Battle of Chickamauga Documentary

in the late 18th century Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia was the home of a warlike Band of the Cherokee Indians known as the Chickamauga twosome the word Chickamauga meant good country others said that because the Indians bathed in the waters when they had yellow fever they transmitted the disease to each other to them check Amaka meant river of death it was a wild uncivilized country game had been plentiful then the Europeans came into the area trails became roads there was not room for both societies and the Indians were removed in 1838 the settlers came from Virginia North and South Carolina many of them cleared small farms out of the wilderness and constructed civil homes for over 20 years they peacefully established themselves as farmers then Georgia and ten other states seceded from the Union and our nation's bloodiest conflict began the Brotherton's Snodgrass is Flynn's Kali's and others in the areas sent their men to fight for the Confederacy in two years they would return here who fight one of the wars most terrible battles on their own lands the Battle of Chickamauga is the biggest bloodiest battle in the overall campaign for Chattanooga fought in the last six months of 1863 and Chattanooga had become by the time of the Civil War an important transportation center transportation hub with the presence of roads and railroads in the Tennessee River itself these assets or features make Chattanooga important in the Civil War because of what the Confederacy had and was developing in central Georgia and central Alabama and as this military industrial complex developed as the war lengthened from the expected few weeks or a few months of 1861 on into a year a year and a half two years and and longer this region in central Georgia in central Alabama became more and more of a target for Union authorities for the United States because if they were going to be successful in ending this house bedroom and so we're going to need to destroy or disrupt that military industrial complex and so Chattanooga becomes important by the middle period of the war as this doorway this gateway this passageway through the southern end of the Appalachian mountain chain to the South's military industrial complex in central Georgia in central Alabama in Confederate hands Chattanooga is a doorway a gateway a passageway that is closed and barred shut in Union hands it is one that has flung wide open the Battle of Chickamauga is one of the larger engagements of the American Civil War a Rosecrans army and the actual engagement it's only about 58,000 men strong his overall campaign for Chattanooga had begun almost a year ago he had hoped to to fight destroy badly damaged Bragg's army of Tennessee in Middle Tennessee before the Confederates had a chance to fall back on the city of Chattanooga itself and Rosecrans had had some success in those operations in late in early July forcing Bragg to abandon his prepared positions in Middle Tennessee but Rosecrans had not been able to bring Bragg to battle in Middle Tennessee and Bragg had escaped over the Cumberland Mountains and back on Chattanooga itself Rosecrans now had to look at dealing with Braxton Bragg in the potentially strong defensive terrain immediately around Chattanooga itself as a result of this Rosecrans had devised a strategy where he would fake with his left and strike with his right while this deception is unfolding north and north east of Chattanooga and working causing Bragg to shift the bulk of his army two points north east of Chattanooga along the Tennessee River Rosecrans advances the other two prongs of his army down to the banks of the Tennessee River out to the west and southwest of Chattanooga at places like shale mound in Battle Creek in Tennessee and Bridgeport and Stevenson Alabama there he crosses the Tennessee River on August 29th hardly opposed and hardly even observed by any Confederates and in the first days of September begins to thrust this force in two columns southeastward over first the Sand Mountain Range and then the Lookout Mountain Range headed towards the western Atlantic Railroad at points 30 45 and 60 miles south of Chattanooga by September the 6th Bragg and Chattanooga is becoming increasingly aware of and concerned about this federal force that has reported crossing the mountains out to the west and southwest of his position in Chattanooga fearing that this force is going to cut him off from his base in Atlanta he orders on the 6th of September the city of Chattanooga abandoned he'll postpone the implementation of that order a day or so but on September the 7th 8th and 9th Bragg's army will retreat South out of Chattanooga and into North Georgia and in the process abandon the city of Chattanooga which Rosecrans will occupy on September the 9th and so in the end Rosecrans will gain control of the city of Chattanooga before there has been a major battle or a major contest between the two forces it is through deception feint and maneuver that Rosecrans is able to force Bragg to abandon the landmark city of the campaign Rosecrans believe Bragg was retreating on Atlanta or Rome Georgia he did not realize bride was concentrating his army in the La Fayette area and boldly advanced his force to try to cut off what he thought was a retreat after crossing the Tennessee River he divided his army into three main sections Major General Thomas L crittendon's 21st Corps had entered Chattanooga on September 9th and was marching toward Ringgold and Lafayette Major General Alexander McDowell McCook storycorps moved over Sand Mountain crossed Lookout Mountain through Winston's gap and move toward Alpine in Somerville in the center was Major General George H to mice's 14th Corps in rosecrans Hays to capture Bragg he had recklessly placed his Corps where they could not support one another Thomas's lead division under Major General James negly emerged from Lookout Mountain at Stephens gap with assurances that there were no Confederates in their front negly led the division into McLemore Skov on September 10th cross Chickamauga Creek and moved toward dug gap in pigeon mountain sudden Confederate skirmishes open fire on negly and his leading officers from in front of duck the Union Army soon realized that instead of retreating Bragg almost had neglige division surrounded in the gold [ __ ] lieutenant general D H Hill's Corps and dug gap at Major General Thomas E hyneman's division approaching from the north with Major General Simon Buckner score and reserve neglige division should have been annihilated but Hindman and Hill each thought the other should attack first and each spent the day waiting on the other Negley changed front to face to the north and Brigadier General Absalom beards division reinforced Nicholas in the cold on