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The Battle for
Missionary Ridge

 Nov. 25

 

 

 

 

 


 

Troops

Casualties

Union

70,000

4432

Confederate

32,000

4989

Patrick Cleburne

Wm. Tecumseh
Sherman

 

The Final Days

n the morning of November 25, Bragg had what was left of his Army dug in along the 6 mile natural fortress called Missionary Ridge. This ridge runs north to south along the eastern edge of Chattanooga. It rises at a steep grade about 400 feet above the grounds below and presented a formidable challenge to the Union forces.

Grant decided to concentrate his attack on the north end of the ridge with Sherman’s Army of the Tennessee. Unfortunately for Grant and Sherman, Bragg sent General Cleburne and his division (considered one of the best in the Confederate Army) to defend the north end.

The Battle for Missionary Ridge was fought on three fronts, the north end with Sherman against Cleburne (under Hardee), the middle with Thomas against Bragg, and the south with Hooker against Breckinridge. The Yankees were successful in the middle and south but Cleburne was successful on the north end.

The Army of the Tennessee

Before daybreak on November 24, Sherman began crossing the Tennessee River (the same time that Hooker was preparing to attack Lookout Mountain). By noon, most of his troops had crossed. With 30,000 men, Sherman was to lead the Union's primary assault against the Rebels. His target was the north end of Missionary Ridge known as Tunnel Hill.

Sherman planned to capture Tunnel Hill before nightfall and sweep the remaining Rebels off the ridge on the 25th. The Army of the Tennessee started their advance about 1:00. By 4:00, they had taken what Sherman thought was Tunnel Hill (Sherman was at the rear until nightfall). Sherman, thinking he had accomplished his primary objective and expecting a counterattack, ordered his troops to stop and fortify their position. But Sherman had made a critical mistake. He had not taken the north end of Missionary Ridge, but a separate hill known as Billy Goat Hill. Sherman's maps were inaccurate and the entire north end of Missionary Ridge still remained in Confederate control.

This was a critical mistake because, on the 24th, Tunnel Hill was not well fortified. Cleburne did not arrive at Tunnel Hill until after 3:00 that afternoon. If Sherman's maps had been accurate, he could have by passed Billy Goat Hill and captured Tunnel Hill with little difficulty on the 24th.

When Cleburne arrived at Tunnel Hill, he immediately began preparing for the assault. He had to defend not only Tunnel Hill, but the railroad a mile east of Tunnel Hill (the Confederate escape route). Cleburne was to do this with his division of 4,000 while facing an enemy of 30,000, a seven to one disadvantage.

Sherman began his attack at 11:00 am on the 25th. The fighting ebbed back and forth, but the Yankees slowly made their way to the crest of Tunnel Hill. By 3:30, the Yankees were just 20 yards from the crest and the Rebels were running out of ammunition, resorting to rolling boulders down the slope. It was then that Cleburne made a desperate decision, he would lead his entire command along Tunnel Hill in a charge down the ridge, directly into the deadly fire. At the order, more than a thousand screaming Rebels charged down the slopes. The Yankees along the slopes were suddenly overwhelmed by this gray tidal wave. Those that were not able to flee were captured or killed.

About 500 Yankee prisoners were taken in this charge. Many, however, were apparently released in the Confederate retreat.

Sherman's advance had been stopped cold. Shortly following Cleburne's charge and after suffering heavy casualties, Sherman called off his attack.  Sherman

The Army of the Cumberland

When Grant saw Sherman’s predicament, he ordered Thomas to attack the middle of the ridge (hoping Bragg would move forces from the north end to the middle). This despite Grant's belief that the center of the ridge was impenetrable and a direct attack would be near suicide. Because of this, Grant ordered Thomas to advance only to the lower rifle pits at the base of the ridge.

The Confederates had three defensive lines along the center of the ridge. The lower rifle pits along the base of the ridge, rifle pits halfway up, and breastworks along the top of the ridge.

The Confederates, however, had made a critical mistake in constructing their defenses in the center of the ridge. The breastworks along the top were constructed along the natural crest of the ridge (at the highest point) rather than the military crest (giving the defenders the best range of fire). In addition, the defenders in the lower rifle pits had been ordered to fire one round and then retreat up the ridge. This would make it difficult for the defenders on top to get a clear shot at the advancing enemy.

If it had not been for these two mistakes, Union casualties would have been significantly higher.

About 4:00 pm the Army of the Cumberland attacked. This was the first time these Armies had met since Chickamauga and the Yankees had something to prove. Under Generals Johnson, Sheridan, Wood, and Baird, the Yankees advanced under a heavy barrage. When they reached the lower rifle pits, the fire from above was so heavy, the Yankees found it safer to scale the ridge than to stay put. So despite orders, they continued their advance until the ridge was theirs. The Confederates in the center broke and ran for their lives, confusion ruled in the Confederate ranks.  Thomas

A young Union soldier, while advancing up the ridge, grabbed his regiment's colors and lead his comrades up the slopes. He was later awarded The Congressional Medal Of Honor for his bravery. It was Arthur MacArthur, Jr., the father of General Douglas MacArthur.

The Army of the Potomac

On the south end, Hooker was advancing from Lookout Mountain. His advance was slow for the Confederates retreating from Lookout Mountain had destroyed the bridges over the swollen Chattanooga Creek. Despite this, his advance units reached Rossville Gap at the south end of Missionary Ridge about 4:00 and attacked. With little resistance, his Army of the Potomac moved northward along the top and both sides of the ridge until it met up with units from The Army of the Cumberland.

By the evening of the 25th, the Union forces held the middle and south ends of Missionary Ridge and the Confederates were in retreat.

The Retreat

Pat Cleburne's men had just beaten the strongest of the Grant's Armies. For this reason, he was stunned upon hearing the Yankees had breached Missionary Ridge at its strongest points to the south. He was ordered to withdraw from the north end and to protect the Confederate retreat.

 Bragg's Army of Tennessee was defeated and in retreat. Hooker and his Army of the Potomac, on the Union southern flank, was in pursuit. Cleburne was ordered not to let Hooker catch them. Hooker didn't.

 

 

 

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