Wilder Brigade Monument - Chickamauga National Military Park
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Lat34North
N 34° 54.447 W 085° 16.355
16S E 657815 N 3864141
This Monument to Wilder's Brigade is located on Genn-Viniard / Vittetoe Chickamauga Road near driving tour stop 6, Chickamauga National Battlefield Park.
Waymark Code: WMDTMM
Location: Georgia, United States
Date Posted: 02/23/2012
Views: 5
This tower monument to
Wilder's Brigade is in recognition of their service during the
Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863. The tower is 85' high. There is an interior circular stairway leading to the top. The top has a crenellated parapet wall for an observation platform.
The "Wilder's" First brigade was comprised of:
The 92d Illinois, Smith D. Atkins (detached at Chattanooga)
98th Illinois, Col. John J. Funkhouser & Lieut. Col. Edward Kitchell.
123d Illinois, Col. James Monroe.
17th Indiana, Maj. William T. Jones.
72d Indiana, Col. Abram O. Miller.
Indiana Light, 18th Battery (1st Brigade), Capt. Eli Lilly. (division artillery)
Text on the front of the monument (on 3 stone plaques):
Wilder’s Lightning Brigade
Mounted Infantry
4th Division – Reynolds
14th Corps – Thomas
The brigade crossed the Cumberland’s with the
General Advance of the army. Took part in the diversion
Above Chattanooga and shelled the city from
Stringer Ridge Aug. 18. Sep. 9 it crossed the
Tennessee at Friar’s Island. The 92d Ill detached,
Having been the first to enter the city from
Lookout Valley, and was engaged until the 16th with
Bragg’s Cavalry in the vicinity of Ringgold, Tunnel
Hill, Leet’s Tan Yard and Lee and Gordon’s Mill.
Sept. 18, Defeated purpose of Walker’s Corps to cross
The Chickamauga at Alexander’s Bridge and also
Assisted Minty’s Brigade in resisting Bushrod
Johnson’s crossing ay Reed’s Bridge. Night of 18,
Held the roads east of Viniard’s. to fords of
The Chickamauga. During the 19th heavily and
Success fully engaged at Viniards. The 92d Ill being
Detached and operating with Gen. Reynolds at Poe’s.
At noon of the 20th charged the left of Hindman’s
division at this point driving Manigault’s Brigade
east of the Lafayette Road. Returning to this position
it formed facing northwardly and checked the
advance of Hindman’s center and left beyond the crests
to the west. Subsequently it moved on the roads west
of Lytle Station via Devotti’s to Chattanooga Valley
where it joined the cavalry covering the general
movement of the Army to Chattanooga.
Stone plaques mounted on the sides of the tower list the regiments and their officers.
An interruptive marker located nearby gives the following account of the action:
Wilder´s defense
Col. Wilder´s lightning brigade resisted the Confederate tide
When the Confederates broke the Union line at the Brotherton Farm on September 20, Union units here on the southern part of the battlefield were swept away like flakes of foam on a River. The Federals were simply overwhelmed and were forced to flee.
The union mounted infantry brigade of Col. John T. Wilder witness to that disaster. Armed with deadly seven shots Spencer repeating rifles Wilder´s men counterattacked on foot, driving Manigault´s Confederate brigade backward toward the Lafayette Road.
Soon Wilder realized his brigade was isolated, and withdrew to this hill which he defended against repeated Confederate assaults. Wilder then fell back to the northwest to guard the retreating columns and wagon trains of the routed Union right.
From the NRHP nomination form:
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Structure Number: |
MT-454-61 |
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LCS ID: |
003285 |
Historical Significance:
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National Register Status:
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Entered - Documented
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National Register Date:
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11/24/1998
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National Historic Landmark?: |
No
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Significance Level:
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Contributing
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Short Significance Description:
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The marker contributes to the national significance of the park under NR Criterion A because it represents the national movement among veterans to commemorate Civil War battlefields. This was the first U.S. national military park.
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Short Physical Description
85' high cylindrical monument/observation tower of rock-faced ashlar with a cubic base measuring 19' square. Interior circular stair is lit by narrow slit windows, and crenelated parapet wall of observation platform rests on large stone corbels.
Long Physical Description
Monument located within the Chickamauga Battlefield on Glenn Hill, map site #234.
Material(s)
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Structural Component(s)
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Material(s)
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1.
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Substructure
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Limestone
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2.
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Superstructure
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Steel
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3.
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Superstructure
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Limestone
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Construction Period:
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Historic
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Chronology:
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Physical Event
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Begin Year
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Begin Year AD/BC
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End Year
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End Year AD/BC
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Designer
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Designer Occupation
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1.
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Built
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1892
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AD
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1899
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AD
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Betts, E. E.
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Architect
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2.
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Restored
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1977
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AD
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3.
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Restored
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1985
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AD
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4.
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Restored
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1993
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AD
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My Sources
1.
NRHP
2. Wikipedia -
Battle of Chickamauga
3. The Civil War Home -
The Chickamauga Campaign - Union Order of Battle
4. Battle of Chickamauga:
Colonel John Wilder's Lightning Brigade Prevented Total Disaste
5. Historic Markers across Georgia -
Wilder's defense