The Civil War Battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga

by Jesse Littleton Rogers

Grant had ordered an attack against the Confederates on the 21st. Due to bad roads, Sherman was unable to reach here by that time. When the battle did open on the 23rd, it was not according to plan. Under Grant’s original plan, Hooker was to hold Lookout Valley with Geary’s and Cruft’s divisions. The 11th corps was to be brought into Chattanooga to assist either Sherman or Thomas. Sherman was to cross the river at the mouth of the Chickamauga Creek during the night of the 23rd, and carry Missionary Ridge as far south as the tunnel, which at this time was not occupied by the Confederates. When Sherman reached this position, Thomas was to move to the left, connect with Sherman’s right, sweep up the valley and crowd the Confederates from their depot at Chickamauga Station, Tennessee, their communications and positions on the ridge. The battle did not progress as planned.

CAPTURE OF ORCHARD KNOB

On November 23rd, reports reached Grant’s headquarters to the effect that Confederates had been seen retreating from Missionary Ridge. This was Buckner’s Corps leaving for Knoxville to assist Longstreet. Grant at once ordered an attack against Orchard Knob, the outpost of the Confederates in front of Missionary Ridge. Thomas, with five divisions, charged out against this position, soon capturing it. The Confederate pickets moved back to the base of the ridge. Grant then established his field headquarters at this newly acquired point immediately, where the entire Confederate line could be seen.

BATTLE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN

Hooker’s command had been assigned to Thomas who had obtained permission for Hooker to make a demonstration against the left of the Confederate line on Lookout Mountain. During the night of the 23rd, Sherman crossed the Tennessee River near the present site of the Chickamauga Dam. He reached the hill he had selected before crossing. He made no effort to dislodge the Confederates during the 24th. His position was not on the north end of the ridge as he thought it to be. A deep ravine separated him from the main north end of the ridge. From this position, the Confederates could be seen to the south. Early on the morning of the 24th, Hooker left Wauhatchie, moving northward to within two miles of the point of the mountain. His troops climbed the slopes to the foot of the palisades, made a march northward until they were near the point. They were then joined by Osterhaus’ division which came directly up the northern slopes of the mountain. They were met with a sharp volley of fire from the Confederates as they emerged from the woods. The Confederates had two entrenched lines running from the foot of the cliffs to the river. They were driven out of the first line into an open field—the Craven’s farm. Here the fighting was desperate and the casualties were very heavy. The Craven’s house was used as the Confederate headquarters. The Confederates withdrew to their second line of entrenchments. While in this latter position the battle ended. The sharp-shooters and the two Confederate batteries on top were of little value during the battle. The Union soldiers never reached the top of the mountain during the battle, nor did they make any effort to. Therefore, there was no fighting on top of the mountain. It was so foggy during the day that the artillerymen or sharpshooters on the top were unable to see the troops on the slopes. The artillery could not have been depressed sufficiently to reach the Union troops at the foot of the cliffs—almost directly under them. It was the troops on top that nicknamed this battle the “Battle Above the Clouds.” The Confederates were outnumbered at least four to one during this battle. They were in danger of being surrounded, so during the night Bragg ordered the withdrawal of all troops from the top, the slopes and Chattanooga Valley. By daylight of the 25th, all of the Confederates were on Missionary Ridge to strengthen and prolong their lines at that point.

The withdrawal of the Confederates from Lookout Mountain left the Union forces in complete control of this point. At sunrise on the morning of the 25th, there were volunteers from the 96th Illinois and 8th Kentucky Infantry who scaled the rock palisades and reached the top of the mountain. They moved to the extreme northern point where they planted their flag of victory. A series of stairways has been erected to mark the exact route by which these Union troops climbed out on top of the mountain.

THE BATTLE OF MISSIONARY RIDGE

At this time Sherman was in position to attack the right end of the Confederate line. Thomas was in front of the center and Hooker was opposite the left end. About 7:30 A. M., Sherman opened the battle against the right end with heavy artillery fire. The Confederates of Cleburne’s, Stevenson’s and Cheatham’s divisions were so strongly entrenched that he was unable to drive them from their positions. About 10:30, Hooker was ordered forward across the Chattanooga Valley to attack the left end. The Confederates had destroyed the bridge across Chattanooga Creek and Hooker was delayed at least three hours in reaching Rossville. He then moved via Rossville Gap against the Confederate left. While these movements were being carried out by Sherman and Hooker, Thomas was to charge out against the Confederate rifle pits at the base of the ridge. With this latter movement it was thought the Confederates would be drawn toward the center from both ends, thereby giving Sherman and Hooker more chance of success toward turning the ends. Some of Hooker’s troops crossed to the east side of the ridge; some moved along the crest, and others remained on the west side of the ridge. At 3:30 P. M., Thomas, with the troops which had carried Orchard Knob on the 23rd, charged out against the Confederate rifle pits. After a short battle, the Confederates started their retreat up the ridge. Thomas’ men pursued without orders, both the Union and Confederate troops reaching the crest of the ridge about the same time. The Confederate artillery on top of the ridge was forced to fire high since their own troops were between their artillery and the Union forces which were following them. For at least two miles along the central portion of the ridge, a severe hand-to-hand battle took place. Never in the entire Civil War did troops fight any harder than they did at this point. The casualties were heavy on both sides. Finally, the Confederate center was broken in several places and the center and left end started to retreat southward. At nightfall, Bragg ordered the right of the Confederate line to withdraw and cover the general retreat. As the Confederates were retreating, it is reported that their own artillery was turned upon them. The Confederates moved south via Chickamauga Station, Tennessee, thence to Ringgold, Georgia, where they stopped to offer battle again on November 27th. They retreated to Dalton, Georgia, where they went into winter quarters on December 1st. Gen. Bragg was removed from his command the next day. Gen. Hardee was offered the command but declined, although he accepted temporary charge until December 16th. At that time Gen. Joseph E. Johnston assumed command—a position he held until July 17, 1864, when he was replaced by Gen. John B. Hood. The Union troops moved back to Chattanooga where they entrenched their position and went into winter quarters, thus successfully ending the Chattanooga campaign. The city remained in possession of the Union army until the close of the war.

Confederate Battery atop Lookout Mountain