Overview
The Battle of Chattanooga took place from November 23 through November 25, 1863, after Confederate General Braxton Bragg’s Army of Tennessee placed Union forces under siege in Chattanooga. Following the Confederate victory at Chickamauga, Bragg’s army occupied Lookout Mountain, Seminary Ridge and Raccoon Mountain. Union officials responded by sending reinforcements and placing General Ulysses S. Grant in command of Union forces near the city.
Grant improved the Union army’s position by approving General William F. Smith’s plan for the “Cracker Line,” which restored a reliable supply route for Union forces. Confederate General James Longstreet failed to break the supply line at the Battle of Wauhatchie, and Bragg later sent Longstreet’s Corps to eastern Tennessee.
On November 23, Union soldiers under General Thomas J. Wood captured Orchard Knob. The following day, General Joseph Hooker attacked Confederate forces on Lookout Mountain, where thick fog led soldiers to call the engagement the “Battle Above the Clouds.” Confederate troops withdrew during the night.
On November 25, Grant ordered attacks against Missionary Ridge. After capturing the rifle pits at the bottom of the ridge, soldiers from General George H. Thomas’ Army of the Cumberland continued forward without orders and drove Bragg’s army from its position. The Confederate retreat ended the battle and forced the Army of Tennessee into Georgia.
Essential Facts
- Also Known As: Battles for Chattanooga.
- Date: November 23–25, 1863.
- Location: Outskirts of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
- Participants: The United States of America (USA) and the Confederate States of America (CSA).
- USA Commanders: Ulysses S. Grant.
- CSA Commanders: Braxton Bragg.
- Who Won: The United States won the Battle of Chattanooga.
- Campaign: Chattanooga Campaign.
- Era: Civil War, July–December, 1863.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: 5,815 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- Forces Engaged: Army of the Cumberland and Army of the Tennessee.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 72,500.
Confederate States of America
- Casualties: 6,670 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- Forces Engaged: Army of Tennessee.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 49,000.
Significance
The Battle of Chattanooga is important to American History because it ended the Confederate Siege of Chattanooga and gave the Union control of an important railroad center connecting the upper Confederacy with the Deep South. General Ulysses S. Grant restored the Union supply line and directed attacks at Orchard Knob, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge. The final Union assault drove General Braxton Bragg’s Army of Tennessee into Georgia. The victory strengthened Union control of Tennessee and opened the way for General William T. Sherman’s successful Atlanta Campaign in 1864.
History
Battle of Stones River
On December 26, 1862, Major General William S. Rosecrans led the Union Army of the Cumberland out of Nashville, Tennessee, with orders to capture Chattanooga, Tennessee. Chattanooga was an important railroad junction that connected the upper Confederacy with the Deep South. Between Rosecrans and Chattanooga was Lieutenant General Braxton Bragg and the Confederate Army of Tennessee.
On December 31, the two armies clashed at the Battle of Stones River near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, which lasted until January 2, 1863. The Union army prevailed, and Bragg retreated south towards Tullahoma, Tennessee. In June, the Federals moved on the Confederates at Tullahoma, forcing Bragg to withdraw his army to Chattanooga.
Bragg Abandons Chattanooga
In mid-August, Rosecrans prepared to assault Chattanooga, but a series of maneuvers on his part convinced Bragg that the city was indefensible. On September 9, Bragg abandoned Chattanooga and led the Army of Tennessee through the mountains into northern Georgia. Although Rosecrans had achieved his aim of capturing Chattanooga, he pursued Bragg’s army into Georgia.
Battle of Chickamauga
Stung by criticism that he received for abandoning Chattanooga, Bragg resolved to win the city back. On September 19, the Army of Tennessee attacked the Union Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Chickamauga (September 19–20, 1863). Bragg’s army drove the Federals back toward Chattanooga, forcing them to occupy the defensive works previously constructed by the Confederates. Bragg seized the high ground overlooking Chattanooga (Lookout Mountain, Seminary Ridge, and Raccoon Mountain) and laid siege to the city.
Union Reinforcements
Because of the Army of the Cumberland’s dire situation, Northern authorities sent 20,000 soldiers under the command of General Joseph Hooker and 16,000 men that General William T. Sherman led to assist the Army of the Cumberland. Officials placed General Ulysses S. Grant in command of all Northern soldiers near Chattanooga and also replaced Rosecrans with General George H. Thomas as the commander of the Army of the Cumberland.
The Cracker Line
After some reinforcements arrived in late October 1863, Grant immediately embarked upon a plan to relieve the supply problems of the Army of the Cumberland. By October 28, Grant’s men opened a narrow supply line that became known as the “Cracker Line.” Brigadier General William F. Smith had originally proposed the line, but Rosecrans did not act on his subordinate’s recommendation. When Grant arrived in Chattanooga, he endorsed Smith’s plan. Because Confederate forces did not offer much resistance to the work crews creating the new route, the operation was a success.
Battle of Wauhatchie
Under orders from Braxton Bragg, Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet launched a night attack against Major General Joseph Hooker’s forces at Wauhatchie, Tennessee, on October 28, 1863. Longstreet sent in far fewer men against the Union position than Bragg had ordered. Despite Hooker’s confused response, the Federals held their position during the assault that lasted until early the next morning. Longstreet’s failure to dislodge Hooker at the Battle of Wauhatchie prompted Bragg to dispatch Longstreet and his men to eastern Tennessee to deal with Major General Ambrose E. Burnside and his Army of the Ohio, which had recently occupied Knoxville. Bragg’s decision to send away Longstreet’s corps markedly weakened his army near Chattanooga.
