Battle for Chattanooga

Chattanooga: Lookout Mountain/Missionary Ridge

Sept. 20, 1863 to Nov. 25, 1863

A view of Chattanooga and Missionary Ridge from Lookout Mountain then.

If your here from Gettysburg you here because this is the battle where Grant become the obvious choice to lead the combined Union forces. In that sense this battle become one of the most important to the final outcome of the war. In one stroke the Confedrates are driven out of Tennessee, the attack on Atlanta becomes inevitable and Grant is moved east to face Lee.

A view of Chattanooga and Missionary Ridge from Lookout Mountain now.

The Battle of Chattanooga, TN

The Union Order of Battle

The Confederate Order of Battle

Lookout Mountain vs. Missionary Ridge

When I visited Chattanooga I went straight to Lookout Mountain. Missionary Ridge has a drive along the top with monuments but is largely private property. I figured that I could photograph the actual battlefield from the vantage point of Lookout Mountain; and, from Point Park you can see all of the salient points. While the top of Lookout Mountain is covered with houses the actual battlefield wraps around the side of the mountain and is largely undeveloped.

I parked at the Cravens House and walked to the Confederate rifle pits and beyond. The whole time I was there I only say two women who were hiking to Point Park. The crux of the battle was fought for the Cravens property and then moved a mile or so east to the Confederates final positions near the original vertical RR line.

Missionary Ridge

Lookout Mountain, the Battle above the Clouds.

Lookout Mountain Photo's

It has been pointed out to me that there are ghostly figures in two of the picutres bellow. Let me know if you see them.

Lookout Mountain from bellow

Five views from the drive up the mountain

The West Side of the mountain, the begining of the attack

The battle began in the area of the photo's bellow. The Union soldiers moved up from the river bellow, the Confederates had constructed a defensive line expecting an attack from that direction, but the Union attack turned left toward the Craven House instead of going straight up the side of the mountain like Bragg figured they would.

The Confederate Defense Line

It would have been too steep to attack up

A walk across the west face of the mountain following the Union line of attack

The Cravens House

The Cravens House and property was the site of most of the fighting

An out building at the Cravens House

Park Rangers House near the Cravens House

The end of the battle

The reformed Confederate line extended up the side of the mountain

Next: Cravens House Monuments