THE BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA

The Battle of Chickamauga took place in northern Georgia on 19-20 September 1863. Confederate General Braxton Bragg faced off against Union General William S. Rosecrans. Rosecrans and two wings of his army were driven from the field early on during the second day, but a determined delaying action led by General George H. Thomas allowed most of the Union Army to escape to the safety of nearby Chattanooga, Tennessee. Chickamauga is considered a Confederate victory, since the Union Army was driven from the battlefield, but the Union Army retained control of Chattanooga, which was used as a base during the successful campaign to capture Atlanta during spring and summer 1864.

Battle of Chickamauga: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Chickamauga

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BU—Buder Branch
ELB—Entertainment, Literature, & Biography (Central Library)
HGT—Hisotry, Geography, & Travel (Central Library)
MA—Machacek Branch
ST—Stacks (Central Library

Baumgartner, Richard A. Blue Lightning: Wilder's Mounted Infantry Brigade in the Battle of Chickamauga. Huntington, W. VA: Blue Acorn Press, 1997. ST—973.7359

Bowers, John. Chickamauga and Chattanooga: The Battles That Doomed the Confederacy. New York: HarperCollinsPublishers, 1994. ST—973.735

Broadwater, Robert P. General George H. Thomas: A Biography of the Union's "Rock of Chickamauga". Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co, 2009. ELB—B THOMAS

Chickamauga. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1997. ST,BU,MA—973.7359

Cleaves, Freeman. Rock of Chickamauga: The Life of General George H. Thomas. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1948. ST-B THOMAS

Cozzens, Peter. This Terrible Sound: The Battle of Chickamauga. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1992. ST—973.735

Korn, Jerry. The Fight for Chattanooga: Chickamauga to Missionary Ridge. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1985. ST,BU—973.7359

McElroy, Joseph C. Chickamauga. Cincinnati: Earhart & Richardson, Printers and Engravers, 1896. ST—973.76

Spruill, Matt. Guide to the Battle of Chickamauga. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 1993. ST—973.735

Wills, Brian Steel. George Henry Thomas: As True as Steel. Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, 2012. ELB—B THOMAS

Woodworth, Steven E. Chickamauga: A Battlefield Guide with a Section on Chattanooga. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1999. HGT—973.7359

Woodworth, Steven E, and Grady McWhiney. A Deep Steady Thunder: The Battle of Chickamauga. Fort Worth: Ryan Place Publishers, 1996. ST—973.735

READING LISTS-- CIVIL WAR GENERALS, PT. 11

William S. Rosecrans (1819-1898) was born in Ohio and educated at West Point. He graduated fifth (in a class of 42) in 1842, having excelled in mathematics, French, drawing and English grammar. He was assigned as an engineer in Virginia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC, and then served for some time as mathematics instructor at West Point. Rosecrans converted to Roman Catholicism at a time when the vast majority of Army officers were Protestants. He resigned in failing health in 1854, and spent the next seven years regaining his strength while working as an engineer and businessman. He ran several companies, and was awarded several patents.

When war broke out in 1861, he volunteered his services and quickly received promotion to Brigadier General. Successes in western Virginia and at the Battles of Iuka and Corinth (Mississippi) led to him being named commander of the Department of the Cumberland. After a disputed victory at Stones River (Tennessee), he commanded the army during the Battle of Chickamauga (September 19-20, 1863). A mistake in troop placement on the second day resulted in a near disaster that was only averted by a desperate holding action by Union soldiers commanded by General George Thomas.

Rosecrans and most of his staff officers had fled to Chattanooga while Thomas held off the Confederates at Chickamauga. Rosecrans was shortly thereafter removed from command in Tennessee, and was later given command of the Department of the Missouri. He commanded that army during Price’s Raid (September-October 1864). After the war, he was stationed in California, where he died in 1898. Rosecrans is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Baumgartner, Richard A. Blue Lightning: Wilder's Mounted Infantry Brigade in the Battle of Chickamauga. Huntington, W. Va: Blue Acorn Press, 1997. ST-973.7359

Cozzens, Peter. No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1990. ST,BU-973.733

Donald, David H, and Robert Cowley. With My Face to the Enemy: Perspectives on the Civil War : Essays. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2001. ST.SC-973.7

Korn, Jerry. The Fight for Chattanooga: Chickamauga to Missionary Ridge. Alexandria, Va: Time-Life Books, 1985. ST,MA-973.7359

Lamers, William M. The Edge of Glory: A Biography of General William S. Rosecrans, U.S.A. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1961. ST-B ROSECRANS

Miles, Jim. Paths to Victory: A History and Tour Guide of the Stone's River, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Nashville Campaigns. Nashville, Tenn: Rutledge Hill Press, 1991. ST-973.73

Pearson, Thomas A. Railroad Boys: The Story of the 89th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment (1862-1865). St. Louis, Mo: Infinite Mirror Press, 2009. HG-973.7473

Strayer, Larry M, and Richard A. Baumgartner. Echoes of Battle: The Struggle for Chattanooga : an Illustrated Collection of Union and Confederate Narratives. Huntington, W. Va: Blue Acorn Press, 1996. HG-973.7359

Woodworth, Steven E. Chickamauga: A Battlefield Guide with a Section on Chattanooga. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1999. HG-973.735

Woodworth, Steven E, and Grady McWhiney. A Deep Steady Thunder: The Battle of Chickamauga. Fort Worth: Ryan Place Publishers, 1996. ST-973.735