Bragg Reservation - monuments

The Bragg Reservation is nearly smack dab in the middle of Missionary Ridge. I used this as my base point to walk the entire ridge. One day I parked here and walked everything south of here. The next day I walked everything north of here. On the northern end there were a few other places to park that I utilized but to walk the south end this was the best place to park. If you've ever been on the ridge before you know the road is narrow, that the sidewalk is small and the cars tend to go faster than the speed limit. My tip to walk the ridge is not to get an early start, let everyone go to work than traffic will be minimal and you can walk the ridge with ease. You should also do this on a weekday and will need to clear the road by the time people start returning home from work. This does leave plenty of daylight hours unused but you can use those to walk Sherman Reservation or Point Park, or go down to Chickamauga, its not too far away.

Bragg Reservation is near where Bragg had his headquarters during the siege. Truthfully he was not on top of the ridge but this is what was preserved. The marker explaining his headquarters can be seen in this first picture, if you click on it to get the larger version. If you look in front of the car you will see two tablets along the crest, continue to the right and you will see a smaller marker located closer to the ground and that is the Bragg marker. The marker gives a brief order of battle so I did not include a picture of it, its not too exciting. The large monument in this picture is the Illinois monument to her units that were engaged in taking Missionary Ridge.
A closer view of the Illinois monument.
And the top of the Illinois monument.
Looking along the crest of the ridge. The small stone markers are for individual Illinois regiments, marking their place in the line. They are generally from Sheridan's division in this area.
The Missouri state monument, for units that fought on both sides.

Its not technically in the Bragg Reservation, just south of there by about 50 feet, but since this was the regiment that my realtive fought in I'm going to include it here. This is the 24th Wisconsin's marker. Time and weather has not been kind to it. First Lieutenant and Adjutant Arthur MacArthur grabbed the colors and lead his regiment to the the crest. According to his son's memoirs (Douglas MacArthur's Reminiscences) Sheridan hugged Arthur and told him he'd just won the Medal of Honor. I've read though that at the time it was believed the Medal of Honor would only be awarded to enlisted men as officers received brevets instead of medals so that story is probably more legend than fact. In 1890 though Arthur would receive a Medal of Honor for this charge. Later his as son would win a Medal of Honor too. My relative, Jacob Goll of Company C, was in this charge, what he did or how close he may have been to the colors is forever unknown.

Ohio Reservation

The Ohio Reservation is basically a place to have plaques for all the Ohio units that were not engaged on Missionary Ridge. In all there are 18 Ohio plaques here. There is also a plaque for the 5th Company of Washington Artillery that was positioned here during the battle.



The 5th Company of Washington Artillery was positioned here but had to leave this position after being flanked on both sides. The men tried to escape to the rear but abandoned four guns after they became mired in a ravine to the rear of this position.

Turchin Reservation

The Turchin Reservation is by far the smallest of the reservations, not much more than a wide spot along the road. It probably was preserved because the steep slope behind it did not readily allow a house to be built here. There are two cannon and two markers here. The cannon are for Dent's Alabama Battery. The marker is for Samuel Beatty's brigade. After taking this position the brigade turned north and "joined by the right of Turchin's brigade on the first knoll beyond this position assisted in the capture of four guns." The Delong Reservation is north of this point and the four guns of Water's Alabama Battery are probably the four guns being referred to on this marker.

View of Chattanooga from the reservation.
Another view of Chattanooga from the reservation, this one is a scan of a picture I took before I got a digital camera so the quality is not as nice. I wanted to include it though because you can see the river in a few places and get a feel for how close this part of the ridge is to the river.

DeLong Reservation

I've decided to show the various reservations along Missionary Ridge first before doing posts with pictures from other Ridge areas. Just a way to group them because chronologically just wouldn't work too well here.

Another of the small reservations is the Delong Reservation. All that is really here is the 2nd Minnesota monument, I previously did a post of the 2nd Minnesota monuments at Chickamauga, and some cannon denoting Water's Battery. This position was taken because the Confederate line to the left had given way and these men found themselves flanked.

You may notice a dog at the base of the monument, he was a stray that stayed there the entire day. I seriously considered adopting him but didn't want to drive two days home with a strange dog in the front seat with me.
This monument also lists the men who were killed in the assault on the ridge.
Water's Alabama Battery. Unfortunately the last two pictures show that this battery has suffered at the hands of locals. "JWM" and "Larry T" and "DTM" apparently do not hold this battery in much reverence.

