Existing comment:
Confederates Cross the Creek
Confederate columns crossing Reeds Bridge turned south here
On the afternoon at September 18, 1863 -- the day before the main battle -- Confederate forces pushed across Chickamauga Creek. They crossed at Reeds Bridge (3/4 mile east of here to your right), and at several shallow fords. Union units offered some resistance, but were outnumbered.
The Confederates who crossed it Reeds Bridge turned south down the Road behind you to attack the Union left it Lee in Gordons Mills. As twilight approached, the last Confederates crossed the creek and marched past this point. Union Col. Dan McCook spotted the enemy soldiers and captured some stragglers. He then burned Reeds Bridge and reported that an "isolated" Confederate brigade was trapped on his side of the creek.
McCook´s men settled down for the night near this spot. At dawn they hope to be reinforced and destroy the trapped Confederate unit.
The Union cavalry of Col. Robert Minty held Reeds Bridge until about 3:30pm on September 18 when Confederate Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest's dismounted cavalry and Brig. Gen. Bushrod R. Johnson's infantry drove them back. Confederate forces began crossing in numbers about 4:30pm. The bridge was located less than a mile from here via the road crossing to your right.
After crossing the creek, the Confederates planned to attack the Union left which they believed was near Lee and Gordons Mill, four miles south of here. |