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Each page listed below has up to 50 thumbnail photos to click on, so click on a page to discover and relive the event.

Page1 - Saturday Battle

Page2 - Saturday Battle

Page3 - Sunday Battle

Page4 - Camp, Union Drill, 69th posing

Page5 - Camp, Tunnel, Dance

Panorama - Saturday Battle

At Tunnel Hill, Georgia the 14th Annual reenactment was held on Sep 10th and 11th, 2005. This small town saw several small military actions during the War Between the States. In 1863, on September 11, a small skirmish happened here, just days before the Battle of Chickamauga. After Chickamauga CSA Gen. John Bell Hood, along with many sick and wounded, were brought to the hospital here. It was a major hospital for the Army of Tennessee where thousands of tents and shelters housed the most critical patients. Lesser wounded were sent on to Atlanta. Many residents of Tunnel Hill served the wounded. In November of the same year Gen. Bragg retreated through the area after the Missionary Ridge battle and were able to hold off the pursuing Union troops here. Another skirmish in January 1864 saw the Federal troops driving Confederate outposts to the Tunnel but retiring back to their base at nearby Ringgold. Union Gen. Sherman took over the town in 1864 during his "March to the Sea".

   The town is aptly named for the railroad tunnel constructed by the 'Western and Atlantic Railway'. Construction began in 1848 and was completed in 1850. This was the first railroad to link the Atlantic Ocean with the Mississippi River Valley. It was an important link in the Confederate Railway system. It later served the Union troops as a key supply line during US Gen. Sherman's campaign to take Atlanta. After the Civil War the tunnel remained a key element in Georgia's transportation. It is estimated that 25,000 troops passed through the tunnel on their way to seaports during World War I. In 1926 it was abandoned and a new modern tunnel was bored. It remained boarded up till 1976 and then partially filled in 1992. In 1996 the Tunnel Hill Historical Foundation helped the town purchase the old tunnel and has made many improvements to the site.

   The area has many stories of hauntings and ghosts from the Civil War era and the untold suffering endured by those who died here. You can read more about the ghost at kudzumonthly.com You can get more info at the tunnel Hill heritage center website

  What follows is my report of the reenactment as it might have been seen back then.

Saturday, September 10 (photos start on page1)

   When I finally saw the smoke and heard the sounds that large armies make I turned off the main road. I had traveled the entire length of Georgia searching for the action, something to report and photograph. I was not wrong, this time. I broke through the trees and spotted a group of Confederate infantry across a wide and long field. The field dominated a rather small homestead placed at its center. Consisting of a small house, corncrib, and privy it looked rather lonesome and surely apprehensive about the gathering of so many military. Skirting the field and passing a fort named "Keys", I heard the sounds of a railroad to the north and understood the reason for the troops. They were either here to defend it or to destroy it. Since being known as a neutral observer I was able to casually stroll through the ranks of the Rebels when I heard my name being called. I was pleasantly surprised to see some old friends from Florida. After a few words and a promise to visit after their inspection time I moved on a bit. I then realized, by the large number of town folk assembled, this was no inspection. They were assuredly Union troops about and a fight was brewing. I was thankfully pulled into the woods surrounding the large sloping field just minutes before shots rang out.

   Some brave Confederates dashed out to the small house probably to save whoever might be inside. Quite a few eventually went out there because the buildings and small garden provided good cover. Cavalry from both sides took to the field to spy out what forces they were facing. Several Union cannon appeared in the northwest corner and between them and the Rebel cannon inside Fort Keys (in the southeast corner) they proceeded to plow the field without the use of livestock or a plow. The Confederates sent out some more infantry to draw out the Union boys while the cavalry from both sides attempted to quell each others desire to see or spy. After a while it appeared to be a stalemate, the small cabin still standing but the privy was now sporting a dangerous lean. Then a good number of Union soldiers came out from behind the cannon and slowly forced the Confederates to retire from the little shack and most of the field. There was a good number of Union troops (300-400) but I knew the Rebels had about as many hiding in the woods. Sure enough when the Union showed all it had the Confederate officers brought out the men from hiding along with a couple field pieces and 2 mountain howitzers. Slowly and with precision they pounded the boys in blue all back to where they came from and further out of my sight into the trees. The cost in lives was horrible and fallen soldiers lay all over the field.      wes mayhle

Sunday, September 11 (photos start on page3)

   I spent the night alone recording my thoughts and tending to my pictures. The next day it seemed both sides had been reinforced because the numbers were the same as before and still evenly split. (300-400 for each side). The Union must have studied harder overnight because they moved all their artillery closer where it would take more of a toll on the fort and not the outhouse. I stayed a little closer to the fort to record the artillerymen's' efforts. The battle again started to unfold much the same as the day before with each side anxious to defend or attack the little dwelling in the field. This time the Union artillery had more of an effect. Since they stayed together they seemed to have more discipline and concentrated the fire better. The Confederate boys were confident but were soundly beaten and before long the Federals had charged and overrun Fort Keys. Again my neutrality saved me and they let me walk unharmed out of the fort area. I hurried back to Florida as fast as I could to send out this report and share the photographs.      wes mayhle

Links to the pages and photos from other years at this event:
2005
2007
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015

For more reenacting information go to
Florida Reenactors Online - a website that regularly features some of my photos and articles and where you can find many links, monthly newsletters and many other resources about the American Civil War and reenacting that conflict.