“One Brief Shining Moment” a Walking Tour of Chickamauga with Jim Ogden

A BGES Civil War Field University Program: “One Brief Shining Moment” A Walking tour of Chickamauga With Jim Ogden

The dramatic victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg eclipsed a tactically sound operation by Major General William Starke Rosecrans that maneuvered General Braxton Bragg out of Tennessee, uncovered Chattanooga making it easier to secure Lincoln’s area of special interest in Eastern Tennessee. When chastised for not attacking, Rosecrans retorted that it was a shame the government could only view success in the wake of baths of blood. His insolence made him a target for the administration which sent special envoy Charles Dana to report on Rosecrans operations. Unlike Grant, Rosecrans excluded Dana from his counsel and when he got careless in his move across the Tennessee River and into Georgia he was left with very few markers to play and little support.

Thinking Bragg had retreated into Georgia, Rosecrans was lulled by the flat terrain atop the Sand and Lookout Mountain chains. Exits were precipitous and far beyond mutual supporting range—it was an ambush waiting to happen—but it didn’t. One failure to execute set a series of new options into motion and suddenly Rosecrans discovered that far from retreating into Georgia, Bragg was poised to pounce on Rosecrans in detail and was soon to be reinforced by two divisions of Lee’s First Corps from Virginia. It would be this hard luck Confederate army’s only victory and it proved to be barren.

There are dream tours and then dream tours—over the years Jim Ogden’s name rises higher than anyone in the Western theater. He is a pivotal cog in the success of the park and the major concession of building a bypass around the battlefield. As such Jim is the beginning and end name on the campaign and anyone who writes the campaign passes through Jim’s office. We have him in a series that reveals in more depth than any other study program—lucky participants will be tutored in detail about this singular campaign and battle—come prepared he will.

Sunday, November 29, 2015

6 PM: Meet at the Country Inn and Suites, Chattanooga. After picking up your reading books, Ogden will offer remarks on the Tullahoma Campaign and how Rosecrans walked into this trap and how Bragg set it? This is Sunday night after Thanksgiving—if you want to get dinner it is on your own—I’ll save a group dinner for Wednesday night.

Monday, November 30, 2015

8:15 AM: Depart the hotel en route to Bridgeport and the Federal crossings. Rosecrans movement to the Tennessee through valleys shadowed by washboard type ridges suggested a game of Wack-a-mole as folks tried to figure where Rosecrans would pop out? His success brought him to Sand Mountain and its magnificent plateau that would lead far to the South. Paralleling this range was the equally impressive Lookout Mountain that commanded a critical bend in the river outside of Chattanooga known as Moccasin Bend.

We will follow Rosecrans today and see him get his troops separated with an ambush waiting to happen at McLemore’s Cove and Davis Crossroads. We will examine what went wrong for the Confederates and how it galvanized Rosecrans to attempt a concentration of his force.. Lunch is provided but dinner is on your own. Today is intended to get the two armies to the vicinity of Chickamauga. I am not sure if Jim is going to bring Rosecrans all the way in to the fords today or if he is going to break away to bring the Confederates to the battlefield. The Georgia Battlefield Commission has marked many sites in and around Chickamauga that previously were unvisited and unmarked. I know Jim will fold and the relevant and unique ones into today. Lunch is included.

Tuesday December 1, 2015

8:15 AM: By every measure we will open the battle today. If we have not brought the Confederates to the field we will via Catoosa Station (where Longstreet arrives) and from the alcoves where Bragg intends to entrap Rosecrans. Unfazed by the failure to attack McLemore’s Cove and destroy parts of Crittenden’s Corps—Bragg again gives orders to close from LaFayette only to have them again ignored. Certainly this is the dysfunction of the Army of Tennessee at its worst and at the very worst time. What is remarkable to me is that he takes a week to bring Rosecrans to a general engagement.