the morning of the 11th now the army of Tennessee had an opportunity to destroy two Union divisions but again that morning mine Minh and Hill did not attack allowing bear to Negley to escape into Stevens Gap general Bragg was very upset with his officers over this fiasco he had an additional opportunity on September 13th for lieutenant general Leonidas Polk score to attack a small division of crittendon's at Lee in Gordon's mill but Polk did not attack and requested reinforcements Rosecrans now began to realize the situation he'd put himself in and began to gather his scattered forces both armies now raced northward on either side of West Chickamauga Creek crittendon's 20th Corps began concentrating at Lee & Gordon's mill where the Lafayette Road crossed Chickamauga Creek Bragg's plan was to interpose his forces between the army of the Cumberland and Chattanooga his troops were to quickly cross the Chickamauga turn south and sweep down on the Union left flank at 7:00 a.m. on September 18 Union Colonel Robert Smitty with a brigade of cavalry met Confederates under brigadier general bushwalk Johnson and Major General Nathan B Force a few miles east of Reed's bridge met his men fell back to the bridge but being outnumbered and outflanked they were pushed back across the creek before the could be destroyed the Union cavalry Mandir Rast the Confederates and captains and crossing until 3:00 p.m. then Mehdi fell back in the direction of Lee in Gordon's mill Alexander's bridge was another key crossing point of the Chickamauga at approximately 10 a.m. on the 18th Colonel John T Wilders brigade of mounted infantry was attacked by elements of Major General William Walker's Confederate Corps Wilder's men were some of the best equipped in the army of the Cumberland Colonel Wilder had his men mounted so they could move quickly from point to point when they thought they would dismount and fight his infantry his men purchased with their own money the Spencer 7 shot repeating rifle at a time when single-shot weapons were common their firepower was tremendous Wilder easily repulsed the first attack by a single convert forgave three more Confederate brigades were all repulsed by well-placed artillery and dispensers Ryan thought the crossings could have been achieved easily but Union resistance and Confederate casualties were much higher than expected because of wildest and the fact that he had removed the flanking from the bridge walkers Corps began to cross at Lambert's Ford Confederates were also crossing at tedford Xin Dalton's Ford's Cheatham division of Polk score crossed at Dalton's Ford the first Georgia Confederate regiment of the division included companies from the area near the intersection of the Dalton's Ford Road and the thin fruits Ford Road was Debbie thin firts house her sons in the 1st Georgia began reading the potato patch and as an officer tried to stop them she exclaimed hold on mr. officer those are my potatoes and my boys let him take him during the battle both sons were carried wounded into her house and one died burr care for other Confederate troops led the soldiers to name her the mother of Chickamauga with Confederates having crossed the creek on either side of him Wilder retreated from Alexander's bridge his Brigade met met his Cavalry Brigade at the vineyard deal area and fought elements of Bushrod Johnston's division that night Nettie's and Wilder stands on the 18th not only stopped Bragg's troops from attacking Crittenden at Lee and Gordon's mill at allow time for Thomas's 14th Corps to march behind Crittenton and extend the Union left toward Chattanooga rosecrans established his headquarters at the Gordon house at crawfish Springs now the town of Chickamauga and placed his energy in concentrating his army and extending it to Chattanooga he was now facing an enemy that outnumbered him when Bragg's army first left middle Tennessee had contained approximately 35,000 men against Rosecrans 58,000 Bragg however was soon reinforced from General Joseph Johnson's former army in Mississippi after Knoxville fell on September 9th he acquired major-general Simon Buckner's Corps also on September 9th two divisions of Lieutenant General James Longstreet score left the Army of Northern Virginia because Knoxville and Chattanooga had fallen they couldn't take a direct route on the railroad the troops that had fought two months before at Gettysburg made a roundabout trip through North and South Carolina and Georgia to finally disembark south of Ringgold almost 5000 infantry troops from Longstreet's Corps would arrive to take part in the battle on September 19 Rosecrans still had is 58,000 men but why now had 66,000 or the night of the 18th Colonel Daniel McCook Infantry Brigade left Rossville to help Reed's Bridge Metis was gone and the cook ran into Brigadier General Evander McNair's Confederate Brigade they cook observed the marching south on the Jays Mill Road and captured some prisoners the Union Colonel received the impression that this was the first brigade of a division while it was in fact the last an Ohio regiment was sent to destroy Reed's bridge early on the 19th to keep the division that had already crossed from crossing Brigadier General John Brennan's division in Thomas's Corps had marched all night and arrived at the Kelly house early that morning McCook sent word to Thomas that he had caught off a single Confederate Brigade on the west side of the Chickamauga Thomas ordered Brannan's three brigades to destroy the single Confederate Brigade Brannan sent his troops in the direction of Jay's mill which at that time set at the edge of a five acre field chase mill was a portable steam sawmill located not far west of the banks of Chickamauga Creek near Reed's bridge apparently was being used to salt Imber being harvested in that area into two lumber and that structure that feature becomes a landmark for the opening engagement on September the 19th not only did neither commander expect the action to start here in this area that is currently heavily wooded but now the Union Army that had been on the defensive since McLemore is Cove was on the offensive Confederate cavalry was approaching that moment from the direction of Lee in Gordon's mill Confederate cavalry under Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest Forrest was from western Tennessee he had enlisted as a private at the beginning of the war but at this stage was well on his way to becoming one of the Confederacy's most effective officers forces men observe some Union soldiers filling their canteens near Jay's mill the Confederate cavalrymen began to chase them across a field the edge of which Colonel John teak roxton's brigade of Brannan's division was hidden a private in the tent Indiana observed the cavalry men chasing the Union troops across the field