The First Battle of Chattanooga was a minor artillery battle in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, fought on June 7–8, 1862.

Background

In late spring 1862, the Confederacy split its forces in Chattanooga,

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

into several small commands in an attempt to complicate Federal operations. Union

Maj. Gen. Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Ormsby M. Mitchel received orders to take his division to

Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in t ...

, to repair railroads in the area. Soon, he occupied more than 100 miles along the Nashville & Chattanooga and Memphis & Charleston railroads. In May, Mitchel and his men sparred with Maj. Gen.

Edmund Kirby Smith General Edmund Kirby Smith (May 16, 1824March 28, 1893) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded the Trans-Mississippi Department (comprising Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, western Louisiana, Arizona Territory and the Indi ...

's men.

Battle

After Mitchel received command of all Federal troops between Nashville and Huntsville on May 29, he ordered

Brig. Gen. Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

James Negley with a small division to lead an expedition to capture

Chattanooga Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...

. This force arrived before Chattanooga on June 7. Negley ordered the

79th Pennsylvania Infantry The 79th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (also known as the "Lancaster Rifles") was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 79th Pennsylvania Infantry was organized at Lancaster, Pennsylvani ...

out to reconnoiter. It found the Confederates entrenched on the opposite side of the river along the banks and atop Cameron Hill. Negley brought up two artillery batteries to open fire on the Rebel troops and the town and sent infantry to the river bank to act as sharpshooters. The Union bombardment of Chattanooga continued throughout June 7 and until noon on June 8. The Confederates replied, but it was uncoordinated since the undisciplined gunners were allowed to do as they wished. On June 10, Smith, who had arrived on June 8, reported that Negley had withdrawn and the Confederate loss was minor. This attack on Chattanooga was a warning that Union troops could mount assaults when they wanted. The attack also prompted

to withdraw Confederate troops from other areas to defend Chattanooga. This redeployment of troops allowed

George W. Morgan George Washington Morgan (September 20, 1820 – July 26, 1893) was an American soldier, lawyer, politician, and diplomat. He fought in the Texas Revolution and the Mexican–American War, and was a general in the Union Army during the Ameri ...

to capture the Cumberland Gap on June 18, 1862.

Battlefield preservation

The

American Battlefield Trust The American Battlefield Trust is a charitable organization ( 501(c)(3)) whose primary focus is in the preservation of battlefields of the American Civil War, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 through acquisition of battlefield land. Th ...

and its partners have acquired and preserved of the battlefield as of late 2021.

"Saved Land" webpage. Accessed November 24, 2021.

Notes

References

National Park Service battle description

CWSAC Report
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chattanooga Chattanooga I Chattanooga I Chattanooga I Chattanooga I Hamilton County, Tennessee 1862 in the American Civil War 1862 in Tennessee June 1862 events

Background

Battle

Battlefield preservation

See also

Notes

References