Battle of Chattanooga
1863 CE · Tennessee, USA
The Battle of Chattanooga was fought in 1863 CE in Tennessee, USA between United States (Union) vs the Confederate States; decisive Union victory; the siege of Chattanooga was broken and the road to Atlanta opened.
Battle of Chattanooga: quick facts
- Date
- 1863 CE
- Location
- Tennessee, USA
- Belligerents
- United States (Union) vs the Confederate States
- Commanders
- Ulysses S. Grant vs Braxton Bragg
- Result
- decisive Union victory; the siege of Chattanooga was broken and the road to Atlanta opened.
- Era
- 🦅 American Wars
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Chattanooga?
After the Union defeat at Chickamauga, Grant was sent to relieve the besieged army at Chattanooga. In a series of engagements, Union forces captured Lookout Mountain in the famous 'Battle Above the Clouds' and then stormed Missionary Ridge in an unplanned but spectacularly successful uphill assault that routed the Confederate army. The victory opened the gateway to Georgia and set the stage for Sherman's March to the Sea.
Did you know?
The spontaneous Union charge up Missionary Ridge at Chattanooga was not ordered by any general. Grant, watching in disbelief, turned to an aide and asked who had ordered the men forward. Nobody had.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Chattanooga on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.