and not seen roxton's line and then how tremendous Bolly rang along the whole line at first all was smoke and dust from the struggling steeds a few idlest horses were running here and there save which nothing was seen of that cavalry troop it was approximately 7:00 a.m. Forrest brought up infantry support from Walker's Corps which was ready to move on leaned Gordon's mill the fighting soon became heavy as the rest of Brannan's division met forces three cavalry brigades and two brigades of walkers game quaxton supposedly sent a message back to thomas asking which of the four or five brigades in his front was the one he was supposed to capture by 10:30 some of Brennan's brigades were pulled out of the line and Baird's division took their place the Confederate division of st. John Harley Dell from Walker's Corps had now arrived and with their movements concealed by the thick woods began to out flight baird and roll up part of his division battery h v us was concentrating on the enemy to its front when troops on the right began to give way they began to turn their guns to face the enemy from the new direction when the Confederate suddenly came on them from two directions 45 horses were killed what he wounded and 41 men killed and wounded the men stayed at their guns until the last when all six artillery pieces were captured Union Brigadier General Richard W Johnston's division and the reformed divisions of Grandin and Baird began to push Liddell back the ninth Ohio and all German regiment in Brannan's division plunged ahead of the Union line disregarding the orders of their brigade commander when they finally did return they brought with them the six artillery pieces of battery h v us around noon Cheatham CH division of Polk's corps arrived on the field five brigades of cheetahs division made it the largest of the army of Tennessee their commander the hard drinking hard fighting Benjamin Franklin Cheatham was like most of his troops a native of Tennessee the fighting between cheetahs and Johnson's men became very desperate most of it in the woods but at times spilling out into clearings such as broad field Union Major General John M Palmer's division soon reinforced Johnston's right and healthcheck Cheatham from running through Johnson Major General Joseph J Reynolds division also came up to fight cheatin for almost two hours the fighting was desperate in Brock Field and the woods surrounding it the Union commander Palmer would after the war run for the presidency of the United States with Confederate General Simon Buckner the artillery fire was terrible said one officer trees were moaned down like grain and the smoke of battle fell so thick of at the foliage that it was difficult to pierce the gloom with a naked eye for any great distance general Reynolds command consisted in this action of the brigades of colonel Edward a king and Brigadier General John B Turchin Turton's men entered broad field were temporarily checked and charged again the russian-born Turchin who had been an officer in the Russian Imperial Guard led his troops across the field in person when he reached the woods on the other side he shouted boys we go far enough we know not what is on our right or what is on our left that was also the situation for the Confederate battery of Captain William W Karns troops from a new Union division under brigadier general Horatio Van Cleve cited the battery concentrated its fire on the horses and captured the four guns all double shotted with canister cards battery lost forty-eight horses killed and over half the men killed or wounded around 2:30 p.m. Confederate Major General Alexander P Stewart's Little Giant division arrived on the field and began one of the most substantial actions of the day the former mathematics professor who by the end of the war would command the army of Tennessee was told by general Bragg this day that he must be governed by circumstances to the sport in the battle the action had begun to the north and it rolled to the south as Union and Confederate division seemed to arrive at about the same time instead of moving to the white and trying to find a place in line Stewart determined to move straight ahead and attack the enemy his three brigades were placed one behind the other at after 45 minutes outflanked Bank leaves division Stewart's division captured a vital Union link to Chattanooga for the fayek road again out like van Cleves men the Brotherton feel and pressed on toward the heart of the Union position Union reinforcements however were now arriving on the scene Wednes division moved from the northern end of the battlefield Major General James neglige division arrived from the south and general Reynolds began to strategically place artillery Stewart's white and Brigadier General William deed bait was stopped by the guns in North Pole field Stewart's left under Brigadier General Henry D Clayton haunted near the Tanyard as Union troops approached the high ground in his front without sufficient support Stewart had to leave is vital position and returned across the Lafayette Road to the left of Stuart Bushrod Johnson's division came up they advanced within sight of rosecrans headquarters which had moved to the widow Glen's house and is now the site of a Wilder Brigade monument Confederate Brigadier General John Gregg was wounded in front of his troops Rosecrans himself directed troops to stop the Confederates President Andrew Jackson's grandson Samuel a captain in Bushrod Johnston's division was mortally wounded the divisions of Union brigadier general Jefferson C Davis and Confederate Brigadier General Evander McIver law arrived to the south of bush watch Johnson's position and began a struggle for the vineyard field area laws men who charge through the woods in field or the vineyard house area had fought just over two months before near the town of Gettysburg Pennsylvania at Gettysburg the division was commanded by John Bell hood until he was seriously wounded in the arm hood commanded Longstreet's Corps in his battle Davis's men repelled at least three charges in vineyard field their commander was infamous in the army of the Cumberland for his unpunished the year before of Major General William bull Nelson walls been gained the vineyard field area and Davis's been began streaming back to the west though the Fayette Road was crossed Union brigade commander Hans Christian hay was mortally wounded part of Brigadier General Jerome Robertson's Brigade found themselves trapped in a ravine with round after round of canister fired at them from Captain Eli Lilly's 18th Indiana battery of Wilders Brigade even Wilder was sickened by the site at this point it actually seemed a pity to kill men so they fell in heaps and I had it in my heart to order the firing decease to end the awful sight Wilder was soon