This battle derives its name from Chickamauga Creek, which is but a few miles from Chattanooga, Tenn., and is considered one of the greatest battles of modern times. It was exceeded in our Civil war only by Gettysburg and the Wilderness; compares with Waterloo, and twice bloodier than Wagram or Austerlitz. General D.H. Hill said that he had never seen the Federal dead lie so thickly on the ground save in front of the sunken wall at Fredericksburg. The late General John B. Gordon, whose pen was never weary of writing the praises of the Confederate soldiers, said that in his opinion the battle of Chickamauga was even greater than that of Gettysburg, but it is thought that he was somewhat partial to Chickamauga, having been reared there, and when a boy fished in Chickamauga Creek, and had ridden behind his father over the country which was later made a great battlefield.

General Braxton Bragg was in command of the Confederate army, known as the Army of the Tennessee, which was concentrated around Chattanooga.

General Rosecrans was in command of the Federal army, known as the Army of the Cumberland. It was made up of three corps under Generals Crittenden, Thomas and McCook. They began to advance on Chattanooga and endanger Bragg's line of communication.

On September 8th Bragg abandoned Chattanooga and fell back toward Rome, Ga. The Federals took possession of the city of Chattanooga. Rosecrans, believing that Bragg was in full retreat, ordered Crittenden to pursue. Meanwhile Bragg was concentrating his forces near Lafayette, about twenty-five miles from Chattanooga. He was joined by Generals S.B. Buckner and Breckinridge. General Longstreet was hastening from Virginia with about 12,000 men from Lee's army to join him, the men being fresh from the field of Gettysburg.

Rosecrans' army was somewhat divided, as he was not expecting a general battle. Bragg was quick to grasp this opportunity of making a general assault on the Union forces while they were divided. The attack was made on the 13th of September by General Polk, but from some misapprehension of orders he did not move in time, and thus gave Rosecrans time to unite his forces, thus losing Bragg this opportunity of breaking up the Army of the Cumberland.

The Federal forces under Crittenden now took position at Gordon's Mills, on the left bank of Chickamauga Creek, and the remainder of their troops were within supporting distance, and were under the command of Thomas and McCook, the total Union strength being estimated at about 60,000 men. The Confederate army lay on the east side of the stream, and was under the immediate command of Generals Polk, D.H. Hill and Buckner.

On the 18th Longstreet arrived with his troops. Thus the two mighty armies were now face to face.

Bragg endeavored to flank the Federal left and thus intervene between it and Chattanooga, and on the morning of September 19th the Confederates, under General Polk, made a grand assault upon the Federal left, under General Thomas. Meanwhile the Federal right was being heavily pressed by General Hood, commanding Longstreet's corps. This was kept up the entire day and when darkness came the Federals had been forced back from the creek, but the result was indecisive.

During the night preparations were made for the renewal of the battle on the next morning, which was Sunday, September 20th.

It is strange to say that some of the greatest battles of the war were fought on Sunday.

General Longstreet now took command of his troops which had arrived, but part of his corps did not arrive in time for the battle, having been delayed on trains that were behind time. This brought their strength up to equal that of the Federals.

General Thomas had taken position on Snodgrass Hill, and was anticipating a Confederate attack, which was made late in the morning by General Polk, who was supported by Generals Breckinridge and Patrick Cleburne, the last-named being an Irishman formerly from the County of Cork.

This assault was made time after time with desperate loss to both sides. At length, by some misunderstanding of orders, one of the Federal divisions under General Wood withdrew from its position. By this movement a large opening was made in the center of their battle line.

This was quickly taken advantage of by three divisions of the Confederates, which rushed in with an impetus that was irresistible.

General Hood, one of the Confederate division commanders, was severely wounded in this movement with a minie ball, and was carried from the field.

The Federals under Wood, Sheridan and Van Cleve were driven from the field. General Longstreet now assumed chief command, and here gave a fine exhibition of his military genius. He succeeded in separating the two wings of the opposing army. The right wing already being in full retreat, he wheeled and compelled the further withdrawal of Federal troops in order to save being surrounded. The retreating Federals fled in confusion toward Chattanooga, after suffering the loss of several thousand prisoners and forty pieces of artillery.

The Confederates now concentrated their attack upon Thomas, who had taken position on a ridge. They were led by the indomitable Longstreet, but were repulsed and hurled back with fearful slaughter. The Confederates were endeavoring to flank Thomas' division by sending Hinzman to the left and Kershaw with his divisions to get in the rear. The fighting grew fiercer and at intervals was hand-to-hand, and continued the entire afternoon.

This attack on Thomas is considered one of the heaviest made on a single point during the war. General Thomas, in his stand at Chickamauga, won for himself the name "The Rock of Chickamauga." He was one of the bravest and most able generals in the Union army, being a Virginian by birth.

Under the cover of darkness Thomas withdrew his army in good order to Rossville, and the following day joined Rosecrans in Chattanooga.

This battle is generally considered a Confederate victory, but left the Federal army in possession of Chattanooga. The personal daring and courage displayed in the ranks of both armies has never been excelled on any battlefield.

The total loss exceeded 30,000 men, which was probably divided about equal.