Gen. Joseph Hooker and his staff. Hooker is sixth from the right.
Courtesy National Archives.
Effects of the Battle of Chattanooga
The battles around Chattanooga must be considered as
ending in one of the most complete victories of the war. Bragg's army
was defeated, men and material captured, and the Confederates driven
south. The mountainous defense line which the Confederacy hoped to hold
had been pierced and large sections of it were in Union control.
Chattanooga, the railroad center, was now in Union hands and the
interior line of communication from this section of the Confederacy to
Richmond, by way of Knoxville, was destined to remain in Union control
for the remainder of the war. Not only Chattanooga, but Knoxville and
the rich, food-producing East Tennessee section was lost to the
Confederacy. With this came relief for the Union sympathizers in East
Tennessee. Virtually all of Tennessee was now under Northern
control.
The fortunes of war brought changes to both
commanders. Bragg asked to be relieved from his command and went to
Richmond to become military advisor to Jefferson Davis. President
Lincoln promoted Grant, in March 1864, to command of all Union armies in
the field. Grant then left Chattanooga for the East, to lead the attack
against General Lee in Virginia.
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