The principal localities connected with the battles
around Chattanooga, as seen from the north point of Lookout Mountain,
The distant mountain ranges to the north and west are
the Cumberlands. The range north of Chattanooga, skirting the Tennessee
Valley on the west, is Waldens Ridge, which is separated from the main
range of the Cumberlands by the deep gorge of the Sequatchie Valley. The
first range east of Lookout is Missionary Ridge. To the southeast and 3
miles east of Missionary Ridge lies the battlefield of Chickamauga.
Halfway from the eastern limits of Chattanooga to Missionary Ridge is
Orchard Knob. Moccasin Point is in the great bend of the Tennessee River
opposite Lookout. The river flows from Chattanooga toward Lookout.
Browns Ferry is about a mile above Williams Island, which is the only
island visible west of Moccasin Point. Chattanooga Valley and Creek are
immediately east of the mountain, and Lookout Valley and Creek west of
it. Wauhatchie Station is at the intersection of the railroads in
Lookout Valley, and the battlefield of Wauhatchie is at the first
crossroads north of that point. Rossville Gap is in Missionary Ridge to
the southeast, and McFarlands Gap 2-1/2 miles south of Rossville.
Chattanooga had long been the objective of the Union
Army of the Cumberland. Its final campaign for that city opened August
16, 1863, and ended September 22 with the permanent occupation of the
When this latter campaign began, General
Bragg, commanding the Confederate Army of Tennessee, held
Chattanooga. General Rosecrans, commanding the Union Army of the
Cumberland, was established along the western base of the Cumberland
Mountains 60 miles from Chattanooga by the mountain trails, his lines
extending from Winchester to McMinnville, with both flanks further
extended by cavalry. His army was composed of three corps, the left
under Crittenden at McMinnville, the center at Decherd under George H.
Thomas, and the right under Alex. McCook at Winchester.
The campaign on the part of the Union Army involved
cutting loose from its base, carrying twenty-five days' rations and
ammunition for two battles, crossing three ranges of mountains and the
Tennessee River, all within the enemy's lines, each range of mountains
being of the same character as Lookout.
The only possibility of success was through a
diversion which should conceal the real movement from General
Bragg until it was fully developed.
The left corps (Crittenden's) of the Union Army was
therefore thrown over the Cumberlands from McMinnville, and several of
its brigades were extended along their eastern escarpment to light fires
at night, while other brigades descended into the valley, opened at long
range with artillery upon the city, and feinted at building boats for
bridges. As General Burnside with a Union army was at Knoxville, farther
up the Tennessee Valley, this move of the left of Rosecrans' army
naturally appeared to be to form a junction of these two armies above
Chattanooga. General Bragg was misled by it, and moved a large
force up the river to fortify the fords for a long distance.
Meantime the center and right of Rosecrans' army had
crossed the Cumberlands some 30 miles below Chattanooga, bridged the
Tennessee River, and crossed the Sand or Raccoon Mountains into the
valley west of Lookout. Thomas' corps, moving 26 miles up the valley to
the first available trail for wheels, ascended Lookout. McCook's corps,
continuing to Valley Head, 42 miles south of Chattanooga, where the next
available trail crossed the mountain, pushed over Lookout. When the
heads of the Union columns reached the summit of the Lookout Range,
General Bragg evacuated Chattanooga and proceeded to Lafayette,
26 miles south and behind the next range east of Lookout, thus saving
his communications and enabling him to confront the Union columns as
they emerged from the mountain passes. Meantime, Crittenden's corps had
been rapidly withdrawn to the river behind the outlying range of Waldens
Ridge, and crossing the Raccoon Mountains came down into Lookout Valley,
and in a reconnoissance to the northern slope of Lookout discovered that
Chattanooga was evacuated. He moved one division into it and with the
rest of his corps followed Bragg through Rossville and to the
crossing of the Chickamauga River at Lee & Gordon's mill, where he
was joined with the force left at Chattanooga the day before, one
brigade only being retained in the city.
Rosecrans, acting under information from his right
that Bragg was retreating on Rome ordered pursuit, but
immediately found Bragg concentrating for battle. The latter,
being reenforced by a part of Longstreet's corps from Virginia,
moved to interpose between Rosecrans and Chattanooga. Rosecrans by a
night march thrust his army between Bragg and that city. The two
days' battle of Chickamauga, which was the battle for Chattanooga,
followed, each army attempting to secure the roads to the city. At its
close the Confederates held these roads. But General Thomas, who
remained in command of the Union Army (General Rosecrans having been cut
off with a portion of his right wing), withdrew it through McFarlands
Gap, and passing behind Missionary Ridge to Rossville Gap, re-formed his
lines in that gap along the ridge and across the valley to Lookout
Mountain, thus firmly establishing himself between Bragg and
Chattanooga. The next night he marched into the city and the objective
of the campaign was won.