outflanked by more Confederates on his right and had to retire more Union reinforcements arrived from Lee in Gordon's mill the fighting continued heavily until sunset sufficient Confederate reinforcements did not come up to help the southerners on this into the field Major General Patrick cleburn's division which was in the vicinity during the heaviest part of the fighting was sent to the north end of the field where Bragg would again attempt to turn the Union left the fighting that evening in a battle already characterized by confusion is only even more confused with limited visibility now in the smokey forest and the the darkness of the evening the troops have little more than the muzzle flashes of their opponents - what to aim at this will result in a lot of misdirected poorly directed fire with a lot of the fire simply going over the heads of their opponents when Clarins troops were detected as they moved across the field they received volley after volley from Union troops posted behind breastworks in the woods general clearance stated that for half an hour the firing was the heaviest he had ever heard both sides fired at the flashes of the guns and many times fired into each other ahem fighting occurred frequently despite the confusion the Confederates will press 4 and with some federal units already beginning to withdraw at the time of the attack striking their line soon the Union line in this area will have to give way and withdraw westward Colonel philomon B Baldwin did not know Confederate artillery have been brought up to within 60 yards by hand in the darkness he leaked his horse and jotted follow me as the cannon opened the location where Baldwin fell is marked at the edge of the woods at about the same time Confederate Brigadier General Preston Smith mistakenly began getting orders to the 77th Pennsylvania this monument marks the spot where Smith and an aide were killed as the Federals withdraw westward and clay burns men advance and occupy the now abandoned federal positions in the area of Winfrey and Brock field the day's action will come to an end the fighting ended with the Union line bent in many places but not broken the federal troops were pulled back to make their line more compact and to choose a better defensive position many began to build breastworks the temperature reached below freezing that night and no fires were permitted because they would give away positions here and there however fires were built where it was hoped they would not be detected and the troops huddled about them to keep warm discussed the day's events and remember their comrades that had fallen thousands of wounded soldiers would suffer terribly this night the 39th Indiana mounted infantry rode the few miles to crawfish springs to bring to the battlefield 1,000 canteens of water this was not enough however for the many who needed it many of the Springs and wells had dried up because of a drought and because of the over 100,000 men now in this relatively small area the Confederates had possession of the Chickamauga but it was impossible to reach by many of their wounded some Union soldiers drugged themselves to die by a stagnant pool that residents call the sink but would ever have to be known as bloody pond the top union offices reported that evening to Rosecrans headquarters at the wooded glens for instructions rosecrans had received troubling confirmation during the battle from prisoners of Longstreet's Corps the troops from the Army of Northern Virginia had arrived on the field Union casualties were very heavy but the battle line was much shorter than it had been when scattered from crawfish Springs to Kelly field rosecrans troops also were still in possession of all the Fayette Road General Thomas requested help on the left where he would command because of the chance method the troops had entered the battle he would also control the division each from the cooks and Crittenden score McCook was ordered to close the two divisions he now had toward Thomas Crittenden still possessed two divisions which he would hold in reserve Bragg had also had meetings with some of his top officers Longstreet and his staff arrived at KATUSA station at approximately 2:00 p.m. that afternoon no guides were sent to show him to the field so he got lost was almost captured and didn't meet bragg until 11:00 p.m. the army of Tennessee now had three lieutenant generals on the field Longstreet Leonidas Polk and Daniel Harvey Hill after the McLemore Skov epical Bragg no longer wanted to deal with Hill and he placed him under Polk the army of Tennessee was to be divided into two wings the right under Polk and the left under Longstreet Bragg would again attempt to place his army between Rosecrans and Chattanooga by having his right attack the Union left then units to the South would join the attack until the whole army was advancing bragh issued his orders in Whiting but neglected to notify hill that polt was in command of the right wing and Hill was to act under Pope's orders Breckenridge's division of Hill's Corps was moved into position on the Confederate right theirs was the most important assignment of the day they were to begin the attack at dawn and being the first groups designated to attack which set in motion the whole army Major General John C Breckinridge however did not know his troops were to attack much less when they were too Vulcan Hill had failed to communicate with each other and the orders failed who reached Breckenridge's troops the Sun was a dark red color on the 20th of September rosecrans chief of staff James Garfield pointed to the Sun and said it is ominous it will indeed be a day of blood Breckinridge and Cleveland received their orders after their attack should have already begun Hill delayed the attack longer by ordering his troops to have breakfast the Confederates ate to the sound of federal troops spring cleaning their breastworks in the daylight the attack would be delivered almost three hours late events were not developing well in the Union Army either Thomas had requested neglige division to extend his position on the left the attack had been long expected and as Rosecrans inspected his lines he was furious to learn that Negley had not moved neglige excuse was that the Confederates were enforced to his front and he could not move until the division in his rear would moved up to take his place rosecrans started Brigadier General John Bailey's Brigade to Thomas then looked for wood Breckenridge's division overlap Thomas left the white Brigade with the exception of one Alabama regiment was made up of Louisiana troops and was under the direction of Brigadier General Daniel W Adams the center Brigade consisted of Georgia North Carolina and Florida troops and was commanded by brigadier general Marcellus a Stovall Breckenridge