Stonewall Jackson's Way: An Alternate Confederacy Timeline

[TheRockofChickamauga]

Where Lincoln?

Right now, Abraham Lincoln is in Philadelphia with the rest of the U.S. government.

 

[G-6]

Will the British recognize the confederacy with Washington captured and posibbly also ally Also?

 

[TheRockofChickamauga]

Chapter Eight: The Sickles Conspiracy

General Daniel Sickles
​

With the fall of Washington, the failure of the Army of the Potomac to come to the city's rescue was highly critiziced by the U.S. government officials, now housed in the United States' temporary capital in Philadelphia. Calls for Sykes' relief were heard through out Congress, and one of Sykes' subordinates, Daniel Sickles, was all to happy to cooperate. Sickles had wanted command of the Army of the Potomac ever since Gettysburg, and expected it since he was the Army of the Potomac's senior officer following Gettysburg. Sykes' promotion to the job brought him great dissatisfaction, and it likely started Sickles' conspiracy against him. Sickles would first try to find allies among the officer corps of the Army of the Potomac. Sickles would find it in five officers. They were Alfred Pleasonton, Albion Howe, Daniel Butterfield, Hugh Kilpatrick, and John Cadwell. Sickles brought Howe to his side by promising him that he could retain his current command of the VI Corps, which he had received following Couch's resignation from it in disgust following Washington's fall. This was of great importance for Howe, as it seemed that Charles Schurz, his senior in rank, might be given the post. True to his word, Sickles ensured Howe maintained the command. Sickles' promise to Butterfield that upon his rise to command of the army, he would give his command of the III Corps to him, a post Butterfield had held at Fredericksburg before Hooker assigned him as his chief-of-staff. Sickles brought Cadwell into his fold by promising to see to it that the charges of cowardice pressed against him for his actions at Gettysburg would be dropped. Finally, Sickles promised Pleasonton and Kilpatrick something they could not resist, a backdating of their promotions. It seemed that Sickles failed to sway only one officer he tried to bring to his side, George Custer. Promising him the position of chief-of-staff of the Army of the Potomac, Custer would decline the offer, perfectly satisfied in his current post as a division commander of cavalry.

The other members of the Sickles' conspiracy: Alfred Pleasonton, Albion Howe, Daniel Butterfield, Hugh Kilpatrick, and John Cadwell
​

With loyal supporters behind him, Sickles and his fellow conspirators began an organized whisper and writing campaign against Sykes, planting the idea of Sykes' relief into the heads of many influential congressmen. When Washington fell, the idea that was planted sprouted into open remarks in Congress calling for Sykes' relief, and eventually, on the same day as Halleck's relief from command, Sykes would also lose his command, with it being given to the scheming Dan Sickles, who made sure to follow through on all his promises to his fellow conspirators. Unfortunately for Sykes, and conveniently for Sickles, all of Sykes' effort in pulling together the new Army of the Potomac had finally payed off, and by the time Sykes was relieved, the army was ready for Sickles to lead into battle. Provost Marshal of the Army of the Potomac Marsena Patrick would sum up the whole affair in saying “It has been my duty since my appointment to this post on the sixth of October of the last year to maintain order and stability amongst civilians and soldiers. I now see that perhaps I should providing more of my attention to the conduct of the generals."

 

[Not Henry G.]

I hope Sickles fails spectacularly

 

[G-6]

Why do I have a bad feeling about this

 

[jonathan hanson]

something bad is about to happen here

 

[farmerted555]

something bad is about to happen here

I know. It starts with a "C" and rhymes with "Poo".

 

[Southern pride]

I feel that their will be one or two more battles and then peace negotiations will start.

