“River of Death”

Ok, I’m not really sure that this is really what it means, but supposedly, Chickamauga means “river of death” in Cherokee.  Seems to me to be a fun story, that is told of many places.  In this case, however, it was appropriate.  I will have to give some history (sorry) but I will try to keep it short.  The Union Army of the Cumberland, under General Rosecrans, was working to drive the Confederate Army of Tennessee, under General Bragg, out of, well, Tennessee.  The goal was Chattanooga, a major crossroads.  Rosecrans managed to do this by maneuver, scoring an almost bloodless victory.  However, instead of stopping at Chattanooga, he kept going.  Bragg, waiting by a little creek called Chickamauga, was waiting for reinforcements, primarily 2 divisions of veterans from Lee’s army, under James Longstreet.  The armies would skirmish on the 18th of September, 1863.  There would be much fighting on the 19th, with no resolution.  That night, Longstreet would arrive on the field.  The next day (the 20th) fighting was supposed to begin at dawn, but didn’t start for about 3 hours after that.  When it began, pressure was very great on the Union left.  Rosecrans, who hadn’t slept in 3 days, was carefully moving units to the left from his right.  A staff officer, riding the lines, reported a gap in the lines.  Rosecrans, without bothering to check, ordered a division to move and fill the gap.  There had been no gap, but now there was.  About a half hour later, purely by chance, Longstreet sent his men charging through the gap.  The Union right collapsed, and fled the field, along with Rosecrans.  The Union left, under General Thomas, stood strong and prevented the destruction of the Union army.  For this, Thomas would earn the nickname, “The Rock of Chickamauga.”

The Confederates came out of the woods, around the cabin, and across the field, charging through the gap, which was about where I was standing.

Side note, sorry about the pictures, I forgot my camera this morning, and was using my cell phone to take the pictures.  Back to the history

The Union Army was besieged in Chattanooga.  Confederate forces were on Lookout Mountain and Seminary Ridge.

The first two pics are from the top of Lookout Mountain looking down at Chattanooga, and across at Seminary Ridge.  The last picture is Lookout Mountain from a place called Orchard Knob.  Rosecrans was sacked at this point, Thomas put in command, and Grant put in charge of all Union armies between the Appalachians and the Mississippi.  Two corps, commanded by Hooker, were brought in from the Army of the Potomac, as well as Grant’s Army of the Tennessee, now Sherman’s.  Grant sent Hooker to take Lookout Mountain.  I don’t know how they managed it, but they chased the Confederates off.

Then the attack moved to Seminary Ridge.  Sherman attacked from the north, Hooker from the south.  Thomas’ army was just supposed to sit and be rescued.  The attacks weren’t going well, so Grant ordered Thomas to take the rifle pits at the base of Seminary Ridge.  Thomas’ men, tired of being mocked by the other armies, not only took the rifle pits, but charged up the hill, and drove Bragg’s army away, chanting, “Chickamauga!” and earning redemption for themselves.

Seminary Ridge from Orchard Knob.

Anyway, sorry about the long history lesson, but I think this one is a cool story.  Let me know if you agree, or if I just bored you to tears with this one.  Happy Road-Tripping!