Event Summary
Parents, ignite your kids’ love for history with Dr. Bill Potter’s action-packed Chattanooga Civil War tour! Watch their eyes light up as they charge across Chickamauga’s legendary battlefield, where 125,000 soldiers clashed in 1863. They’ll conquer Lookout Mountain, reliving the thrilling “Battle Above the Clouds,” and uncover General Cleburne’s clever trap at Tunnel Hill. Hop aboard the Missionary Ridge Local train for a historic ride, then sail the Tennessee River on the Southern Belle steamboat, marveling at epic views. At the Medal of Honor Heritage Center, inspiring hero stories will spark courage and patriotism. Bring your family for a fun, unforgettable adventure that makes history roar to life!
Key Figures
Braxton Bragg
Patrick Cleburne
William Rosecrans
Ulysses Grant
William Sherman
It was so wonderful to hear about history from a Christian perspective and to fellowship with other Christians!” —Traci W.
Tour Highlights
Battle of Chickamauga
The Confederates struck back on September 18-20, 1863, meeting the Yankee invaders in the fields and forests along Chickamauga Creek—in the Cherokee language, the “River of Death.” And so it proved; in the bloodiest two-day battle of the war 125,000 Americans fought to the death, leaving more than 24,000 casualties on the battlefield. The result proved to be the last major Confederate field victory of the Civil War, and the surrounding of the Federal army, trapped in Chattanooga. Join military historian Dr. Bill Potter for an unforgettable tour of the Chickamauga Battlefield which will include hiking the key locations of the fight, stories of heroism and courage, and the ultimate providential repercussions of that bloody, sprawling, and vital battle of American history.
Lookout Mountain
With General Rosecran’s forces now bottled up between bends of the Tennessee River, General Ulysses S. Grant and his favorite Lieutenant William T. Sherman brought their armies to lift the siege of the city. In that campaign blue and gray fought a battle above the clouds at the top of Lookout Mountain and made a wildly successful and bold attack on the Confederate-held Missionary Ridge. Union forces won both fights, lifted the siege of Chattanooga, and established the supply depots for Sherman’s campaign against Atlanta, Georgia. We too will climb above the clouds on Lookout Mountain and visit a portion of the battlefield and look out over the beautiful and immense view of the valleys and river surrounding the city.
Tunnel Hill
As the Confederates retreated into Georgia, a division of their army, not yet defeated, was left to defend a railroad tunnel through a hill just south of the city. Irish-born Confederate General Patrick Cleburne disposed his men to create a lethal trap for the pursuing enemy, and sprung it, demoralizing the attackers and sending them flying back to the city, saving the Army of Tennessee. The old Tunnel Hill is now an historical site we can visit, and a unique battlefield of the Civil War.
Southern Belle
Long before the railroads came to Georgia and Tennessee, the Tennessee River provided the major travel and transportation opportunity in that mountainous terrain. Today, the River Boat “Southern Belle” plies the waters of the big river. Join us for a sightseeing trip along the Tennessee and see the unspoiled landscapes and historic landings that made Chattanooga famous. Built in a shipyard about twenty miles away, and plying the waters on cruises for forty years, the Belle harkens to an earlier era but with modern amenities.
National Medal of Honor Heritage Center
The Medal of Honor is the highest military award given by the United States Armed Forces to soldiers and sailors for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.” The State of Tennessee built the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center in 2017 in Chattanooga, where the first Army MOHs were awarded. The museum self-consciously seeks to pass on to the next generation six values that have animated the warriors who have received the awards in America’s wars: Patriotism, Citizenship, Courage, Integrity, Sacrifice, and Commitment. Dr. Potter will illustrate these virtues with stories of Medal of Honor recipients at this interactive and historically important historic site. He has met at least 20 MOH men and has studied the awards and lives of many more.
Tennessee Valley Railroad
The Union victory on the ancient and historic Missionary Ridge shocked Generals Sherman and Grant as they stood stunned, watching from a distance as their men without orders, stormed the heights of the Ridge, spontaneously executing one of the most heroic and incredible charges made by an army in the war. The battlefield has not been preserved—only a few scattered historic markers in a suburban wilderness–but the Ridge’s long, interesting history can still be recounted, as we take a six-mile, hour-long train journey aboard the historic Missionary Ridge Local that helped make Chattanooga one of the premier cities of the South
Ticket Pricing
Included in Registration
- Distinctly Christian interpretation
- All venue admissions
- All guide fees and gratuities
- Individual electronic headsets so you won’t miss a word!
