mountain" for their exercise starting at 6 a.m. and he was there to direct traffic!  So, there was my answer.  Walkers...every morning.

He said to save time, I should drive up to the top of the mountain and get photos and then head back down to the Visitor Center.  So, I did just that.  It was a good 2-3 miles up the mountain's curvy face and when I got to the summit, the view was gorgeous in the morning light.  Even there are the upper car summit parking, people were still climbing to the very top of the mountain.  I followed them part way up and enjoyed the trail.  Even the small trail I hiked were hilly and I was in awe that people come every day to hike the WHOLE hill...even kids!

You can see the Atlanta skyline just a few miles from the top of Kennesaw Mountain.

Heading up this trail, there were cannon all over the place!

The view of the Union Army was amazing!

It's no wonder the Confederate won this battle being on the high ground.

Today, among the beautiful foliage, you can see cannon of war from 1864.

Another view of Atlanta from the top of Mount Kennesaw

This is the actual road that was taken to get the cannon to the top of the mountain in 1864.

Also, at the upper summit parking lot is a tower you can climb with a plaque to pay tribute to the Georgians involved in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.

So, let's get down to what Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is.  Back in 1864, Kennesaw Mountain was part of the Atlanta campaign during the Civil War.  Prior to March of that year, Generals Grant and Meade led the Army of the Potomac (Union) against Lee's Army of Northern Virginia (Confederate).  Over the last three years, the Confederacy had lost control of the Mississippi River, most of Tennessee and most of Mississippi but the heart of the south - Augusta, GA to Selma, AL with Atlanta in the center was untouched.  This area also included much of the main railroads north and south, east and west and the Union wanted this to end the war and remove the southern stronghold.

Web Photo

The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was fought on June 27, 1864 and was the most significant frontal assault by Union General Sherman against the Confederate army led by General Johnston.  The Confederates hauled their cannons to the top and ridges of Kennesaw Mountain and pounded the Union army to the ground.  Sherman lost 3,000 men and Johnston lost 1,000 men.  However, the battle failed to deliver the result that the Confederacy so desperately needed - to halt Sherman's advance on Atlanta.  By August 31, 1864, Atlanta was taken over by the Union army and the Civil War was ending.  Here are faces of some of the boy and men who fought during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.

This is Charles O. Brown of the 3rd Ohio Cavalry.
He was only 13 years old but a veteran of three years of service!
During the Atlanta campaign, he becomes chief bugler for his regiment!

There are 7 stops along the auto tour of Kennesaw Mountain.  I only took the drive to the top of Kennesaw Mountain but there are so many trails and good roads to explore all of the area.  There are also two cemeteries - the Marietta National Cemetery and the Marietta Confederate Cemetery in the area.  The Visitor Center at Kennesaw Mountain was very nice which included a nice bookstore.  Here are a few photos of this.

The exhibit in the visitor center was very nice as well with many wonderful artifacts.  I really enjoyed the over sized 3-D cutouts of the major figures.  Sorry about the glare of the glass.  This Visitor Center really had a glare problem and the exhibits weren't lit properly when I went through.

Sometimes, I wonder if these same kind of Civil War photos get redundant, but then I realize that every photo and story is a little bit different involving someone's husband, brother, father or son.  Each one tells it's own unique story.

For those wanting to come to Kennesaw Mountain, there are 4 RV pull-in spots (I think for Class A and C units should be find; 5th Wheels, it may be harder) and I'd suggest you come mid-day to hopefully avoid all the early morning hikers and get yourself a nice parking spot.