Born: Kingston, Ohio, Sept 6, 1819
Died: Redondo Junction, California, March 11, 1898

The enigmatic William S(tarke) Rosecrans was a brilliant strategist whose reluctance to commit men to battle would repeatedly aggravate his Commander-in-Chief. Poor tactical judgment and his disgraceful exit from a battlefield would picture Rosecrans as the loser in one of the worst routs of the Union Army in any theater, yet, within a year the General would be offered the vice-presidential slot under President Lincoln on the Republican ticket.

After graduating from West Point 5th in a class of 56, "Old Rosy" roomed with James Longstreet, who played a pivotal role in Rosecrans defeat at Chickamauga. He left the army in 1854 to pursue a career as a civil engineer. Over the next seven years Rosecrans became familiar with what is now the state of West Virginia, aiding his early success at driving the Rebels back to the Shenandoah Valley during the Kanawha Campaign. George McClellan, Rosecrans' commander at this time, would later be dismissed by President Lincoln for his unwillingness to commit troops to battle.

After Perryville, Rosecrans assumed command of what soon would be the Army of the Cumberland, and pursued Braxton Bragg to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Bragg turned and fought at Stone's River, soundly defeating the Union Army on December 31, 1862. But Rosecrans did not retreat to Nashville, as Bragg thought and on January 2nd, 1863 the battle resumed. Bragg orders a charge against the Union line, which was easily turned back. Informed that Rosecrans is being reinforced, Bragg withdrew 40 miles to the southeast. Rosecrans regrouped -- for almost 6 months.

Lincoln angrily ordered Rosecrans to advance. In what many consider to be one of the most overhyped campaigns of the war, Rosecrans advanced to Tullahoma in two weeks and -- stopped. For six weeks he delays action, like McClellan, unwilling to commit men to battle. He devised a grand scheme, where most of his men swing south behind Bragg while a detachment of artillery distracted the Confederates in Chattanooga from the northeast. Informed of the federals approaching his supply line, Bragg retreated to northwest Georgia and tried to mount three separate attacks on the Union Army, approaching through gaps in Lookout Mountain. Rosecrans and Bragg finally do battle at a creek named Chickamauga.

On the second day of battle, Rosecrans' former roommate James Longstreet arrives and follows the sound of gunfire to the battle. He orders John Bell Hood to attack the Federal forces in the vicinity of the Brotherton Cabin. Hood punched a whole in the line, advancing towards the Widow Glenn's house, Rosecrans' headquarters. As the Rebels drew closer Rosecrans mounted his horse and becomes part of a wild retreat. Generals George Thomas and Gordon Grainger held the Rebels off until nightfall, when they join Rosecrans in Chattanooga. Rosecrans is relived of duty a month later.

Less than a year later James Garfield, his chief of staff at Chickamauga, asks him to run for vice-president under Lincoln. Rosecrans refuses. Over the next thirty years Rosecrans serves in a number of public positions, most notably as representative from the state of California to the U.S. House.

Additional reading:

Prelude to Chickamauga
Chickamauga
Chattanooga

Biographies
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The Civil War in Georgia
Beginning with the Great Locomotive Chase and the battle of Chickamauga, to the Atlanta Campaign and the March to the Sea

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