After the Battle of Murfreesboro Union General William Rosecrans and Confederate General Braxton Bragg maneuver for position on the road to Chattanooga. Rosecrans begins moving in the second half of June, 1863. Feigning a move to the left, the Federals are behind Bragg on the right before he knows it. Faking an attack, Old Rosy, as his men called him, moves off on another flanking move leaving Bragg so confused that he has no choice but to retreat. 17 consecutive days of rain does nothing to slow down this Union tactician who has the Confederate troops surrounded and out-numbered in Chattanooga on July 4.

General Thomas Crittenden

On top of Lookout Mountain, Bragg's superior defensive position is a problem. Rosecrans regroups west of Chattanooga and moves toward the city from Bridgeport, Alabama, in early September. However, Rosecrans does not want to challenge Bragg's control of the mountain. Again, Old Rosy looks to flank Bragg. Moving through gaps in the ridge south of Lookout Mountain Rosecrans forces Bragg to withdraw from Chattanooga and protect his supply line. On September 9th Union troops under the command of General Thomas L. Crittenden occupy the city without a fight and Bragg regroups near the town of LaFayette, Georgia. In a serious tactical error, Rosecrans decides to continue the chase instead of regrouping in Chattanooga.

Unaware that Bragg is concentrating his men in LaFayette, and being resupplied and reinforced, Rosecrans continues to move towards his objective, the Western and Atlantic Railroad. Twice Bragg orders an attack on General George Thomas' corps, once as he crosses Steven's Gap and again as he marches into McLemore's Cove, but because of communications problems and lack of discipline no attacks occurred. With Union troops widely spread in mountainous territory, Rosecrans realizes that his skirmishers are running into major resistance, not the rear-guard action he expects. He orders his troops to meet at Chickamauga Creek, 12 miles south of Chattanooga, and some distance away from the main force of Confederates. Or so he thought. Bragg attacks the Union troops on September 19 and what ensues is the bloodiest two days in American History.

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