In its dimensions and its murderousness the battle of Chickamauga was
the greatest battle fought by our Western armies, and one of the
greatest of modern times. In our Civil War it was exceeded only by
Gettysburg and the Wilderness; in European history we may compare with
it such battles as Neerwinden, or Malplaquet, or Waterloo.--_John
Fiske in "The Mississippi Valley in the Civil War."_
The town of Chattanooga, Tennessee, lies in a great bend of the Tennessee
River and within a vast amphitheater of mountains, ranging in a general
southwesterly direction, and traversed at intervals by great depressions
or valleys. These passes form a natural gateway from the mid-Mississippi
valley to the seaboard States. To dislodge the Confederate army under
General Bragg from this natural fortress would remove the last barrier to
the invading Federals, and permit an easy entry upon the plains of
Georgia. The importance of this position was readily apparent to the
Confederate Government, and any approach by the Federal forces toward this
point was almost certain to be met by stubborn resistance.
Rosecrans' forward movement from Murfreesboro, in the early summer of
1863, forced Bragg over the Cumberland Mountains and across the Tennessee.
The Confederate leader destroyed the railroad bridge at Bridgeport and
entrenched himself in and around Chattanooga. The three Federal corps
under Crittenden, Thomas and McCook crossed the Tennessee without meeting
resistance, and began to endanger Bragg's lines of communication. But on
September 8th, before their moves had been accomplished, Bragg abandoned
his stronghold. Crittenden the next day marched around the north end of
Lookout and entered the town, while Hazen and Wagner crossed over from the
opposite bank of the Tennessee.
Rosecrans believed that Bragg was in full retreat toward Rome, Georgia,
and Crittenden, leaving one brigade in Chattanooga, was ordered to pursue.
Bragg encouraged his adversary in the belief that he was avoiding an
engagement and sent spies as deserters into the Federal ranks to narrate
the details of his flight. Meanwhile, he was concentrating at Lafayette,
about twenty-five miles south of Chattanooga. Hither General S. B.
Buckner, entirely too weak to cope with Burnside's heavy column
approaching from Kentucky, brought his troops from Knoxville. Breckinridge
and two brigades arrived from Mississippi, while twelve thousand of Lee's
veterans, under Lee's most trusted and illustrious lieutenant, Longstreet,
were hastening from Virginia to add their numbers to Bragg's Army of
Tennessee.
The three corps of the Union army, as we have seen, were now separated
over a wide extent of territory by intervening ridges, so intent was
Rosecrans on intercepting the vanished Bragg. But the latter, by no means
vanished, and with his face toward Chattanooga, considered the position of
his antagonist and discovered his own army almost opposite the Federal
center. Crittenden was advancing toward Ringgold, and the remoteness of
Thomas' corps on his right precluded any immediate union of the Federal
forces.
Bragg was quick to grasp the opportunity made by Rosecrans' division of
the army in the face of his opponent. He at once perceived the
possibilities of a master-stroke; to crush Thomas' advanced divisions with
an overwhelming force.
The attempt failed, owing to a delay in the attack, which permitted the
endangered Baird and Negley to fall back. Bragg then resolved to throw
himself upon Crittenden, who had divided his corps. Polk was ordered to
advance upon that portion of it at Lee and Gordon's Mills, but when Bragg
came to the front September 13th, expecting to witness the annihilation
of the Twenty-first Corps, he found to his bitter disappointment that the
bishop-general had made no move and that Crittenden had reunited his
divisions and was safe on the west bank of the Chickamauga. Thus his
splendid chances of breaking up the Army of the Cumberland were ruined.
When Bragg's position became known to Rosecrans, great was his haste to
effect the concentration of his army. Couriers dashed toward Alpine with
orders for McCook to join Thomas with the utmost celerity. The former
started at once, shortly after midnight on the 13th, in response to
Thomas's urgent call. It was a real race of life and death, attended by
the greatest hardships. Ignorant of the roads, McCook submitted his troops
to a most exhausting march, twice up and down the mountain, fifty-seven
miles of the most arduous toil, often dragging artillery up by hand and
letting it down steep declines by means of ropes. But he closed up with
Thomas on the 17th, and the Army of the Cumberland was saved from its
desperate peril.
Crittenden's corps now took position at Lee and Gordon's Mills on the left
bank of Chickamauga Creek, and the Federal troops were all within
supporting distance. In the Indian tongue Chickamauga means "The River of
Death," a name strangely prophetic of that gigantic conflict soon to be
waged by these hostile forces throughout this beautiful and heretofore
peaceful valley.
