William Lee White - Bushwhacking on a Grand Scale: The Battle of Chickamauga, September 18-20, 1863

Also part of the Emerging Civil War Series:

Bloody Autumn: The 1864 Valley Campaign

by Daniel T. Davis and Phillip Greenwalt

Grants Last Battle: The Story Behind the Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant

by Chris Mackowski and Kristopher D. White

The Last Days of Stonewall Jackson: The Mortal Wounding of the Confederacys Greatest Icon

by Chris Mackowski and Kristopher D. White

A Season of Slaughter: The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, May 8-21, 1864

by Chris Mackowski and Kristopher D. White

Simply Murder: The Battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862

by Chris Mackowski and Kristopher D. White

Also by this Author:

Great Things Are Expected of Us: The Letters of Colonel C. Irvine Walker, 10th South Carolina Infantry CSA

William Lee White, editor

2013 by William Lee White

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.

First edition, first printing 2013

ISBN-13: 978-1-61121-158-0

eISBN: 978-1-61121-159-7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

White, William Lee.

Bushwhacking on a grand scale : the Battle of Chickamauga, September 18-20, 1863 / by William L. White.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-61121-158-0

1. Chickamauga, Battle of, Ga., 1863. I. Title.

E475.81.W56 2013

973.7359--dc23

2013033248

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To my mother

Table of Contents

List of Maps

Maps by Hal Jespersen

Touring the Battlefield

To give you a comprehensive look at the battlefield, this book deviates from the traditional Park Service driving tour, which only covers the events of the final day of the battle. Directions at the end of each chapter will help you follow along.

Keep in mind that some roads are one way, and others may have heavy traffic. Be mindful of the traffic when crossing through busy intersections and performing U-turns. Please follow all speed limits, and park only in designated parking areas.

As you travel across the battlefield, feel free to explore the landscape around each tour stop and take time to read some of the plaques and inscriptions on the monuments.

The Chickamauga battlefield also has more than 50 miles of trails that wind through the woods and across the fields. Hiking the trails provides an excellent opportunity to see many of the battlefields hidden monuments, tucked away in otherwise-forgotten glens and groves. While hiking, take insect repellent and be conscious of the possibility of ticks. Hikers should also keep an eye out for snakes.

Acknowledgments

I can honestly say that I was born on the Chickamauga battlefield, or at least a part of it where the local hospital sits today and where Dan McCooks brigade clashed with troopers of Bedford Forrests Cavalry. However, it was my parents, Bill and Hazel White, who took me there many times as a child to visit the museum and the field. My grandparents, Curtis Lee and Grace White, fueled my interest with tales of my family during the Civil War, including my grandpas father hearing the battle at nearby Villanow when he was a boy. I grew up being that boy William Faulkner wrote about, except it wasnt always Gettysburg that fueled my imagination. My Aunt Elaine also contributed a lot to this, carrying me to living history programs and events at Chickamauga and many other Civil War sites when Mom and Dad couldnt. She also bought me my first book on Chickamauga. To them all I owe a special debt. A thanks also to the following teachers who also encouraged and helped foster my love of history: Vicki Crews, Jim Crews, Joella Hood McGill, and Sherman Gibbs. It was a bit of destiny that finally brought me to work at Chickamauga 20 years ago as a living historian and then 13 years ago to work as a ranger.

At Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (CHCH), I thank my friends and colleagues both past and present. Park Historian Jim Ogden has always been there to answer my questions and encourage me in my endeavors to dig out more details of so many different aspects of the battle.

Among my fellow Chickamauga battlefield explorers and historians, I would like to thank Dave Powell, Dr. Glenn Robertson, Dr. Keith Bohannon, and Robert Carter. Much thanks to Dave, my fellow Chickamauga writer and historian, for his encouragement, for sharing research, and for all the miles we have tramped over the battlefield. Dr. Robertson is the dean of Chickamauga, his research and willingness to challenge the standard view of the battle has greatly benefited students of the battle. Robert is sort of the new kid on the block with his recent guide to the fighting on Snodgrass Hill, but his commitment to helping figure out the fighting there and in other phases of the battle have helped expand the story in new directions. My good friend Keith Bohannon has helped me in too many ways to list here; I owe him a very special debt.

All historical photographs courtesy of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, except Moxley Sorrel on , courtesy of Warner, Generals in Gray.

Modern battlefield photography by Chris Mackowski, except on pgs. , courtesy of Lee White; photos of the author on pgs. 159 & 162 from authors personal collection

At Savas Beatie, thank you to Theodore P. Savas for giving me the opportunity to write about an engagement that, ironically, I never thought of writing about. Thank you, too, to his staff for all their support in making this book possible.

At Emerging Civil War , thank you to my fellow authors Chris Mackowski and Kris White for helping me with editing, suggestions, and encouragement.

Finally, thank you to Nikki Ellis for her encouragement, threats, and help in getting me back on track while writing this. To my favorite band, the Birthday Massacre, for the soundtrack that helped me break writers block and inspired me to write on. I would also like to thank Brianna Powell, Chuck Dunn, Joe Blunt, Traci and Allen Hyatt, Warren Dickenson, Marshall Burnett, Chris Young, Patrick Lewis, Jeff Hodnett, Lindsey Brown, Ben Wolk, Kristen McClelland, Kim Timmerman, Diane Logan, Charlie Runion, Rick Manion, Preston Brown, and Caroline Lewis, whose strength in adversity is truly inspiring.