Following lunch we will open the attacks West Chickamauga Creek at Reed’s Bridge, Thedford’s Ford Alexander’s Bridge and just outside of Lee and Gordon’s Mill. With the arrival of two divisions under Longstreet Bragg will outman the Federal army for the first time in the war. The Confederate surge and Hood’s arrival supporting Bushrod Johnson’s attack against Robert Minty, who was standing at Pea Vine Creek on the Federal left, promised to cut the La Fayette road and deny the Federals one of its two lines of supply to Chattanooga. The Confederate boldness challenged Rosecrans to shore up his left which was entrusted to Major General George H. Thomas. I believe we will most likely end the day at this point. It is December and it will be dark before 5. Lunch is again provided.

Wednesday December 2, 2015

8:15 AM: Lot of work today as we leave the hotel early. The Federals open the ball on the 19th with an attack on their left which turns out to have not been a fortuitous idea even though the left is held by Nathan Bedford Forrest. In the evening shuffle, Rosecrans has left a two mile gap in his line to Thomas’s right and Hood is on it. Bragg orders all his forces to the north thus paralleling the La Fayette Road. The density o the fight north of the Brotherton Road creates a dense field of fighting along that road over to the Alexander Bridge Road. The Confederates are driven back and the Federals form a strong line along the Brotherton Road. As the day wanes, General Polk anchored by the valued and hard fighting Pat Cleburne drives and the Federals back upon the La Fayette Road.

That evening Bragg reorganizes his army giving the left wing to the newly arrived James Longstreet and the right wing to Leonidas Polk. Dispatching orders to attack somewhere around 5:30 AM, Polk did not receive the orders and by the time he did the day was rapidly maturing. We will finish the day belated morning fighting around Kelly’s Field. From a distance Rosecrans sees the threat unfolding and takes action to shore up Thomas’ XIV Corps. It is where we will start tomorrow. Lunch is again provided. We will also head to Sugar’s Ribs for a bib wearing, pig smoking good meal on us.

Thursday December 3, 2015

0815: This final day of the program is also a transition for the following program that will start tonight. If you are just with us for the one program we will finish right after lunch and you can plan to depart by 2 PM.

Today we will start with Rosecrans fateful decision and the luckiest man in Georgia—James Longstreet. By moving T.J. Woods’ unit to the left, Rosecrans opened a huge hole in his line at the precise time Hood and Buckner. The rebels poured through and rolled up the Federal line to the north. Federal Corps to the south of the breech had no where to go nor did Rosecrans all of whom were swept along the Dry Valley Road back towards Chattanooga. Here Thomas held the entire afternoon earning himself the moniker “The Rock of Chickamauga.”

Longstreet enjoying the route stopped in the middle of the field to enjoy a lunch of Nassau Bacon, and by noon Thomas had been turned to the south. Confederates chased Federal artillery from Horseshoe Ridge and pressed on to Snodgrass Hill. As he flows away we too will flow to McFarland Gap where we will have lunch and conclude the program. I expect to return to the hotel at or before 1 PM.

About the Faculty:

Jim Ogden is one of the finest military historians in the country. A preservationist of the first order he is often called upon to lead tours for distinguished visitors to the National Park Service—having taking Vice President Cheney and his family around Chickamauga and the region several times. In twenty years, this is the first time we have had him exclusively and privately for a tour of his home battlefield. Knowing his extraordinary preparation and knowledge of the field this will be a real and perhaps one time only treat!

Hotel Information:

This program will be based in Chattanooga, Tennessee at the Country Inn and Suites, 7051 McCutchen Road., Chattanooga, TN 37421. The cost of the hotel $90 per night plus 17.25% (yes 17.25—they must not want you to come back to Tennessee) tax is not included in your registration fee. You should call 423-899- 2300 or their toll free number and ask for the Blue and Gray Education/Chickamauga Group. We have a block of rooms until November 16, 2015. After that date rooms will be made available at the prevailing rate. The hotel provides transportation to and from the airport during set hours.

Transportation:

The servicing airport is Chattanooga (CHA). It is a small airport with limited service that always must connect. Alternatives requiring you to rent a car are Nashville (BNA) which I prefer and Atlanta (ATL) that is tedious depending upon the time of day—both are over 100 miles from the program but served by good interstate systems. I found car rentals to be very reasonable with Priceline.com being a real option.