Battles for Chattanooga
Orchard Knob
Following the opening of the Cracker Line and the Battle of Wauhatchie, Grant began planning an assault on the Confederate forces. He intended to wait until Sherman’s men arrived on the battlefield. The vanguard of Sherman’s men began to arrive at Chattanooga on November 20, 1863. Three days later, rumors circulated through Northern lines that the Confederate forces were retreating. Grant ordered General Thomas to reconnoiter the center of the Confederate line at the base of Missionary Ridge. Early in the afternoon, 14,000 Northern forces under Brigadier-General Thomas J. Wood easily overpowered the Confederates at Orchard Knob. Initially, Grant had ordered the men to return to Northern lines, but upon seeing the ease the Union men had in securing the position, he ordered his soldiers to hold the position and to entrench.
Lookout Mountain
Union forces continued their assault on the Confederate position the next day. On November 24, General Hooker’s men attacked Confederate forces on Lookout Mountain on the Southerners’ left flank. By mid-afternoon the Union assault had stalled, primarily because of a thick fog that enveloped the mountain, prompting soldiers to nickname the Battle of Lookout Mountain as the Battle Above the Clouds. Although Hooker’s men did not take the mountain, he correctly predicted that Southern forces would withdraw that night.
Missionary Ridge
After abandoning Lookout Mountain, Bragg concentrated his Confederate soldiers on Missionary Ridge. On November 25, Grant ordered an assault on Bragg’s new position. Grant directed Sherman, who still did not have his entire force on the battlefield, to attack the Confederate right flank. Grant ordered Hooker to demonstrate against Bragg’s left flank but to avoid a determined assault.
Following Grant’s instructions, Hooker slowly pushed the Confederate forces in front of him north along Missionary Ridge. Grant ordered General Thomas, who led the Northern troops across from the center of the Confederate line, to assist Sherman with his assault. Unfortunately for Grant, stiff Confederate resistance slowed Sherman’s advance.
Late in the afternoon, Grant directed Thomas to assault the center of the Confederate line, but he only wanted the Federals to capture the Southern rifle pits at the bottom of Missionary Ridge. Thomas’ Army of the Cumberland advanced, seized the rifle pits, and then proceeded, against their original orders, to drive the Confederates from Missionary Ridge. Bragg’s army retreated from the ridge, ending the Battle of Missionary Ridge and the Battle of Chattanooga.
Outcome
The Union victory at the Battle of Chattanooga drove the Confederate Army of Tennessee into Georgia and paved the way for William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign. Union casualties totaled 5,815 (killed, wounded, captured/missing). The Confederacy lost 6,670 men (killed, wounded, captured/missing).
Timeline
- 1862, December 26 — William S. Rosecrans led the Army of the Cumberland out of Nashville with orders to capture Chattanooga.
- 1862, December 31 — Union and Confederate forces clashed at the Battle of Stones River near Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
- 1863, January 2 — The Battle of Stones River ended with a Union victory, and General Braxton Bragg withdrew toward Tullahoma.
- 1863, June — Union forces advanced at Tullahoma and forced Bragg to withdraw to Chattanooga.
- 1863, August — William S. Rosecrans prepared to attack Chattanooga and used military movements to convince Bragg that he could not defend the city.
- 1863, September 9 — Braxton Bragg abandoned Chattanooga and moved the Army of Tennessee into northern Georgia.
- 1863, September 19–20 — Confederate forces won the Battle of Chickamauga.
- 1863, Late October — Union reinforcements arrived near Chattanooga as Ulysses S. Grant worked to improve the army’s supply situation.
- 1863, October 27 — Union forces established a secure position at Brown’s Ferry.
- 1863, October 28 —
- Joseph Hooker marched through Lookout Valley and left John W. Geary’s division at Wauhatchie Station.
- Union forces opened the Cracker Line and improved the flow of supplies into Chattanooga.
- 1863, October 28–29 — Union forces won the Battle of Wauhatchie.
- 1863, November 4 — Bragg sent 15,000 soldiers under James Longstreet toward Knoxville.
- 1863, November 20 — William T. Sherman’s soldiers started arriving at Chattanooga.
- 1863, November 22 — Grant received reports that Bragg might be withdrawing from Chattanooga toward Knoxville.
- 1863, November 23 — Union forces won the Battle of Orchard Knob and captured the hill.
- 1863, November 24 — Union forces won the Battle of Lookout Mountain.
- 1863, November 25 — Union forces won the Battle of Chattanooga.
AP US History
Definition
Battle of Chattanooga (1863) — The Battle of Chattanooga was from November 23 through November 25, 1863, after General Ulysses S. Grant strengthened the trapped Union army by opening a crucial supply line. Union troops then captured Orchard Knob, forced Confederate soldiers to abandon Lookout Mountain, and drove General Braxton Bragg’s army from Missionary Ridge. The victory ended the Confederate Siege of Chattanooga and opened the way for General William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign.
Alignment
The Battle of Chattanooga is part of the following AP US History sections:
