Battle of Chickamauga

The Battle of Chickamauga lasted for two days, from September 19 to 20, 1863. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War.

The weather at the Battle of Chickamauga was hot and dry, with temperatures reaching into the 90s Fahrenheit during the day. The lack of water sources and intense heat added to the challenges faced by soldiers on both sides during the battle.

During the Battle of Chickamauga, around 16,000 Union soldiers and 18,000 Confederate soldiers were killed, wounded, or went missing. The total number of men lost on both sides was approximately 34,000.

The Battle of Chickamauga was fought in northern Georgia near the Chickamauga Creek. The terrain was characterized by dense forests, rolling hills, and open fields, which made it challenging for both sides to maneuver and communicate effectively. The geography of the area also played a significant role in shaping the tactics and outcomes of the battle.

The Battle of Chickamauga was part of the Confederate campaign aiming to the reconquest of the vital strategic points of Chattanooga and Knoxville.

Chattanooga and not Chickamauga was an important Railway Junction to the South.

Chattanooga commanded following vital railway links:

Mobile - Montgomery - Atlanta - Chattanooga,

Chattanooga - Knoxville - Lynchburg,

Memphis - Corinth Decatur - Chattanooga,

Nashville - Murfreesborough - Chattanooga,

Chattanooga - Atlanta - Augusta - Savannah and Charleston.

The crucial events happened on the second day of the battle, September 20, 1863. The Union commander was Major General William S. Rosecrans. He received a report at his headquarters from an officer who had just ridden to his headquarters up the road immediately behind the Union line. This officer had failed to see a brigade in the Union line which was concealed in the underbrush and trees, and reported to Rosecrans that there was a huge gap in the line, meaning the line was not connected. Without further investigation Rosecrans immediately sent orders to Brigadier General Thomas J. Wood, who was commanding a brigade which was in line just to the south of where the alleged gap in the Union line was located. The orders were peremptory and abrupt in tone, and ordered Wood to move his brigade to the left, to link his left with the right of the brigade just to the north of the alleged gap. Though this made no sense, because Wood was aware of the brigade which was already to his left which the officer had not seen who reported to Rosecrans, the last time Wood had spoken to Rosecrans the commander had insulted and humiliated him by upbraiding him in front of his staff for not following orders fast enough to suit Rosecrans. So even though there was another brigade in the way of where Wood was ordered to go, he pulled his men out of the line to begin moving north, to his left. Thus, where no gap had existed, Rosecrans orders to Wood and Wood's prompt obedience to those orders did create a brigade-wide gap in the Union line.

During the previous night Lieutenant General James Longstreet had arrived on the field with two divisions from General Lee' army. He was given a third division by the Rebel commander at Chickamauga, General Braxton Bragg. Longstreet had just finished arranging the eight brigades of these three divisions into a powerful attacking column, five lines deep. He sent these forward and, with the worst of all possible luck for the Yankees, Longstreet's attack hit the gap just created when Wood pulled out of line in obedience to Rosecrans orders. This massive breakthrough caused the Yankees to panic and their entire line collapsed, as the Rebels spread behind both flanks of their breakthrough and started shooting Yankees from behind.

The Confederates had military advantages in the Battle of Chickamauga because:

1 - they had the numerical superiority - 66,000 men against 58,000 Federals;

2 - Confederate commander Bragg was able to concentrate three corps in position to attack, while Rosencrans's Union Army came up rather scattered.

Major General William Rosecrans commanded the Union Army at the Battle of Chickamauga.

It was fought in Georgia.

1400 people were killed in the confederate army and 1600 in the union army

Devastating Union defeat by Braxton Bragg, saved from total destruction by George Thomas.

William Rosecrans removed from command, replaced by US Grant.

Bragg pursued the Union army to Chattanooga, to which he laid siege, and it looked as though he would starve out the Union troops.

Grant managed to force a river-crossing that enabled a new supply-line, and he and Thomas drove the Confederates off the heights overlooking Chattanooga.

Chickamauga is usually said to have been September 19 and 20, 1863. But there was some fairly heavy preliminary fighting on the evening of the 18th.

Approximately 63,000. The Confederates had about 2,000 more.

The Confederate victory at the Battle of Chickamauga in September of 1863 gained the South control of Chattanooga Tennessee. This was a rail center of tremendous tactical importance.

The victory was due in part by the fast transfer of General Longstreet's forces from Virginia to reinforce General Bragg. The South had a smaller railway network however they made better use of what they had.

The Battle of Bull Run, a Southern victory was due to their railways which redeployed many of Stonewall Jackson's men to the battle zone by rail.

Yes, the Confederacy won the Battle of Chickamauga.