Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park invites the public to participate in a one-hour program on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 10 a.m., on the experiences of Private Sam Watkins during the Chattanooga Campaign. Participants should meet at the Bragg Reservation on Missionary Ridge, 169 South Crest Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37404.
Sam Watkins’ book, Co. Aytch, is one of the most famous Civil War memoirs ever written. The book was not a history of the war but a story of the experiences from the perspective of a common soldier in the war’s western theater.
He experienced many life changing events during his service, and his recollections are vividly expressed as he brings them clearly to life on the pages of his book. However, Watkins does not reveal in any great detail how these haunting experiences followed him the rest of life. Many soldiers had an extremely difficult time battling their past; could Sam have been one of these soldiers?
As a reminder, appropriate clothing for the weather, water, and chairs are recommended for this program.
For more information about programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, contact the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241, the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center at 423 821-7786, or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/chch.