The Battle
of Orchard Knob, a rocky hill to the east of Chattanooga was fought November 23rd
1863.
Union
General George H Thomas formed his troops up in the valley between Chattanooga,
Tennessee and rocky hill about 100 feet high, known as Orchard Knob on the
afternoon of November 23rd 1863.
Confederates posted on top of Orchard Knob watched the Union troops from
behind rifle pits, as they move as though on parade in front of their position.
Somewhere
around 1:30 pm the 14,000 Union soldiers began to march on the Confederate
position at the double quick. There were
only 634 Confederates holding the line on Orchard Knob. The Confederate soldiers had time only to
fire a single volley before Thomas’ troops closed in on the Knob, pushing the
Confederates back to the base of Missionary Ridge. By 3 pm Union General Thomas J Wood was
sending the message to Thomas, that "I have taken the first line of the
enemy's entrenchments." Thomas sent
back the order, “Hold on; don't come back; you have got too much; entrench your
position."
Union
General Ulysses S Grant would use Orchard Knob on November 25th 1863
as his forward observation point, while watching the Union assault on
Missionary Ridge.
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