 

[TheRockofChickamauga]

Chapter Nine: The Union Assault on Washington

A painting of Michael Corcoran leading his old command, the 69th New York, in a charge during the final stages of the battle by Matthew Kunstler
​

With the newly reformed Army of the Potomac under his command, Sickles felt confident in his ability to recapture Washington. However, his plans for what he would do following its recapture were quite different then that of the government he was serving. In a recently discovered letter to his wife, it was revealed that Sickles planned to declare himself the President of the United States following Washington's capture. This helps explain his decision to leave the XIII Corps under Edward O.C. Ord, which was his best and strongest corps, in Philadelphia, which he likely planned on using to seize the current U.S. government. The amount of this that his subordinates, or even his former allies in the conspiracy against Sykes knew about this was almost certainly none. With his ambitions dependent on the capture of Washington, Sickles would move out.

Sickles at the head of his army preparing to move out
​

Meanwhile, Lee had not wasted his time in the fortifications of Washington while the Army of the Potomac prepared. The men he had requested be raised were still raised despite his victory at Washington. He was further reinforced by transfers from other departments. The transferred infantry would be molded into the Provisional Corps under newly promoted Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell, while the cavalry was attached to Stuart's command similar to Imboden's men. By the time Sickles arrived at Washington, Lee was ready to take him on, having further strengthed his fortifications, and having all of his artillery, now carefully monitored by E.P. Alexander, prepared and ready for action.

Richard S. Ewell and Edward P. Alexander
​

The day of battle arrived on August 1, with Sickles arraying his troops to the North of Washington in a similar fashion to Lee's attack a few weeks ago. He also planned a similar attack as Lee's, a concentrated push against Washington's defenses with the majority of army. Sickles, however, made a miscalculation in this plan. While Lee's troops were battle-hardened veterans with high morale, most of Sickles troops were lacking in either morale or experience, with only the IX and XXI Corps having a fair mix of both. Sickles plan was for XXI Corps under Crittenden and the III Corps under Butterfield to lead the attacks, with the VI Corps under Howe, XXIII Corps under Burnside, the IX Corps under Parke, and the detached divisions under Seymour and Corcoran following up. Pleasonton and the cavalry were to have a similar function to Stuart and his cavalry during Lee's assault, scouting around the fortifications. With his plan ready, Sickles brought it to life.

A Kevin Rocco painting depicting the decimated remnants of the 6th Wisconsin, now in the III Corps, charging into action into action in front of Gettysburg
​

Sickles' plan went array almost immediately. The Confederate cannon shredded the advancing men, and soon the already dispirited III Corps began to rout to the rear. The XXI Corps, meanwhile continued to persevere, and eventually reached the fortification, but they would require support to sucessfully seize them. Sickles would advance these reinforcements too late, as he busied himself trying to rally his beloved III Corps, only sending the reinforcements after his efforts to rally the III failed repeatedly. The sight of the XXI Corps streaming back in rout disheartened these advancing troops, and ultimately, the death of one man would send them into utter rout: Ambrose Burnside.

General Ambrose Burnside: 1824-1863
​

Burnside, despite being previously hated by the men for his role in Fredericksburg and the Mud March, had redeemed himself in their eyes during the terrible days in Philadelphia. He had seen to it that they received good rations and care, and soon the mutton-chopped general had become beloved not just to his men, but the whole army, with even some calling for him to be reinstated as commander of the Army of the Potomac. With the bullet that pierced his heart also came the rout of the second Union wave, now resulting in the entirety of Sickles' army being in rout. With cannon shredding the retreating force, it seemed like Gettysburg all over again. This time, however, a pair of generals, would sacrifice themselves in order to guard Sickles' retreat. They were Michael Corcoran and Marsena Patrick.

