▁an ▁important ▁rail road ▁j unction ▁on ▁the ▁Nash ville ▁and ▁Ch att ano oga ▁Rail road . ▁ ▁Kelly ' s ▁Fer ry ▁played ▁an ▁important ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁Ch ero kee ▁removal ▁from ▁eastern ▁Tennessee . ▁ ▁During ▁this ▁event , ▁Ch att ano oga ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁collection ▁and ▁holding ▁point , ▁from ▁which ▁groups ▁of ▁Ch ero kee ▁were ▁march ed ▁west ward ▁on ▁the ▁Tra il ▁of ▁T ears . ▁ ▁The ▁road ▁to ▁Kelly ' s ▁Fer ry ▁and ▁the ▁fer ry ▁itself ▁were ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁a ▁few ▁paths ▁suitable ▁for ▁transport ation ▁of ▁large ▁groups ▁of ▁people ▁and ▁supplies , ▁and ▁the ▁historical ▁record ▁shows ▁several ▁Ch ero kee ▁det ach ments ▁camp ed ▁or ▁tra ve led ▁through ▁there . ▁ ▁Kelly ' s ▁Fer ry ▁and ▁its ▁road ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁important ▁transport ation ▁route ▁in ▁the ▁Civil ▁War . ▁During ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁sie ge ▁of ▁Ch att ano oga , ▁a ▁g arrison ▁of ▁soldiers ▁was ▁station ed ▁there ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁crossing . ▁ ▁The ▁site ▁was ▁later ▁occupied ▁by ▁the ▁Union ▁army , ▁and ▁was ▁an ▁important ▁link ▁in ▁the ▁famous ▁" C ra cker ▁Line ," ▁the ▁supply ▁route ▁established ▁by ▁General ▁U ly ss es ▁Grant ▁to ▁break ▁the ▁sie ge . ▁ ▁At ▁this ▁time , ▁the ▁road ▁from ▁Kelly ' s ▁fer ry ▁was ▁w iden ed ▁and ▁improved ▁by ▁the ▁Union ▁forces ▁to ▁facil itate ▁the ▁movement ▁of ▁supplies . ▁ ▁Kelly '