What caused the Lincoln Administration in 1863 to order the Confederate Army of the Cumberland to move against the Army of Tennessee?

Answer 1

More information to this question is the following from the first answer outlined below.

It was in late June that Lincoln convinced General Rosecrans to move his Army of the Cumberland to confront the Army of Tennessee under Brag, and push him back to Chattanooga. By July 7, 1863 Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg made southeastern Tennessee a priority in the Lincoln Administration. By defeating Bragg and taking over Chattanooga, it would open the way to the South's last & greatest rail center, Atlanta. As usual, Lincoln and his generals were uncoordinated with each other. As it turned out, Bragg had to abandon Chattanooga in order to protect his supply lines.

Instead of taking advantage of Bragg's retreat after the Battle of Stone's River, Gen. Rosecrans, the commander of the Army of Cumberland showed less inclination to move his army as per initial orders received by his commander, Halleck, blaming that he had to cope with logistical and tactical problems due to the Confederate's cavalry raids.

Rosecrans attitude led to a waste of time which lasted from January to the end of June1863, when he put in motion his army from Murfreesboro toward Bragg's Confederate Army and Tullahoma, after Halleck told him the Administration's dissatisfaction for his irresolute behavior.