General Bragg advanced at once, occupied
Lookout Mountain and lines reaching from its foot across the valley and
along the base of Missionary Ridge to the river above. As supplies could
only reach the Union Army by wagon trains over the mountains from
Bridgeport, rations grew short. The river line of supplies were
therefore reopened by a plan of General Rosecrans. General Hooker, who
had been brought to Bridgeport from the Army of the Potomac, in command
of the Eleventh and Twelfth corps, came forward with a portion of his
force to Wauhatchie, defeated a division of Longstreet's corps
October 28 at that point, and with the cooperating forces from
Chattanooga under the command of Brig. Gen. W. F. Smith, at Browns
Ferry, secured and held Lookout Valley. Full supplies thereafter reached
Chattanooga by way of the river and the short haul, from Kelly and
Browns ferries. Sherman, with four divisions, was ordered up from
Vicksburg, Grant was put in command of the forces about Chattanooga, and
Rosecrans was superseded in command of the Army of the Cumberland by
The battle of Chattanooga occupied three days.
November 23 General Thomas, with five divisions, advanced upon Orchard
Knob from the eastern limits of the city and carried it and
Bragg's exterior line through the valley. During the night of the
23d General Sherman crossed his forces over the river and the next day
occupied the hills at the north end of Missionary Ridge.
November 24 General Hooker, with three divisions,
assaulted Lookout Mountain from the valley west of it, and carried the
western and northern slopes below the palisades to the Cravens House.
During the night the Confederate force withdrew from the eastern slopes
and the top of the mountain and joined the rest of Bragg's forces
on Missionary Ridge.
November 25 Sherman unsuccessfully assaulted the
enemy's position in his front. At 3.15 p. m. four divisions of the Army
of the Cumberland stormed Missionary Ridge in the center, and in an hour
carried the works at its foot and 3 miles of its crest, capturing 37
guns and, in connection with Hooker's three divisions at the south end
of the ridge, taking nearly 2,000 prisoners. Bragg's army
retreated to Dalton, 39 miles south. The Union Army there after held
Chattanooga to the close of the war.
The battlefields of Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain
and the crest of Missionary Ridge for 8 miles have been acquired by the
National Government, and, together with many miles of the roads by which
the armies reached or left these fields, have been established as a
National Military Park. The central driveway is 30 miles in length.
Throughout its extent it either passes through or overlooks fields of
notable fighting. The park embraces six battlefields. The Government
has, thus far, expended several million dollars upon it. Through the
cooperation of 26 State commissions, including all the late Confederate
States, with the National Commission having the establishment of the
park in charge, all lines of battle have been identified and marked with
monuments and historical tablets. Guns of the same pattern as those used
in the battle have been mounted upon carriages at each position of
artillery fighting. The positions of every regiment and battery engaged
have been ascertained and marked. There are separate historical tablets
for each army, corps, division, brigade, and battery, giving the
organization and commanders of each, while the brigade tablets give the
designations and the commanding officers of the individual regiments.
This marking includes both Union and Confederate armies, and the
treatment of each is in every respect the same. The improved roads of
the park are 73 miles in length. The area of the National Military Park
is 5,733 acres. The Government purchases the land, builds the roads,
erects the batteries and historical tablets and the monuments to the
regular troops. It also controls all designs, inscriptions, and troop
locations, this supervision being directed to insuring historical
accuracy. The respective States erect the monuments and markers to their
volunteer troops. This is believed to be the first military park where
the veterans of contending armies have met to identify their positions
and erect monuments to the valor of those engaged.
There are 607 monuments, 1,027 tablets, 239 guns, and
4 observation towers erected in the park. There were engaged at
Chickamauga on the Union side 129 regiments of infantry, 18 regiments of
cavalry, 6 regiments of mounted infantry, and 35 batteries of artillery.
On the Confederate side there were engaged 138 regiments of infantry, 33
of cavalry, 25 independent battalions of infantry, 8 independent
companies of cavalry, and 41 batteries of artillery.
At Chattanooga the Union Army comprised 220 regiments
of infantry, 5 of cavalry, 2 regiments of mounted infantry, and 36
batteries of artillery. Bragg appeared before Chattanooga with
163 regiments and 21 independent battalions of infantry, 33 regiments
and 6 squadrons of cavalry, and 46 batteries of artillery. Before the
battle 44 regiments and 9 battalions of infantry, and 12 batteries, of
Longstreet's and Buckner's Corps, were sent to Knoxville,
and all of the cavalry was operating either in East Tennessee or on the
Union lines of communication.
For the Commission:
H. V. BOYNTON, Chairman.