Glass Reservation

At the base of Missionary Ridge on the north end of the ridge is Glass Reservation, named for the Glass House that was near this spot in 1863. It is near the tunnel of Tunnel Hill and thus is also near the Sherman Reservation on the very northern end of the ridge. This is another part of the battle that is difficult to visit, there is no parking, you just need to find a spot on the street nearby and hope for the best. This is also a rough area, like Orchard Knob. In fact I've had more trouble with people here than I've had at Orchard Knob. That might just be because the people who live in the houses closest to Glass Reservation were bad those days and new tenants may be quite nice today.

This is a tiny parcel of land, I think its the second smallest of the Missionary Ridge reservations, the Turchin Reservation is clearly the smallest. But it does have three monuments and two markers. The monuments are for the 26th and 90th Illinois of Loomis' brigade and the 73rd Pennsylvania of Buschbeck's brigade. These were men Sherman tried to use to flank the Tunnel Hill position from the west side of the ridge but to no avail.

In this first photo there is a road on the other side of the stone wall, that road curves a bit to the left but takes you directly to the Sherman Reservation.

Orchard Knob

Last week in Civil War Interactive's weekly blog review Laurie Chambliss pointed out that my Orchard Knob pictures mostly excluded views of the nearby homes. That reminded me that I should point out that Orchard Knob is in the middle of the city, and in a bit of a rough neighborhood. When I visited there to take those pictures in the fall of 2006 I did so with a plan.

I went in the middle of the day in the middle of the week. I've been there before on a weekend and let's just say that the more deserted the neighborhood the better. Since I was making this excursion alone I needed to be extra cautious. I also had a list of what monuments and views I wanted to take pictures of, and when I got there I went to work and finished quickly. I bet I shot everything in 45 minutes. Also because I know my parents worry I called my dad before and after my visit, plus he'd been there with me before so he knew what I was in for. If I had been with a group I wouldn't have been worried, or not nearly as much, but being alone I decided to err on the overly cautious side.


Clearly Laurie has been to Orchard Knob, I like this description that barely reveals what sort of neighborhood it in, or that it is even in a neighborhood at all:
"Those who have been to the site will appreciate the intensive effort that must have gone into Nick's choices of vantage points to photograph each memorial. Coping with bright sun on what was evidently a beautiful fall day is hard enough for the photographically challenged among us, but he also manages to make it look like a secluded, indeed idyllic spot. Only one shot includes the roofs of some nearby houses."

Orchard Knob - Pennsylvania monuments

Here are the Pennsylvania monuments on Orchard Knob. The text of the monument precedes the picture of the monument.

Knapp's Pennsylvania Battery Monument (320)
(South side)
1861 to 1865
(West side)
Battery "E" PA. Vol
Knaps'
Geary's Div Hooker's Corps
(East side)
Wauhatchie - Missionary Ridge
Lookout Mountain - Ringgold
(North side)
Erected 1895
27th Pennsylvania Monument (322)
(West side)
27th Regiment
Pennsylvania
Volunteer Infantry
1st Brigade - 2nd Division
11th Army Corps
This Regiment took an active part at Wauhatchie and Missionary Ridge
(East side)
Number of Officers and Men in action at Missionary Ridge 240
One Officer and 45 Men Killed
6 Officers and 80 Men Wounded
46th Pennsylvania Monument (326)
46th Pennsylvania Infantry
1st Brigade - [Knipes]
1st Division - [Williams]
12th Corps - [Slocum]
Joe Hooker's Command
This Regiment rendered important service as rear guard in the movements and actions of the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps in opening and maintaining communications with the Army of the Cumberland at Chattanooga, from Nashville, via Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad and the Tennessee River
Organized August 1861
Discharged July 1865
75th Pennsylvania Monument (328)
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
To Her Seventy-Fifth Regiment Infantry Volunteers
Major August Ledig, Commanding
Wauhatchie
Lookout Mountain,
Missionary Ridge.
Organized at Philadelphia in August, 1861, by Colonel Henry Bohlen
Discharged at Murfreesboro, Tennessee September 1st, 1865
75th Pennsylvania Infantry
3rd Brigade - 3rd Division - 11th Corps
109th Pennsylvania Monument (329)
109th Pennsylvania Infantry
2nd Brigade
2nd Division - 12th Corps
The Regiment, under command of Captain Frederick L. Gimber, was engaged at Wauhatchie, seven miles from here 11:15 P.M. October 28 to 3 A.M. of the 29th, and at Lookout Mountain November 24, 1863.
Curtin's Light Guards recruited in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, mustered in the U.S. Service, December, 1861, Re-enlisted January, 1864; Consolidated with the 111th Regiment Pennsylvania Veterans Volunteer Infantry March 31, 1865, which was mustered out of service July 19, 1865.
The State of Pennsylvania has erected this monument in grateful remembrance of the Officers and Men of the 109th Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Infantry who in the time of their country's peril, offered their lives upon this field and many other battlefields to save for the benefit of posterity, a government founded upon the consent of the governed and dedicated to the principles of personal liberty and human freedom.

