The Battle of Chickamauga
September 19-20, 1863

It took considerable prodding from Washington and about six months before the Union Army of the Cumberland (58,000+ men - MG William S. Rosecrans commanding) was on the offensive again after its strategic victory at Stones River (Murfreesboro, 31 Dec. 1862 - 2 Jan. 1863). Moving southeast from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a deliberate Rosecrans skillfully outmaneuvered an indecisive GEN Braxton Bragg and his Confederate Army of Tennessee (46,000+ men) during the Tullahoma Campaign (between Murfreesboro and Chattanooga, 23 June-2 July). Dissension between Bragg and his corps commanders contributed to command indecision and hindered the effectiveness of the southern army throughout the Summer and Fall of 1863. Without fighting any major engagements, Rosecrans had forced Bragg out of middle Tennessee and back on the defenses of Chattanooga. The "gateway" to Georgia and the Lower South, Chattanooga, on the Tennessee River, was a strategically important railway hub with lines that linked Virginia to the South's trans-Appalachian heartland. Throughout July and early August the Union high command urged Rosecrans to close on the river and its major transportation center. Finally on 16 August the Army of the Cumberland (the only major Union army now actively campaigning) began operations against Chattanooga. Concurrently, three divisions of the Federal Army of the Ohio (20,000+ men - MG Ambrose E. Burnside, commanding) were on the march from Lexington, Kentucky to take Knoxville, TN - an area of strong pro-Union sentiment (occupied on 2-3 September). Again through deceptive maneuvers Rosecrans' columns out-flanked a confused Confederate army along the Tennessee River. A reluctant Bragg, fearing a Federal attempt to cut his lines of communication and supply to Atlanta, abandoned Chattanooga without a fight (7 Sep.) and retreated into northwest Georgia (toward Rome). Shaken by the loss of this key city the Confederate command in Richmond sent reinforcements from Mississippi and from Virginia (LTG James Longstreet's Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia enroute by rail) to strengthen Bragg's army. With these additional divisions the Army of Tennessee would number 65,000+, giving the southerners numerical superiority. By 19 September Bragg quickly went on the offensive, but he was unable to defeat Rosecrans' pursuing but widely dispersed infantry "in detail" (a series of attacks by a consolidated, larger force against an enemy's separated, smaller forces). Now as the alerted Federal troops began to concentrate west of the West Chickamauga Creek, southeast of Chattanooga, Bragg prepared to attack them, intent upon rolling-up the Union left. The valley of the Chickamauga (a stream the Cherokee called the "River of Death") was a heavily forested area interspersed with small farms. There were not many large clearings and neither side was quite sure of the other's troop dispositions. On 18 September sharp skirmishing occurred along West Chickamauga Creek, and that night the Union XIV Corps (Virginian, MG George Thomas, commanding) made a forced march to bolster the Federal left flank. At dawn (19 September) advanced units of Thomas' corps clashed with dismounted Confederate cavalry (elements of BG Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry corps) and the battle was on! Due to the terrain and lack of large open spaces, linear formations were nearly impossible; and, consequently. fighting in this northern sector was confined to division, brigade and regiment sized engagements. As each side committed new units, the battlefield spread slowly southward along a three mile front. By nightfall both armies had sustained heavy casualties but no decision had been reached. During the night, while the Federals secured their lines and built log breastworks, Confederate LTG James Longstreet arrived with two more infantry brigades. In preparation for the critical second day. Bragg divided his army into two wings. He placed LTG Leonidas Polk in charge of the right and named LTG Longstreet to command the left. A Confederate attack from right to left was to begin at daybreak, but due to poor communications it was delayed for several hours. Just before noon Longstreet's troops exploited a gap in the Union lines. The opening was created when Rosecrans' command misunderstood the unit deployment along the existing front and shifted a division north toward the Federal left. Confederate infantry poured through the gap and began to envelop the Federal right. The Union army headquarters was over-run, and soon the Federal right and center (including Rosecrans and many of his generals) had been driven from the field. While much of the Army of the Cumberland fled toward Chattanooga eight miles distant, MG George Thomas' corps, reinforced by a division of MG Gordon Granger's reserves, rallied and stubbornly held defensive positions in the vicinity of Snodgrass Hill. For his tenacious defense during the afternoon of 20 September Thomas would earn the title "The Rock of Chickamauga." Emboldened by his fortuitous breakthrough on the Union right, Longstreet was anxious to complete the rout. His call for reinforcements from Polk's wing, however, went unheeded by Bragg, who had retired to his headquarters at mid-afternoon unaware of the extent of his victory. Thus both army commanders had departed the battlefield when Thomas adroitly disengaged what remained of the Army of the Cumberland and withdrew in good order north toward Chattanooga. Chickamauga, the largest and bloodiest battle in the West was a resounding tactical triumph for the reeling Confederacy; however, the Union still held Chattanooga and remained in control of eastern Tennessee. Estimated Casualties: Union - 16,170; Confederate - 18,454.

Notes:

  1. Numbers in parentheses reflect estimated strength of armies or units.

  2. Estimated casualty figures are totals for killed, wounded, missing in action, and taken prisoner.

  3. Alternative names of battles and campaigns appear in parentheses.

  4. Military and naval rank abbreviations in text: LT - Lieutenant, CPT - Captain, MAJ - Major, LTC - Lieutenant Colonel, CDR - Commander (Navy), COL - Colonel, BG - Brigadier General, MG - Major General, RADM - Rear Admiral (Navy), LTG - Lieutenant General, VADM - Vice Admiral (Navy), and GEN - General.

  5. Army Organization: Although authorized and actual strength and the rank of the commanding officer often varied, the standard military unit during the War was the infantry regiment (1,000 men, COL commanding) which was comprised of 10 companies (100 men each, CPT commanding). 3-4 Regiments = 1 Brigade (3,000-4000 men, BG commanding). 3 (sometimes 4) Brigades = 1 Division (9000-12,000 men, BG or MG commanding). 2-4 (usually 3) Divisions = 1 Corps (18,000-24,000+ men, MG - North and MG or LTG -South commanding). 2 or more Corps = An Army (usually 20,000-100,000+ men - MG, LTG, or GEN commanding). 2 or more Armies = An Army Group (usually 100,000+ men - MG, LTG, or GEN commanding).

Sources:

Photographs courtesy of The Generals of the American Civil War Website.

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