But Bragg was now greatly strengthened by soldiers from the Mississippi and by Longstreet's division from Lee's army in Virginia. He turned on Rosecrans, and attacked him at Chickamauga Creek. The right wing of the Union army was driven from the field. But Thomas, "the Rock of Chickamauga," with his men stood fast. Bragg attacked him again and again, and failed every time, although he had double Thomas's numbers. Rosecrans, believing the battle to be lost, had ridden off to Chattanooga, but Sheridan aided Thomas as well as he could. The third day Thomas and Bragg kept their positions, and then the Union soldiers retired unpursued to Chattanooga. The command of the whole army at Chattanooga was now given to Thomas, and Grant was placed in control of all the Western armies.
但是,此時的布拉格得到來自密西西比士兵的補充,也得到朗斯特里特從弗吉尼亞李將軍那里調來部隊的支持,他反攻羅斯科阮斯,并在朗斯特里特河向羅斯科阮斯的部隊發起攻擊。聯邦軍隊的右翼被趕出戰場,但是,托馬斯這位號稱"查塔努加巖石"的英雄帶領他的戰士頑強應戰,布拉格有比托馬斯多一倍的兵力,但他不得不向托馬斯發起一次次攻擊,而每次攻擊都以失敗告終。羅斯科阮斯認為已經戰敗,跨馬馳離查塔努加,但是,謝禮登竭盡全力援助托馬斯。第三天托馬斯和布拉格都退守不戰,隨后,聯邦軍士兵在沒有追兵的情況下向查塔努加撤退。現在,查塔努加的所有軍隊都歸托馬斯指揮,并且,任命格蘭特負責西部所有聯邦軍隊。
421. Chattanooga, November, 1863.
421.查塔努加(1863年11月)
The Union soldiers at Chattanooga were in great danger. For the Confederates were all about them and they could get no food. But help was at hand. Hooker, with fifteen thousand men from the Army of the Potomac, arrived and opened a road by which food could reach Chattanooga. Then Grant came with Sherman's corps from Vicksburg. He at once sent Sherman to assail Bragg's right flank and ordered Hooker to attack his left flank. Sherman and his men advanced until he was stopped by a deep ravine. At the other end of the line Hooker fought right up the side of Lookout Mountain, until the battle raged above the clouds. In the center were Thomas's men. Eager to avenge the slaughter of Chickamauga, they carried the first Confederate line of defenses. Then, without orders, they rushed up the hillside over the inner lines. They drove the Southerners from their guns and seized their works. Bragg retreated as well as he could. Longstreet was besieging Knoxville. He escaped through the mountains to Lee's army in Virginia.
聯邦軍在查塔努加的士兵處于巨大危險中,因為南方聯盟的所有軍隊都在他們附近,而他們可能得不到食品供應,但援助即將到來。胡克從波特馬克軍中帶來15000人,他們趕來并開辟一條給查塔努加運送食品的路。隨后,格蘭特帶著謝爾曼的軍團從維克斯堡趕來,他立刻派謝爾曼猛攻布拉格的右翼,并命令胡克攻擊布拉格的左翼。謝爾曼帶領軍隊前進,直到一條大峽谷擋住去路才停下來。在戰線的另一端,胡克率部一直攻打到瞭望山,所到之處殺聲震天。中部是托馬斯的軍隊,他們急于報查塔努加之仇,沖到南方聯盟軍的第一道防線,然后,命令還沒有下達他們就沖上山坡,南方聯盟軍棄槍而逃,他們占領了陣地。布拉格拼命逃竄。朗斯特里特正在包圍諾克斯維爾,布拉格越過高山逃奔李將軍在弗吉尼亞的軍隊。