is left Brigade consisted of one Alabama regiment and for Kentucky regiments this brigade half of which lined up opposite the Union breastworks was commanded by Brigadier General Benjamin Horton helm the almost 3,800 men the Breckenridge's division finally began to move at 9:30 a.m. john Beatty's Union Brigade had arrived shortly before he was trying to cover a long line with his 1,300 men until the rest of neglige division could arrive Adams Brigade hit Beatty's two left regiments near the house this is now the area where the visitor center stands Stovall's brigade boost in the gap of beatty's line while there too was firing at these troops part of Helms Brigade broke out of the woods and two guns were captured as Adams and Stovall wheeled to the south they took possession of the Chattanooga Lafayette Road they now move to the rear of the Union troops on the Kelly field that aligned Union reinforcements were now arriving to try and stop the advance of atoms and Stovall Stovall's troops contended with limbs from trees falling on them as they moved through some woods as they entered Kelly field they saw the battery that was firing into them in the trees then the infantry of Van de Vere's Brigade supplies them with fire from their position lying down in the field as stovall began to retreat van de Vera's men charged with a bayonet Atlas Brigade was met by Union troops in the woods on the west side of Allah they approached general Adams was wounded and captured by Stanley's brigade of neglige division which had finally arrived the Confederates were temporarily pushed back one of the many bloody angles of the Civil War was at the position that Helms Brigade charged the right of Helms Brigade had to suffer a heavy fire on its left as it strove for the Chattanooga road the left flank brigade in the attack of Breckenridge's division on the morning of September 20th is the brigade commanded by Brigadier General Benjamin harden helm a Kentuckian who is most remembered today for being a half brother-in-law of United States President Abraham Lincoln Helms Brigade made three assaults against the Union line right near its left flank at the point where the Union line began to bend or angle back to refuse that left flank in one of those assaults probably the first one Benjamin Hardin helm was struck and mortally wounded carried to the rear he would die from those injuries and being one of the eighth brigade commanders who were killed or mortally wounded in the Battle of Chickamauga the union troops have a high ground in this area and they made angles in their line of bus works this allowed them to fire in more than one direction and into the flanks of the Confederates while the field fortifications that the Union soldiers constructed were not all that elaborate they did provide protection to the men as they crouched or kneeled or lay behind them and did help stiffen this Union position and allow it to repulse repeated Confederate assaults throughout the course of the day by and large Union soldiers stationed behind these works throughout September xx suffered relatively few casualties while they inflicted significant casualties on the attacking Confederates out in front the Confederate attacked was very uncoordinated after Breckinridge was well into his advanced Clarins division began the result Patrick Cleburne was perhaps the best infantry commander in the army of Tennessee here however his troops were attacking on too wide of a front one mile and his three brigades faced four Union divisions posted behind breastworks brigadier general Lucius Polk the nephew of Lieutenant General Leonidas Polk commanded a brigade on clearance right he was to support Breckenridge is left and ordered his troops to the right to find it because helm had been repulsed he found the Union line near the angle instead Polk's mostly Tennessee troops were unsupported and his right and left lengths were unprotected Pope's men were pinned down on a low ridge and his attack failed Brigadier General Sterling Alexander Martin woods mostly Alabama brigade did not know Polke had gone to the white woods left reached the Chattanooga Road but had to fall back with the rest of the brigade - Lyz brigade fill the gap between polkan wood but met the same fate as Cleveland's other two brigades the alabama monument marks the spot where woods Brigade suffered many of their almost 800 casualties Brannan's Union line was bent back on the west side of the Chattanooga Road and was attacked by the division of AP Stuart across Pro Field and by the burning pole US Stuart was repulsed the Confederate attacks had failed on this end of the line cheating's division of five brigades was not used until late that afternoon the Union had been able to use their interior lines to great advantage but Breckenridge's attack had Thomas calling again and again for reinforcements confusion began to enter the Union command there is great concern on the part of William Starke Rosecrans at his headquarters about potentially being cut off from Chattanooga that Bragg might accomplish what Rosecrans had had figured bragg was trying to do over the last several days and as Rosecrans continues to receive word about that threat to the left he even orders his southernmost infantry division from the far right of the army to the left we'll never know for certain exactly what it was Andrew Kellogg said to rosecrans what rosecrans comes to believe which is which is what is actually important is that Brandon's division is out of line that there is a gap or hole in the Union line where Brandon's division was supposed to be or had been stirred of course and his Wing Commander Longstreet knew where Brannan was Rhimes orders for every division commander to order their men into action at touched off Stewart's attack and Longstreet couldn't stop Stewart's action the rest of Longstreet's command consisted of Preston's division in reserve hyneman's division on the left and an assault call him half a while and wet centered on the Brotherton road the column was under the immediate command of John Bell hood the rear of the column consisted of Brigadier General Joseph beat Kershaw South Carolina Brigade and Brigadier General Benjamin G Humphreys Mississippi Brigade they had fought in the wheat field and peach orchard at Gettysburg less than three months before Major General Lafayette McLaws commanded this two Brigade division but he would not arrive before the battle had ended Kershaw commanded the division this day hoods old division was commanded by Brigadier General Evander McIver law Eadie occupied the center of the column and consisted of troops that had fought Union defenders at gettysburg's Devil's Den and Little Round Top in their last battle was brigade of Alabamians was commanded by Colonel James L Sheffield brigadier general