Campaign for Chattanooga (Continued)

Passing around Lookout and leaving one brigade to occupy Chattanooga, Crittenden marched by way of Rossville and Ringgold to Lee and Gordon's Mill. Bragg, intending to attack the Union corps in detail, first ordered strong movements toward Steven's Gap against Thomas and then against Crittenden near Rock Spring, but both failed because subordinate commanders lacked confidence in obeying orders. After Longstreet joined him, Bragg forced a crossing of the Chickamauga on the afternoon of September 18th, and early on the 19th formed near Dalton's Ford to attack Rosecrans' left at Lee and Gordon's Mill, seeking to place his army between Rosecrans and Chattanooga. The Battle of Chickamauga followed on September 19th and 20th. At the close of the second day, Bragg had seized the road to Chattanooga beyond Rosecrans' left. Rosecrans, forced off the field with the Union right, rode to Chattanooga and later ordered Thomas to retire the army to Rossville. At dusk Thomas withdrew through McFarland's Gap, and before morning had established the Union Army in Rossville Gap, on the adjoining crests of Missionary Ridge, and across the valley to Lookout, thus remaining between Bragg and Chattanooga. During the night of September 21st and the morning of the 22nd, the Union Army moved into Chattanooga and established its lines about the city.

Chattanooga, Tennessee · United States