Chickamauga and Chattanooga Death Knell of the Confederacy?
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Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Park Service National Military Park U.S. Department of the Interior Chickamauga and Chattanooga Georgia / Tennessee Chickamauga Chattanooga It seemed as though a terrible cyclone was sweeping over the earth, Still they advance, and still we shoot them down, and still they come. driving everything before it. Col. Benjamin Scribner, 38th Indiana Infantry, USA Capt. Samuel T. Foster, 24th Texas Cavalry (Dismounted), CSA Union soldiers fire from Horseshoe Ridge during the Battle of Chickamauga. FROM THE PAINTING TO THE LAST ROUND: THE 21ST OHIO AT HORSESHOE RIDGE © KEITH ROCCO / TRADITION STUDIOS Confederate soldiers defend their position on Missionary Ridge. FROM THE PAINTING ON EMPTY RIFLES © RICK REEVES The Campaign for Chattanooga: Death Knell of the Confederacy? President Abraham Lincoln believed that taking In the summer of 1863, Confederate Gen. Braxton Rosecrans thought the Confederates were retreating Chattanooga was as important as taking Richmond. Bragg and his Army of Tennessee controlled Chatta- toward Atlanta, prompting him and his army to pur- Why was a small town of 2,500 as important as the nooga. But Union Gen. William Rosecrans skillfully sue the gray-clad soldiers into Georgia. However, capital of the Confederacy? The small city lay on the moved his Army of the Cumberland south, across the Confederates had a surprise of their own. Bragg, banks of the Tennessee River where it cut through the Tennessee River and over Sand Mountain and now heavily reinforced, was not going to give up the Appalachian Mountains, allowing four major Lookout Mountain, threatening the Confederates Chattanooga without a fight. At the Battle of Chicka- railroads to converge (see map at right). If the Union from behind. By early September, Bragg realized he mauga, little went as planned and thousands of men captured Chattanooga, it could cripple Confederate had been outmaneuvered. The Confederate Army lost their lives. Yet, it would be late November before supply lines and strike at the industrial heart of the had no choice but to abandon the city and its the city’s fate would be decided—and perhaps that Confederacy. remaining residents. of the Confederacy. Gaining Control of the South 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 Western Theater Armies in the western theater Confederates violate Confederates move to Union captures Fort Union victories, Shiloh Union captures Confederates rout Union Union defeats Confed- Union victories, Ken- Confederate Army of fought for control between the Kentucky’s neutrality. suppress Unionists in Donelson and Fort and Stones River, TN. Vicksburg, MS. at Chickamauga, GA and eracy at Chattanooga, nesaw Mountain and Tennessee surrenders Mississippi River and the Appa- October eastern Tennessee. Henry in Tennessee. April, December July begin siege of Chatta- opening way to Georgia. Atlanta, GA. in NC. April lachians. After Chattanooga, November February nooga, TN. Sept. 18–20 November 23–25 June, July the western theater expanded toward the eastern theater, Eastern Theater which centered around the Confederates bombard Confederate victory, Union victory, Confederate victory, Lincoln issues Emanci- Confederate victory, Union victory, Siege of Richmond and Confederate Army of Union and Confederate capitals. Fort Sumter, SC; war Battle of First Antietam, MD. Fredericksburg, VA. pation Proclamation. Chancellorsville, VA. Gettysburg, PA. Petersburg, VA; Lincoln Northern Virginia sur- begins. April Manassas, VA. July September December January May July re-elected. renders at Appomattox, June, November VA; Lincoln assassinated. April Battle of Chickamauga Battles for Chattanooga For thousands of Union and Confed- In late October, the Union uses dark- erate soldiers, their hopes hinge on ness to silently float past Confederates controlling Chattanooga—the “gate- on Lookout Mountain. Then, in a rare way” to the Confederacy. Yet, in mid- night battle near Wauhatchie, they September, they meet in the peaceful win control of Lookout Valley and farm fields of north Georgia, along a secure their new supply route, the tranquil creek named Chickamauga. “Cracker Line.” Chattanooga is still up for grabs. September 18 Surprise, confusion, and hard fighting November 23 replace the well-laid plans of General Thousands of Union soldiers march out Bragg, who hoped to block LaFayette of Chattanooga. Like a great blue wave, Road and cut the Union’s route to Chat- they crash around Confederate-held tanooga. As darkness falls, Bragg is still Orchard Knob, a small hill between the confident he can continue his plans and city and Missionary Ridge. The South- stop the Union Army in the morning. erners flee, providing General Grant a However, General Rosecrans moves his strategic view of his next goal, the ridge. troops north throughout the night, a During the night, Bragg reinforces his move that could turn the tide of battle. line on Missionary Ridge. September 19 September 20 Siege of the City Begins November 24 November 25 The War Continues Early in the morning, Union troops Fighting begins when Confederates Rosecrans’s army withdraws into Chat- The Union intends to take Missionary Confederates successfully defend both The rivers, rails, and roads of Chatta- stumble into Confederates, who they attack Union fortifications on the tanooga while Confederates occupy key Ridge but mistakenly assaults a hill to ends of Missionary Ridge. Grant orders nooga are firmly in Union hands. The presumed to be farther south. Both battlefield’s northern end. This forces ground surrounding the city, including the north. They discover their mistake an attack against entrenchments cen- city is transformed into a supply and sides exchange fire all morning, leaving Rosecrans to shift troops, accidentally Lookout Mountain and Missionary too late to attack the ridge that day. tered at the base of the ridge. Finding communications base for Gen. William fields and woods littered with dead and creating a gap in the center of his line. Ridge. The stage is set to starve the Their diversionary tactic—attacking little resistance there, and without or- T. Sherman’s 1864 Atlanta Campaign, wounded soldiers. The fighting spreads By chance, Confederates swarm Union Army into submission. They fog-enshrouded Lookout Mountain— ders, the recently defeated Army of the which will begin in the spring. southwest, yet neither side has gained a through, sweeping away Rosecrans. and the remaining residents endure a becomes the famous “Battle Above the Cumberland continues charging up the Disheartened Confederates wonder: clear advantage. During the night, Con- Retreating Union soldiers make a hungry month before General Ulysses Clouds” that sweeps the Confederates rocky slopes and forces Bragg’s army Is the fall of Chattanooga truly “the federate reinforcements arrive, while heroic stand on Horseshoe Ridge, but S. Grant and reinforcements arrive to off the mountain and toward Mission- from the summit. Confederate troops death knell of the Confederacy”? Union troops fortify their positions. only darkness saves their army. help open a supply line into the city. ary Ridge. retreat south into Georgia. The Soldiers The Generals Young men opposing one another across The campaign resulted in the fall of the battle lines fought for different reasons. two commanders and the rise of Many from the North fought to preserve another. Although Confederate the Union or abolish slavery, while those Gen. Braxton Bragg (near right) from the South struggled to retain slavery won at Chickamauga, he lost Chat- or defend their homes and families. These tanooga and had to resign. After convictions brought these soldiers here, abandoning his troops at Chicka- where confusion and chaos reigned in the mauga, Union Gen. William Rosecrans mountains and forests surrounding the ABOVE–LIBRARY OF CONGRESS (center) was removed from command. BELOW–THE CARTER HOUSE battlefields. Often, soldiers reacted to the When Gen. Ulysses S. Grant arrived in Chat- sights and sounds unfolding around them tanooga, he took command of Union forces ABOVE LEFT–CONFEDERATE MEMORI- AL HALL MUSEUM; ABOVE RIGHT– rather than following orders. When veter- and replaced Rosecrans with Gen. George LIBRARY OF CONGRESS / BRADY- COURTESY CHARLES DARDEN HANDY COLLECTION ans later “suitably marked” the battle- LIBRARY OF CONGRESS / ROYAN LINN Thomas, whose men had gallantly held grounds, they decided not to place monu- Horseshoe Ridge at Chickamauga. Grant is ments to generals. Instead, they honored shown facing his staff on Roper’s Rock atop the soldiers, whose actions decided the Lookout Mountain (far right) shortly after battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga. the battles for Chattanooga. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS / ROYAN LINN Rural Southern Farms Change in Chattanooga Soldiering to Freedom Taken from the Cherokee Nation in 1838, War transformed Chattanooga from a small Union-held Chattanooga became a beacon the rich lands alongside Chickamauga Creek town to a bustling, industrial city. During of freedom for people escaping slavery. became home to 24 families. They cleared the siege, residents saw stately homes be- Camp Contraband, so named because the woods to grow crops of corn or wheat come hospitals, while local forests provided escaped slaves were considered “contra- and planted rows of fruit trees. As battle lumber for warehouses and forts. After the band” or illegal property, protected more loomed, the families fled before their farm battles, they could see the ruins of the than 2,000 people. fields became killing