at
Missionary Ridge (seen in the distance in the second picture) the Army of the Cumberland removed forever from
Grant's mind any doubt of its fighting qualities.
Grant, anxious to develop
Bragg's strength, ordered
Thomas, on November 23d, to demonstrate against the forces on his front.
Moving out as if on parade, the troops under
Gordon Granger drove back the
Confederates and captured
Orchard Knob (or
Indian Hill) a day before it had been planned to do so. Still another surprise awaited
Grant on the 25th, when from this eminence he watched the magnificent spectacle of the
battle of Chattanooga.
Thomas' men again pressed forward in what was ordered as a demonstration against
Missionary Ridge.
Up and over it they drove the
Confederates from one entrenchment after another, capturing the guns parked in the lower picture.
“by whose orders are those troops going up the
Hill?”
“old Pap”
Thomas, who knew his men better than did
Grant, replied that it was probably by their own orders.
It was the most signal victory of the day.
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Where an Army gave its own orders |
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The captured Confederate guns |
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