Thomas F. (hardtack) -
This is an excellent analysis of the Chattanooga campaign of 1863. It begins with the Confederate victory at the Battle of Chickamauga, although it doesn't describe it in detail.
It then progresses into the months afterwards, when Confederates invested the Union forces in Chattanooga, but didn't attack, thereby losing the initiative. The reasons why are given in interesting detail.
Finally, the Union forces in the city are reinforced, receive adequate supplies and go on the offensive on the left and right flanks of the Confederate Army of Tennessee during a period of several weeks. Finally, the main attack is made on the Union left. All this is described in readable detail and helps to educate the reader into what really happened, instead of some of the "enhanced tales" commonly found elsewhere.
I was particularly interested in the detailed description of the Army of the Cumberland's attack on Missionary Ridge, at a depth seldom found elsewhere. I now have a much better understanding of what caused this army, under the leadership of its field and company grade officers, to surge forward up the ridge, and why the defending Confederates were not able to withstand this assault, an assault which led to one of the few instances in the war when a Confederate army fled the field of battle in a rout.
It then progresses into the months afterwards, when Confederates invested the Union forces in Chattanooga, but didn't attack, thereby losing the initiative. The reasons why are given in interesting detail.
Finally, the Union forces in the city are reinforced, receive adequate supplies and go on the offensive on the left and right flanks of the Confederate Army of Tennessee during a period of several weeks. Finally, the main attack is made on the Union left. All this is described in readable detail and helps to educate the reader into what really happened, instead of some of the "enhanced tales" commonly found elsewhere.
I was particularly interested in the detailed description of the Army of the Cumberland's attack on Missionary Ridge, at a depth seldom found elsewhere. I now have a much better understanding of what caused this army, under the leadership of its field and company grade officers, to surge forward up the ridge, and why the defending Confederates were not able to withstand this assault, an assault which led to one of the few instances in the war when a Confederate army fled the field of battle in a rout.
