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Confederacy splits its forces in Tennessee in small commands to complicate Federal Operations
Major General Ormsby M. Mitchel received orders to take his division to Hunstville, Alabama to repair railroads. Mitchel's division occupied 100 miles of railroads along Nashville and Chattanooga & Memphis and Charleston railroads.
Late spring; actual date not known -
Period: to
Battle of Chattanooga Timespan
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First Battle of Chattanooga
Gen. Mitchel ordered Brig. Gen. James Negley and a small division to lead an expedition to capture Chattanooga once he recieved command of all Federal troops between Nashville and Huntsville on May 29. Mitchel and his men spar with Maj. Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith's men. -
Union Bombardment of Chattanooga Continues
The force arrived at Chattanooga on June 7. They found the Confederates entrenched on the opposite side of the river along the banks and on Cameron Hill. Negley brought up two artillery batteries to open fire on the Rebel troops and the town. -
Union Bombardment Ends
At noon on June 8th, the Union Bombardment ended. The Confederates responded, however their attack was uncoordinated and not as successful. -
Union Victory at Chattanooga
On June 10, Smith recieved intelligence that Negley and his men had withdrawn but the Confederate loss was minor. The Union attack on Chattanooga proved to the Confederacy that the Union troops could attack and also forced Edmund Kirby Smith to take his Confederate troops out from other areas in order to have enough men to defend Chattanooga. -
Union Launches Attack Under Col. John T. Wilder
Major General William S. Rosecrans (commander of the Army of the Cumberland) launched a campaign to take Chattanooga, Tennessee. Colonel John T. Wilder's Union 4th Division marched northeast of Chattanooga where the Confederates could see them which calls General Braxton Bragg's attention-- realizes the Union are attacking on the town. -
The Second Battle of Chattanooga
Wilder reached the Tennessee River and ordered the 18th Indiana Light Artillery under Captin Eli Lilly to begin the attack on the town. The Union troops shot many soldiers and civilians. The bombardment sank two steamers docked, fully alarming the Confederates -
Chattanooga Campaign: (Battles for Chattanooga)
The Army of the Cumberland under Maj. Gen. George Thomas advanced from Chattanooga to seize the minor high ground at Orchard Knob while the Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gen. Sherman maneuvered to launch a surprise attack against Bragg's men on Missionary Ridge. -
Lookout Mountain
General Joseph Hooker led 12,000 men west of Chattanooga to Lookout Mountain Creek and finds about 1200 Rebels entrenched in the side of Lookout Mountain, under the command of Carter Stevenson. Ordered to "fall back fighting" the Rebels withdraw to the northern side of Lookout Mountain under the cover of artillery positioned at the top of the mountain. General Bragg ordered Stevenson to withdraw and meet again at Missionary Ridge in the morning. Hooker takes the mountain. -
Missionary Ridge
troops under the command of General George H. Thomas charged the Confederate rifle pits at Missionary Ridge and without waiting for orders, noted as one of the best charges of the war. The surprise charge caused the Confederates to retreat. The Union gained Chattanooga.
