Chapter 8: 1863, The Battle of Chickamauga

Confederate General Braxton Bragg was determined to get back into Chattanooga and Tennessee. Toward that end, he had positioned his army to confront General William Rosecrans’ forces just to the northwest of Chickamauga Creek.

2 General Bragg was joined in this effort by Generals Daniel Harvey Hill, John Bell Hood, James Longstreet, Nathan Bedford Forrest, Patrick Cleburne, Leonidas Polk and Lucius Polk. And, as a part of General D.H. Hill’s command, Nixon’s 48^th Tennessee infantry Regiment was present and ready to do its part in pushing the Yankees out of Georgia. Rosecrans would be assisted by Generals George Thomas, Thomas Crittenden, Philip Sheridan, Thomas Wood, John Brannan, James Negley and John Reynolds.

3 The Confederates were in position by September 18. The area occupied by the two armies was heavily wooded and visibility was poor. The weather was cool, but both sides had some reason to hope for success.

4 Two members of Nixon’s regiment, Thomas Favors and John McMasters, were a bit apprehensive and tired as the generals prepared their battle plans. “I can’t see nothin for all these trees,” Thomas declared. “Yeah, but I know those Yankees are out there somewhere,” answered John. “I’m sure of that,” Thomas agreed.

5 As they talked, they could see someone approaching them from behind. “Hey, Tom,” a young man called out. “Well, if it ain’t young Francis!” Thomas declared. “I didn’t know the Alabama boys were here,” he smiled. “Can’t keep us out of the fight,” Francis grinned. “John, this is my wife’s little brother, Francis Downs,” Thomas introduced. “Proud to meet ya,” John offered.

6 “This might not be the best place to be right now,” Thomas continued. “Can’t be no worse than Shiloh,” Francis replied matter-of-factly. “I heard you was there,” Thomas acknowledged.

7 “What about Matt? Was he captured at Donelson?” he asked. “No, he escaped with Forrest’s cavalry,” Francis answered.

8 “Heard anything from home?” Francis asked. “Not a word,” Thomas finished.

9 “Oh well, guess I’d better get back before they miss me. It sure was good seein home folks,” Francis grinned. “Take care of yourself boy!” Thomas shouted as his brother-in-law trotted off into the trees.

10 The plan was to attack the Yankee Army and drive them into McLemore’s Cove, where it was expected that Confederate forces would virtually annihilate the trapped army. The battle, however, did not go as planned.

11 The Yankees attacked first. General Thomas attacked the Confederate line at Reed’s Bridge in an attempt to intercept the rebels before they could get across the creek in force. General Brannan’s soldiers also engaged General Forrest’s Calvary at about the same time.

12 Surprised by the ferocity of the Yankee attack, John and Thomas ducked behind two large trees and began returning fire. The rebels, however, were there in greater numbers than the Yankees had expected.

13 As a consequence, they were able to push back against the Union ranks and force them to retreat. Hence, John and Thomas soon joined their comrades in pursuit of the retreating Yankees.

14 Then, reinforced, the Yankees pushed back. And so it went on for some time, with the line of battle swaying back and forth. It seemed like Union and rebel forces were just taking turns advancing and retreating.

15 The unit’s colors went down, and Capt. Ives turned to John and said, “Pick up that flag, Private.” “God Almighty, Captain, can’t you see I’m shooting? I haven’t got time to fool with that!” John exclaimed.

16 The Bradley boys were fighting next to Thomas when a burst of Yankee gunfire felled Francis and Joseph. JL and Thomas Haddock rushed up to retrieve their fallen comrades, and JL also went down.

17 There was blood and gore everywhere. Indeed, the ground was slick with it. “I sure wish this was finished,” Thomas shouted.

18 General Rosecrans had established his headquarters in a small log cabin just to the north of Gordon’s Mill. This positioned him a little to the left of the road where his army was deployed. Even so, the dense forest made it impossible for the general to really keep track of what was going on during the battle. All he could do was guess. At times, the din of battle was so close and so loud that the general and his staff had to shout at each other to be heard.

19 As the sun went down and the guns fell silent, John and Thomas shivered in the cool night air. They were both in shock. They had lost so many of their friends and neighbors today.

20 “What I wouldn’t give for a damned blanket right now,” Thomas managed. “I know what you mean,” John replied. “At least we have the Creek for water. Those poor bastards won’t have nothin to drink tonight,” he finished. “Breaks my heart,” Thomas added.

21 That Sunday morning dawned blood red. The trees were wreathed in fog and the smoke from yesterday’s battle. General Bragg had intended for General Leonidas Polk to attack at sunrise, but everything was silent. Later, Bragg discovered that Polk had not received his orders and was unaware that he was supposed to initiate the attack.

22 When the battle finally commenced, General Thomas was ready for the Confederate assault. Each wave of rebel soldiers was met with merciless gunfire from behind the Yankee breastworks.

23 Nevertheless, Colonel Nixon’s unit surged forward, and Thomas and John were once again in the thick of the action. “Give them hell, boys!” the Colonel urged.

24 At one point, General Forrest’s cavalry had even dismounted and joined the ground forces in attempting to break through the Yankee line. “Whose infantry is that?” General Hill asked. “That’s Forrest’s Calvary, General,” a young aide responded.

25 “General Forrest, I take back everything that I have ever said about the cavalry. Your troops are brave and magnificent!” the general shouted. Forrest waved and returned to the battle.

26 General Thomas called for more reinforcements, but Rosecrans had just been informed that a hole had opened in the center of his line. “General Reynolds flank is exposed,” an aide reported. Without hesitation, Rosecrans ordered General Wood to plug the breach in the line. However, the intelligence about the break in the line had been mistaken; and General Wood’s movement created a real gap in the line.

27 This was just what James Longstreet had been waiting for, and he ordered General Hood to attack. As Hood’s soldiers poured through the opening in the Union line, the Yankees began to panic. The action was so fast-moving that the Confederates had closed on Wood’s forces before they had had a chance to redeploy. The Rebel Yell went up, and the Yankees retreated in confusion. Soon, even General Rosecrans and his staff were fleeing the battlefield.

28 For a moment, the Yankees seemed to regroup and drove back the Texas brigade. General Hood, however, appeared out of nowhere and attempted to rally his men to resume the attack. Just then, the general was struck in the leg and some of his beloved Texans caught him as he fell out of the saddle.

29 “Keep going!” the wounded general roared as his troops carried him from the battlefield; and they did. In fact, a large part of the Union Army was already heading back to Chattanooga.

30 General George Thomas, however, was another story. His men held against the Confederate onslaught. “He’s a tough son of a bitch,” Thomas shouted to John. “Yeah, but I wish he’d turned tail and run like the rest of ‘em,” replied John. The general’s tenacity would later earn him the title “The Rock of Chickamauga.”

31 Nevertheless, General Bragg and his Confederate forces carried the day. And, although this victory would soon prove to be a temporary halt to the union advance, the Confederacy was once again on the offensive in the Western theatre of the war.

32 The battle, however, had been costly for both sides. Over 34,000 men had fallen in this single engagement. Thus, Chickamauga would go down in history as second only to Gettysburg in the number of casualties generated during a battle.

33 John and Thomas had survived the hell of Chickamauga, but the war was not over for them or their companions. They had miles to go before they would be allowed to return home or sleep. That point was made even plainer by the news that young Francis had been wounded in the battle and was recuperating in one of the numerous field hospitals that had been established around its perimeter.