In the tumult of battle on June 27, 1864, Union soldiers fighting at this now-peaceful spot rallied behind 26-year-old Brigadier General Charles G. Harker as he charged forward on a white horse. Within minutes he was struck down, and he died of his wounds later that day. By the end, the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain had cost more than 4,000 lives, mostly young men in the prime of life. Today Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield and other Civil War parks preserve and protect these hallowed battlegrounds, honoring citizens' sacrifices, acknowledging the pain of slavery, war, and disruption, and enduring as lasting symbols of freedom and a united nation.