Page images
PDF
EPUB
[graphic]
[ocr errors][ocr errors]

Entered according to act of Congress 1867 by Johnson, Fry & Co in the clerks office of the strict court of the southern district of New York

Y

TRIC LIBRARY

AUTOR

CH. III.]

BATTLE OF CHATTANOOGA BEGUN.

care to hold Knoxville at all hazards. If besieged there by Longstreet, Grant expected ere long to afford him relief by beating and dispersing Bragg's army, which would compel Longstreet to retreat into Virginia.

359

Blair; and at two o'clock in the morning of the 24th, 8,000 men were conveyed to the point selected for the bridge. By noon of that day two bridges had been laid, one, 1,400 feet long, over the Tennessee, the other, 200 feet long, over the South Chickamauga, to furnish a route for the cavalry.

During the day, the remainder of his command reached the position assigned, and Sherman's men speedily rendered it unassailable by the enemy. At the same time, a brigade of cavalry, under Col. Long, was sent to cut the railroad, which was effectually accomplished.

Hooker, holding Lookout Valley, faced the enemy on the mountain, and Thomas occupied the central position with his line of works before Chattanooga, with Missionary Ridge in front of him. Sherman was ordered, with his force, to a point on the right bank of the river above the town, with the intention of crossing and seizing the northern extremity of the ridge, which was unfortified. A cavalry force was also directed to proceed to the right and rear of the rebels, so as to cut the railroad between Cleveland and Dalton, and thus sever Longstreet's southern communications with Bragg. In this way, Hooker and Sherman would hold each flank of the enemy, while Thomas would be ready to pierce their centre. The preliminary arrangments were admirably made. Sherman's troops march ed from Bridgeport by way of Whitesides, crossed the river at Brown's Ferry, moved up the north bank, keeping concealed from the enemy, and reached a point not far from the mouth of the North Chickamauga. More than a hundred pontoon bridges were carried over-pickets, who replied, and then ran into land, so as to secure the passage of the their rifle-pits. Our skirmishers followriver. The site selected for the bridge ed them into the pits, along the centre was just below the South Chickamauga, of Thomas's line of 25,000 troops, until which offered advantages for posting we opened fire. It was a complete surthe artillery. Sherman's force arrived prise to the rebels, in open daylight. on the 23d of November, consisting of At three P.M., the important advanced the 15th corps and one division of the position of Orchard Knoll, and the 16th, all under the command of Gen. lines right and left, were secured, and

All his arrangements having been effected to his satisfaction, and every preparation made for the important battle now at hand, Grant, on the 23d of November, at half past eleven, ordered a demonstration against Missionary Ridge, to develope the force of the enemy holding it. The troops marched in fine order, as if on parade, and were watched by the rebel pickets from the summits of the ridge, 500 feet above our troops. Their opinion was, that it was a review and drill, so openly, deliberately, and with such precision was the movement made. The line advanc ed, preceded by skirmishers, and at two o'clock, P.M., having reached our picket lines, opened briskly upon the rebel

arrangements were made for holding the striking and beautiful scene, until them during the night.

At daylight, the next morning, November 24th, Thomas had 5,000 men across the Tennessee, and established on its south bank, and commenced the building of a pontoon bridge about six miles above Chattanooga. The steamer Dunbar, formerly owned by the rebels, rendered effective aid in this crossing, carrying over 6,000 men. By night fall, Thomas had seized the extremity of Missionary Ridge nearest the river, and was busily occupied in entrenching himself. Howard, with a brigade, opened communication with him from Chattanooga on the south side on the river. Skirmishing and cannonading continued all day, on the left and centre.

In carrying out his part of the work, Hooker scaled the slopes of Lookout Mountain, and from the valley of Lookout Creek drove the rebels around the point, captured some 2,000 prisoners, and established himself high up the mountain side, in full view of Chatta nooga. This raised the blockade, and now steamers were ordered from Bridge

1863.

port to Chattanooga. All night the point of Missionary Ridge on the extreme left, and the side of Lookout Mountain on the extreme right, blazed with the camp fires of loyal troops. The day had been one of dense mists and rains, and much of Hooker's battle was fought above the clouds, which concealed him from view of the rest of the army, but from which his musketry made itself plainly heard. At nightfall the sky cleared, and the full moon, which has been poetically styled "the traitor's doom," shone upon

one o'clock in the morning, soon after which a brigade sent from Chattanooga crossed the Chattanooga Creek, and opened communications with Hooker. Grant's headquarters during the afternoon of the 23d, and during the 24th of November, were in Wood's redoubt, except when in the course of the day he rode along the advanced line, and visited the headquarters of the several commanders in Chattanooga Valley.*