Orchard Knob - Michigan monuments

Here are the Michigan monuments on Orchard Knob. The text of the monument precedes the picture of the monument.

1st Michigan Engineers Monument (200)
(South side)
1st Michigan Engineers
Army of the Cumberland
William P. Innes, Col., Commanding
(North side)
Detachment of this regiment Capt. Perrin v. Fox, Commanding, prepared the materials and constructed the pontoon bridge crossing the Tennessee River at this city and Brown's Ferry and the South Chickamauga River near the north end of Missionary Ridge. Other detachments of the regiment were engaged during the campaign along the railroad from Chattanooga to Murfreesboro building bridges and other engineer duties.
10th Michigan Monument (201)
(West side)
Tenth Michigan Infantry
Morgan's Brigade - Davis' Division
Palmer's Corps
(East side)
Michigan
To Her Tenth Regiment of Infantry
Commanded by Lieut. Colonel Christopher J. Dickerson
Morgan's Brigade - Davis' Division - Palmer's Corps
The regiment crossed the Tennessee River with its brigade November 24, 1863, after a forced march of 58 miles and bivouacked in line of battle at the base of Missionary Ridge, until 2 o'clock A.M. of the 26th; then with its brigade advanced upon Chickamauga Station and to the relief of Knoxville returning to Chattanooga after 29 days of active operations.

Orchard Knob

I've been posting some pictures of Orchard Knob but haven't really provided any background yet, this should alleviate that problem somewhat.

On the morning of November 23rd Grant learned from Confederate deserters that Bragg's army was preparing for some movement, most likely a retreat. Grant ordered Thomas to make a reconnaissance to see if Bragg was indeed leaving. If two men are better than one then 26,600 men are better than two, so Thomas sent six divisions forward for reconnaissance. The target was Orchard Knob, a 100 foot high hill about 2,100 yards east of Fort Wood. At around 2 P.M. the advance began.

The 24th and 28th Alabama of Brigadier General Arthur M. Magnigault's brigade held the picket line on Orchard Knob. These 634 men covered an 800 yard front and faced odds of nearly 42 to 1. The 24th Alabama saw the advance and pulled out without orders. The 28th Alabama stayed believing that they would soon be supported; Magnigault later denied ever promising support. The 28th Alabama's view of the 24th Alabama on their right was blocked by a timbered knoll so they did not realize that they were all alone. Hazen's brigade came upon the 28th Alabama and the 41st Ohio charged without orders. The 41st Ohio lost 117 of 447 men in the short fight as the rest of Hazen's brigade soon outflanked the 28th Alabama, capturing 146. This fighting ended at about 2:20 P.M.

The initial orders for the reconnaissance had been to return to Fort Wood following the completion of the mission, but after seeing the position they had gained Thomas' men dug in at the new spot. The Union high command initially believed that a Confederate counterattack would be soon in coming but the afternoon dragged on with only a light barrage from Missionary Ridge. It was still not clear if Bragg's army intended to fight or flee. As a skirmish Orchard Knob achieved little more than creating 400 casualties but it convinced Bragg to recall Cleburne's men, who had been recently ordered to go to Longstreet's aid in east Tennessee.