Michael Corcoran and Marsena Patrick
​

Michael Corcoran had gained fame early in the war for a similar reason as Thomas F. Meagher, being he was someone who the U.S. Army could lift up as a hero to the Irishmen. As such, he lead the Irish 69th New York Infantry into combat at 1st Manassas, but he would be captured in that action, and he slipped out of the public eye. He would eventually be exchanged and be given his current assignment as a division commander, but he yearned to return into the public eye. Patrick, meanwhile, was Provost Marshal of the Army of the Potomac, and thus it was his job to maintain order in the ranks. Together, they would pull together several regiments that have gone down in U.S. history in what is often portrayed as a final attempt to capture Washington, which in reality was just a desperate rearguard action. The regiments they would rally are known by heart by even the most casual of Civil War historians: the 69th New York, the 155th Pennsylvania, the 5th New Hampshire, the 14th Indiana, the 140th New York, the 20th Maine, the 42nd Pennsylvania, the 6th Wisconsin, the 1st Minnesota, the 19th Indiana, the 69th Pennsylvania, the 1st United States Sharpshooters, and the 54th Massachusetts. The attack would be brutally slaughtered, with both Corcoran and Patrick falling killed, and no man in the above listed regiments above the rank of lieutenant surviving. Despite this, it remains a part of American folklore.

A painting of the 1st Minnesota in their last charge
​

Similar to their last charge, the Union Army of the Potomac suffered heavily both in officers and men. Besides Burnside, Corcoran, and Patrick, seven other generals would fall killed in the combat: Charles Griffin, James Ricketts, John M. Palmer, Horatio P. Van Cleve, Thomas Stevenson, Gouverneur Warren, and Julius Stahel. The injuring and subsequent capture of Union general, William B. Hazen, would have a major impact on history, as this is where he first met and befriended Confederate general John B. Gordon. The losses among the Union men counted to around 20,000, with the many more likely to have been captured only being prevented by the actions of Corcoran and Patrick. The Confederates, meanwhile, suffered surprisingly low losses, due to the fact they stayed behind fortifications for the entirety of the battle, and only engaged into hand-to-hand combat briefly, with their cannon doing most of the fighting for them, with a loss of only roughly 6,000 men. In a parody of Stuart's comment about his cavalry officers at Gettysburg, which was already had become famous through out the South, E.P. Alexander made his own comment, but this time in reference to himself and the artillery officers of the Army of Northern Virginia, calling them "the greatest concentration of artillery talent the world has ever seen." [1].

A painting of Confederate artillery at Washington under the command of Major Joseph W. Latimer​

The Union assault on Washington forever destroyed Union hopes in the Eastern Theater. Now the only hope of victory for the Union lay in the Western Theater, and particularly upon the sucessful execution of a campaign by William S. Rosecrans and the Army of the Cumberland.

[1]: The officers Alexander listed with this comment are as follows: E.P. Alexander, James B. Walton, J. Thompson Brown, Reuben L. Walker, Stapleton Crutchfield, Stephen D. Lee, Peyton Manning, Robert M. Stribling, Joseph Latimer, William R. J. Pegram, Richard S. Andrews, Robert A. Hardway, James Dearing, John T. Brown, Willis J. Dance, William T. Poague, Hilary P. Jones, Frank Huger, and Henry H. Carlton.

 

[TheRockofChickamauga]

Union
Army of the Potomac
MG Daniel Sickles Commanding

III Corps: MG Daniel Butterfield
1st Division: BG James B. Ricketts
2nd Division: BG John C. Cadwell
3rd Division: BG Gouverneur Warren

VI Corps: MG Albion M. Howe
1st Division: BG James Barnes
2nd Division: BG Charles Griffin
3rd Division: MG Carl Schurz

IV Corps: MG John G. Parke
1st Division: BG Thomas Welsh
2nd Division: BG Robert B. Potter

XXI Corps: MG Thomas L. Crittenden
1st Division: BG Thomas J. Wood
2nd Division: MG John M. Palmer
3rd Division: BG Horatio P. Van Cleve

XXIII Corps: MG Ambrose Burnside
1st Division: BG Julius White
2nd Division: BG Milo S. Hascall

Cavarly Corps: MG Alfred Pleasonton
1st Division: BG Hugh J. Kilpatrick
2nd Division: BG George A. Custer
3rd Division: BG Julius Stahel

