The Battle of Chickamauga - Action
Midday, September 20, 1863, at Chickamauga:
Longstreet had discovered a gap in the Union lines, and rushed to exploit it as quickly as possible. He gave the order to move at 11:10 a.m. and Johnson's division proceeded across the Brotherton field, by coincidence to precisely the point where Wood's Union division was pulling out of the line. Johnson's brigade on the left, commanded by Col. John S. Fulton, drove directly through the gap. The brigade on the right, under Brig. Gen. Evaner McNair, encountered opposition from Brannan's division (parts of Col. John M. Connell's brigade), but was also able to push through. The result was what was very soon to be a devastating rout of the Union Army. The few Union soldiers in that sector ran in panic from the onslaught.
As the Union troops were withdrawing, Wood stopped his brigade commanded by Col. Charles G. Harker and sent it back with orders to counterattack the Confederates. They appeared on the scene at the flank of the Confederates who had captured the artillery pieces, causing them to retreat. The brigades of McNair, Perry, and Robinson became intermingled as they ran for shelter in the woods east of the field. Hood ordered Kershaw's Brigade to attack Harker and then raced toward Robertson's Brigade of Texans, Hood's old brigade. Reaching his former unit, he managed to take cover, barely avoiding being struck by a Union bullet. He rallied them into a charge against Harker, assisting Kershaw's advance and quickly routing the Union forces before they were able to settle into good defensive ground.
With the Union lines along Horseshoe Ridge crumpling inwards, Brig. Gen. Arthur Manigault would launch a devastating attack on Sheridan's two remaining divisions, under Brig. Gen. William H. Lytle and Col. Nathan Walworth. With the eastern section of Horseshoe ridge already having been routed, and with Lytle having been killed in action, his men in full retreat, Assistant Secretary of War Anderson Dana angrily approached Wilder, proclaiming that the battle was lost, and demanding they retreat to Chattanooga at once. Wilder, forced to calm him down, lost an opportunity to launch a counterattack on Manigault's advancing men. He begrudgingly pulled back, though less due to Dana's order and more to an understanding of the futility of such a movement. The southern end of the Army of the Cumberland fled in the direction of Chattanooga, through McFarland's gap. Rosecrans sent Garfield to Thomas with orders to take command of the forces remaining at Chickamauga and to withdraw to Rossville.
Meanwhile, the Union positions around Kelly Field remained in a strong position. However, with Confederates now holding Horseshoe ridge, largely due to John Bell Hood's brave charge, Thomas began pulling back in an attempt to avoid being encircled. Confederate forces under D.H. Hill seized advantage of this, launching a massive assault on the Union left while Longstreet's forces rushed to close off the escape routes and encircle Thomas's forces. Polk himself would advance near the front lines despite the warnings of his aides, anticipating one of the greatest victories of the war and wishing to witness it himself. Famously, Braxton Bragg did not order him to remain at headquarters, declaring to an aide, "Let the pompous old fool march to his death." This statement would later have severe political ramifications. As Thomas's forces fell back, reinforcements from Brannan and Steedman that had fallen back from Horseshoe ridge earlier began to arrive and slow the retreat. Notably, a fierce stand by the 21st Ohio, armed with five-shot Colt revolving rifles, would expend 38,850 rounds over the course of their defense, two of which struck Polk himself, one in the upper arm, and the other in the thigh. He would be thrown from his horse and trampled, dying in mere seconds to blood loss and trauma.
With Polk's death, the Confederate advance wavered, allowing the Union to create an effective rearguard to cover their retreat somewhat. However, a final coordinated push from D.H. Hill, now having assumed Polk's command, and Longstreet would smash into the weary Union forces that were beginning to run out of ammunition. During the brutal rearguard action, Thomas remained behind to rally the men and hold for as long as possible. Nicknamed 'The Rock of Chickamauga', he held back overwhelming Confederate forces approaching from multiple directions for hours. However, during a particularly fierce engagement with one of Preston's divisions, Thomas was struck by numerous bullets in both arms, his left shoulder, and his left leg. He would quickly bleed out, dying while desperately rushed to a field hospital. With his death, the Union withdraw turned into panic as the rearguard was routed, with Confederate cavalry inflicting enormous casualties. However, as darkness fell, pursuit became infeasible, and the fleeing Union forces managed to escape to relative safety.
Bragg, despite urged by many of his generals to advance and take advantage of the retreat, decided to camp for the night instead. His men were weary, many lacking ammunition and supplies. A significant number of artillery horses had also been killed, and the Tennessee river was also an obstacle, not helped by the fact that he had no pontoon bridges that would allow him to cross. For now, his forces rested.
