Overview
The Battle of Orchard Knob took place southeast of Chattanooga, Tennessee, on November 23, 1863. It was the first engagement of General Ulysses S. Grant’s breakout from the Confederate Siege of Chattanooga.
After winning the Battle of Chickamauga, Confederate General Braxton Bragg drove the Army of the Cumberland back into Chattanooga. Bragg occupied high ground around the city and blocked important supply routes. Union officials placed Grant in command of Union forces near Chattanooga, replaced General William S. Rosecrans with General George Thomas, and sent reinforcements under General Joseph Hooker and General William T. Sherman. Grant also opened the “Cracker Line,” which brought supplies into the city.
On November 22, Grant received reports that Bragg might be withdrawing toward Knoxville. Grant ordered Thomas to investigate on November 23. Thomas sent about 14,000 men from divisions commanded by General Thomas J. Wood and General Sherman toward a hill known as “Orchard Knob.”
About 600 Confederate soldiers from General Arthur Manigault’s Brigade defended the hill. At about 1:30 p.m., Union troops charged and quickly overwhelmed them. Thomas ordered Wood to hold the position instead of returning to Chattanooga. The Union victory gave Grant an advanced headquarters and helped prepare Union forces for the remaining battles of the Chattanooga Campaign.
Essential Facts
- Date: November 23, 1863.
- Location: Southeast of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
- Participants: The United States of America (USA) and the Confederate States of America (CSA).
- USA Commanders: Thomas J. Wood.
- CSA Commanders: Arthur Manigault.
- Who Won: The United States won the Battle of Orchard Knob..
- Campaign: Chattanooga Campaign.
- Era: Civil War, July–December, 1863.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: About 1,100 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- Forces Engaged: Wood’s Division of the 4th Corps, Army of the Cumberland.
- Troop Strength: About 14,000 soldiers.
Confederate States of America
- Casualties: About 600 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- Forces Engaged: The 28th Alabama and 24th Alabama of Manigault’s Brigade, Army of Tennessee.
- Troop Strength: About 600 soldiers.
Significance
The Battle of Orchard Knob is important to American History because it marked the first engagement of the Union breakout from the Siege of Chattanooga. Union forces overwhelmed Confederate defenders and captured Orchard Hill in front of Missionary Ridge. General George Thomas ordered General Thomas J. Wood to hold the hill rather than return to the Union lines. General Ulysses S. Grant later established his headquarters there for the rest of the operation. The Union victory placed troops closer to Confederate positions and helped prepare Grant’s forces for the battles that followed during the Chattanooga Campaign.
History
Rosecrans Moves Toward Chattanooga
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 his Confederate Army of Tennessee.
Bragg Abandons Chattanooga
The two armies clashed in a series of battles over the next nine months, and Confederates consistently retreated south. On September 9, Bragg abandoned Chattanooga and led the Army of Tennessee through the mountains into northern Georgia.
Bragg Stuns Rosecrans at Chickamauga
Although Rosecrans achieved his goal of capturing Chattanooga, he pursued Bragg’s army into Georgia. Stung by criticism that he received for abandoning Chattanooga, Bragg counterattacked at the Battle of Chickamauga (September 19–20, 1863).
Bragg Invests Chattanooga
The victorious Confederates 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.
Changes in Federal Leadership
Reacting to the Army of the Cumberland’s dire situation, Northern authorities sent 20,000 soldiers commanded by General Joseph Hooker and 16,000 men led by Major General William T. Sherman to help lift the siege. Officials placed General Ulysses S. Grant in command of all Northern soldiers near Chattanooga and also replaced Rosecrans with General George Thomas as the commander of the Army of the Cumberland.
Cracker Line
As reinforcements arrived in late October 1863, Grant launched an operation to ease the Army of the Cumberland’s supply problems. By October 28, Grant’s men opened a narrow supply line known as the “Cracker Line,” and provisions started flowing into Chattanooga.
Clash at Orchard Knob
On November 22, Grant received reports that Bragg was withdrawing from the Chattanooga area, possibly headed for Knoxville. The next day, Grant ordered Thomas to undertake a reconnaissance operation to determine Bragg’s intentions.
Thomas deployed two divisions commanded by Brigadier General Thomas J. Wood and Brigadier General William T. Sherman to complete the operation. Around noon, about 14,000 Union soldiers moved out of the federal lines in front of Chattanooga and assembled as if preparing for a review. Sherman’s division was on the right, and Wood’s division was on the left. The assembly took place in front of a small knoll about 100 feet high, known as Orchard Knob. About 634 Confederates from two regiments of Brigadier General Arthur Manigault’s Brigade (28th Alabama and 24th Alabama) defended the hill.
At about 1:30 p.m., Union buglers sounded the “Forward” command and about 14,000 troops sprang forward at the double-quick time. The stunned Confederate defenders unleashed only one volley before being overrun. The few Confederates who were not killed or captured fell back to the base of Missionary Ridge. A little before 3 o’clock, Wood informed Thomas: “I have taken the first line of the enemy’s entrenchments.”
Outcome
Although Grant’s orders had called for Wood to return to the original federal lines after his reconnaissance, Thomas responded, “Hold on; don’t come back; you have got too much; intrench [sic] your position.” Wood followed his new orders, and two days later Grant moved out of Chattanooga and established his headquarters at Orchard Hill for the rest of the breakout operation.
Union casualties at the Battle of Orchard Knob were roughly 1,100 (killed, wounded, and missing/captured). The Confederacy suffered about 600 casualties.
Timeline
- 1862, December 26 — William S. Rosecrans led the Army of the Cumberland out of Nashville with orders to capture Chattanooga.
- 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.
- 1863, October 28–29 — Union forces won the Battle of Wauhatchie.
- 1863, November 22 — Grant received reports that Bragg might be withdrawing from Chattanooga toward Knoxville.
- 1863, November 23 — Grant ordered Thomas to investigate Bragg’s intentions.
- 1863, November 23
- About 14,000 Union soldiers advanced from Chattanooga toward Orchard Knob.
- Union troops overwhelmed the Confederate defenders and captured Orchard Knob.
- Thomas ordered Wood to hold and strengthen the captured position.
AP US History
Definition
Battle of Orchard Knob (1863) — The Battle of Orchard Knob was fought southeast of Chattanooga, Tennessee, on November 23, 1863, during the Chattanooga Campaign. General Ulysses S. Grant ordered General George Thomas to investigate reports that Confederate forces were withdrawing. About 14,000 Union soldiers advanced toward Orchard Knob, overwhelmed roughly 600 Confederate defenders after one volley, and captured their defenses. Thomas ordered General Thomas J. Wood to hold the position, giving Grant a headquarters for the Union breakout from the Siege of Chattanooga.
Alignment
The Battle of Orchard Knob is part of the following AP US History sections:
