More than 4,000 soldiers lost their lives at Chickamauga
The short path ahead leads to the grave of a loan Confederate. Pvt. John Andrew Ingraham was a local man, one of many who join the Confederate Army. He was killed at midday on Sept. 19 in heavy fighting that claimed the lives of more than 2,600 other Confederates. After the battle, friends searched for him, down his body, and buried it here.
Chickamauga was by far the bloodiest battle west of the Appalachian Mountains. Of the 124,000 men engaged, 30% were listed as casualties,. The number killed, wounded, or reported missing in actions exceeded 37,000. The scope of the tragedy is difficult to comprehend.
Confederate dead were buried in mass graves on the battlefield, but were later moved. Many of the Union dead lay on the ground for three months until Union troops recaptured the area and remove the bodies to what would later become a National Cemetery in Chattanooga.
Casualties at Chickamauga
Union
Of 58,000 engaged
Killed 1,656
Wounded 9,749
Missing 4,774
Total 16,179
Confederate
Of 66,000 engaged
Killed 2,673
Wounded 16,274
Missing 2,003
Total 20,950
(caption)
(top right) Pvt. John Ingraham; a local Confederate volunteer, was killed near here on the first day of battle. Unlike many who died far from home, Ingraham died in his own community and was buried by friends.
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