3.04.13
Chickamauga
     The battle of Chickamauga was a direct result of the battle of Chattanooga. The Union army had forced the Confederates to retreat out of Chattanooga, a direct railroad gateway to Atlanta. The Confederates were determined to reoccupy Chattanooga. In the beginning, the Confederate soldiers faced the Union army which was led by General Rosecrans. The Confederates fired continuously against the Union's Spencer repeating rifles but were unable to break the line. the following morning, Rosecrans thought he had a gap in his line and adjusted his troops to close the gap, which in turn only created a gap. The Confederate army then used this to their advantage and caused Rosecrans and a third of his army to retreat from the battlefield. General Thomas then took over for Rosecrans and consolidated his forces. The rebels determinedly assaulted the soldiers with no result. Then in the later evening, General Thomas left the battlefield to the Confederates and retired to Chattanooga with the other Union troops while the Confederate troops remained in the surrounding heights. In hindsight, it was a mistake for the Confederate troops not to pursue the Union soldiers into Chattanooga. Firstly, it meant they would not achieve their original goal of reoccupying Chattanooga. Additionally, it gave the Union army time to send reinforcements and open up a rail for supplies. It also gave the Union army time to plan Sherman's March to the Sea.
Sources:
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/chickamauga.html
http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/gastudiesimages/Battle%20of%20Chickamauga%201.jpg