The battle Hostile_encounter was fought Hostile_encounter between the Army of the Cumberland under Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans and the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen. Braxton Bragg , and was named Name_conferral for Chickamauga Creek , which meanders near the battle Hostile_encounter area in northwest Georgia ( and ultimately flows Motion into the Tennessee River about 3.5 miles ( 5.6 km ) northeast of downtown Chattanooga ) .

In early September , Rosecrans consolidated Cause_change_of_strength his forces Causation scattered Dispersal in Tennessee and Georgia and forced Causation Bragg 's army out of Chattanooga , heading Self_motion south .

Bragg was determined Deciding to reoccupy Conquering Chattanooga and decided Deciding to meet Come_together a part of Rosecrans 's army , defeat Conquering it , and then move back Self_motion into the city .

As Bragg marched Motion_directional north on September 18 , his cavalry and infantry fought Hostile_encounter with Union cavalry and mounted infantry , which were armed with Spencer repeating rifles .

Bragg 's men strongly assaulted Attack but could not break Destroying the Union line .

The next day , Bragg resumed Process_start his assault Attack .

Union Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans 's Army of the Cumberland marched Self_motion from Nashville , Tennessee , on December 26 , 1862 , to challenge Confronting_problem General Braxton Bragg 's Army of Tennessee at Murfreesboro .

On December 31 , each army commander planned Arranging to attack Attack his opponent 's right flank , but Bragg struck Attack first .

Bragg attempted to continue the assault Attack with the division of Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge , but the troops were slow in arriving Arriving and their multiple piecemeal attacks Attack failed .

Fighting Hostile_encounter resumed on January 2 , 1863 , when Bragg ordered Arranging Breckinridge to assault Attack the well-fortified Cause_change_of_strength Union position on a hill to the east of the Stones River .

Falsely believing that Rosecrans was receiving Receiving reinforcements Cause_change_of_strength , Bragg chose Choosing to withdraw Escaping his army on January 3 to Tullahoma , Tennessee .

This caused Causation Bragg to lose Earnings_and_losses the confidence of the Army of Tennessee .