Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought from September 19 to 20, 1863, was a significant engagement in the American Civil War, marking one of the conflict's major confrontations. Located near Chickamauga Creek in Georgia, the battle involved Union forces under General William S. Rosecrans and Confederate troops led by General Braxton Bragg. Initial combat on September 19 was characterized by scattered and indecisive fighting, largely due to the dense woodland terrain. On September 20, Bragg executed a plan to attack both Union flanks, which led to a critical gap in the Union center, allowing Confederate forces to exploit it.
Despite the Union's setbacks, a valiant defense by General George H. Thomas, known as the "Rock of Chickamauga," helped prevent a complete Union rout. The battle resulted in substantial casualties, with the Union suffering approximately 16,000 losses and the Confederates around 18,500. Following the battle, the Union army retreated to Chattanooga, which was subsequently besieged by the Confederates. The victory at Chickamauga temporarily bolstered Southern morale after previous defeats, but the Union would later break the siege in late November 1863 at the Battle of Chattanooga, leading to further developments in the war.
Battle of Chickamauga
Date: September 19–20, 1863
Location: Chickamauga Creek, twelve miles south of Chattanooga, Tennessee
Combatants: 60,000 Union vs. 70,000 Confederate troops
Principal commanders:Union, General William S. Rosecrans (1819–1898), General George H. Thomas (1816–1870); Confederate, General Braxton Bragg (1817–1876), General James Longstreet (1809–1865)
Result: A Confederate victory that drove Union forces back into Chattanooga, where they were besieged.
By September 19, 1863, General William S. Rosecrans had assembled his widely scattered forces and established a defensive line near Chickamauga Creek. The densely wooded terrain resulted in generally desultory fighting as the opposing armies sought each other’s positions. General Braxton Bragg planned to assault both Union flanks on September 20, followed by an assault on the Union center. A blunder by Union forces resulted in a gap in the Union center only minutes before General James Longstreet attacked. The Union right flank crumpled, but the defense of Snodgrass Hill by George H. Thomas—the “Rock of Chickamauga”—saved the Union army from annihilation. Having suffered 16,000 casualties, the Union army retreated into Chattanooga. There a severely weakened Confederate army that had sustained nearly 18,500 casualties besieged it.
The Confederate victory restored Southern morale after the twin defeats of Gettysburg and Vicksburg in early July. Union general William T. Sherman replaced Rosecrans and broke the siege with the victory at Chattanooga (November 23–25, 1863).