Detached 2nd Division from X Corps: BG Truman Seymour

Detached 1st Division from VII Corps: BG Michael Corcoran

Confederate
Army of Northern Virginia
Gen. Robert E. Lee Commanding
Chief of Staff: Robert Chilton
Chief of Artillery: Edward P. Alexander
Medical Director: Lafayette Guild
Military Secretary: Armistead L. Long
Aide-de-camps: Walter Taylor, Charles Marshall, Charles Venable

I Corps: LTG George H. Thomas
Anderson's Division: MG Richard Anderson
Wilcox's Brigade: BG Cadmus Wilcox
Mahone's Brigade: BG William Mahone
Wright's Brigade: BG Ambrose Wright
Lang's Brigade: Col. David Lang
Posey's Brigade: BG Carnot Posey
Johnson's Division: MG Edward Johnson
Kershaw's Brigade: BG Joseph B. Kershaw
Barksdale's Brigade: BG William Barksdale
Semmes' Brigade: BG Paul J. Semmes
Wofford's Brigade: BG William T. Wofford
McLaws' Brigade: BG Lafayette McLaws
Pender's Division: MG William D. Pender
Garnett's Brigade: BG Richard B. Garnett
Kemper's Brigade: BG James L. Kemper
Armistead's Brigade: BG Lewis A. Armistead
Pickett's Brigade: BG George E. Pickett
Jenkins' Brigade: BG Micah Jenkins
Corse's Brigade: BG Montgomery Corse
Artillery Reserve: Col. James B. Walton

II Corps: LTG Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson
Hill's "Light" Division: MG A.P. Hill
McGowan's Brigade: BG Samuel McGowan
Lane's Brigade: BG James H. Lane
Thomas' Brigade: BG Edward L. Thomas
Scales' Brigade: BG Alfred M. Scales
Early's Division: MG Jubal Early
Hays' Brigade: Col. Leroy Stafford
Smith's Brigade: Col. James B. Terrill
Hoke's Brigade: BG Robert F. Hoke
Gordon's Brigade: BG John B. Gordon
Rodes' "Stonewall" Division: MG Robert E. Rodes
Steuart's Brigade: BG George H. Steuart
Walker's "Stonewall" Brigade: BG James A. Walker
Nicholls' Brigade: BG Francis R.T. Nicholls
Jones' Brigade: BG John M. Jones
Artillery Reserve: Col. J. Thompson Brown

III Corps: LTG James Longstreet
Hill's Division: MG D.H. Hill
Daniel's Brigade: BG Julius Daniel
Doles' Brigade: BG George P. Doles
Iverson's Brigade: Col. Bryan Grimes
Ramseur's Brigade: BG Stephen D. Ramseur
O'Neal's Brigade: Col. Cullen A. Battle
Hood's Division: MG John B. Hood
Law's Brigade: Col. William C. Oates
Robertson's "Texas" Brigade: Col. Van. H. Manning
Anderson's Brigade: BG George T. Anderson
Benning's Brigade: BG Henry L. Benning
Trimble's Division: MG Isaac Trimble
Pettigrew's Brigade: BG James J. Pettigrew
Heth's Brigade: BG Henry Heth
Archer's Brigade: BG James J. Archer
Davis' Brigade: Col. Benjamin Humphreys
Artillery Reserve: Col. Reuben L. Walker

Cavalry Corps: MG J.E.B. Stuart
Hampton's Brigade: BG Wade Hampton III
Robertson's Brigade: Col. Laurence S. Baker
Fitz Lee's Brigade: BG Fitzhugh Lee
Jenkins' Brigade: BG Albert Jenkins
Rooney Lee's Brigade: BG William H.F. Lee
Jones' Brigade: BG William E. Jones
Stuart's Horse Artillery: Col. John Pelham
Imboden's Command (attached): BG John Imboden
Morgan's Command (attached): BG John H. Morgan
Williams' Command (attached): BG John S. Williams
Davidson's Command (attached): BG Henry B. Davidson

Provisional Corps: LTG Richard S. Ewell
Jones' Division: MG David R. Jones
McCausland's Brigade: BG John McCausland
Echols' Brigade: BG John Echols
Wharton's Brigade: BG Gabriel Wharton
Patton's Brigade: Col. George S. Patton
Ransom's Division: MG Robert Ransom
Ransom's Brigade: BG Matt Ransom
Cooke's Brigade: BG John R. Cooke
Lee's Brigade: Col. Edwin T. Lee
Johnson's Brigade: Col. Bradley T. Johnson
Elzey's Brigade: MG Arnold Elzey
Taliaferro's Brigade: BG William B. Taliaferro
Hagood's Brigade: BG Johnson Hagood
Wallace's Brigade: Col. William H. Wallace
Elliot's Brigade: Col. Stephen Elliott

 

[GreenSword]

After a slaughter and defeat like that at Washington, the Union is done. Realistically, recognition from the UK and France for the CSA should be incoming soon. Pro-peace Northern Democrats will be screaming to high heaven about a "pointless war and slaughter to keep a people who no longer wish to be in the Union". The Western Theater is largely irrelevant at this point, I think.

 

[SpaceOrbisGaming]

After a slaughter and defeat like that at Washington, the Union is done. Realistically, recognition from the UK and France for the CSA should be incoming soon. Pro-peace Northern Democrats will be screaming to high heaven about a "pointless war and slaughter to keep a people who no longer wish to be in the Union". The Western Theater is largely irrelevant at this point, I think.

I couldn't agree more. At this point, the war is all but over. DC is in the hands of the CSA and European recognition should be incoming if not already accepted. I just don't see much point to the Western Theater. Even if they can win the capital of the United States is now occupied by a foreign power and any army nearby is now scattered to the four winds. The war is over. All that needs to be done is for the terms of surrender to be negotiated which at this point should be very much in the Confederate side. England or some other power will see to that.

 

[farmerted555]

As long as the US doesn't Balkanize, I'll be fine with this TL.

 

[GreenSword]

I couldn't agree more. At this point, the war is all but over. DC is in the hands of the CSA and European recognition should be incoming if not already accepted. I just don't see much point to the Western Theater. Even if they can win the capital of the United States is now occupied by a foreign power and any army nearby is now scattered to the four winds. The war is over. All that needs to be done is for the terms of surrender to be negotiated which at this point should be very much in the Confederate side. England or some other power will see to that.

I wouldn't so much call it "terms of surrender" as I would terms of peace. The CSA would help its case by asking for only what is reasonable.

1)recognition of the seceded states as a sovereign nation
2)CSA recognizes West Virginia as part of the Union
3)referendum in Indian Territory (OTL Oklahoma) on whether to become a territory of the CSA or remain a territory of the Union
4)referendum in New Mexico territory on the same question
5)end to all hostilities (blockade,etc), repatriation of all prisoners, no reparations from either side for damages

 

[The Gunslinger]

I wouldn't so much call it "terms of surrender" as I would terms of peace. The CSA would help its case by asking for only what is reasonable.

1)recognition of the seceded states as a sovereign nation
2)CSA recognizes West Virginia as part of the Union
3)referendum in Indian Territory (OTL Oklahoma) on whether to become a territory of the CSA or remain a territory of the Union
4)referendum in New Mexico territory on the same question
5)end to all hostilities (blockade,etc), repatriation of all prisoners, no reparations from either side for damages

Even this peace is contentious. What of the southern counties of West Virginia where Confederate sympathies are incredibly high? What of Kentucky, Missouri and maybe even Maryland?

 

[TheRockofChickamauga]

Chapter Ten: The Battle of Chickamauga Part One

A painting depicting General Benjamin H. Helm leading his division at Chickamauga
​

The event that would set the Battle of Chickamauga into motion would be the Tullahoma Campaign. Starting June 24, 1863, Union General William S. Rosecrans would finally be convinced to move his Army of the Cumberland out from their fortifications in Murfressboro, Tennessee, and advance on to Chattanooga. Standing between Rosecrans and Chattanooga, however, would be General Braxton Bragg and the Army of Tennessee. Unfortunately for Rosecrans, Bragg occupied some of the best defensive territory in the Confederacy, making a successful offensive campaign seem nigh on impossible. Rosecrans, however, would continue with his goal, and the result would be the Tullahoma Campaign, in which Rosecrans pushed Bragg out of both Chattanooga and Tennessee by July 3 in some of the most brilliant maneuvering of the war.

General William Rosecrans, a map of the Tullahoma Campaign, and General Braxton Bragg
​

Rosecrans' victory brought some good news to a nation which faced defeat at Gettysburg, two forced withdrawals at Vicksburg and Port Hudson, and a Confederate army rapidly closing in on their capital. Cries went up for Rosecrans to receive the formerly Halleck's now Grant's position of General-in-Chief, and even some called for his appointment to the rank of Lieutenant General. Flushed with success, Rosecrans would continue his movements south into Georgia, setting the stage for the Battle of Chickamauga. Rosecrans would face this battle with less troops than he had in the Tullahoma Campaign, however, as Thomas Crittenden and his XXI Corps would be sent to the Eastern Theater, with Rosecrans only being able to remove the brigade of Charles Harker to act as a garrison for Chattanooga before the corps removal from his command. Bragg's army, on the other hand, was swelled. First would be the reinforcements from the West. First among these was Franklin Gardner, who brought most of Port Hudson's garrison with him, leaving General William Beall in charge of the defenses. Second was William Loring and his division from the Army of Mississippi. Finally there was two divisions under Carter Stevenson and John S. Bowen from Vicksburg's garrison. Later on, Bragg was also receive reinforcements from the East, as they had successfully broken the Union assault on Washington, with an eager Longstreet agreeing to move with his III Corps to Bragg's support, while Lee, Jackson, Thomas, and Stuart effectively erased the Union Departments of Virginia and North Carolina from the map while Ewell and the newly transferred or raised troops garrisoned Washington. Rosecrans would be hesitant to face Bragg's army now with all its reinforcements, but Lincoln ordered him to bring the Union another victory, as while this was happening, Britain, France, Prussia, Austria, Russia, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and the Netherlands were actively in a meeting with CSA diplomats to discuss whether they should recognize the CSA. Reluctantly, Rosecrans agreed, and continued into Georgia.

Generals Thomas Crittenden and William Loring
​

With the large influx of troops, Bragg decided to reorganize his army. It would divided into two wings under Lieutenant Generals Leonidas Polk and William J. Hardee. In Polk's wing would be Cheatham's division under Benjamin Cheatham, a newly organized corps under John Breckinridge containing his former division, now lead by Benjamin H. Helm, and Cleburne's division under Patrick Cleburne. Then there were the transferred divisions under Loring and Gardner. Finally, there was the Reserve Corps under William H.T. Walker, containing the divisions of States R. Gist and St. John Lidell. In Hardee's wing, there was Hindman's division under Thomas C. Hindman, Simon Buckner's corps consisting of the divisions of A.P. Stewart, William Preston, and Bushrod Johnson, the Vicksburg divisions of Bowen and Stevenson, and Longstreet's III Corps with the divisions of D.H. Hill, John B. Hood, and Isaac Trimble. Bragg would leave his two corps of cavalry under Joseph Wheeler and Nathan B. Forrest as they were.

Wing Commanders Leonidas Polk and William J. Hardee
​

Similar to Gettysburg, Chickamauga would begin as a skirmish which escalated into a full scale battle. This time, it would be a skirmish between the Union "Lightning" Brigade under John T. Wilder, who were equipped with Spencer repeating rifles, and St. John Lidell's division. This skirmish quickly grew into a battle, and by the next morning, both sides had their full armies on the field ready for battle. Rosecrans' plan was simple. He would fight a defensive battle, with XX Corps under Alexander McCook and the XIV Corps under James Negley holding the line, the Reserve Corps under Gordon Granger funneling reinforcements to where they were needed. Bragg's plan was more complex. Knowing that Rosecrans would likely fight defensive due to his lesser numbers, Bragg decided to use a flanking strategy. While Hardee's wing held the Union front, and appeared to be the whole army, Polk's corps would attack the Union right under McCook, with Breckinridge's corps, Cheatham's division, and Forrest's cavalry leading the attack, with the rest of Polk's wing to attack when the Union right fell into chaos, and Wheeler's cavalry held in reserve behind Hardee's line to strike when the Union line routed. Bragg's entire plan hinged on the idea the McCook would leave his right weak enough that in could sucumb to a flanking attack, like he had done at Perryville and Stones River. As Polk's wing set off with the sun's rise, the bloodiest day of the Civil War began.

Generals Nathan B. Forrest and Patrick Cleburne at the head of Polk's wing​

 

[GTStinger]

Is ATL Chickamauga happening in mid September like OTL?

Was Rosecrans attempting to maneuver his Corps independently to flank Bragg like OTL and scrambled to make a stand a Chickamauga or is this a planned defensive location that he moved to directly from Chattanooga?

 

[TheRockofChickamauga]

Is ATL Chickamauga happening in mid September like OTL?

Was Rosecrans attempting to maneuver his Corps independently to flank Bragg like OTL and scrambled to make a stand a Chickamauga or is this a planned defensive location that he moved to directly from Chattanooga?

The Battle of Chickamauga started August 16 in this timeline, with the main battle (which will be described in the part two) happening on August 17. The battle's date has been moved up because of more pressure from Lincoln on Rosecrans to win a victory to attempt to stop foreign recognition of the CSA. For your second question, Rosecrans was moving his corps independently similar to OTL, and rushed them to Wilder's support, turning Chickamauga from a skirmish to a full-fledged battle in this timeline.

 

[TheRockofChickamauga]

Chapter Eleven: The Battle of Chickamauga Part Two

A painting of Cleburne at Chickamauga by Daniel Troiani
​

When the head of Polk's assault column arrived at the Union right, they were relieved to find it unprepared for action, as they were focused on one of Hardee's attack, which had been going on since the sun's rise. Similar to Jackson's attack at Chancellorsville, Polk's wing took McCook completely by surprise, and the right flank of the Army of the Cumberland would be completely shattered, with McCook's corps being thrown into a total rout. Meanwhile, Bragg, who was with Hardee's wing, heard of the success of Polk's attack. Knowing that all that was needed now for the Army of the Cumberland to shatter was for Negley's corps to break, Bragg ordered for Hardee's wing to attack Negley's corps one last time, with this time Bragg personally riding forward with his men into action. The decision would prove to be his undoing, as two Union musket shots would lodge themselves into Bragg's stomach. Being carried from the field, Bragg would turn over command of the Army of Tennessee to Leonidas Polk.

An image depicting the advance of Hardee's wing on Negley's corps
​

With McCook's corps routing past him, and now being attacked from two sides, Negley would try to make a defensive stand, but a bullet would wound him, and his men would rout, leaving their corps commander behind to be captured. This left Rosecrans with one solid infantry formation left on the field, the Reserve Corps under Gordon Granger. Rosecrans would order these men to act as a rearguard while the rest of the army fled back to Chattanooga. Demoralized by the sight of the rest of the army abandoning them, the Reserve Corps, along with small portions of Army of the Cumberland who Granger managed to rally for his stand, would still hold their ground, but only because of the rallying sight of Gordon Granger. So when Granger, along with Philip H. Sheridan, the second highest ranking officer staying with the rearguard, were killed by a cannon shot, the men routed. Also injured by the shot would be Rosecrans' chief-of-staff, James Garfield, who would have a small piece of sharpnel pierce his arm with a amputation almost necessitated by it.

