Battle Analysis: Battle of Stones River
The purpose of this paper is to describe how the Confederate Army of Tennessee could have used Intelligence assets to minimize losses and achieve victory during the Battle of Stones River in Murfreesboro, Tennessee during the winter from December 3, 1862 to January 2, 1863. The Battle of Stones River was a significant turning point in the Civil War. It is the final battle of the Stones River Campaign of the Western Theater. The campaign includes four other battles, most notably the brief Confederate invasion of Kentucky. The Union Army’s goal was to defeat the Confederates and remove them from Tennessee. The Confederate’s goal was to maintain ground in Tennessee after recent losses in Kentucky. The battle …show more content…
During the movement south from Nashville, Confederate Calvary continually attacked the rear supply lines of the Union force. This provided vital intelligence to General Bragg as well as diverted Union resources away from the front line. The Confederate Army repositioned to match the Union Army arrayed along the river. Both armies planned to attack each other’s right flank on the morning of January 1. If successful and timed right, the two attacks would result in a wagon wheel and the two forces rotating to switch sides. This also caused the two armies to bolster their left sides and ignore actions that were taking place on their right flanks. Union Intelligence indicated that Confederate forces were mounting on their right flank in the early hours of January 1, however the commanders ignored these reports as the main attack was to occur on the other side of the battlefield in just a few hours. (Thompson, n.d.; Troolin, …show more content…
The battle was a much needed morale boost for the Union as a whole and ultimately served as the defeat of Tennessee and the establishment of a major supply hub. The Union Army built the largest fortress of the war in Murfreesboro following the battle to secure the rail line. From there they stayed encamped until the summer of 1863 while rebuilding their force. The Confederates moved south to Tullahoma, TN and continued to be defeated and eventually pushed out of Tennessee. This allowed for the follow on push into the Deep South, to include General Sherman 's March through Georgia. The Battle of Stones River was the major turning point in the Western Theater that ultimately resulted in the Union victory of the west. The Union Army of the Cumberland suffered 12,906 causalities while the Confederate Army of Tennessee suffered 11,739 casualties. (The Battle of Stones River (Murfreesboro),
The purpose of this paper is to describe how the Confederate Army of Tennessee could have used Intelligence assets to minimize losses and achieve victory during the Battle of Stones River in Murfreesboro, Tennessee during the winter from December 3, 1862 to January 2, 1863. The Battle of Stones River was a significant turning point in the Civil War. It is the final battle of the Stones River Campaign of the Western Theater. The campaign includes four other battles, most notably the brief Confederate invasion of Kentucky. The Union Army’s goal was to defeat the Confederates and remove them from Tennessee. The Confederate’s goal was to maintain ground in Tennessee after recent losses in Kentucky. The battle …show more content…
During the movement south from Nashville, Confederate Calvary continually attacked the rear supply lines of the Union force. This provided vital intelligence to General Bragg as well as diverted Union resources away from the front line. The Confederate Army repositioned to match the Union Army arrayed along the river. Both armies planned to attack each other’s right flank on the morning of January 1. If successful and timed right, the two attacks would result in a wagon wheel and the two forces rotating to switch sides. This also caused the two armies to bolster their left sides and ignore actions that were taking place on their right flanks. Union Intelligence indicated that Confederate forces were mounting on their right flank in the early hours of January 1, however the commanders ignored these reports as the main attack was to occur on the other side of the battlefield in just a few hours. (Thompson, n.d.; Troolin, …show more content…
The battle was a much needed morale boost for the Union as a whole and ultimately served as the defeat of Tennessee and the establishment of a major supply hub. The Union Army built the largest fortress of the war in Murfreesboro following the battle to secure the rail line. From there they stayed encamped until the summer of 1863 while rebuilding their force. The Confederates moved south to Tullahoma, TN and continued to be defeated and eventually pushed out of Tennessee. This allowed for the follow on push into the Deep South, to include General Sherman 's March through Georgia. The Battle of Stones River was the major turning point in the Western Theater that ultimately resulted in the Union victory of the west. The Union Army of the Cumberland suffered 12,906 causalities while the Confederate Army of Tennessee suffered 11,739 casualties. (The Battle of Stones River (Murfreesboro),