Sue Thibodeau

Bicycling Chickamauga Battlefield: The Cyclist's Civil War Travel Guide Sue Thibodeau

You do not need to be a bicyclist to enjoy this book. Learn about the Confederate victory at the Battle of Chickamauga from the perspective of a bicyclist who studies geography, family farms, roads, monuments, and the impact of the U. S. Civil War on both citizens and soldiers.

Every U. S. Civil War battlefield that you visit will evoke different feelings. Gettysburg summons stories about Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee. Antietam stirs thoughts about the common soldier fighting in a cornfield near a remote country church. And then there's Chickamauga. This heavily wooded, blue-green battlefield nestled along Chickamauga Creek, Georgia, is hauntingly beautiful and geographically disorienting. The site calls up images of a defeated Federal army desperately fighting to hold a hill.

Bicycling Chickamauga Battlefield is designed to help you gain a high-level understanding of the battle-one that is informed by geography and local farms. The book's 18 color maps direct your navigation through the park, while bicycle cues suggest places to stop on your 12.6-mile ride. For a smooth riding experience, this book does not identify all of Chickamauga's 600+ monuments, but instead, preselects a sampling, by theme. There are 77 color photos for help finding monuments, farms, and other important landmarks.

This third book in Civil War Cycling's military travel guide series belongs on every Civil War history buff's bookshelf, whether you are a bicyclist or not. It is a short but dense reference work that teaches American history by weaving historical themes with the aid of maps and photos that enable "learning on two wheels." For readers who also appreciate supporting details, the book includes a substantial section of endnotes, an index, glossary, and bibliography. Take a ride back in time and learn the story of the Battle of Chickamauga (September 18-20, 1863) from the perspective of a bicyclist.