Crisis in the Poe Field

On September 20, 1863, Union troops under General John Brannan held the center of the Federal battle line at the edge of the Poe family’s farm. After Confederates broke through the Union line at the Brotherton farm just south of the Poe field, Confederate infantry crashed into Brannan’s right flank. Brannan’s adept response to the unfolding crisis checked the Confederate advance and prevented the envelopment and collapse of the Army of the Cumberland.

Join a ranger to walk the ground and learn about the people and the decisions which defined this pivotal moment in the Battle of Chickamauga. Interested visitors should meet at the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center for the program introduction, after which participants will follow a ranger in their personal vehicles to the Poe Field. The program will involve a walk of about 1/3 of a mile over some uneven and potentially muddy terrain, so visitors are advised to wear appropriate footwear and to bring a water bottle.