Campaign for Chattanooga

At the opening of this campaign, Bragg held Chattanooga for the Confederates while Rosecrans and the Union Army occupied the western base of the Cumberlands from McMinneville to Winchester. Crittenden's Corps, on the Union left, crossed the mountains into Sequatchie Valley and advanced into the Tennessee Valley above Chattanooga as far as Kingston to create the impression of a junction with Burnside from Knoxville for an attack on Chattanooga from that direction. Meanwhile, Thomas' Corps, the center, crossed the Cumberlands to the vicinity of Shellmound, the Tennessee River, and Raccoon Mountains, ascended Lookout at Johnson's Crook, and descended into McLemore's Cove at Steven's Gap. McCook's Corps on the right, with Mitchell's Cavalry Corps, crossed the Cumberland to Stevenson, the river and Raccoon Mountains, and, crossing Lookout at valley head, advanced to Alpine and Summerville. To save his communications and be in position to meet Rosecrans in front wherever he emerged from the mountain gorges, Bragg evacuated Chattanooga and the upper Tennessee Valley and retired by way of Rossville and Ringgold to LaFayette behind Pigeon Mountains, while holding his right firm south of and near Lee and Gordon's Mill at the crossing of the Chickamauga. Crittenden then withdrew through Sequatchie Valley, crossed the Tennessee, and advanced to Wauhatchie.

Lookout Mountain, Tennessee · United States