Overview
The Chattanooga Campaign was a series of Union military operations from September 21 to November 27, 1863. After the Confederate victory at Chickamauga, General Braxton Bragg forced the Union Army of the Cumberland back into Chattanooga. Confederate forces occupied Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, and Raccoon Mountain, allowing them to cut rail service, block supplies, and place the city under siege.
Union officials created the Military Division of the Mississippi and placed General Ulysses S. Grant in command of Union armies in the Western Theater and replaced General William S. Rosecrans with General George Thomas. Grant arrived in Chattanooga on October 23. Union troops then opened the “Cracker Line,” which shortened the main supply route and improved conditions inside the city.
Grant launched his offensive after reinforcements under General Joseph Hooker and General Sherman arrived. Union forces captured Orchard Knob on November 23. Hooker forced the Confederates to abandon Lookout Mountain the following day. On November 25, Sherman and Hooker attacked both sides of Missionary Ridge while Thomas attacked the center. The Army of the Cumberland charged up the ridge and drove Bragg’s army into retreat. The Union victory secured Chattanooga and created an important supply center for Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign in 1864.
Essential Facts
- Also Known As: Battles for Chattanooga.
- Date: September 21–November 27, 1863.
- Location: Near Chattanooga, Tennessee, and in northern Georgia.
- Participants: The United States of America (USA) and the Confederate States of America (CSA).
- USA Commanders: Ulysses S. Grant, George Thomas, and William T. Sherman.
- CSA Commanders: Braxton Bragg.
- Who Won: The United States won the Chattanooga Campaign.
- Era: Civil War, July–December, 1863.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: About 6,000 killed, wounded, missing, or captured, including 753 killed.
- Forces Engaged: Military Division of the Mississippi, including the Army of the Cumberland and Army of the Tennessee.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 56,000 soldiers.
Confederate States of America
- Casualties: About 6,600 killed, wounded, missing, or captured, including 361 killed and more than 4,000 captured.
- Forces Engaged: Army of Tennessee.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 44,000 soldiers.
Significance
The Chattanooga Campaign is important to American History because it gave the Union complete control of Chattanooga, known as the “Gateway to the Lower South.” The victory broke General Braxton Bragg’s siege, protected the Army of the Cumberland, and forced the Confederate Army of Tennessee to retreat toward Dalton, Georgia. Chattanooga then became an important Union supply center for General William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign in 1864. The campaign was also General Ulysses S. Grant’s final campaign in the Western Theater.
History
On December 26, 1862, Major General William S. Rosecrans led the Union Army of the Cumberland out of Nashville 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 (December 31, 1862–January 2, 1863) near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Union army prevailed and forced Bragg to retreat south toward Chattanooga.
In June, the Federals moved on the Confederates again at Tullahoma, Tennessee, forcing Bragg to withdraw his army to Chattanooga. In mid-August, Rosecrans prepared to assault Chattanooga, but a series of brilliant 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. Stung by the criticism 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 bloody 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, Missionary Ridge, and Raccoon Mountain) and laid siege to the city.
Chattanooga Campaign Begins
From his lofty positions above Chattanooga, Bragg could shell the city and cut off essential supplies. Bragg also severed the main rail line coming into Chattanooga, leaving Rosecrans with only a poor dirt road through mountainous terrain to supply his army. Rosecrans’ situation became a priority in Washington.
Ulysses S. Grant to the Rescue
Army officials responded to the dire situation in Chattanooga by dispatching Major General Joseph Hooker with 15,000 men from the Army of the Potomac to the city. On September 29, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton ordered Major General Ulysses S. Grant and 20,000 soldiers to leave Vicksburg, Mississippi to help lift the siege in Chattanooga. More significantly, on October 16, 1863, the War Department issued General Orders, No. 337, creating the Military Division of the Mississippi, and placing Grant in charge of all Union armies in the western theater. Grant quickly relieved Rosecrans of his command and placed Major General George Thomas in charge of the Army of the Cumberland. Grant himself arrived in Chattanooga on October 23 and took personal command of all forces within the city.
The Cracker Line
Upon his arrival, Grant set about establishing a new supply line going into Chattanooga. With the help of Hooker’s troops arriving from the east, the Federals captured a ferry landing on the Tennessee River and created a new supply route later known as the “Cracker Line.” The new route cut the length of the existing supply line in half.
Confederate forces under General James Longstreet tried unsuccessfully to sever the Cracker Line with an attack at Wauhatchie, Tennessee on October 29. The next day, the first supplies began arriving in Chattanooga over the new route, and conditions within the city immediately improved.
Grant Plans to Take the Offensive
While waiting for Major General William T. Sherman and the Army of the Tennessee to arrive from Vicksburg, Grant and his staff began preparing for an offensive to drive the Confederates away from Chattanooga and relieve the city.
