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Battle of Chattanooga

Dates: November 23-25, 1863 (Brinkley, 363)

 

Commanders: Ulysses S. Grant (Union)

Braxton Bragg (Confederacy) (Brinkley, 363)

 

Casualties: 

Union - 753 killed, 4722 wounded, 349 mising/captured = 5815 total (civilwar.org)

 

Confederacy - 361 killed, 2160 wounded, 4146 missing/captured = 6670 total

(civilwar.org)

Generals and Strategies

Confederacy: After the Confederate victory in Georgia at the battle of Chickamagua in September 1863, Confederate general Bragg (looking to capitalize on his last victory) followed the Union army to Chattanooga in attempy to cut off Union supplies and laid a seige on the city (civilwar.org). They made positions on Missonary Ridge and Lookout Mountain to monitor the Union troops as they tried to starve them out (history.com). 

 

Union: After their loss at the Battle of Chickamagua, union president Lincoln ordered general Grant take over troops and put in command general George Thomas when previous general Rosencrans was planning to surrender (civilwar.org). Although cut off from many resources, Grant stated that the soliders would, "hold the town until we starve" and set up a "cracker line" to transport food to the troops in Chattanooga (civilwar.org).

General Braxton Bragg

General Ulysses S. Grant

Battle Summary

First Day: General Grant recieved news that Bragg was withdrawing some troops from Missionary Ridge to reinforce the Confederate army at Knoxville (civilwar.org). Grant sent 14,000 troops to attack only 600 Confederate soldiers, who could barely hold their place and were overrun at Orchard Knob (civilwar.org). 

 

Second Day: Union general Joseph Hooker attacked the Confederates at Lookout Mountain with 3 divisions under his command (John W. Geary, Charles Cruft, and Peter J. Osterhaus) (civilwar.org). Later that night, Confederate general John C. Moore made a counter attack but were still outnumbered, so Gen. Bragg decided to retreat from the mountain and reinforce their troops on Missionary Ridge (civilwar.org).

 

Third Day: confederate General Sherman attacked the Union fort on Tunnel Hill, but Union general Hooker launched a 3 way attack on the confederate soldiers (who surrendered) at the southernmost point on Missionary Ridge (civilwar.org). Grant ordered Thomas to send out 24,000 men against 9,000 confederates soldiers, securing a final victory for the North.

Consequences and Importance

The main consequence/significance of the battle of Chattanooga was that a Union victory in such a Southern territory opened up the possibility of more Union invasions of the deep south (aotc.net). Knowing this, the Battle of Chattanooga is viewed as a turning point in the Civil War because it made possible the capture of Atlanta and influenced the 1864 elections, giving new Northern support to Lincoln for his reelection (aotc.net).

Bibliography

Brinkley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation. 6th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print.

 

"Battle of Chattanooga." History.com. A+E Networks, 2009. Web. 18 Jan. 2016. <http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/battle-of-chattanooga>.

 

"The Battle of Chattanooga." Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2016. <http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/chattanooga.html?tab=facts%3Freferrer>.

 

Redman, Bob. "The Battles for Chattanooga 23, 24, and 25 Nov. 1863."AOTC.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2016. <http://www.aotc.net/Chattanooga.htm>.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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