|
Following its defeat at the Battle of
Chickamauga (September 18-20, 1863), the Union Army of the Cumberland, led by
Major General William S. Rosecrans, retreated back to its base at Chattanooga.
Reaching the safety of the town, they quickly erected defenses before General
Braxton Bragg's pursuing Army of Tennessee arrived. Moving his men onto Missionary
Ridge to the east and Lookout Mountain to the south, Bragg soon commanded the
approaches to the city and placed the Union troops under siege.
With the situation deteriorating, President
Abraham Lincoln created the Military Division of the Mississippi and placed
Major General Ulysses S. Grant in command of all Union armies in the West. Grant moved to reinforce Chattanooga and replaced Rosecrans
with Major General George H. Thomas, and dispatched
engineer Major General William F. "Baldy" Smith to open a supply line
to Chattanooga. After launching a successful amphibious landing at Brown's Ferry,
west of the city, Smith was able link up with Thomas and open a supply route
known as the "Cracker Line." On
the night of October 28, Bragg ordered Lieutenant General James Longstreet to
sever the "Cracker Line." Attacking at Wauhatchie, the
Confederate general was repulsed. With a way into Chattanooga open, Grant began
reinforcing the Union position by sending Major General Joseph Hooker with the
XI and XII Corps and then an additional four divisions under Major General
William T. Sherman. While Union forces were growing, Bragg reduced his army by
sending Longstreet's corps to Knoxville to attack a Union force under Major
General Ambrose Burnside.
Sherman arrived with his four divisions in
mid-November, and the Federals began offensive operations. On November 23, Grant ordered Thomas to advance from the city
and take a string of hills near the foot of Missionary Ridge. The next day,
Hooker was ordered to take Lookout Mountain. Crossing the Tennessee
River, Hooker's men found that the Confederates had failed to defend a defile
between the river and mountain. Attacking through this opening, Hooker's men
succeeded in pushing the Confederates off the mountain. As the fighting ended
around 3:00 PM, a fog descended on the mountain, earning the battle the name
"The Battle Above the Clouds."
On November 25, Union soldiers assaulted and secured the
seemingly impregnable Confederate position on Missionary Ridge. One of
the Confederacy’s two major armies was routed. The Federals held Chattanooga,
the “Gateway to the Lower South,” which became the logistics base for Sherman’s
1864 Atlanta Campaign.
The
disastrous rout of the Confederates at Missionary Ridge dealt a staggering blow
to the Army of Tennessee in terms of manpower and morale, and forced it to
retreat into northwest Georgia. At a mountain pass known as the Ringgold Gap,
to give time for his artillery and wagon trains to get through, Bragg ordered
Major General Patrick Cleburne to defend the pass "at all hazards." In a spirited five hour stand, Cleburne repulsed a much
larger Federal force and the Confederates continued on to fight another day.
Over our two day tour, we will visit all of the keys
sites associated with this fascinating campaign to hold the key city of
Chattanooga. And we’ll eat well too – lunches on both tour days will be at the
famous Bea’s Restaurant that features family-style all-you-can-eat Southern
cookin! Yummy. Please join us.
About Our Tour
Leader
Norman
Dasinger, Jr. is a veteran tour
leader of Civil War battles and campaigns in Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia.
Registration Fee (lodging not
included): $295
What is Included in
your Registration Fee:
· the services of an expert
historian chosen for his knowledge and experience
· transportation to sites as
indicated
· Friday & Saturday lunches at
the famous Bea’s Restaurant in Chattanooga
· refreshments and snacks during the
tour
· map package
Friday, March 30
8:15 AM Depart
for Tour – from Hampton Inn West, Chattanooga, TN
5:00 PM Arrive
Back at Hampton Inn West
Saturday, March 31
8:00 AM Depart for Tour from Hampton Inn West
5:30 PM Arrive
Back at Hampton Inn West
Base
Location & Lodging: We will be based at the Hampton Inn Chattanooga West I-24/Lookout Mountain, 3641 Cummings Highway, Chattanooga, TN 37419 where we have reserved a block of rooms at the rate of $89.00 + tax per night. To reserve a room under our block, call 423-821-5500 and identify yourself as a registrant for the CWEA tour. Refer to Group Reservation # 8507 2556.
Hotel guests will receive a complimentary hot breakfast each morning of their stay. Please make your room reservations as soon as possible.
Directions: From I-24 Eastbound: Exit 174 for Lookout Valley/Lookout Mountain, then turn right – hotel is on left. From I-24 Westbound: Exit 174 for Lookout Valley, then turn left and go through traffic light, hotel is one left.
|
