In this area, on September 19th 1863, the first desperate fighting for control of the vitally important rail center of Chattanooga took place. The Eighty-fourth Indiana Regiment was part of a 60,000 man Federal force under General Rosecrans trying to drive General Braxton Bragg's 47,000 Confederates deep into Georgia and set the stage for the capture of Atlanta. On the morning of the 19th, the Federal Army of the Cumberland was located in a line running south from here to Chickamauga. Ordered to move toward Confederate forces near Chickamauga Creek, they encountered heavy resistance from infantry, cavalry, and artillery and withdrew to their camp. The Confederates then attacked in force, but the Union line held and the Eighty-fourth Indiana achieved its first success of the Chickamauga Campaign. On Sunday morning, September 20th, the battle of Chickamauga opened in earnest. General Granger, commanding the reserve corps that included the Eighty-fourth Indiana, found little action to his front but heard the battle growing stronger to the south. Leaving a small force behind, he marched his men three miles to the area of Snodgrass Hill, where they immediately joined the desperate conflict. The Union troops held their lines although slaughter on both sides was great. The Eighty-fourth Indiana came to Chattanooga with 374 men; by the end of the carnage, 135 were killed, wounded, or missing. There was no real victor in the Battle of Chickamauga. Although the Confederates held the field at the end of the day as the Union army escaped northwest to Chattanooga, they failed to drive Rosecrans' Army from Chattanooga and win a decisive victory. By late November 1863, Union forces had won the battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, the Confederates retreated deep into Georgia, and the way was paved for the fall of Atlanta and Sherman's March to the Sea.

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington