Photographic Glimpses of Union Army Preparations and Life Around Chattanooga During the Civil War

Chattanooga was a vital location during the war. It was a major railroad hub. Controlling it meant controlling important supply lines for the Union Army These images capture a crucial moment in American history: the Union Army’s presence in and around Chattanooga, Tennessee, during the Civil War. This album offers a unique glimpse into the past, showing us the soldiers, the landscapes, and the preparations for battle.

Some photos were already mounted on thick boards, sometimes with fancy borders. Other photos were attached to thinner paper. This mix of mounting styles gives the album a unique look. It’s a bit uneven, but this adds to its charm and makes it feel more personal.

One particularly interesting page features a photo of the cemetery monument dedicated to Hazen’s Brigade. This monument honored soldiers who fought bravely. What makes this page special is the handwritten script surrounding the photo. Someone carefully wrote out the inscriptions found on each of the monument’s four sides. This shows the importance placed on remembering and honoring the soldiers’ sacrifices. It makes the monument, and the photo of it, even more meaningful.

Another striking image shows Sherman’s Lookout Tower at Fort Pickering in Memphis. This tower was used for observation, allowing soldiers to keep watch over the surrounding area. The photo provides a clear view of the tower’s structure and its strategic importance. It reminds us of the constant vigilance required during wartime.

The album also includes two group portraits of soldiers. These photos offer a rare chance to see the faces of the men who fought in the war. They remind us that these historical events were experienced by real people, with families and lives beyond the battlefield. These portraits humanize the historical narrative, making it more relatable.

The album’s focus on Chattanooga highlights the city’s strategic role in the Civil War. The city was a key transportation center. Its railways connected different parts of the Confederacy. Capturing Chattanooga was a major objective for the Union. The photos in the album demonstrate the scale of the Union Army’s operations in the area. They show the movement of troops, the establishment of camps, and the accumulation of supplies.

#1 Battlefield of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, 1865

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#2 Brig. Gen. Williams and staff, 1865

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#3 Brig. Gen. Vandevere and staff, Rome, Georgia, 1865

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#4 Capitol, Nashville, Tennessee, 1865

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#5 Chattanooga Depot, Nashville, Tennessee, 1865

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#6 Chattanooga, Tennessee: Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad at the foot of Lookout Mountain, 1865

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#7 Chattanooga, Tennessee: Railroad bridge across Chattanooga Creek, 1865

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#8 Chattanooga, Tennessee: Tennessee River, 1865

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#9 Chattanooga, Tennessee: Tennessee River, 1865

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#10 Chattanooga, Tennessee: Tennessee River, 1865

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#11 Georgia Railroad Depot, Atlanta, 1865

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#12 Graveyard and monument of Hazen’s Brigade on Stones River battleground, 1865

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#13 Lake Linaugara, Walden’s Ridge, 15 miles northwest of Chattanooga, 1865

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#14 Lula Lake, Lookout Mountain, 1865

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#15 Men along railroad in front of warehouses under construction, 1865

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#16 Overton House, Nashville, Tennessee (used as barracks during the war), 1865

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#17 Railroad bridge across Chattahoochee River, Georgia, 1865

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#18 Railroad bridge across Etowah River, Georgia, 1865

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#19 Railroad bridge, Whiteside, Tennessee, 1865

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#20 Railroad cars and warehouses in a railroad yard, 1865

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#21 Railroad yard, 1865

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#22 Railroad yard, 1865

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#23 Running Water Creek, Whiteside, Tennessee, 1865

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#24 Sherman’s Lookout, Fort Pickering, Memphis, Tennessee, 1865

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#25 Shirley House, headquarters of Generals Logan & Leggett, 1865

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#26 Site of the proposed national cemetery, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 1865

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#27 Soldiers guarding warehouses, 1865

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#28 U.S. military bridge at Chattanooga, Tennessee, 1865

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#29 Vicksburg from Fort Castle, interior of the fort, 1865

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#30 View from the Capitol, Nashville, Tennessee, 1865

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#31 View in Rock City, Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, 1865

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#32 View near Lula Lake, Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, 1865

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#33 View of common hall with quartermasters’ stables in the foreground at Chattanooga, 1865

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#34 View of the first house built in Chattanooga, 1865

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#35 View of Iuka, Mississippi, from near the Brinkley House, 1865

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#36 View of Moccasin Point on the Tennessee River, 2 miles below Chattanooga, 1865

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#37 View of park of artillery captured at the Battle of Chattanooga, 1865

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#38 View of park of artillery captured at the Battle of Chattanooga (November 24-26, 1863), 1865

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#39 View of Rebel fortifications, Atlanta, Georgia, 1865

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#40 View of Rebel fortifications, Atlanta, Georgia, 1865

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#41 View on Tennessee River, northern edge of Chattanooga, 1865

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#42 Wagons and wagon wheel sets outside a wagon repair shop, 1865

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#43 Wagons outside a wagon repair shop, 1865

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#44 Warehouses in a railroad yard, 1865

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#45 Wooden piers of a wagon bridge across the Tennessee River at Chattanooga (looking north), 1865

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