1. October 3, 1863 President Issues Thanksgiving Proclamation

2. ✤ October 3, 1863 ✤ As he issued a Thanksgiving Proclamation to the war weary Union, the President called for observance for a day of thanks on the last Thursday of November. ✤ The proclamation is also to help count blessings of the past year. ✤ The tradition of Thanksgiving began with the Pilgrims at Plymouth in Massachusetts nearly 250 years ago. ✤ Americans now have a chance to be thankful for their blessings!

3. November 23-25, 1863 Union Forces Win Chattanooga

4. ✤ November 23-25, 1863 ✤ Frustrated and anxious to redeem its honor after losing at Chickamauga in September, the Union Army of the Cumberland led by General George Thomas swept up Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga, Tennessee, and won a crushing victory over General Braxton Bragg’s rebel forces. ✤ Interestingly, Union soldiers heroically scaled Missionary Ridge without official orders from U.S. Grant, and then took the ridge in an hour. ✤ The Union now has control of a key southern city, and from here can easily move into Georgia and Alabama, with the object of further splitting the Confederacy.