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Battle of Chickamauga
by Rick Byrd
Author's Note
I began the effort to write a synopsis of the Battle of Chickamauga for
Military History Online with great enthusiasm, mixed with more than a tinge of
reluctance. It represents the first formal writing I've done relating to
military history. The final product would not have been possible if not for the
work of many people, who certainly know the subject in much greater detail than
I do. Although a complete list of sources I've used appears at the end of the
text, I must say a few words of thanks to Peter Cozzens, whose excellent and
detailed work, "This Terrible Sound: The Battle of Chickamauga", was
instrumental in my study of the battle. After several re-readings of the entire
work, I carried the book around with me for months, examining bits of the text
in stolen minutes, gleaning a deeper understanding of different facets of this
extremely complex battle. It was also by my side as I composed this write-up of
Chickamauga, and it was an invaluable resource, especially in tracking the
complicated movements of the Confederate command on the night of September
19th, 1863, and on the morning of the following day. Someone once commented
correctly that Cozzens gives a "tree by tree" account of the battle, and all
students of military history and of the American Civil War are indebted to him
for his scholarly approach and his highly readable style. It has often been
rightly pointed out that his work is to Chickamauga what Edwin Coddington's "The
Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command", is to that great battle. Anyone
wishing a detailed view of the Chickamauga campaign is highly encouraged to add
Mr. Cozzen's work to their library.
Thanks are also due to Steven Woodworth, whose excellent battlefield guide and
companion work "A Deep Steady Thunder", aided me greatly on trips I made
to the battlefield personally. I also relied on the short but informative text
of the National Park Civil War Series, entitled "The Battle of Chickamauga",
written by William G. Robertson and accompanied by the excellent maps of George
Skoch. Additionally, I found the video "The Battle of Chickamauga" from
the "Unknown Civil War" series of documentaries, narrated by Steven Lang and
distributed by Greystone Communications Group, Inc., helpful in obtaining a
general over-view of the battle. Special thanks go to my Brother, Ronald Byrd,
who accompanied me on several trips to the battlefield in May and November,
2000, and whose excellent questions challenged me to gain a deeper
understanding of the events of the battle and of the men who fought at
Chickamauga. I would also like to thank James H. Ogden III, and the entire
staff at the Chickamauga -Chattanooga National Military Park for the excellent
work they perform. I proudly acknowledge as well the support, in all of my
creative endeavors, of my family - Marcell Byrd, Alvin Byrd, Edwin Smith and
Michelle Byrd. Thanks are extended to Ms. Alice Graham and Mr. Paul Cox, who
accompanied me to the battlefield and to areas like Missionary Ridge and
Orchard Knob in Chattanooga, pointing out many interesting sites.
I would also like to thank my friends in Los Angeles; Todd LaClair, Heather
Cunha, Ken Easton, Miguel Sandoval, Tony Ferrarra, Marla Mears, Leonard
Johnson, Armen Grigorian, Mark Merthe, Kevin Zelch, Cindy Keene, Jennifer
McKinney, Jason Curcio, Justin Curcio, Mike and Stephanie Horvat, and numerous
others who have indulged my interest on the subject of Chickamauga. Very
special thanks are extended to Brian Williams and everyone at Military History
Online for giving me the opportunity to compose this write-up in the
first place and for providing the maps which accompany the text. I have found
the site the greatest "living" resource on the subject of the American Civil
War, World War II, and numerous other topics relating to military history.
As an aspiring singer-song writer, performing on the stages of the Los Angeles
rock music scene, a health care professional, and a student of clinical
psychology, I realize that I make an unlikely source to write a detailed
synopsis of a Civil War battle, let alone one as challenging and complex as
Chickamauga. Still, I have tried hard to stay accurate to the events, and to
include enough detail to hold the attention of the seasoned student of military
history, while at the same time striving to make it interesting and
understandable to the average lay-person who has no previous knowledge of the
subject.
In the interest of space, I reluctantly made the decision to forego adding
biographical information on the participants, with the exception of the
material included in a few of the vignettes related to the battle. It goes
without saying that often an understanding of the lives and experiences of
those who fight in a battle greatly enhances an over-all comprehension of the
specific decisions they make, and the interested reader is encouraged to
consult one of the sources in the attached bibliography to obtain these
important details. I have also attempted to steer clear of making judgments as
to the competence level of the leaders involved in the drama. Controversy,
virtually always married to historical accounts of any battle, abounds on the
subject of Chickamauga as well. Among them are included such issues as Bragg's
abilities and effectiveness as a commander, Longstreet's alleged desire to gain
command of the Army of Tennessee for himself, what has come to be called the
"Cist-Boynton" controversy, which holds Major Frank Bond and Brigadier General
Thomas Wood as largely responsible for the Union defeat, and many others.
Although I have not included my personal views relating to these and other
controversies, their study is interesting and well worth gaining a familiarity
with. I have also decided not to include specific footnotes, save for citing
the source of some of the lengthier vignettes, where almost always, the reader
(as will be obvious) is referred to Cozzens. Finally, despite my best efforts,
I have no doubt that this work may contain errors and, where they occur, the
responsibility is entirely my own.
It is in mournful memory that I respectfully dedicate this effort to all of the
men who bravely fought and valiantly died amid the fields and forests of
Chickamauga.
Richard A. Byrd
January, 2001
Studio City, CA
Copyright © 2001 Richard A. Byrd.
Written by Richard A. Byrd.
Published online: 04/09/2001.
* Views expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent
those of MHO.
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