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Colonial Period

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War Between the States

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Special Features: Two great Civil War battlefields in one park; beautiful scenery especially from Lookout Mountain, site of the spectacular "Battle Above the Clouds."

Moccasin Bend in the Tennessee River as Seen From Point Park,
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park.
(Photo by Rinehart)

THE Federal Government in 1890 established the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park including the battlefields on Chickamauga Creek, in northern Georgia, and around Chattanooga in southeastern Tennessee. There occurred the battles of Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge, which played a decisive part in determining the outcome of the war in the West.

No national military park surpasses that of Chickamauga and Chattanooga in scenic beauty. Before the observer on Point Lookout, at the northern extremity of Lookout Mountain, is unfolded a vast panorama. Far away to the northeast the dim blue outlines of the Cumberland Mountains, clothed to their summits in forests, seem to merge, ridge by ridge, into the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. Farther to the east and southeast the eye roves over diminishing ranges to the direction of Buzzard Roost, Dalton, and Atlanta, while nearer at hand the abrupt rampart of Missionary Ridge, with the battlefield of Chickamauga just beyond its southern extremity, walls in the valley in which lies Chattanooga. Due north, beyond the treetops of the mountain slopes and the checkered fields and woodlands of the valley, the city glimmers beneath a plume of smoke, half circled by the waters of the Tennessee, which sweep on, almost beneath one's feet, in the majestic curve of Moccasin Bend. A perpetual monument to the brave men who fell everywhere around Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain is also an observatory from which all of the battlefields may be seen. Driveways and footpaths radiating in every direction invite closer inspection of the countless scenes of beauty and historic interest. Likewise the reservation on Signal Mountain commands a superb view. From Signal Point is visible the beautiful gorge of the Tennessee River, with its numerous crags rising from dense foliage.

The Battle of Chickamauga. — After the victory at Stones River early in January 1863, General Rosecrans held his Union army inactive at Murfreesboro for more than 5 months, watching his opponent, Gen. Braxton Bragg, who had retired from Stones River and taken up an entrenched position at Shelbyville and Tullahoma, where he could hold southern Tennessee and protect its important center of communications at Chattanooga. Late in June, while Grant was besieging Vicksburg, Rosecrans advanced, skillfully maneuvered Bragg out of his strong positions, and forced him to retire across the Tennessee River to Chattanooga. There Bragg again entrenched himself, guarding the river crossings to the northeast. He did not anticipate that Rosecrans would attempt to cross the Tennessee and the serried mountain ridges below Chattanooga in order to approach the southern flank of the Confederate army. But early in September the resourceful Federal commander suddenly crossed his army of 58,000 men over the river southwest of the city, and obliged Bragg to abandon Chattanooga in order to maintain his rail communications with the South. Rosecrans then divided his army into three grotips, to cut off the supposed retreat of the Confederates and to facilitate the crossing of Lookout Mountain.

Bragg, however, was preparing a shrewd counterstroke. He had retired to Lafayette, Ga., where reenforcements were arriving from Virginia and Mississippi. After some unsuccessful attempts to destroy the Union army while it was divided, he moved toward Chickamauga Creek with the object of turning the left of the Union army and seizing the roads to Chattanooga, thereby cutting off its line of supplies and communications. By the morning of September 19 most of the Confederates had crossed Chickamauga Creek. Shortly after daylight they were attacked by Union troops. Throughout the day the fighting was desperate as the Confederates gradually pushed the Union Army back to the Lafayette Road. But Rosecrans succeeded in holding his position. On the morning of the 20th, Longstreet"s troops which had just arrived from Virginia, broke through the Federal line, and swept the entire right and part of the center from the field toward Chattanooga. The four Federal divisions on the left, with fragments of others, took up a new position, under General Thomas, "the rock of Chickamauga." This they held until nightfall against terrific assaults by the Confederates. Having successfully covered the retreat of the rest of the army, they with drew during the night in good order toward Chattanooga.

The Confederate victory had been won dearly. The losses of Bragg's army in killed, wounded, and missing were approximately 18,000 out of 66,000 engaged; those of the Union army, 16,000.

