Cheatham Hill Earthworks

Southern crews and engineers started constructing defenses around Kennesaw Mountain a few days before the remaining forces of the Army of Tennessee fell back to this position on June 19, 1864. Over the next week leading up to the major action during the June 27 battle, Confederate soldiers improved their earthworks despite constant rain. They dug deep while throwing the dirt toward the Union side of the trenches. The earthen walls were topped with a braced log, which left an open space beneath it for the occupying men to shoot through.