harpers weekly article
HARPER'S WEEKLY.SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1863.
THE BATTLES IN GEORGIA.We have at last accounts, oral and written, of the great battles which were fought in Northwestern Georgia on 19th and 20th September. The battle commenced by an attack of the rebels on our advance, on Chickamauga Creek, on the morning of Saturday, 19th; it ended with the repulse of the rebels, at a point near Rossville, by Thomas's corps, about nightfall on Sunday, 20th, and was immediately followed by the retreat of our whole army to Chattanooga. During these two days' fighting we lost all the ground we had occupied between Chattanooga and Chickamauga some ten thousand men in killed, wounded, and missing; and a number of guns, by some estimated as high as fifty. The rebel loss in guns was considerably less than ours; in men probably considerably more. They gained possession of the battle-field. But they did not gain possession of Chattanooga, and as there is good reason to believe that this was the object of their attack, they must be pronounced to have failed in their purpose.
Chattanooga, besides being a naturally strong place, and suitable for a depot of supplies, a negro recruiting station, and a general point d'appui for future operations in Georgia, the Carolinas, and Alabama, is so far the key to Northern Mississippi and Alabama that, so long as we hold it as well as the Mississippi, we actually hold military possession of that section of country, and cut off all communication between the northern portion of the Gulf States and Virginia and North Carolina. It is, moreover, within striking distance, at Atlanta, of the only other railway line between those Gulf States and the rebel States on the Atlantic. So long as the United States hold Chattanooga, the only communication between Mississippi and Alabama on the one hand, and Virginia and the Carolinas on the other, is liable at any moment to be severed as completely as Grant's victories on the Mississippi have divided Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas from the rest of the Slave Confederacy. Why General Bragg evacuated so vital a point as this—a point which we had been repeatedly assured would never be given up, and could be held indefinitely—we shall not know until the history of the war comes to be written. There may be some truth in the newspaper stories of the demoralization of Bragg's army. It may be, as asserted in some quarters, that Rosecrans had succeeded in flanking the place and threatening Bragg's communications. However this be, it is plain that the only thing for the rebels to do after we had got into Chattanooga was to drive us out of it—or perish. They attempted to drive us out in the battles of the 19th and 20th, and they have failed.
THE BATTLES IN GEORGIA.We have at last accounts, oral and written, of the great battles which were fought in Northwestern Georgia on 19th and 20th September. The battle commenced by an attack of the rebels on our advance, on Chickamauga Creek, on the morning of Saturday, 19th; it ended with the repulse of the rebels, at a point near Rossville, by Thomas's corps, about nightfall on Sunday, 20th, and was immediately followed by the retreat of our whole army to Chattanooga. During these two days' fighting we lost all the ground we had occupied between Chattanooga and Chickamauga some ten thousand men in killed, wounded, and missing; and a number of guns, by some estimated as high as fifty. The rebel loss in guns was considerably less than ours; in men probably considerably more. They gained possession of the battle-field. But they did not gain possession of Chattanooga, and as there is good reason to believe that this was the object of their attack, they must be pronounced to have failed in their purpose.
Chattanooga, besides being a naturally strong place, and suitable for a depot of supplies, a negro recruiting station, and a general point d'appui for future operations in Georgia, the Carolinas, and Alabama, is so far the key to Northern Mississippi and Alabama that, so long as we hold it as well as the Mississippi, we actually hold military possession of that section of country, and cut off all communication between the northern portion of the Gulf States and Virginia and North Carolina. It is, moreover, within striking distance, at Atlanta, of the only other railway line between those Gulf States and the rebel States on the Atlantic. So long as the United States hold Chattanooga, the only communication between Mississippi and Alabama on the one hand, and Virginia and the Carolinas on the other, is liable at any moment to be severed as completely as Grant's victories on the Mississippi have divided Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas from the rest of the Slave Confederacy. Why General Bragg evacuated so vital a point as this—a point which we had been repeatedly assured would never be given up, and could be held indefinitely—we shall not know until the history of the war comes to be written. There may be some truth in the newspaper stories of the demoralization of Bragg's army. It may be, as asserted in some quarters, that Rosecrans had succeeded in flanking the place and threatening Bragg's communications. However this be, it is plain that the only thing for the rebels to do after we had got into Chattanooga was to drive us out of it—or perish. They attempted to drive us out in the battles of the 19th and 20th, and they have failed.
