Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge Battles.
These three detached actions, fought by different portions of our troops, were parts of a series of operations for securing our front and driving the enemy from his position, and are known properly as the Battle of Chattanooga.Grant, late in October, ordered Sherman with the Fifteenth Army Corps to press forward to the Tennessee River, cross at Bridgeport and push rapidly on to Chattanooga.
Early in November, learning that Bragg had weakened his forces on our front by sending Longstreet's command into East Tennessee to attack Burnside, Grant was very desirous of making an attack at once on the rebel forces on Lookout and Missionary Ridge, but examining the strong position occupied by Bragg at these points and the length of his lines, Grant became convinced that to successfully operate against the enemy it was necessary to wait until Sherman with his command came up.While this force moved eastward, Grant was maturing his plans for the engagement.He directed Sherman to report in person, which he did on the 15th, and on consultation with him and Thomas the general plan of battle was submitted to them.The main attack was to be made on the 21st at daylight, by Sherman's troops, on the north end of Missionary Ridge.To accomplish this his command was to be re-enforced with one division of the Army of the Cumberland under Jeff C.Davis.Sherman's troops--four divisions--were to move from Brown's Ferry through the woods to the north of the town up to the Tennessee River, opposite the mouth of Chickamauga Creek, where they were to cross on a pontoon bridge to be swung there under the supervision of W.F.Smith, and the crossing of the troops to be protected by batteries under Brannon, Thomas's Chief of Artillery.After crossing the river, Sherman was to move rapidly forward, carrying the heights on the north end of Missionary Ridge as far as the tunnel, if possible, before the enemy could concentrate on his front, Thomas was to concentrate all his troops in Chattanooga Valley on his left flank, leaving on the necessary force to defend the fortifications on his right and centre and to hold a movable column of one division to move wherever needed.This division was to make a show of threatening Bragg's forces up the valley.Thomas was then to effect a junction with Sherman, co-operate with him, advancing his left and moving forward as nearly simultaneously as possible, and support him.Hooker on the right in Lookout Valley, was to hold that position with Geary's division and two brigades under Cruft from the Fourth Army Corps, ordered to report to him.Howard, on Friday, the 20th, was ordered with his corps to take position on the north side of the Tennessee, opposite Chattanooga, near the pontoon bridge, and hold himself in readiness to move to Thomas's front or to co-operate with Sherman as needed.Colonel Eli Long with his brigade of cavalry was directed to report by noon on Saturday, the 21st, at Chattanooga, to cover Sherman's left flank, and if not further required by Sherman he was then to cross the Chickamauga, make a raid on the enemy's line of communication in the rear, doing as much damage as he could.
Sherman made his movement with his troops from Bridgeport though Whitesides.Sending his leading division under Ewing up Lookout Valley, to make a feint on the left flank of the rebel army in the direction of Trenton, he crossed his others at Brown's Ferry and marched up the north bank of the river to the mouth of South Chickamauga Creek.Here they kept concealed in the woods from the enemy until they were ready to effect their crossing.Owing to heavy rains and the state of the roads, Sherman was able to have but one division, under John E.Smith, in position by the 21st and Grant delayed his plans of battle to give him additional time.
Sherman on the 21st moved his second division under Morgan L.
Smith over the bridge at Brown's Ferry, and on the 23d, after many repairs to the bridge, rendered necessary by the swollen stream and the raft of logs sent down the river by the rebels, Ewing's division also got safely across.Sherman's fourth division under Osterhaus was not able on the 23d to cross, and this division was then ordered, in the event of not being able to cross by eight A.M.
the 24th, to report to Hooker on the south bank of the Tennessee.
Davis had reported with his division to Sherman, and on the 23d, the boats of the pontoon bridge were used to effect a landing at the mouth of South Chickamauga Creek by Giles A.Smith's brigade, who captured the rebel pickets at this place, landed his entire brigade, and then sent the boats back for additional troops.By daylight of the 24th, Sherman with two divisions of some 8,000men was intrenched on the east bank of the Tennessee.A pontoon bridge, 1,350 feet long, was then built over this river, and another over Chickamauga Creek under the direction of W.F.Smith.
Thomas, learning that Sherman's movements across Lookout Valley had been discovered by Bragg, on Sunday, the 22d, directed Howard to cross into Chattanooga to give Bragg the idea that these were Sherman's troops coming to reinforce Chattanooga.Howard made the crossing on Sunday and took position in rear of our front line in full view of the enemy.On the 20th, Bragg notified Grant that it would be well for him to withdraw all non-combatants from Chattanooga.
This the latter regarded as a cover for Bragg's withdrawal of his own command, which he was confirmed in by deserters and spies reporting a large number of Bragg's troops as marching to the north.
These were two divisions of Buckner's corps sent to strengthen Longstreet in East Tennessee; that last sent, however, was recalled.
