Neighborhood surrounding Orchard Knob in the Chattanooga Unit of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Orchard Knob is located in the Chattanooga Unit of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. It is an anomaly in what is now central Chattanooga—a tall hill sticking out like a sore thumb in an otherwise flat surrounding. However, during the Civil War it was far away from the city limits. From the top you can see in all directions, so in addition to manning the high points of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, the Confederates posted 634 men on and around Orchard Knob. When the Union forces began to break out of Chattanooga and mount an attack with 14,000 men, despite being a superior position, it didn’t take long for Orchard Knob to be overrun, marking the first Union victory in the expanding Battle of Chattanooga. Two days later, General Grant made the hill his observation post.
Orchard Knob takes up the entire block between North Hawthorne Street, East 4th Street, Ivy Street, and North Orchard Knob Avenue (the site is identified on most mapping websites). There is access to the top of the hill on all four sides, some paved, some paths cut through high grass. Parking is on the street. Getting to the top entails a short but extremely steep climb. On the side I went up, I had to push hard from my tippy toes to move forward, nearly to the point of having to get on all fours and climb up.
Steep climb to the top of Orchard Knob in the Chattanooga Unit of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
The top, while a small area, now holds five major monuments plus tablets and artillery. The monuments are dedicated to the troops of Illinois (the most elaborate), Maryland, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and New York.
Illinois Monument at Orchard Knob, Chattanooga Unit of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
New York Monument at Orchard Knob, Chattanooga Unit of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
New Jersey Monument at Orchard Knob, Chattanooga Unit of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Wisconsin Monument at Orchard Knob, Chattanooga Unit of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Maryland Monument at Orchard Knob, Chattanooga Unit of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Smaller monuments are located along all surrounding streets, though most can be found on North Hawthorne.
Monuments along the street at Orchard Knob, Chattanooga Unit of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Monument to Battery E of Pennsylvania at the street level of Orchard Knob, Chattanooga Unit of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
A visit to Orchard Knob, not counting drive time, takes 15-30 minutes.
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Last updated on July 5, 2024
