Grant attempted to organize a relief expedition from Chattanooga .
Burnside calmly suggested that 5,000 of his men would advance southwest toward Longstreet , establish contact , and gradually withdraw toward Knoxville , which would ensure that the Confederates could not easily return to Chattanooga and reinforce Bragg .
Grant attempted to organize a relief expedition from Chattanooga , but Burnside calmly suggested that 5,000 of his men would advance southwest toward Longstreet , establish contact , and gradually withdraw toward Knoxville , which would ensure that the Confederates could not easily return to Chattanooga and reinforce Bragg .