Major General Thomas Disciplined Initiative Essay

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Thomas’ exercise of disciplined initiative also heavily contributed to the results of the battle. Throughout the main day of battle, Major General Thomas did not receive much guidance or instruction from General Rosecrans. This mainly had to do with the fact that the Confederates breached the center of the Union line and forced the Union headquarters to withdraw. However, despite this, Major General Thomas understood the overall objectives of the campaign, to capture Chattanooga and defeat the Army of Tennessee. He therefore knew what needed to be done to ensure these objectives were not lost. Thomas exercised disciplined initiative and took command of the new ad hoc defense. He recognized that if the rebel army turned his forces, the Army of Tennessee would annihilate the entire Army of the Cumberland and retake Chattanooga as a spoil of their …show more content…
He knew that the majority of the Union forces were in full retreat and that he likely would have no support. However, he understood the terrain and how to utilize the strongpoint defense. So despite being outnumbered and unsupported, General Thomas accepted the risk and chose to fight along the ridges. Furthermore, Thomas, aware of his lack of supplies, rather than withdraw too early, ordered bayonet charges when his army had run low on ammunition. Although a very dangerous maneuver, which involves advancing from the protection of the defenses and charging towards the enemy, retreating from the ground would prove to be a more devastating alternative. Major General Thomas could either retreat or attack and he chose to attack. His forces faced the enemy with bayonets multiple times, allowing his defense to hold fast against the heavy assaults of Longstreet before receiving new supplies from the fortuitous and unexpected arrival of Granger’s reserve
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