Soon after establishing their farms, the deeply religious settlers of Walker County usually built churches, and Rock Springs Methodist Church began in a log building near the spring on the east side of the LaFayette Road. In 1854, that log structure was moved out toward the creek and used as a school, while a new framed and weather-boarded church rose on the original site, with two front doors so male and female worshipers could enter separately and sit on opposite sides. A sizeable community grew up around Rock Springs Church on the Lafayette Road. During the Chickamauga Campaign, Confederate forces occupied and camped in the Rock Spring community. On September 13, James H. Fraser of the 50th Alabama Infantry wrote that his unit had marched from LaFayette and was in line of battle near Rock Church Springs, expecting to meet the enemy while General Cheatham formed the line, but the anticipated Federal attack did not come and the Confederates moved back to LaFayette the next day. Five days later, as General Braxton Bragg prepared his major attack on the Federal Army of the Cumberland, elements of the Confederate army returned to Rock Springs, and on September 18 Edwin H. Reynolds of the 5th Tennessee Infantry wrote that they moved onto Rock Spring Church, resumed their old position of the 13th, heard Bragg's battle order read, and then moved slowly toward Gordon's Mills by the Long Hollow road. The next day they moved north and began crossing the creek for the Battle of Chickamauga. Although the departure of Polk and Hill's men ended major Confederate concentrations at Rock Springs, Confederates remained in the area for some time after the battle, and at least one postwar account by a Federal prisoner said that hundreds of captured Federal soldiers were held at Rock Spring. Adam S. Johnston of the 79th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment said he was captured at Chickamauga and sent seven miles to Cheatham's headquarters or hospital, called Rock Springs, where Confederates recorded each prisoner's name, regiment, rank, and residence before about 700 prisoners were formed into a double square and marched to Ringgold, Georgia.

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington