CHATTANOOGA, a city and the capital of
Hamilton co., Tennessee, at the base of Lookout
mountain, near where the S. boundary of the
state touches Alabama and Georgia; pop. in
1870, 6,093, of whom 2,221 were colored. It
is on the Tennessee river, 250 m. by water
from Knoxville, and 150 m. S. E. of Nashville. The river is navigable by steamboats eight months of the year, and by small boats at all times. The Nashville and Chattanooga, East Tennessee and Georgia, Alabama and Chattanooga, and Western and Atlantic railroads connect here. There are two national banks, with $470,000 capital, and a discount and deposit bank. It is the shipping point for most of the surplus productions of East and of a portion of Middle Tennessee, and contains a number of mills and factories. The surrounding country is supplied with water power, well wooded, and rich in coal and iron.—During the civil war Chattanooga was an important strategic point for the operations in eastern Tennessee and Georgia. After the engagement at Stone River, near Murfreesboro (Dec. 26, 1862, to Jan. 2, 1863), the confederates, under Bragg, fell back to Chattanooga, which they abandoned Sept. 8, upon the approach of Rosecrans. The confederates, being reënforced by Longstreet's division from the army of Virginia, manœuvred to drive Rosecrans from Chattanooga, while he attempted to force them from their threatening position in the neighborhood. The result was the battle of Chickamauga, fought Sept. 19, 20, about 12 m. S. W. of Chattanooga. (See .) After his repulse, Rosecrans continued to occupy Chattanooga, but was superseded (Oct. 19) by Thomas, and Grant was placed in command of the military division of the Mississippi, comprising the four departments commanded by Sherman, Thomas, Hooker, and Burnside. Bragg had despatched Longstreet to operate against Burnside near Knoxville, and meanwhile, by commanding the lines of supply, held Thomas practically besieged at Chattanooga. Grant reached Chattanooga Oct. 23, and at once formed plans for raising the siege. By a series of successful operations the lines of supply were opened, and soon after the middle of November the Union force at Chattanooga was raised to about 80,000, while the confederates had not more than 50,000. Grant now