Sculpted by Gary Casteel
 
1863 Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Monument Replicas
 
This monument dedicated to the Georgia 1st Confederate, 2nd Battalion, Infantry, is in recognition of their service during the Battle of Chickamauga in Georgia, fought September 19–20, 1863.  It marks their position at 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 20, 1863, during the battle.
 
On September 20th, Gen. States Rights Gist was put in command of Col. Claudius C. Wilson’s, Gen. Mathew Ector’s and Gist’s brigades and supported Gen. Daniel Harvey Hill on the right wing of the line.   Col. Wilson reported that having advanced some distance; they engaged the enemy in thick woods about a half-mile from the Chattanooga Road in connection with Gist’s brigade in front and Gen. Ector’s in the rear.  This engagement lasted about 45 minutes, but the three brigades were occupying the same line, which caused great confusion.   All were ordered to fall back and reform. 
 
Col. Wilson wrote "we advanced to the last charge, meeting, however, no enemy, and having the satisfaction of taking up our bivouac upon the field from which our enemy had been driven in confusion.”  Only Gen. George H. Thomas’ stubborn stand saved Gen. William Rosencrans’ Union army from destruction, although it was forced to retreat back to Chattanooga.  However, Gen. Braxton Bragg failed to follow up aggressively on the Confederates’ victory, an oversight leading to defeat at Chattanooga two months later.
 
Wilson’s brigade had entered the fight with an effective force of 1,800 men, and in two days fighting lost 100 killed, 43 wounded, and 80 missing, including 1 officer killed and 7 wounded.  This was to be the bloodiest two-day battle of the war with the Federals losing 16,170 men and the Confederates losing 18,454 for a total of 34,624 men lost.  Although the Confederates were the victors in this battle, a heavy price was paid during those two fateful days.
 
This monument was dedicated in 1898 and is located on Alexander Bridge Road in the Chickamauga National Military Park.