- Sweet Christian Fellowship
- Study Preparation section
Tickets
First 15 registrants save 15%
No risk registration—all cancellations are 100% refundable at any time
Adult (16+) Youth (5-17) Addn’l Family Member
Child (0-5) FREEDefinitely worth more than a month’s worth of book lessons! And to be remembered for so much longer! Best of all, the tour was Christ-centered in every aspect. Thank you Landmark for precious home school memories for our family!” —Rena B.
Event Speakers
Bill Potter
An experienced historian and avid bibliophile, Dr. Bill Potter combines a lifelong study of American history with an uncommon ability to captivate audiences of all ages as he traces the providential acts of God throughout the ages. He has taught history in high schools and colleges, has led many tours of American and European historical sites and brings to each event a wealth of experience and knowledge. An experienced researcher and writer, Dr. Potter possesses a practical knowledge of antiquarian books, documents, and artifacts and has published several short books and has penned many articles and book reviews for publication. Dr. Potter has earned a well-deserved reputation as a man gifted in communicating the story of God’s providential hand in American history. As a father of eight children, he appreciates the necessity of passing on to the succeeding generations the richness of both our regional and national history. He and his wife, Leslie, reside in Virginia.
Event Schedule
Thursday, July 17
 000 miles ≈ 000 mins. travel time from HOTEL |
|
| 9:00am | Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center 110 Point Park Rd, Lookout Mountain, TN 37350 |
| 29 miles ≈ 47 mins. travel time from HOTEL |
|
| 2:00pm | Tunnel Hill—Western & Atlantic Railroad Tunnel 215 Clisby Austin Dr, Tunnel Hill, GA 30755 |
| 000 miles ≈ 000 mins. travel time to HOTEL |
Saturday, July 19
| 000 miles ≈ 000 mins. travel time from HOTEL |
|
| 9:00am | Chickamauga Battlefield 3370 Lafayette Rd, Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 |
| 000 miles ≈ 000 mins. travel time to HOTEL |
Friday, July 18
| 000 miles ≈ 000 mins. travel time from HOTEL |
|
| 9:00am | Missionary Ridge Train Ride / Museum 4119 Cromwell Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37421 |
| 11 miles ≈ 18 mins. travel time from HOTEL |
|
| 1:00pm | National Medal of Honor Center 2 W Aquarium Way Suite 104, Chattanooga, TN 37402 |
| 0.4 miles ≈ 2 mins. travel time |
|
| 3:00pm | Southern Belle Riverboat 151 Riverfront Pkwy, Chattanooga, TN 37402 |
| 000 miles ≈ 000 mins. travel time from HOTEL |
|
| 6:00pm | Picnic in the Park – Fun and Fellowship ADDRESS |
| 000 miles ≈ 000 mins. travel time to HOTEL |
Accommodations
We have a block of rooms ($139.00—King or 2 Queens) in process for July 16-20 at the Hampton Inn & Suites Chattanooga/Hamilton Place. We will post a link as soon as arrangements are finalized.
2014 Hamilton Pl Blvd, Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 602-7840
Free parking, breakfast and wifi. We will also host a Friday evening Q&A / fellowship with Dr. Potter’s legendary quiz with neat prizes for correct answers.
Transportation
This is one of our Car Tours, the ultimate in flexibility and frugality. Drive your own vehicle and meet us at the various venues to receive accurate biblical interpretation from our outstanding guides. You will have time to take a “house tour”, explore areas of your interest and stop in the gift shop before heading to the next location. Want to skip a venue? Feel free, we will let you know how to reunite with the group when you are ready. We take care of the reservations and payments, and provide you with a detailed schedule. You won’t miss a word with our wireless headsets that allow you to peruse the area while we tell you all about it. Freedom—it’s a beautiful thing.
More Things to Do in the Area
While not included in the Clash in the Clouds Tour, lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Phasellus vulputate felis condimentum nisl vulputate tristique non a nisi. Maecenas metus magna, laoreet vitae feugiat non, facilisis non ligula. Integer convallis a libero quis vehicula. Cras dignissim accumsan lacus. Phasellus elit arcu, condimentum ac ullamcorper vel, elementum ac massa.
Image Credits: 1 Braxton Bragg 2 Patrick Cleburne 3 William Rosecrans 4 Ulysses Grant 5 William Sherman 6 Lookout Mountain Cannon 7 Lookout Mountain Summit 8 Lookout Mountain Tower 9 Tunnel Hill Inside 10 Tunnel Hill Outside 11 Tunnel Hill Marker 12 Southern Belle on River 13 Southern Belle at Dock 14 Southern Belle Shore View 15 Medal Museum Inside 16 Medal Museum Soldier 17 Medal Museum Outside 18 Train Station 19 Train Tunnel 20 Turnaround Aerial
Upcoming Events
Tennessee Appalachian Spring Tour
May 7, 2025
Ireland Tour
August 4-16, 2025
