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User:Ereed23/Battle of Ringgold Gap

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The Battle of Ringgold Gap was fought November 27, 1863, in northwest Georgia during the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. The Confederate victory by Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne gave the artillery and wagon trains of the Army of Tennessee safe passage to retreat through the "Ringgold Gap" mountain pass and caused high Union casualties.

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The Battle of Ringgold Gap was fought November 27, 1863, outside the town of Ringgold, Georgia, by the Confederate and Union armies during the American Civil War. Part of the Chattanooga Campaign, the Confederate victory of Major General Patrick R. Cleburne gave the artillery and wagon trains of General Braxton Bragg's Army of Tennessee safe passage to retreat through the Ringgold Gap mountain pass.

Background

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The disastrous Confederate rout at Missionary Ridge on November 25 forced the Army of Tennessee to retreat into northwest Georgia. The army soon came upon the mountain pass known as the Ringgold Gap. To give time for his artillery and wagon trains to get through the gap, Confederate General Braxton Bragg decided to send Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne to defend the pass from the Union army. While Cleburne expressed doubt he could defend the gap adequately with his single division, Bragg refused to send any further troops to assist Cleburne.[5] Cleburne deployed his men at the gap before dawn of November 27; Colonel Hiram Granbury's brigade was placed to the right of the gap, while the left was defended by the 16th Alabama Infantry. The remainder of the division was deployed in the gap itself as a reserve.[6]

The Union commander at Chattanooga, Ulysses S. Grant, had ordered a pursuit of the retreating Confederate army on the morning of November 26, but confusion over the orders prevented the Union forces from getting an early start. The Confederate rear guard had burned the bridges over South Chickamauga Creek, which further delayed the Union forces. Joseph Hooker was given command of divisions from the IV Corps, XI Corps, XII Corps, and XV Corps and ordered to cut the Western and Atlantic Railroad near Graysville. However, he decided to concentrate his forces near the town of Ringgold, thinking that he would have a better chance of cutting off the Confederate rear guard. Hooker halted two and a half miles from Ringgold Gap during the night of November 26–27.[7]

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The disastrous Confederate rout at Missionary Ridge on November 25 forced the Army of Tennessee to retreat into northwest Georgia. On November, 26, the army made its way south towards Dalton.[1] To allow time for his artillery and wagon trains to safely pass through the gap, Confederate General Braxton Bragg sent Major General Patrick Cleburne's unit of 4,157 men[2] to defend the pass from the Union army. While Cleburne expressed doubt he could defend the gap adequately with his single division,[5] he proceeded south with his men and reached Ringgold at 10:00 p.m.[3] After crossing through the East Chickamauga Creek, Cleburne's army made camp in the mountain pass known as the Ringgold Gap.[2]

All accounts the Union received about Bragg's army suggested a hasty and unorganized retreat following the Battle at Missionary Ridge. [4] The Union commander at Chattanooga, Ulysses S. Grant, ordered a pursuit of the retreating Confederate army in the early morning of November 26.[11] General Joseph Hooker was given command of divisions from the IV Corps, XI Corps, XII Corps, and XV Corps and ordered to cut the Western and Atlantic Railroad in pursuit of the Confederate rear guard.[5] However, when the Union forces arrived, they found that the Confederate rear guard had burned the bridges over the South Chickamauga Creek.[5] Hooker advanced towards the gap with his infantrymen around 3:00 p.m. on November 26 while the rest of his forces were held back until they could construct a bridge to pass over the creek. [5] Having finally reached Ringgold Gap around 10:00 p.m.,[4] Hooker halted two and a half miles from the Confederate army during the night of November 26–27.[7]

Plans and movement to battle

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Upon the Confederate army's arrival at Ringgold Gap, Cleburne deployed his men in three strategic locations. To the south, the 16th Alabama under the leadership of Major Frederick Ashford were stationed in the woods of Taylor's Ridge.[6] He then sent Brigadier General Mark Perrin Lowrey and Lucius Polk's troops of the Confederate Reserve to guard the passage from Taylor's Ridge.[7] Brigadier General Hiram B. Granbury's Texas brigade was sent to the northern edge of the gap to defend against invasion from White Oak Mountain. To the right of Granbury's position at White Oak Mountain, Major William Taylor was stationed with members of the 17th, 18th, 24th, and 25th Texas calvary.[6] Inside the Ringgold Gap, Brigadier General Daniel Govan led four Arkansas regiments alongside Captain C. E. Talley of the 7th Texas.[8] Cleburne's tactical position was completed with the placement of two cannons at the opening of the Ringgold Gap, under the leadership of Richard Goldthwaite.[5]

Around 8:00 a.m. on the morning of November 27, Hooker dispatched Major General Peter Osterhaus and his division to scout the area. While out, they encountered Cleburne's watchmen, who raced back to Ringgold Gap to inform Cleburn of their encounter and the impending battle. [5]

Opposing Forces

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Union

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Further information: Union order of battle

Ulysses S. Grant had the following forces available in the Battle of Ringgold Gap under the leadership of Joseph Hooker:

Confederate

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Further information: Confederate order of battle

Braxton Bragg's Army of Tennessee had the following forces available in the Battle of Ringgold Gap under the leadership of Patrick Cleburne:

  • Liddell's Brigade, under Colonel Daniel Govan, consisting of eight Arkansas regiments including the 2nd Arkansas, 5th Arkansas, 6th Arkansas, 7th Arkansas, 8th Arkansas, 13th Arkansas, 15th Arkansas, and 19th Arkansas.
  • Lowrey's Brigade, under Brigadier General Mark Lowrey, consisting of three Alabama regiments under Major Frederick Ashford and three Tennessee regiments.
  • Polk's Brigade, under Brigadier General Lucius Polk, consisting of the 1st Arkansas and three Tennessee regiments including the 2nd Tennessee, 35th Tennessee, and 48th Tennessee.
  • Smith's Brigade, under Colonel Hiram Granbury, consisting of the 7th Texas under Captain Charles Talley and the Texas Calvary under Major William Taylor.
  • Semple's (Alabama) Battery of the Artillery Battalion, under Lieutenant Richard Goldthwaite.

Battle

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The two forces met at 8 a.m. on November 27, when the XV Corps division of Peter Osterhaus attacked Granbury's brigade. The Confederates held their fire until the Union line was fifty yards away. The initial volley disorganized Osterhaus's division and halted his attack, while a Union attack on the Confederate right flank was routed. John Geary's XII Corps division was the next to arrive; one brigade again attacked the Confederate right while another regiment attacked the gap but both attacks were routed. Charles Cruft's IV Corps division was sent to attack Cleburne's left flank but was defeated.[9]

After holding his position for five hours, Cleburne was ordered about noon to start falling back towards the main Confederate army. Leaving skirmishers along his front to hide his withdrawal, he pulled back from the gap about 2 p.m. and burned the bridge on the eastern side of the gap. Cleburne had lost 20 killed and 201 wounded during the battle.[10] Grant arrived near the gap at this time and, due to the scattered position of his army, decided to return to Chattanooga; no further Union pursuit was organized. Union casualties totaled 509 killed and wounded. Although Hooker was severely criticized for his conduct of the battle by Union Assistant Secretary of War Dana and several of Hooker's men, Grant choose to retain Hooker temporarily.[11]

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Arriving at his lookout point from the depot,[9] Hooker saw a small line of infantrymen and decided to deploy his forces into the gap without his artillery.[4][10] Under the command of General Charles Woods, his brigade entered the gap, but were quickly driven back by Granbury's unit.[10] The Confederates held their fire until the Union line was fifty yards away.[9] Upon Cleburne's orders, Goldthwaite's men fired three shots from the disguised twelve-pound Napoleon cannons[11] while the rest of the Army of Tennessee exchanged fire with the bluecoats.[10]

Believing they could gain a tactical advantage, Woods sent the 13th Illinois right to seek shelter in the buildings of Jobes Farm [12] After another failed attempt against Cleburne's troops, Woods' troops were halted by gunfire from Taylor's Ridge and cannon fire from within the gap. To counter the opposition, Osterhaus sent the 76th Ohio and 4th Iowa up Taylors Ridge. [13] The initial volley disorganized Osterhaus's division[9] and his Union forces were unable to advance from their position for the remainder of the battle.[12]

John Geary's XII Corps division was the next to arrive around 10:40 a.m.[14] Under the command of David Ireland, one brigade again attacked the Confederate right while another regiment attacked the gap. As they moved further into the gap, both forces were halted by heavy Confederate fire from both Taylor's Ridge and White Oak Mountain.[14] Simultaneously, William Creighton and Orrin Crane's 1st Brigade was sent to support Williamson's 2nd Brigade on White Oak Mountain. The brigade was driven back by Polk and Lowrey's regiments, and Creighton was killed during an attempt to rally his men against the Confederates. [15]

After holding his position for five hours,[10] Cleburne received communications from Bragg around 12:00 p.m. [15] notifying him that the army had made it safely through the gap and he could begin his retreat.[16] Leaving skirmishers along his front to hide his withdrawal, he pulled back from the gap around 2:00 p.m. and burned the bridge on the eastern side of the gap.[10] Grant arrived near the gap at this time and, due to the scattered position of his army, decided to return to Chattanooga; no further Union pursuit was organized.[11]

Aftermath

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Cleburne had lost 20 killed and 201 wounded during the battle.[10] Union casualties totaled 509 killed and wounded. Although Hooker was severely criticized for his conduct of the battle by Union Assistant Secretary of War Dana and several of Hooker's men, Grant choose to retain Hooker temporarily.[11]

  1. ^ Grear 2012, p. 132.
  2. ^ a b Bohannon 1998, p. 246.
  3. ^ Grear 2012, p. 133.
  4. ^ a b c Grear 2012, p. 137.
  5. ^ a b c d e Grear 2012, p. 136. Cite error: The named reference "FOOTNOTEGrear2012136" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Grear 2012, p. 135.
  7. ^ Bohannon 1998, p. 247.
  8. ^ Bohannon 1998, p. 247–248.
  9. ^ Townsend 2010, p. 135.
  10. ^ a b c Townsend 2010, p. 138.
  11. ^ Townsend 2010, p. 136.
  12. ^ a b Townsend 2010, p. 139.
  13. ^ Grear 2012, p. 139.
  14. ^ a b Grear 2012, p. 143.
  15. ^ a b Townsend 2010, p. 140.
  16. ^ Townsend 2010, p. 141.
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