BEFORE THE BATTLE

Union - Army of the CumberlandGen. William Rosecrans

Confederacy - Army of TennesseeGen. Braxton Bragg

THE ARMIES

Served in the Mexican-American War as an artillery commander in the United States Army.

Held very strict discipline among his men, sometimes putting him at odds with his troops.

This also had the added affect of creating one of the most organized and well trained armies in the Confederacy.

GENERAL BRAXTON BRAGG

Very intelligent, although he had little formal education.

Interviewed with a Congressman in order to seek appointment to the military academy.

The man was so impressed with Rosencrans, that he passed over his own son in appointing him.

Did not serve in the Mexican-American War.

GENERAL WILLIAM S. ROSECRANS

Both generals had resigned their commissions before the Civil War began.

After the fighting began, they volunteered their services to their respective countries, who were only too eager to have them. -Why would the Union and the Confederacy want men like

Rosecrans and Bragg?

SIMILARITIES

Bragg’s and Rosecrans’ armies had collided multiple times before.

Battle of Stone River: Union victory because

they held their lines 12,906 Union, 11,739

Confederates casualties Confederates pull out Major morale boost for

the North

PRIOR CONFLICTS

The Union forces give chase to the Rebels, who retreated about 30 miles South.

Union eventually gave chase and was able to deal a strong blow against the Confederates by way of flanking.

Union lost 569, Confederates never reported their losses although 1,600 were taken prisoner.

Flanking:

TULLAHOMA CAMPAIGN

Why is morale important in war?Army

Civilians

MORALE

"The flanking of Bragg at Shelbyville, Tullahoma and Chattanooga is the most splendid piece of strategy I know of.“

-Abe Lincoln

ROSENCRANS RECEIVES PRAISE

Lincoln needs generals willing to fight.

“Lee's Army overthrown; Grant victorious. You and your noble army now have a chance to give the finishing blow to the rebellion. Will you neglect the chance?”

Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War

NEW ORDERS

Rosencrans is insulted by this.

The Union army had outmaneuvered the Confederates and forced them out of Middle Tennessee.

The Confederate forces would attempt to retreat to Chattanooga.

The Army of the Cumberland’s new mission was to chase the Confederate Army of Tennessee into Northern Georgia.

MAIN POINTS

CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW

The Confederacy wants Bragg to go on the offensive and change the tide of the war in the Western Theater.

To assist Bragg, the Confederacy sent him two divisions from the Army of Northern Virginia, (Robert E. Lee’s force), under the command of Lt. General James Longstreet.

This gave Bragg the numerical advantage.

CONFEDERATE WISHES