Framed Battle of Chattanooga by Thure de Thulstrup

Battle of Chattanooga by Thure de Thulstrup is a sweeping depictiion of Union forces storming Missionary Ridge on November 25, 1863, one of the most dramatic moments of the Civil War. Thulstrup, known for his meticulous military scenes, fills the composition with disciplined lines of blue-coated soldiers advancing up the steep, wooded slope under fire, bayonets glinting through smoke. Officers on horseback rally their men while artillery bursts flash across the ridge, emphasizing both chaos and resolve. In the distance, the Confederate positions appear high and entrenched, highlighting the improbability of the attack—yet the upward motion of the entire scene conveys unstoppable momentum. Rather than focusing on individual heroics, Thulstrup presents the assault as a collective act of courage, capturing the ferocious energy that made the “miracle at Missionary Ridge” a decisive Union victory.