Campaign for Chattanooga (Continued)

Campaign for Chattanooga (Continued). August 16th to September 22nd. Passing around Lookout, and leaving one brigade to occupy Chattanooga, Crittenden marched via Rossville and Ringgold to Lee and Gordon's Mill. Bragg, with the design of attacking the Union Corps in detail, first ordered strong movements in the direction of Steven's Gap upon Thomas and subsequently upon Crittenden near Rock Spring, both of which failed for the lack of confidence in obeying orders on the part of subordinate commanders. Bragg, being joined by Longstreet, then forced the crossing of the Chickamauga on the afternoon of September 18th and early on the 19th formed near Dalton's Ford to attack Rosecrans' left(Crittenden) at Lee and Gordon's Mill, seeking thus to interpose his army between Rosecrans and Chattanooga. The Battle of Chickamauga resulted, September 19th and 20th. At the close of the second day Bragg had seized the road to Chattanooga beyond Rosecrans' left. Rosecrans, having been forced off the field with the Union right, rode to Chattanooga, and later ordered Thomas to retire the army to Rossville. Thomas, at dusk, withdrew via McFarland's Gap, and before morning had established the Union Army in Rossville Gap and on the adjoining crests of Missionary Ridge and across the valley to Lookout, and so between Bragg and Chattanooga. The night of September 21st and the morning of the 22nd the Union Army moved into Chattanooga and established its lines about the city.