That evening Magnigault was ordered to retake Orchard Knob (now with 6,000 entrenched Federals on it) with his brigade, which probably numbered 1200 to 1500 men. He considered it a big mistake but made preparations to follow his orders. When he protested to his division commander, Brigadier General Patton Anderson, he was told that the enemy's numbers were exaggerated. Magnigault had gone back to his brigade to order it forward when a message arrived from Anderson canceling the attack. It seems that the division officer of the day informed Anderson that at least 10,000 Federals were at Orchard Knob.

When Major General Patrick R. Cleburne's men arrived back behind Missionary Ridge, Bragg had them stop there to be a reserve. By this time Bragg had conceded the overall initiative of attack to the Union.

Orchard Knob - Illinois and Maryland monuments

Two other states have state monuments on Orchard Knob, Illinois and Maryland. In this first picture, of Illinois', the Maryland monument is visible behind it.

This Illinois monument is only for those units who were engaged in the campaign but not in the assault on Missionary Ridge. The includes the following infantry regiments; 10th, 16th, 21st, 24th, 34th, 38th, 60th, 78th, 80th, 82nd, 85th, 86th, 92nd (Mounted), 96th, 98th (Mounted), 101st, 110th, 115th, 123rd (Mounted), and 125th. One cavalry unit, Co. "K" 15th Cavalry. And many artillery batteries; 1st Ill. Light Battery "M", 1st (Bridges Battery), 1st Ill. Light Battery "C", 2nd Ill. Light Battery "I", 1st Ill. Light Battery "A", 1st Ill. Light Battery "D", 1st Ill. Light Battery "F", 1st Ill. Light Battery "I", 1st Ill. Light Battery "H", Cogswell's Battery and Chicago Board of Trade Battery .

The Maryland monument actually commemorates a Union regiment (3rd Infantry) and a Confederate battery (also the 3rd).

"The State of Maryland in honored recognition of the historic valor of her sons who, in blue and gray nobly sustained the martial glory of their fathers in the military operations around Chattanooga for the Union. The proud heritage bequeathed to worthy sons of illustrious sires arose phoenix-like from the fierce fraternal strife. Redeemed and regenerated and now and forever, victor and vanquished are indissolubly united, knowing but one God, one country, one destiny."
I like the detail on the column near the feet of the soldier. Its just a little extra flair when most monuments seem to got he more simple route.

Orchard Knob - New York & New Jersey monuments

New Jersey had two regiments in the campaign, the 13th and 33rd.

New York had quite a few regiments, all came west as part of the Army of the Potomac contingent. This included the 45th, 48th, 68th, 119th, 134th, 136th, 141st, 143rd and 154th Infantry, the 13th Battery and a headquarters guard made up of Company A of the 8th Infantry.

Orchard Knob - miscellaneous monuments

I've been having some trouble with blogger, loading pictures and such, so I'm a bit behind, sorry.

Orchard Knob was a tiny fight in the campaign for Chattanooga. Its main significance during the siege was that it became the spot where Grant and Thomas watched the battle for Missionary Ridge. Now its main significance is that it is where most states put monuments to dedicate what they did during the campaign since they could not always put a monument at the actual location of valor. I believe there are 15 monuments there, mostly of the state variety, very few are for one single regiment.

This is Connecticut's, for the 5th and 20th.
For the 8th Kansas, the only Kansas regiment in the campaign.
For the 2nd and 33rd Massachusetts regiments.
And the Wisconsin state monument, for their seven infantry regiments (1st, 10th, 15th, 18th, 21st, 24th and 26th), 7 batteries (3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th and 1st Heavy Artillery) and one cavalry regiment (the 1st).

Chattanooga National Cemetery

Normally I'd leave the cemetery post for the end of the tour but I'm including it here because the Chattanooga National Cemetery offers great views of the surrounding area.

This is the original entrance but is no longer used for that purpose.

From the top of the hill in the previous picture you have a nice view of Lookout Mountain. It also has a nice view of Missionary Ridge to the east. Here we are looking towards nearly the center of the Confederate lines. Orchard Knob is north of the national cemetery.

The national cemetery is also the final resting place for Andrews' Raiders. They are placed in a semi circle around a nice monument that has a replica of the General. Additionally some of the headstones indicate if the man was awarded the Medal of Honor. Nearly every soldier involved in the raid has been awarded the Medal of Honor, the civilians not being eligible.