Longstreet had discovered a gap in the Union lines, and rushed to exploit it as quickly as possible. He gave the order to move at 11:10 a.m. and Johnson's division proceeded across the Brotherton field, by coincidence to precisely the point where Wood's Union division was pulling out of the line. Johnson's brigade on the left, commanded by Col. John S. Fulton, drove directly through the gap. The brigade on the right, under Brig. Gen. Evaner McNair, encountered opposition from Brannan's division (parts of Col. John M. Connell's brigade), but was also able to push through. The result was what was very soon to be a devastating rout of the Union Army. The few Union soldiers in that sector ran in panic from the onslaught.
As the Union troops were withdrawing, Wood stopped his brigade commanded by Col. Charles G. Harker and sent it back with orders to counterattack the Confederates. They appeared on the scene at the flank of the Confederates who had captured the artillery pieces, causing them to retreat. The brigades of McNair, Perry, and Robinson became intermingled as they ran for shelter in the woods east of the field. Hood ordered Kershaw's Brigade to attack Harker and then raced toward Robertson's Brigade of Texans, Hood's old brigade. Reaching his former unit, he managed to take cover, barely avoiding being struck by a Union bullet. He rallied them into a charge against Harker, assisting Kershaw's advance and quickly routing the Union forces before they were able to settle into good defensive ground.
With the Union lines along Horseshoe Ridge crumpling inwards, Brig. Gen. Arthur Manigault would launch a devastating attack on Sheridan's two remaining divisions, under Brig. Gen. William H. Lytle and Col. Nathan Walworth. With the eastern section of Horseshoe ridge already having been routed, and with Lytle having been killed in action, his men in full retreat, Assistant Secretary of War Anderson Dana angrily approached Wilder, proclaiming that the battle was lost, and demanding they retreat to Chattanooga at once. Wilder, forced to calm him down, lost an opportunity to launch a counterattack on Manigault's advancing men. He begrudgingly pulled back, though less due to Dana's order and more to an understanding of the futility of such a movement. The southern end of the Army of the Cumberland fled in the direction of Chattanooga, through McFarland's gap. Rosecrans sent Garfield to Thomas with orders to take command of the forces remaining at Chickamauga and to withdraw to Rossville.
Meanwhile, the Union positions around Kelly Field remained in a strong position. However, with Confederates now holding Horseshoe ridge, largely due to John Bell Hood's brave charge, Thomas began pulling back in an attempt to avoid being encircled. Confederate forces under D.H. Hill seized advantage of this, launching a massive assault on the Union left while Longstreet's forces rushed to close off the escape routes and encircle Thomas's forces. Polk himself would advance near the front lines despite the warnings of his aides, anticipating one of the greatest victories of the war and wishing to witness it himself. Famously, Braxton Bragg did not order him to remain at headquarters, declaring to an aide, "Let the pompous old fool march to his death." This statement would later have severe political ramifications. As Thomas's forces fell back, reinforcements from Brannan and Steedman that had fallen back from Horseshoe ridge earlier began to arrive and slow the retreat. Notably, a fierce stand by the 21st Ohio, armed with five-shot Colt revolving rifles, would expend 38,850 rounds over the course of their defense, two of which struck Polk himself, one in the upper arm, and the other in the thigh. He would be thrown from his horse and trampled, dying in mere seconds to blood loss and trauma.
With Polk's death, the Confederate advance wavered, allowing the Union to create an effective rearguard to cover their retreat somewhat. However, a final coordinated push from D.H. Hill, now having assumed Polk's command, and Longstreet would smash into the weary Union forces that were beginning to run out of ammunition. During the brutal rearguard action, Thomas remained behind to rally the men and hold for as long as possible. Nicknamed 'The Rock of Chickamauga', he held back overwhelming Confederate forces approaching from multiple directions for hours. However, during a particularly fierce engagement with one of Preston's divisions, Thomas was struck by numerous bullets in both arms, his left shoulder, and his left leg. He would quickly bleed out, dying while desperately rushed to a field hospital. With his death, the Union withdraw turned into panic as the rearguard was routed, with Confederate cavalry inflicting enormous casualties. However, as darkness fell, pursuit became infeasible, and the fleeing Union forces managed to escape to relative safety.
Bragg, despite urged by many of his generals to advance and take advantage of the retreat, decided to camp for the night instead. His men were weary, many lacking ammunition and supplies. A significant number of artillery horses had also been killed, and the Tennessee river was also an obstacle, not helped by the fact that he had no pontoon bridges that would allow him to cross. For now, his forces rested.
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