State of Georgia Civil War Battlefield Museum Park

The Chickamauga Civil War Battle was a complex and confusing battle for both the Union and Confederate soldiers according to our tour guide, Mr. Chris Barr, a park ranger with a history degree about the Civil War. Enclosed is a photo from our walk through the forest. I was with a school group as well as other civil war reenactment personalities who were dressed in modern clothing, not antebellum period clothing. They added to the discussion that Mr. Barr lead.
Some things to remember when walking through a battlefield forest is that you just know what is in front of you. You are in the present moment. Everything else does not matter when fighting for your life. The gun shots from across the field 1/2 mile away does not matter. When a troop of soldiers would walk across the changing terrain. soldiers experienced a slinging effect through the forest. Soldiers would cross a creek or river and the back end group would wait while the front end group would cross and move forward. It was a stop and go process.
There was a group of soldiers from Florida that played an important role at Chickamauga in September 1863. I believe this was an introduction on how the Cist family had a cottage on Sanibel Island, FL at  Thistle Lodge. Henry M. Cist must have met Floridian soldiers at Chickamauga and kept  in contact with them through the Society of the Army of the Cumberland. He was Secretary of the organization for many years.
This battlefield was filled with potential friends and enemies. Based on family stories, we had conductors on the Underground Railroad in the family. Also, there is an unidentified African-American  gentleman in our family photo album from the 1840's.  It is still in the original casing album. Lewis J. Cist was a published author of Fugitive Slave Poems.  I know that Henry M. Cist was fighting for Union causes to keep the Union together and to abolish slavery.
Col. Peyton Colquitt and State Rights Gist fought at Chickamauga and was willing to die to keep slavery intact. Many soldiers fought for different reasons. They were at the same location in the same battle, but for different reasons. Another reason for fighting in the Civil War battle at Chickamauga was the tariff act in Virginia during the 1830's a generation ago. The offspring of the political power players fought in this battle.
Black soldiers, white soldiers, rich and poor alike, men and women all played a part in this complex and interwoven event.

Andrew C. Allen
513.638.7140
pewabic34@gmail.com