Jerome B Robertson commanded hoods ol reggae dove three Texas regiments and one Arkansas regiment Brigadier General Henry L Rock Benning commanded his brigade of Georgia troops the division that spearheaded the column and on whom the attack would depend the most was commanded by a native of Ohio Brigadier General Bushrod Russ Johnson Johnston's division had performed well on the first day in here they lined up with McNair's Brigade on the right and Fulton and part of Gregg's Brigade on the left the rest of Gregg's Brigade was in reserve pressure from these troops had kept negly from joining Thomas on time that morning Brigadier General Evander McNair's Brigade consisted of all Arkansas infantry troops except for the 39th North Carolina Colonel John s Fulton commanded Bushrod Johnson's old Brigade of Tennessee troops and Colonel Cyrus a son commanded the Tennessee in Texas units of John Gregg Gregg had been seriously wounded the day before the column was 11,000 strong and Longstreet's overall attacking force of 23,000 moved forward in his fatigued and mentally exhausted state having slept very little in the the last week rosecrans reacts - this mistaken belief of a gap or hole in his line rosecrans turned to a staff officer and dictated an order to the commander of the division next south of this supposed gap that division was commanded by Thomas J would regularly a part of Tom crittendon's 21st Corps but this day with Alexandra Burke responsible for the Union right Wood was answering to Alexander McCool when would receive the less than clear order from Rosecrans he did not blindly follow that order standing next to him at the time was Alexandra cook and he consulted with McCook McCook knowing that troops in his sector had been moving leftward all morning long and that wood was now being ordered further to the left McCook directed wood to follow the order McCook said that he would take care of getting some troops to fill Woods position in line as woods division pulls out and moves northward and before Alexander makuu can get other troops to take his place the Confederates will attack at this very point this attack is by troops of James Longstreet's left wing of the reorganized army of Tennessee the centerpiece of this assault as it turns out although not initially planned that way is a column of three divisions one division behind the other and the first two divisions in two lines this five line d8 Brigade three division formation is 11,000 men strong and has a front of a little more than 700 yards and by pure dumb luck happens to be aimed right at where at this moment woods division is pulling out of line and while some federal troops will fight as they withdrawal in a little more than an hour's time the entire southern half of the Union line on the battlefield is put in a very fluid state with troops withdrawing westward and northwestward into the wooded hills woods column burst out of the woods near the Brotherton cabin Fulton's Brigade passed on the south side of the cabin and McNair's here on the north side heavy firing came from the white on the left but not from the gap straight ahead most of Union Colonel George P Buell's Brigade were just leaving their works at the edge of the woods and were not prepared to receive the Confederates Bushrod Johnson's troops pressed in the woods over the mostly empty breastworks the Union position in the dyer fields consisted of many infantry units supporting a line of artillery but now most of the infantry had been set north to help thomas the artillery was largely unsupported Johnston's men now charged out of the woods in end of the dyer fields the artillery would be their next objective in the mean time laws Confederate division attack Brannan's division in pole field Brannan's line get in front flank and rear soon crumbled but Georgia monument now stands where benning's troops charged across pole field the figure on top points the way to Chattanooga when Johnson's division entered South Dyer field they moved toward the high ground to the West rosecrans and his staff had their headquarters on the small Ridge they saw Johnson's men emerge from the woods and many federal troops began to leave the field Rosecrans at first tried to rally his men but it was futile he turned to those around him and stated if you care to live any longer get away from here rosecrans then left the battlefield and headed in the direction of chattin event for commanders mccorkin Crittenton would also leave the field the line of Union artillery stretched from the peach orchard near the Dyer house across the ridge overlooking the North Dyer fields Major John Mendenhall commanded many of the 30 or more guns on this Ridge at the Battle of Stones River the previous water his artillery had stopped the Confederate charge on the final day of the battle now he did not have as many guns and his infantry support was leaving the artilleryman bird pulled swing attacking Thomas to the north then Stewart's and laws divisions attacked Blanton in their front McNair's brigade of Bushrod Johnston's division enlarged to their white front and advanced towards the guns Suggs Brigade outflanked them on the white and began to move behind the artilleryman approximately fifteen guns were captured and the rest just escaped it was noon when Johnston's division climbed the ridge in the heart of the federal position and could see the fleeing Union troops on their way to Chattanooga this had been one of the most effected charges of the war and Johnston's men prepared to move after the Federals in the direction of the villa toll house at approximately the same time more fighting occurred on the Kelly field ban line Brigadier General states rights Geist division attacked at the angle different commands tried advancing at various times only to suffer heavy losses in the confusing fight the brigade of Confederate colonel taken H culprit had been told that other Confederates would be his front when his brigade attacked his men stumbled directly into the Union line instead in 30 minutes of fighting they suffered 34% casualties including the mortally wounded Colquitt Govans Confederate Brigade of Brigadier General John R Liddell's division penetrated into the rear of the Union forces but as an other Confederate attacks by Polke swing they were unsupported half an hour longer in this position would have enabled them to join Longstreet troops attacking Snodgrass Hill the brigade of Brigadier General James Deshler of Cleveland's division was still pinned down on their Ridge when word reached Deshler that his men were running out of ammunition he personally walked down the line to check for himself when a flaming shell struck him in the chest and ended his life the shell probably came from the battery belonging the Hazen's bringing in a position now