This battle derives its name from Chickamauga Creek, which is but
a few miles from Chattanooga, Tenn., and is considered one of the
greatest battles of modern times. It was exceeded in our Civil war only
by Gettysburg and the Wilderness; compares with Waterloo, and twice
bloodier than Wagram or Austerlitz. General D. H. Hill said that he had
never seen the Federal dead lie so thickly on the ground save in front
of the sunken wall at Fredericksburg. The late General John B. Gordon,
whose pen was never weary of writing the praises of the Confederate
soldiers, said that in his opinion the battle of Chickamauga was even
greater than that of Gettysburg, but it is thought that he was somewhat
partial to Chickamauga, having been reared there, and when a boy fished
in Chickamauga Creek, and had ridden behind his father over the country
which was later made a great battlefield.
General Braxton Bragg was in command of the Confederate army, known as
the Army of the Tennessee, which was concentrated around Chattanooga.
General Rosecrans was in command of the Federal army, known as the
Army of the Cumberland. It was made up of three corps under Generals
Crittenden, Thomas and McCook. They began to advance on Chattanooga and
endanger Bragg's line of communication.
On September 8th Bragg abandoned Chattanooga and fell back toward
Rome, Ga. The Federals took possession of the city of Chattanooga.
Rosecrans, believing that Bragg was in full retreat, ordered Crittenden
to pursue. Meanwhile Bragg was concentrating his forces near Lafayette,
about twenty-five miles from Chattanooga. He was joined by Generals
S. B. Buckner and Breckinridge. General Longstreet was hastening from
Virginia with about 12,000 men from Lee's army to join him, the men
being fresh from the field of Gettysburg.
Rosecrans' army was somewhat divided, as he was not expecting a
general battle. Bragg was quick to grasp this opportunity of making
a general assault on the Union forces while they were divided. The
attack was made on the 13th of September by General Polk, but from
some misapprehension of orders he did not move in time, and thus gave
Rosecrans time to unite his forces, thus losing Bragg this opportunity
of breaking up the Army of the Cumberland.
The Federal forces under Crittenden now took position at Gordon's
Mills, on the left bank of Chickamauga Creek, and the remainder of
their troops were within supporting distance, and were under the
command of Thomas and McCook, the total Union strength being estimated
at about 60,000 men.
The Confederate army lay on the east side of the stream, and was under
the immediate command of Generals Polk, D. H. Hill and Buckner.
On the 18th Longstreet arrived with his troops. Thus the two mighty
armies were now face to face.
Bragg endeavored to flank the Federal left and thus intervene
between it and Chattanooga, and on the morning of September 19th the
Confederates, under General Polk, made a grand assault upon the Federal
left, under General Thomas. Meanwhile the Federal right was being
heavily pressed by General Hood, commanding Longstreet's corps. This
was kept up the entire day and when darkness came the Federals had been
forced back from the creek, but the result was indecisive.
During the night preparations were made for the renewal of the battle
on the next morning, which was Sunday, September 20th.
It is strange to say that some of the greatest battles of the war were
fought on Sunday.
General Longstreet now took command of his troops which had arrived,
but part of his corps did not arrive in time for the battle, having
been delayed on trains that were behind time. This brought their
strength up to equal that of the Federals.
General Thomas had taken position on Snodgrass Hill, and was
anticipating a Confederate attack, which was made late in the morning
by General Polk, who was supported by Generals Breckinridge and
Patrick Cleburne, the last-named being an Irishman formerly from the
County of Cork.
This assault was made time after time with desperate loss to both
sides. At length, by some misunderstanding of orders, one of the
Federal divisions under General Wood withdrew from its position. By
this movement a large opening was made in the center of their battle
line.
This was quickly taken advantage of by three divisions of the
Confederates, which rushed in with an impetus that was irresistible.
General Hood, one of the Confederate division commanders, was severely
wounded in this movement with a minie ball, and was carried from the
field.
The Federals under Wood, Sheridan and Van Cleve were driven from the
field. General Longstreet now assumed chief command, and here gave a
fine exhibition of his military genius. He succeeded in separating the
two wings of the opposing army. The right wing already being in full
retreat, he wheeled and compelled the further withdrawal of Federal
troops in order to save being surrounded. The retreating Federals fled
in confusion toward Chattanooga, after suffering the loss of several
thousand prisoners and forty pieces of artillery.
The Confederates now concentrated their attack upon Thomas, who had
taken position on a ridge. They were led by the indomitable Longstreet,
but were repulsed and hurled back with fearful slaughter. The
Confederates were endeavoring to flank Thomas' division by sending
Hinzman to the left and Kershaw with his divisions to get in the rear.
The fighting grew fiercer and at intervals was hand-to-hand, and
continued the entire afternoon.
This attack on Thomas is considered one of the heaviest made on
a single point during the war. General Thomas, in his stand at
Chickamauga, won for himself the name "The Rock of Chickamauga." He was
one of the bravest and most able generals in the Union army, being a
Virginian by birth.
Under the cover of darkness Thomas withdrew his army in good order to
Rossville, and the following day joined Rosecrans in Chattanooga.
This battle is generally considered a Confederate victory, but left
the Federal army in possession of Chattanooga. The personal daring and
courage displayed in the ranks of both armies has never been excelled
on any battlefield.
The total loss exceeded 30,000 men, which was probably divided about
equal.