Tunnel Hill in Whitfield County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Tunnel Hill
The Beginning of the Atlanta Campaign
— Atlanta Campaign Heritage Trail —
Photographed By Mark Hilton, November 19, 2019
1. Tunnel Hill Marker
Inscription.
Tunnel Hill. The Beginning of the Atlanta Campaign. The city of Tunnel Hill was incorporated in 1848. The next year the state of Georgia began construction of a depot in anticipation of the completion of the Western and Atlantic Railroad. This rail line linked Atlanta to Chattanooga. Yet before it could be completed a tunnel had to be carved through nearby Chetoogeta Mountain. Utilizing slave labor this feat was completed in October of 1849, and the first train steamed into Tunnel Hill on May 9, 1850. Today, the depot still stands nearby, and the old tunnel has become a popular tourist attraction.
Also visible is the home constructed by Mr. Clisby Austin, known as the “Clisby Austin House” or “Meadowlawn.” It was built at approximately the same time as the depot. Tunnel Hill witnessed several Civil War events, including the “Great Locomotive Chase” (or “Andrews Raid) on April 12, 1862. Two locomotives, the “General,” stolen ţy Federal scouts, and the “Texas,” used by Southern pursuers, passed through the tunnel and the town. One of the crew of the captured “General later wrote,
We kept right on through the tunnel and the , village of Tunnel Hill beyond where we , carefully crouched down to conceal our number , from the curious eyes of any who might be , about the station.
The chase ended north of Ringgold with the capture of the “General.”
On September 11, 1863, as a Federal army was moving into Georgia in the prelude to the battle of Chickamauga, Union Colonel John T. Wider's “Lightning Brigade” of mounted infantry met Confederate cavalry south of Ringgold. The in Southern troopers made a fighting withdrawal toward Tunnel Hill, during which their commander, Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest, was slightly wounded. At dark the Federals returned to Ringgold.
Following the Confederate defeat near Chattanooga in November 1863, Tunnel Hill lay between the Confederates in Dalton and the Federals in Ringgold. On February 23, 1864, elements of two Federal army corps advanced upon Confederate cavalry occupying an advanced position at Tunnel Hill, then quickly retired. Their feint alarmed Confederate commander General Joseph E. Johnston sufficiently that he withdrew an order sending part of his army to strengthen opposition to Union Major General William T. Sherman's Meridian, Mississippi campaign.
On May 7, 1864, as Union Major General John M. Palmer's 14th Corps advanced on Tunnel Hill, the first shots of Sherman's Atlanta Campaign were fired from a Federal battery on a hill near the Clisby Austin House. The battery and supporting infantry cleared the town of Confederate cavalry and opened the door for the Federal armies to move on Johnston's Confederates at Dalton. Sherman had arrived in Tunnel Hill late that day and used the Clisby Austin House as his headquarters until leaving on May 12 to join the Federal Army of the Tennessee near Resaca.
The last skirmish at Tunnel Hill occurred March 3, 1865, when a squad of Federal soldiers from the 145th Indiana Infantry were attacked by Confederate cavalry led by Major General Joseph Wheeler.
The city of Tunnel Hill was incorporated in 1848.
The next year the state of Georgia began
construction of a depot in anticipation of the
completion of the Western and Atlantic Railroad.
This rail line linked Atlanta to Chattanooga. Yet
before it could be completed a tunnel had to be
carved through nearby Chetoogeta Mountain.
Utilizing slave labor this feat was completed in
October of 1849, and the first train steamed into
Tunnel Hill on May 9, 1850. Today, the depot still
stands nearby, and the old tunnel has become a
popular tourist attraction.
Also visible is the home constructed by Mr.
Clisby Austin, known as the “Clisby Austin
House” or “Meadowlawn.” It was built at
approximately the same time as the depot.
Tunnel Hill witnessed several Civil War events,
including the “Great Locomotive Chase” (or
“Andrews Raid) on April 12, 1862. Two
locomotives, the “General,” stolen ţy Federal
scouts, and the “Texas,” used by Southern pursuers,
passed through the tunnel and the town. One of
the crew of the captured “General later wrote,
We kept right on through the tunnel and the
village of Tunnel Hill beyond where we
carefully crouched down to conceal our number
from the curious eyes of any who might be
Click or scan to see this page online
about the station.
The chase ended north of Ringgold with the
capture of the “General.”
On September 11, 1863,
as a Federal army was
moving into Georgia in the
prelude to the battle of
Chickamauga, Union Colonel
John T. Wider's “Lightning
Brigade” of mounted infantry
met Confederate cavalry
south of Ringgold. The
in Southern troopers made a
fighting withdrawal toward Tunnel Hill, during
which their commander, Brigadier General
Nathan Bedford Forrest, was slightly wounded.
At dark the Federals returned to Ringgold.
Following the Confederate
defeat near Chattanooga in
November 1863, Tunnel Hill
lay between the Confederates
in Dalton and the Federals in
Ringgold. On February 23,
1864, elements of two
Federal army corps advanced
upon Confederate cavalry
occupying an advanced
position at Tunnel Hill,
then quickly retired. Their
feint alarmed Confederate
commander General Joseph
E. Johnston sufficiently that
he withdrew an order
sending part of his army to
strengthen opposition to
Union Major General William
T. Sherman's Meridian,
Mississippi campaign.
On May 7, 1864, as
Union Major General John
M. Palmer's 14th Corps
advanced on Tunnel Hill,
the first shots of Sherman's
Atlanta Campaign were fired from a Federal
battery on a hill near the Clisby Austin House.
The battery and supporting infantry
Photographed By Mark Hilton, November 19, 2019
2. Tunnel Hill Marker is located at right front corner of museum.
cleared the
town of Confederate cavalry and opened the
door for the Federal armies to move on
Johnston's Confederates at
Dalton. Sherman had
arrived in Tunnel Hill late
that day and used the Clisby
Austin House as his
headquarters until leaving
on May 12 to join the
Federal Army of the
Tennessee near Resaca.
The last skirmish at
Tunnel Hill occurred March
3, 1865, when a squad of
Federal soldiers from the
145th Indiana Infantry were
attacked by Confederate
cavalry led by Major General
Joseph Wheeler.
Erected by Georgia Civil War Heritage Trails, Inc. (Marker Number 8.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Georgia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical date for this entry is February 23, 1864.
Location. 34° 50.391′ N, 85° 2.501′ W. Marker is in Tunnel Hill, Georgia, in Whitfield County. Marker is on Clisby Austin Drive, 0.1 miles Oak Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 215 Clisby Austin Drive, Tunnel Hill GA 30755, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 26, 2019. It was originally submitted on November 26, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 524 times since then and 54 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on November 26, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