Questions
1.) The Harpers Weekly article describes the battle of Chickamauga as a battle that was extremely brutal. There were over ten thousand deaths, and many wounded and missing on both sides. Many guns were lost also. The rebels suffered the greatest in the loss of soldiers, but lost less guns.
2.) The rebels gained possession of Chickamauga winning the battle there, but they did not gain possession of Chattanooga, which was thought to be the reason why the battle occurred. So, even though the Confederates won the battle, they did not press their advantage. The Union retreated to Chattanooga and held onto it, a town geographically vital to the war.
2.) The rebels gained possession of Chickamauga winning the battle there, but they did not gain possession of Chattanooga, which was thought to be the reason why the battle occurred. So, even though the Confederates won the battle, they did not press their advantage. The Union retreated to Chattanooga and held onto it, a town geographically vital to the war.
Letter home from the battle field
Dear Mom,
I am writing to you from just South-east of Chattanooga, near the Chickamauga Creek. I am sorry I haven’t been able to write to you in a while, but you can probably understand why. Fighting in these battles is one of the hardest things I have ever done. It’s brutal out here. I’ve never seen as much blood and affliction in my whole life, but I know you probably don’t want to hear about that. Everywhere I look, dead bodies are piling up. It’s just a bunch of poor, innocent men, dying without a reason. I barely even knew any of them, but I never got the chance. It hurts me to hear the roll calls gradually dropping everyday. I am so blessed that, as of right now, it’s not my name being taken off the list.
It’s hard to sleep knowing that the next day might be my last. I can never just relax; there’s always a fear hanging over me that I could be attacked at any second. The conditions aren’t great either. It’s been getting colder and colder everyday.
Some good news is that the battle we just fought went pretty well for the confederates. The battle of Chickamauga went on for about two days and finally ended at about 8:00 last night. It was one of the most horrendous things I have ever seen. Our leader of the Tennessee Army, Braxton Bragg, led us to defeat the Union force that was commanded by General William Rosecran. Early in the month, Rosecran’s troops pushed us confederates out of Chattanooga. Bragg called for reinforcement so we launched a counterattack on the bank of Chickamauga Creek. There were heavy losses on both sides.
I just want you to know that I am doing okay for now and will try to write you as much as possible. I’ll do everything I can to try and stay alive so I can see you when this is all over. Keep praying for me.
Your son George, A Confederate Soldier
I am writing to you from just South-east of Chattanooga, near the Chickamauga Creek. I am sorry I haven’t been able to write to you in a while, but you can probably understand why. Fighting in these battles is one of the hardest things I have ever done. It’s brutal out here. I’ve never seen as much blood and affliction in my whole life, but I know you probably don’t want to hear about that. Everywhere I look, dead bodies are piling up. It’s just a bunch of poor, innocent men, dying without a reason. I barely even knew any of them, but I never got the chance. It hurts me to hear the roll calls gradually dropping everyday. I am so blessed that, as of right now, it’s not my name being taken off the list.
It’s hard to sleep knowing that the next day might be my last. I can never just relax; there’s always a fear hanging over me that I could be attacked at any second. The conditions aren’t great either. It’s been getting colder and colder everyday.
Some good news is that the battle we just fought went pretty well for the confederates. The battle of Chickamauga went on for about two days and finally ended at about 8:00 last night. It was one of the most horrendous things I have ever seen. Our leader of the Tennessee Army, Braxton Bragg, led us to defeat the Union force that was commanded by General William Rosecran. Early in the month, Rosecran’s troops pushed us confederates out of Chattanooga. Bragg called for reinforcement so we launched a counterattack on the bank of Chickamauga Creek. There were heavy losses on both sides.
I just want you to know that I am doing okay for now and will try to write you as much as possible. I’ll do everything I can to try and stay alive so I can see you when this is all over. Keep praying for me.
Your son George, A Confederate Soldier