The Confederate army, its corps under Generals Polk, D. H. Hill, and
Buckner, was stationed on the east side of the stream, its right wing
below Lee and Gordon's Mills, and the left extending up the creek toward
Lafayette. On the Federal side Thomas was moved to the left, with
Crittenden in the center and McCook on the right. Their strength has been
estimated at fifty-five to sixty-nine thousand men. On the 18th,
Longstreet's troops were arriving from Virginia, and by the morning of the
19th the greater part of the Confederate army had crossed the
Chickamauga. The two mighty armies were now face to face, and none could
doubt that the impending struggle would be attended by frightful loss to
both sides.
It was Bragg's intention to send Polk, commanding the right wing, in a
flanking movement against the Federal left under Thomas, and thus
intervene between it and Chattanooga. The first encounter, at 10 o'clock
in the morning of the 19th, resulted in a Confederate repulse, but fresh
divisions were constantly pushed forward under the deadly fire of the
Federal artillery. The Federals were gradually forced back by the
incessant charge of the Confederates; but assailed and assailant fought
with such great courage and determination that any decided advantage was
withheld from either. Meanwhile, the Federal right was hard pressed by
Hood, commanding Longstreet's corps, and a desperate battle ensued along
the entire line. It seemed, however, more like a struggle between separate
divisions than the clash of two great armies. When night descended the
Federals had been forced back from the creek, but the result had been
indecisive.
Disaster to the Union army had been averted by the use of powerful
artillery when the infantry seemed unable to withstand the onslaught.
Rosecrans had assumed the defensive, and his troops had so far receded as
to enable the Confederates to form their lines on all the territory fought
over on that day. During the night preparations were made in both camps
for a renewal of the battle on the following morning, which was Sunday. A
fresh disposition of the troops was made by both leaders. Near midnight
General Longstreet arrived on the field, and was once placed in command of
the Confederate left, Polk retaining the right. Not all of Longstreet's
troops arrived in time for the battle, but Bragg's force has been
estimated at fifty-one to seventy-one thousand strong.
Thomas was given command of the Union left, with McCook at his right,
while Crittenden's forces occupied the center, but to the rear of both
Thomas and McCook. Thomas had spent the night in throwing up breastworks
on the brow of Snodgrass Hill, as it was anticipated that the Confederates
would concentrate their attack upon his position.
Hostilities began with a general movement of the Confederate right wing in
an attempt to flank the Union left. General Bragg had ordered Polk to
begin the attack at daybreak, but it was nearly ten o'clock in the morning
before Breckinridge's division, supported by General Cleburne, advanced
upon Thomas' entrenchments. Fighting desperately, the Confederates did not
falter under the heavy fire of the Federals, and it seemed as if the
latter must be driven from their position. Rosecrans, in response to
urgent requests for reënforcements, despatched troops again and again to
the aid of Thomas, and the assault was finally repulsed. Cleburne's
division was driven back with heavy loss, and Breckinridge, unable to
retain any advantage, was forced to defend his right, which was being
seriously menaced. The battle at this point had been desperately waged,
both sides exhibiting marked courage and determination. As on the previous
day, the Confederates had been the aggressors, but the Federal troops had
resisted all attempts to invade their breastworks.
However, the fortunes of battle were soon to incline to the side of the
Southern army. Bragg sent Stewart's division forward, and it pressed
Reynolds' and Brannan's men back to their entrenchments. Rosecrans sent
Wood word to close up on Reynolds. Through some misunderstanding in giving
or interpreting this order, General Wood withdrew his division from its
position on the right of Brannan. By this movement a large opening was
left almost in the center of the battle-line. Johnson's, Hindman's, and
Kershaw's divisions rushed into the gap and fell upon the Union right and
center with an impetus that was irresistible. The Confederate general,
Bushrod Johnson, has given us an unforgetable picture of the thrilling
event: "The resolute and impetuous charge, the rush of our heavy columns
sweeping out from the shadow and gloom of the forest into the open fields
flooded with sunlight, the glitter of arms, the onward dash of artillery
and mounted men, the retreat of the foe, the shouts of the hosts of our
army, the dust, the smoke, the noise of fire-arms--of whistling balls, and
grape-shot, and of bursting shell--made up a battle-scene of unsurpassed
grandeur. Here, General Hood gave me the last order I received from him on
the field, 'Go ahead and keep ahead of everything.'" A moment later, and
Hood fell, severely wounded, with a minie ball in his thigh.
Wood's right brigade was shattered even before it had cleared the opening.