Sherman arrived in Chattanooga on November 14, 1863, ahead of his army, and quickly endorsed the plans that Grant’s staff created. Sherman’s army began arriving at Chattanooga on November 20. Three days later, the offensive moved into action.
On November 23, about 14,000 Federal soldiers left their defensive works and overran the 600 Confederate defenders of a hill between Chattanooga and Missionary Ridge, known as Orchard Knob. The Union soldiers fortified the hill, and Orchard Knob served as Grant’s headquarters for the rest of the breakout.
Joseph Hooker Assaults Lookout Mountain
The next day, about 10,000 Union forces under the command of Major General Joseph Hooker began an assault on the Confederates holding Lookout Mountain. The Federals made steady progress in a battle that lasted all day, much of it fought in a heavy fog. When Hooker’s troops threatened to cut off any avenue of escape, Bragg ordered the evacuation of the mountain during the night. When the sun rose the next day, the Union held Lookout Mountain.
Army of the Cumberland’s Heroic Charge at Missionary Ridge
On the same day that Hooker forced the abandonment of Lookout Mountain, Sherman moved three divisions across the Tennessee River and captured a position called Goat Hill near the Confederate lines on Missionary Ridge. On November 25, Grant ordered Sherman to advance on Missionary Ridge from the north and Hooker from the south. Sherman and Hooker launched their assaults early in the morning but made little headway by afternoon. Seeing their lack of progress, Grant ordered Thomas to lead the Army of the Cumberland in an assault on the Confederate center.
The assault was initially successful, but rifle and artillery fire from the ridge above eventually tied Thomas’ men down. Still stinging from their embarrassing defeat at the Battle of Chickamauga in September, the Army of the Cumberland mounted a second heroic charge up the ridge and overran the Confederates. By 6 o’clock, the center of Bragg’s army was in full retreat, and the Union held Missionary Ridge.
Braxton Bragg Retreats South
After abandoning Missionary Ridge, Bragg ordered his army to march south toward Dalton, Georgia. Sherman and Hooker pursued briefly, but Grant soon called a halt, not wanting his forces to get too far from their supply lines.
Outcome
The breakout from Chattanooga cost the Union almost 6,000 casualties, including 753 killed. The Confederates suffered about 6,600 casualties, including 361 killed. Over 4,000 of the Confederate casualties were prisoners. Following the breakout, the Union held uncontested control of Chattanooga, the “Gateway to the Lower South.” Chattanooga became an important supply center for Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign in 1864.
Timeline
- 1862, December 26 — William S. Rosecrans led the Army of the Cumberland out of Nashville with orders to capture Chattanooga.
- 1862, December 31–1863, January 2 — Union forces defeated General Braxton Bragg’s army at the Battle of Stones River and forced it to retreat south.
- 1863, June — Union forces advanced at Tullahoma and forced Bragg to withdraw to Chattanooga.
- 1863, Mid-August — Rosecrans used military movements that convinced Bragg that he could not defend Chattanooga.
- 1863, September 9 — Bragg abandoned Chattanooga and moved the Army of Tennessee into northern Georgia.
- 1863, September 19–20 — Confederate forces won the Battle of Chickamauga.
- 1863, September 21 — The Chattanooga Campaign started.
- 1863, September 29 — Secretary of War Edwin Stanton ordered Ulysses S. Grant and 20,000 soldiers to move from Vicksburg to Chattanooga.
- 1863, October 16 — The War Department created the Military Division of the Mississippi and placed Grant in command of Union armies in the Western Theater.
- 1863, October 23 — Grant arrived in Chattanooga and took command of Union forces.
- 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, October 30 — The first supplies reached Chattanooga via the Cracker Line.
- 1863, November 14 — William T. Sherman arrived in Chattanooga.
- 1863, November 20 — 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 Missionary Ridge.
- 1863, November 26 — Braxton Bragg ordered Patrick Cleburne to defend Ringgold Gap and protect the Confederate retreat.
- 1863, November 27 — Confederate forces won the Battle of Ringgold Gap and withdrew southward, ending the Chattanooga Campaign.
AP US History
Definition
Chattanooga Campaign (1863) — The Chattanooga Campaign was a series of Union operations that broke General Braxton Bragg’s Siege of Chattanooga, Tennessee. General Ulysses S. Grant opened the “Cracker Line” to supply the trapped Union army, and then Union forces captured Orchard Knob and Lookout Mountain. On November 25, the Army of the Cumberland stormed Missionary Ridge and forced Bragg’s army to retreat. The victory secured Chattanooga as a major Union supply center for the Atlanta Campaign.
Alignment
The Chattanooga Campaign is part of the following AP US History sections:
