Battle Of Chattanooga Essay

The civil war is a watershed event in American history. When Jefferson Davis the Southern President seceded from the Union, war was imminent. The war lasted 4 years and saw a see-saw struggle initially, which finally resulted in a Union victory. One of the more important battles of this war was the Battle of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The city was a vital rail hub and its capture was important as it opened the gate to the capture of the Deep South, including Atlanta. In the ultimate analysis, the Confederate defeat at Chattanooga sounded the death knell of the Southern dream. Prior to this battle, the morale of the Confederates was high as they had bested the union army at the /Battle_of_Chickamauga (between Sept. 19-20, 1863). The Union army had retreated to Chattanooga. They were pursued by the Confederate army who succeeded in bottling up the Union army in a tight semicircle. …show more content…
His coming had a significant effect on morale as he decided to go on the offensive. He started by opening a supply route to the beleaguered Union army by driving the Confederate army from the Tennessee River. He now planned for a major offensive in November. On November, he instructed his assistant General George Thomas to launch a probe against the Confederates on Missionary Ridge. This was an important landmark as its control gave the army a clear view of the countryside as well as Chattanooga. The attack is famous as the Battle of Missionary Ridge.
The morale of the rebel soldiers had been slowly ebbing and a simple maneuver turned into a significant win for the Union army. The Confederate force retreated and went up the strategic ridge, leaving the lower areas in control of the Union army. The stage was now set for the battle as the Union army captured Lookout Mountain on one side of the Confederate force. This was on