Battle of Wauhatchie opens the Cracker Line
- When
- 1863
- Where
- Wauhatchie, Tennessee
- Episodes
- 1
The Battle of Wauhatchie, fought October 28–29, 1863, involved Union forces defending Brown's Ferry against Confederate attempts to close the supply line. This engagement, part of the Cracker Line Operation initiated by Grant and Thomas, resulted in a Union victory that secured vital logistics for the Army of the Cumberland in Chattanooga.
Episodes
Background and detail
The Engagement. Confederate forces attempted to dislodge the Union defenders at Brown's Ferry to close the newly opened supply line. The fighting occurred on October 28–29, 1863, in Hamilton and Marion counties, Tennessee, and Dade County, Georgia. The Union force successfully repelled the attack, maintaining control of the ferry and the critical logistics route.
Outcome. The Union victory at Wauhatchie secured the Cracker Line, ensuring supplies for the Army of the Cumberland. This success stabilized the Union position in Chattanooga, allowing for subsequent operations. The battle was a key component of the broader Chattanooga campaign.
People involved
- Ulysses S. Grant · Overall commander of Union forces in the West (Division of the Mississippi), not the tactical commander at Wauhatchie
- George Henry Thomas · Commander of the Army of the Cumberland and co-initiator of the Cracker Line Operation, not a tactical commander at Wauhatchie
- Joseph Hooker · Union commander whose force fought off the Confederate counterattack at Wauhatchie
Sources
- Battle of Wauhatchie Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-30
- Chattanooga campaign Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-14
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.