In following the movements of the battle on Chickamauga field, the visitor may see many places of great interest. At the Brotherton House he may view the spot where the Federal line was broken, owing to the withdrawal of a division which left a gap through which the Confederates charged. Bloody Pond, so named because its water was said to be tinged with the blood of injured men and horses, still may be seen. Snodgrass Hill, where Thomas and his men repulsed the Confederate assaults after the Federal right and part of the center had been routed, is another interesting place. Still standing on it is the Snodgrass House, used by the Union troops as a hospital.

The battles around Chattanooga. — After Chickamauga, the Confederates invested Chattanooga on the east and south by occupying Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, and Chattanooga Valley, interrupting all but the most circuitous of the lines of supply of the Federal army. Within a month the Union troops faced starvation or retreat. Late in October Thomas took over Rosecrans' army and Grant assumed command of all the Federal forces around Chattanooga. With the assistance of reenforcements under General Hooker, a safe and adequate line of supplies finally was opened. After Sherman's arrival in November with additional troops, operations were begun to drive away the Confederates.

The first of these resulted in the capture of Orchard Knob, an advanced position a mile west of the Confederate rifle pits at the base of Missionary Ridge. At 2 p. m., on November 23, the center of Thomas' army advanced and after overcoming fierce resistance captured the knob and drove the Confederates back.

Next morning, Hooker, commanding the Federal right, advanced from the Wauhatchie Valley up the steep slopes of Lookout Mountain, which rises to a height of almost 1,500 feet above the surrounding country. Climbing onward through the day, driving the defenders from one position to another, Hooker's troops gradually got possession of the mountain, fighting much of the time in the midst of clouds and mist which hid the contending forces from watchers in the valley. It was after midnight when the Confederates finally withdrew from the crest, and on the morning of the 25th the Stars and Stripes were floating from the top of Point Lookout.

That night Bragg concentrated his army in an entrenched line 6 miles long on the crest of Missionary Ridge, with a heavy outpost line in front at the foot of the ridge. It was a position of great strength, and from it the Confederate artillery could sweep the valley extending to Orchard Knob. At daybreak Sherman, commanding the Federal left, attacked Tunnel Hill, where the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad passed through the northern end of the ridge, but by 3 p. m. his attacks all had failed. At that hour Grant, in the hope of drawing away some of the forces opposing Sherman, ordered Thomas to throw forward four divisions and take the Confederate rifle pits at the foot of the ridge. The troops charged at double time and captured the pits, with many prisoners, at the point of the bayonet. Then they halted, but being galled by the fire from above, soon started up the ridge without orders. In the face of the projectiles from numerous cannon and thousands of muskets, they clambered up the steep boulder-strewn slopes, swept over the intermediate line of breast-works and within an hour after leaving Orchard Knob, had stormed the main line of the crest. The Confederates retreated, first to Ringgold, and later to Dalton, Ga. The total losses of the Confederate forces in the operations around Chattanooga were approximately 6,500 and those of the Federals about 6,000.

Chattanooga National Cemetery. — Half way between the center of Chattanooga and Missionary Ridge is located the Chattanooga National Cemetery, established in 1863 by General Thomas, Commander of the Army of the Cumberland. At the present time there are approximately 15,000 graves, the great majority of which contain the remains of soldiers of the Civil War.

Markers and monuments. — The Federal Government has expended about $1,000,000 in the erection of monuments and in the improvement of the park. Of the 27 States whose soldiers fought in these battles, 18 have appropriated more than $500,000 for monuments and markers. The battle lines of all divisions and brigades on each side are accurately marked and historical tablets describe the part taken by each unit. In addition, about 300 cannon have been mounted in the approximate positions occupied by the artillery during the battles.

Museum and library. — Firearms and military equipment of the Civil War period are on display at the new Administration Building. Visitors are also invited to use the park library, which contains an interesting collection of books and manuscripts.

NEXT> Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

Last Modified: Thurs, Nov 23 2000 10:00:00 pm PDT
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