A detail form a Kurz & Allison lithograph of Granger's stand and a photograph of Gordon Granger
​

With nothing standing between themselves and Rosecrans' army, Polk would order a pursuit. Retracing their steps, Polk would chase Rosecrans all the way back to Chattanooga. Their Rosecrans decided to sacrifice a portion of his army to ensure the escape of the rest. Rosecrans would order the battered divisions of Joseph J. Reynolds and Philip Sheridan to hold the city, under the command of Joseph J. Reynolds. Despite Chattanooga's great defensive ground, Polk would decide to continue his attack, and ordered his tired but still battle-ready men into the city.

A painting of Cleburne's division storming into Chattanooga
​

The Union forces in Chattanooga, fighting with the spirit of men who know their cause is lost would put up a determined resistance, causing the heaviest Confederate losses of the day. Eventually, they would rout. For the moment, it seemed the battle was won, and Polk rode to the front to observe the routing Union soldiers. However, there was still one Union reserve left, Charles Harker and his brigade, which Rosecrans had taken from the XXI Corps to garrison Chattanooga. These men would charge into the unprepared Confederates killing both Leonidas Polk with a shot to the skull, and Zach C. Deas, the brigade commander who he was riding by. Eventually even their fury was driven back, as the death of Harker and Colonel Emerson Opdycke, the man who had led the charge, broke their morale.

A Daniel Troiani painting depicting Opdycke moments before his death.
​

With his men routed and tired, and himself mortally wounded, Joseph J. Reynolds would surrender Chattanooga and all the remains of the two divisions garrisoning it to Hardee, who had taken over command of the Army of Tennessee following Polk's fall. Thus ended both the bloodiest day and battle of the Civil War. Losses were heavy on both sides. For the Union, almost 37,000 men went down, ending the Army of the Cumberland as a fighting force. Rosecrans would lose two corps commanders, Granger killed and Negley wounded and captured. Negley would survive his wound, and go own to great fame after the war for memoirs. He would lose three division commanders, Sheridan killed and Reynolds and Richard W. Johnson mortally wounded. Seven Union brigade commanders would be killed or mortally wounded at Chickamauga: John C. Starkweather, John H. King, John T. Croxton, John B. Turchin, William H. Lytle, Charles Harker, and John T. Wilder. Confederates losses would number slightly over 15,000 men, with many officers going down. Bragg would succumb to his wounds, leaving Hardee as permanent commander of the Army of Tennessee. Longstreet would take over Hardee's wing, with D.H. Hill now leading Longstreet's III Corps, and Stephen D. Ramseur D.H. Hill's division. Cheatham would take command of Polk's wing, with William B. Bate taking command of his division. Cleburne would take command of the Reserve Corps because of Walker's death, leaving Lucius Polk to command the division. Finally Archibald Gracie and Lloyd Tilghman would receive command of William Preston's and William Loring's division respectively, much to the annoyance of Felix Zollicoffer, who had hoped for Loring's command. Six Confederate brigade commanders would be killed: Daniel W. Adams, John K. Jackson, Patton Anderson, James Deshler, Zach C. Deas, and Preston Smith, who would become the last man killed in the battle while leading a charge of about a dozen of his men against three Union soldiers hiding behind a mostly broken stone wall.

A picture of Chattanooga National Cemetery
​

Following the battle's conclusion, Private, soon to be Corporal Sam Watkins wrote in his diary, “After the horrors of that day, I wanted the war to be over, and my concern over the victor was supplanted by my concern for the fallen to come if the war continued.” Watkins' desire would come true, as Chickamauga would be the last major battle of the American Civil War. Now with most of its armies in ruins, Lincoln could no longer perform offensive operations, and could only pull back his forces in defense of the United States. The day after Lincoln received news of the defeat of Chickamauga, Lincoln would also receive the news that the European convention had decided to recognize the CSA as an independent nation.

 

[GTStinger]

Was the rail line through Knoxville available to transport Longstreet's Corp in ATL?
Coming through the Carolinas OTL, they barely made it to Chickamauga in September.