opposite the texas monument Deshler successor ordered sharpshooters into the trees to shoot union officers Hazen's regained fired volley after volley and a season later wrote the stacking for a time two species of warfare action with almost cease in full swing until late afternoon Cheatham spy brigade division sat in the center of the army and had not been used Longstreet's troops however were driving the right wing of the Union Army Major General Thomas E hyneman's division of three brigades moved to the south of Bushrod Johnston's division they hit Union brigadier general Jefferson C Davis's division in the woods West the Brotherton farm as it was in motion to close the gap left by woods division after a sharp fight Penguins went Brigade a brigadier general Zechariah C days drove them from the range overlooking South Deerfield bush Lord Johnston's men were capturing guns on the ridge overlooking North Dyer field at this time the beginning of Mississippians led by Brigadier General Patton Anderson help days drive the Federals from the ridge Anderson's men had been in reserve then moved into the gap left by Brigadier General Arthur M man agos Brigade moving far to the left Anderson's Brigade charged across the woods and open fields driving before them the men of Sheridan's division which were on their way north to answer another call by Thomas for reinforcements Wiles brigade of Sheridan's division made the most resolute stand for the Union on the ridge the men had to give way and they left the body of their commander Brigadier General William H swaddle when Lydell saw the desperateness of the situation he remarked if I must die I will die as a gentleman Lytle have been struck in the spine by a sharpshooters bullet stayed mounted and went on the hill which now bears his name was struck by three bullets at once not all Union troops are withdrawing in disorder one brigade John Thomas Wilders brigade a mountain infantry which has been located that morning on a hill on the extreme right of the Union line sees an opportunity moving across a large open area is the exposed left flank of a Confederate Brigade Manny goes brigade of Alabamans and South Carolinians and Wilder his men armed with their Spencer repeating rifles will sweep off of that hill and slam into the flank of Nana goes for gay Wilders men drove men ago back across the Lafayette Road Longstreet then ordered Preston's division into action this caused Wilder to retire the widow Glen's house which stood where the Wilder Brigade money but now stands burned during the section by 2:00 p.m. Hyneman had reached the dry Valley Road near the bloody pond area in his advance Hyneman had captured 17 pieces of artillery and over 1,100 prisoners Sheridan's and Davis's divisions of McCook score had been driven from the field Hyneman now turned to help push rod Johnson of the northern end of the field at the northern end of the field that morning Parker's brigade of woods division made an important stand Parker's men heard bush law Johnson breaking through the gap they had created returned southward and took a defensive position in North Deerfield there they held off troops of hoods division and severely wounded general hood soon troops approaching from the south with blue uniforms led Harker and Wood to believe reinforcements were coming the blue uniform troops kept approaching without being fired upon until it was realized too late that they were confederates the south carolina monument stands today where Kershaw's Brigade drove Parker from his position the uniforms were a gift from the governor of so Elena archers stand allowed Union troops to rally in the rear on Snodgrass Hill the Longstreet had placed his headquarters close enough to the front the terrain still did not allow him to observe the Union line he was fighting he stated later that he ordered 26 charges on his position he asked Bragg for troops from Polk swing but bragged as stated that there was no fight left in them if anything happened Longstreet was to send word to brag at his headquarters Reed's bridge Longstreet would have to complete the Confederate victory with not much assistance George Washington Snodgrass his wife and eight children lived in the house and other buildings present in 1863 they didn't leave the house until minie balls actually came through the womb from the first day a medal now it served as a Union Hospital these high wooded hills of Horseshoe bridge or Snodgrass Hill were in the way of many of the withdrawing federal soldiers and many of these men as they arrived on the crest of those hills recognized that this was a place from which they could fight and some units arrived up there with some organization remaining and natural leaders amongst these wins some officers some enlisted men begin to cobble together fragments of various units on this wooded hill bands eventually a union line will be formed on Snodgrass hill and horseshoe ridge beginning on an open spur out to the east of the buildings of the Snodgrass farmstead itself and then snaking its way along the crest westward initially just half a violent length but when Gordon Granger's reserve for troops arrived from the door of the line extend half-mile westward onto a total length of about one mile when measure east-west battery I 4th US Artillery had been placed on the hill that morning with other guns gathered by general negli they helped repulse Breckenridge is charged that morning and while other artillery units left this position then stayed because of lack of orders they performed well when the Confederates began to attack the slopes the 82nd indiana was the first organized group of infantry to reach Snodgrass Colonel Morton C Hunter left Brennan's line near the pool house when it was attacked on three sides and he finally decided to make a stand here they repulsed Kershaw's Brigade after Harter retreated through them whether Cincinnati Germans of the ninth Ohio of Van de beers Brigade came up on their right Colonel Gustav caroling told hunter he was going to charge despite the Indiana Colonel's warning down the hill they went girl hunter later wrote that they returned a little while complaining about how thick the rebels were down there and proceeded to build their best works more troops from ramin's division and other commands began to arrive and extended the Union line the Confederates now chose the wrong time to have their attacks uncoordinated on this end of the field after hood was wounded there was confusion over who was an immediate command the units attacked in the same manner as pokes wing had attacked the Union line around Kelly field the Union could concentrate its fire on one attack at a time instead of one large overwhelming attack also because pole swing was not attacking Union troops from the Kelly field line reinforced