As the day dawned, November 25th, the stars and stripes were waving on the peak of Lookout Mountain. The rebels had evacuated the mountain. Hooker moved to make a descent, and, striking Missionary Ridge at Rossville Gap, to sweep on both sides and on its summit. The rebel troops, as soon as it was light enough, hurried regiments and brigades along the narrow summit of Missionary Ridge, either concentrating on the right to overwhelm Sherman, or marching for the railroad and raising the siege. They had evacuated the Chattanooga Valley, and it was now a question whether they would abandon that of the Chickamauga. The cannonading was commenced and continued all day, the headquarters being constantly under fire. Howard marched the 11th corps to join Sherman, and Thomas chased the enemy's pickets into their entrenchments at the foot of Missionary Ridge. Sherman made an assault against Bragg's right, entrenched on a high knoll next

1863.

*See Gen. Meigs's dispatch to the secretary of war,

under date of November 26th, 1863. For a spirited narrative of this important battle and its results, in

which his hero looms up grandly, see Coppée's " Grant

and his Campaigns,” pp. 224–239.

CH. III.]

VICTORY AT CHATTANOOGA.

361

to that on which Sherman himself lay the ridge was still occupied by the refortified. The assault was gallantly bels. Bragg left the house in which made, and as gallantly and persistently he had had his headquarters, and rode carried forward; no better service was to the rear as our troops crowded the done that day than that by Sherman, hill on either side of him. Grant proceedin stemming the furious attacks of re-ed to the summit, and then first learned bel masses which Bragg had sent to its wonderful height. crush him, and in his judicious counter attacks.

A general advance was ordered at half past three P.M., and the storming of the ridge began with a strong line of skirmishers, followed by a deployed line of battle, some two miles in length. At a given signal the line moved rap idly and orderly forward. Our men charged the rifle pits at the foot of the ridge. The taking of these was all they had been ordered to do; but when the rebels, in large numbers, swarmed out of the rifle pits and fled before them, our brave soldiers were seized with an irresistible impulse to mount the very heights, despite the storm of shot and shell which rained down upon them from above. Onward they dashed, and officers and men, in a perfect furor of excitement, forced their way up the steep sides and broken and crumbling face of the ridge. The attempt seemed wonderfully rash and perilous, for there were not less than forty pieces of artil. lery on the heights, and thousands of muskets, ready to strike down the bold assailants. Nevertheless, with cheers answering to cheers, our men rushed forward and upward. Color after color was planted on the summit, while musket and cannon vomited their thunder upon them. A fierce musketry fire broke out on the left, where, between Thomas and Sherman, a mile or two of

VOL. IV.-46.

Some of the captured artillery was put into position. Artillerists were sent for to work the guns. The rebel log breastworks were torn to pieces, carried to the other side of the ridge, and used in forming barricades across, and a secure lodgment was soon effected. The other assault to the right of our centre gained the summit, and the rebels threw down their arms and fled.* Hooker coming in favora ble position swept the right of the ridge and captured many prisoners. By sunset the ridge was taken, and the day was ours. Chickamauga was avenged.

Nightfall put an end to the fighting, and prevented a general pursuit of the flying enemy. Bragg's remaining troops left early in the night, and his forces. moved rapidly on the road to Ringgold and thence to Dalton, firing and de

*Pollard, speaking of this matter, says: "A disgraceful panic ensued. The whole left wing of the Confeder

ates became involved, gave way, and scattered in unmitigated rout. The day was lost, and shamefully lost." He also quotes Jeff. Davis's words, thus :-" After a long

and severe battle, in which great carnage was inflicted

on the enemy, some of our troops inexplicably abandoned positions of great strength, and, by a disorderly

retreat, compelled the commander to withdraw the

forces elsewhere successful, and finally to retire with his whole army to a position some twenty or thirty

miles to the rear. It is believed, that if the troops who

yielded to the assault had fought with the valor which they had displayed on previous occasions, and which line, the enemy would have been repulsed with very great slaughter, and our country would have escaped the misfortune, and the army the mortification of the

was manifested in this battle on the other parts of the

first defeat that has resulted from misconduct by the troops."-" Third Year of the War," p. 158.

« PreviousContinue »