Sheridan's entire division, and part of Davis' and Van Cleve's, were
driven from the field. Longstreet now gave a fine exhibition of his
military genius. The orders of battle were to separate the two wings of
the opposing army. But with the right wing of his opponents in hopeless
ruin, he wheeled to the right and compelled the further withdrawal of
Federal troops in order to escape being surrounded. The brave
soldier-poet, William H. Lytle, fell at the head of his brigade as he
strove to re-form his line. McCook and Crittenden were unable, in spite of
several gallant efforts, to rally their troops and keep back the onrushing
heroes of Stone's River and Bull Run. The broken mass fled in confusion
toward Chattanooga, carrying with it McCook, Crittenden, and Rosecrans.
The latter telegraphed to Washington that his army had been beaten. In
this famous charge the Confederates took several thousand prisoners and
forty pieces of artillery.
Flushed with victory, the Confederates now concentrated their attack upon
Thomas, who thus far, on Horseshoe Ridge and its spurs, had repelled all
attempts to dislodge him. The Confederates, with victory within their
grasp, and led by the indomitable Longstreet, swarmed up the slopes in
great numbers, but they were hurled back with fearful slaughter. Thomas
was looking anxiously for Sheridan, whom, as he knew, Rosecrans had
ordered with two brigades to his support. But in Longstreet's rout of the
right wing Sheridan, with the rest, had been carried on toward
Chattanooga, and he found himself completely cut off from Thomas, as the
Confederates were moving parallel to him. Yet the indomitable Sheridan, in
spite of his terrible experience of the morning, did not give up the
attempt. Foiled in his efforts to get through McFarland's Gap, he moved
quickly on Rossville and came down the Lafayette road toward Thomas' left
flank.
Meanwhile, advised by the incessant roar of musketry, General Gordon
Granger, in command of the reserve corps near Rossville, advanced rapidly
with his fresh troops. Acting with promptness and alacrity under orders,
Granger sent Steedman to Thomas' right.
Directly across the line of Thomas' right was a ridge, on which Longstreet
stationed Hindman with a large command, ready for an attack on Thomas'
flank--a further and terrible menace to the nearly exhausted general, but
it was not all. In the ridge was a small gap, and through this Kershaw was
pouring his division, intent on getting to Thomas' rear. Rosecrans thus
describes the help afforded to Thomas: "Steedman, taking a regimental
color, led the column. Swift was the charge and terrible the conflict, but
the enemy was broken."
The fighting grew fiercer, and at intervals was almost hand to hand. The
casualties among the officers, who frequently led their troops in person,
were mounting higher and higher as the moments passed. All the afternoon
the assaults continued, but the Union forces stood their ground.
Ammunition ran dangerously low, but Steedman had brought a small supply,
and when this was distributed each man had about ten rounds. Finally, as
the sun was setting in the west, the Confederate troops advanced in a
mighty concourse. The combined forces of Kershaw, Law, Preston, and
Hindman once more rushed forward, gained possession of their lost ridge at
several points, but were unable to drive their attack home. In many places
the Union lines stood firm and both sides rested in the positions taken.
The plucky Thomas was saved. The onslaught on the Federal left of the
battlefield was one of the heaviest attacks made on a single point during
the war.
History records no grander spectacle than Thomas' stand at Chickamauga. He
was ever afterwards known as "The Rock of Chickamauga." Under the cover of
darkness, Thomas, having received word from Rosecrans to withdraw, retired
his army in good order to Rossville, and on the following day rejoined
Rosecrans in Chattanooga. The battle of Chickamauga, considering the
forces engaged, was one of the most destructive of the Civil War. The
Union army lost approximately sixteen thousand men, and while the loss to
the Confederate army is not definitely known, it was probably nearly
eighteen thousand. The personal daring and tenacious courage displayed in
the ranks of both armies have never been excelled on any battlefield. The
Confederate generals, Helm, Deshler, and Preston Smith were killed; Adams,
Hood, Brown, Gregg, Clayton, Hindman, and McNair were wounded. The Federal
side lost Lytle. The battle is generally considered a Confederate victory,
and yet, aside from the terrible loss of human life, no distinct advantage
accrued to either side. The Federal army retained possession of
Chattanooga, but the Confederates had for the time checked the Army of the
Cumberland from a further occupation of Southern soil.
It is a singular coincidence that the generals-in-chief of both armies
exercised but little supervision over the movements of their respective
troops. The brunt of the battle fell, for the most part, upon the
commanders of the wings. To the subordinate generals on each side were
awarded the highest honors. Longstreet, because of his eventful charge,
which swept the right wing of the Union army from the field, was
proclaimed the victor of Chickamauga; and to General Thomas, who by his
firmness and courage withstood the combined attack of the Confederate
forces when disaster threatened on every side, is due the brightest
laurels from the adherents of the North.
[Illustration: THE CONFEDERATE LEADER AT CHICKAMAUGA