those on Snodgrass Hill Humphreys Mississippi Brigade on Kershaw's white did not attack at all it's Edward a Longstreet that it would not move without artillery support and Longstreet gave his approval Kershaw would attack alone on this end of the hill a gap of half a mile more existed between the Union troops on Snodgrass Hill and the Union line at Kelly field because Humphries did not advance the gap was not discovered general Thomas arrived from his line at Kelly field and set up his headquarters on the west side of the hill The Virginian born Thomas now commanded what was left of the army of the Cumberland after Kershaw outflanked Union Colonel Charles G Harker's Brigade in North Dyer field Parker retreated to Snodgrass and placed his unit in two lines the lines alternated firing on the enemy side and loading on the other side of the hill until their ammunition ran low the bayonet was then used to hold their position the 125th Ohio was led in one bayonet charge by their colonel Everson Updike Updike stayed mounted when other officers had sent their horses to the rear both horse and rider were wounded but Opdyke finished the battle around 12:30 Thomas and those around him saw the dust of troops moving to their rear from the north if it were Confederates Thomas would be surrounded but it turned out to be Union Major General Gordon Rangers Reserve Corps they arrived from near wasps Ville with not only 7,500 troops but 95,000 extra rounds of ammunition Thomas at first put them in a position to cover the Snodgrass Hill Kelly field gap but trouble on the horseshoe Ridge section caused him to remove the new arrivals toward the hill brush war Johnston's division and part of hyneman's division now occupied the hill Thomas ordered granges Corps to drive them off around 1:00 p.m. the situation on Snodgrass Hill may have looked like this most of Steadman's division was in its first battle they wavered when first met by the enemy but stepping himself set an example by throwing rocks at one of his regiments to get them into line mounted on a horse he grabbed their colors and led his men up the hill his horse was shot down near the crest but Steadman rose and led his men over the time for over three hours Stefan's division fought Johnson's and hyneman's division the Union line held Rosecrans chief of staff Brigadier General James a Garfield returned to the battlefield after a discussion with rosecrans over how the defense of Chattanooga should be laid out rosecrans wanted to return to the battlefield and have Garfield set up the defense but Garfield pleaded that he didn't understand that rosecrans wanted garfield rode to the battlefield instead of those drams this ride would help remove Rosecrans as commander of the army of the Cumberland and helped to propel Garfield to the presidency in 1880 Garfield's wounded horse fell dead at Thomas's feet in the late afternoon Longstreet quartered Preston's division to attack the start grass Hill horseshoe ridge line Gracie's brigade of wide first and advanced to the position Kershaw had been attacking all of these troops had been in service for a few years this was their first battle they did not take cover on the slopes as they fired on and received fire from Brannan's and woods divisions Gracie's men took the hill and held it for an hour one of the color bearers of the brigade had 83 bullet holes in his flying these Alabama and Tennessee troops however ran out of ammunition were not supported in time and had to retire before Union troops which had reformed and charged from the ravine near the Snodgrass cabin right early evening Union troops began to retire from the hill general wood rode up and down his line having his men cheers so that the Confederates would think Union reinforcements were whining the men would cheer and leave the troops in Kelly field began to leave also justice pole swing was beginning to mount a final attack most of cheetah's division was finally brought into action Union brigade commander Edward King was killed by a shaft shooter as he dismounted behind his lines troops from Baird's division were attacked as they tried to cross Kelly field and many were captured in the woods on the west side of the Lafayette Road on Horseshoe Ridge some troops never received word to lead the 21st Ohio 22nd Michigan and 89th Ohio were captured when surrounded by Confederates some of them were able to escape from the night Indiana infantry fired into the Confederates because of the darkness and confusion the Confederates began to fire into each other the Union troops and snort grass the Kelly field had held long enough for the army to set up a defense in Chattanooga Thomas's troops retired to Rossville as the army of Tennessee celebrated its greatest and some would say only victory at Chickamauga the Confederates suffered 18,000 casualties and the Union 16,000 the total of 34 thousand casualties killed wounded and captured meant that almost one out of every three men engaged was a casualty many of the Confederate dead were taken to Marietta Georgia or their homes for burial many of the Union dead would later be interred in the National Cemetery in Chattanooga Chickamauga chattanooga nat'l military park is the nation's oldest National Military Park it's 52 hundred acres contain over 1,400 monuments lockers and plex many of these were placed by the veterans of the battle a visitor center is open every day except Christmas it contains exhibits an audio-visual program a bookstore and the for gun collection the filler gun room holds one of the finest acquisitions of American military shoulder arms in the world during the summer months living history demonstrations may be seen the battlefield staff and volunteers give a glimpse of what the American soldier in the 1860s may have experienced it isn't that visitors to the battlefield can take time to contemplate and appreciate what those who were present during those terrible September days of 1863 you you

Channel: Tony Willoughby Civil War Tours

Views: 413,599

Rating: 4.7175202 out of 5

Keywords: Battle Of Chickamauga (Event), 150th, civil war, Documentary (TV Genre), tour, snodgrass hill, 1863, Battle Of Gettysburg (Event), George Thomas, chickamauga, battlefield, History

Id: oZj9O-Ikm3M

Length: 65min 3sec (3903 seconds)

Published: Sat Aug 17 2013

Reddit Comments

[u/MizunoGolfer15-20]

I watched this video today and it was a very interesting view on the war strategies of the different sides.

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Here is what McCellan thought about Chattanooga

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If you continue from that above time stamp, he moves to a point where he criticizes Halleck for not taking Chattanooga in the spring of 1862 (about here)

[u/StupidizeMe]

Thanks for posting this.