Lee & Gordon's mill was along the banks of Chickamauga Creek, Georgia, the the site of the second day's fighting of The Battle of Chickamauga, near Chattanooga, Tennessee.

After the loss of Chattanooga, Confederate General Bragg was determined to reoccupy the rail head and decided to meet a part of Rosecrans’s army, defeat them, and then move back into the city. On the 17th he headed north, intending to meet and beat the XXI Army Corps. As Bragg marched north on the 18th, his cavalry and infantry fought with Union cavalry and mounted infantry which were armed with Spencer repeating rifles. Fighting began in earnest on the morning of the 19th, and Bragg’s men hammered but did not break the Union line.

General Braxton Bragg

Maj. Gen. Wm. S. Rosecrans

Lt. Gen. James Longstreet

Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas

The next day, Bragg continued his assault on the Union line on the left, and in late morning, Rosecrans was informed that he had a gap in his line. In moving units to shore up the supposed gap, Rosencrans created one, and James Longstreet’s men promptly exploited it, driving one-third of the Union army, including Rosecrans himself, from the field. George H. Thomas took over command and began consolidating forces on Horseshoe Ridge and Snodgrass Hill. Although the Rebels launched determined assaults on these forces, they held until after dark. Thomas then led these men from the field leaving it to the Confederates. The Union retired to Chattanooga while the Rebels occupied the surrounding heights.