Tullahoma Campaign

Tullahoma Campaign. June 24 - July 4, 1863. In late June of 1863, Union Major General William S. Rosecrans launched a massive offensive from his base in Murfreesboro in an attempt to drive Confederate General Braxton Bragg's 43,000-man Army of Tennessee from its entrenchments at Shelbyville and Wartrace and possibly out of the state. The Union commander planned to capture Chattanooga and, in his words, rescue loyal East Tennessee from the hands of the rebels. The campaign was bold and swift, with relatively few engagements. By July 4th, the Union's Army of the Cumberland, 70,000 strong, had forced a Confederate retreat to Chattanooga, leaving nearly all of Tennessee in Union hands., Advance to Manchester , To maneuver Bragg out of his Shelbyville trenches, Rosecrans divided his army into four independent columns., The first column, under Major General Gordon Granger, advanced south from Murfreesboro, down what is today US 231, to threaten the main Confederate infantry at Shelbyville. The second, led by Major General Alexander McCook, moved south, through Liberty Gap. The third column, lead by Major General George Thomas, marched southeast, down the Manchester Pike (US 41), the main road to Chattanooga. A fourth column, commanded by Major General Thomas L. Crittenden, advanced due east along the McMinnville Turnpike (US 70) before turning south to cross the Highland Rim below Bradyville, at Gillie’s Gap., Rosecran's goal was to get the bulk of his army to Manchester, then push on to here, Tullahoma. Bragg would then be forced to retreat or fight a battle on ground of Rosecran's choosing. Only rain and the poor conditions of the roads slowed the Union advance. By the evening of June 27, the Union held Shelbyville and Manchester. Bragg's army narrowly escaped to take up positions around Tullahoma., (captions) , (upper right) Confederate General Braxton Bragg; Union Major General William S. Rosecrans , (left) Granger; McCook; Thomas; Crittenden