Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-10-08
The battle os chickamauza.
"A DKr,ILEp RIBKL AoooUST-TBE FKDfH
AIS DAVIS BACK At EyKRT PoIST
fcorre.goudenoe Of tbs Eiehmond Dispatch
NyAE CHAR AxooGA, Septeuforr 2

told iu few words. there - 10 iohEef III
armed enemy 90 the soil 81 Georgia Onls the
Federal, dead wounded and prisoner now re
main. The multrudrous host, swelling With
confidence and pride. Who lately Invaded that
powerful State tbreateplngto OFerrun her terri
t0rs and devastate her homes. has been defeated
and forced % seek refuge behind barricfdes ana .
breastworks along the baHksof the Tennessee
river Let every heart ia our suffering land give
thanks 70 Almighty God for dis great kindness.
for this signal deliverance. -
Oniv portions of two OF LOngstreet's divisions 7
arrived in time 10 take part in the fight. but they
were host within themselves. They were Ben
ning's, Laws and RobinsOns brigades, OF Hoods
division, and Kershaw's and Humphreys brig /
AIDES. Of McLaw's. But let US proceed with the
battle
Il saready known that Gen Bragg deemed u
prudent TO sitdraw his forces frum Ch'ttanog'
and East Tennessee and retire into the State OF
Georgia. and there await reinforcements The
enemy's cavalry penetrated as far As R'nggold
and Tunnel Hill on the Western and Atlantic
railroad. our own cavalry. unfortunately. setting
FIRE 10 the bridges they retreated. Several
affairs between OutpOsts followed on ] hurSd Y
and Friday. the 18th and 18th inst and on the
18th a heavy skirmsh ensued, amounting almost
if not quite 70 a general engagement, in which
Hood and his veterans displayed great spirit and
resolution Gen. Bragg advanced upon the enc
nv. driving in his outDosts and skrmishers. aud
gaining important advantages. he considered II
best. probably, to strike before Rosecrans could
be reinforced, and even before all his own rein
forcements could arrive. TIE Federal com
mander was evidently surprised by the vigorous
movements Of Bragg, from whom he expected
only feeble resistance. Even "a late M Sunday
morning, when the Confederates deployet on the
west bank of the Chckamauga he was hardly
prepared for a serious attack from an army which
he supposed would be only too glad TO effect IT.
escape.
The great battle was fought off the west bank
Of the Chickamauga on Sunday, the 2lth day at
September The line of battle extended east and
vest across the boundary line between Walker
and Catoosa counties. resting here and there
on the bends of the Chickamauga river. very
crooked stream, running east and northeast,
and emptying into the Tennessee above CHI
tlnooga d Hill COMMANDED on the right,
Polk in the center and LOngstreet on the lett
The command Of LOngstreet was composed OF
such of the brigades of Hoods and Laws disis
ions a. had come up. and Hndm tns Preston 3,
S,ewart's and Bnshrod Johnsons divisions of
the Army of Tennessee-the three last cOn~ti
tuting the corps OF that intrepid officer. Major
General Buckner These forces held the
IRENE LETT and were opposed to the right wing
Of the enemy which rested upon the mountain
and occupied a strong position Hills corps on
the right was composed OF Brecknridge's and
Cleburne's fine divisions. L am not vet IN
formed OF the composition of Folks command.
which occupied the center, nor OF Walker :
corps, which was held in reserve.
BY order of Gen. Bragg. the attack was com
menced about 10 o'clock, Sunday morning, on
the extreme right. and was taken up by each
succeeding division To the left, reaching Long
streets left at IL o'clock. and thus taking one
hour for the wave Of battle to roll from one end
of the line 10 the other On the right and in the
centre the attack was not successful in the early
part of the day. The enemy had massed henv,
force on this part Of the field and maintained hi
position with 50 much stubbornness that Walker
was ordered up with his reserves to the support o
Hill and Polk He moved forward in superb
style. and fell upon the enemy like thunderbolt
but the Federal columns still stood their grount
and fought with desperate gallantry.
In the meantime. Longstreet had been steadily
/ pushing back the enemy the left. meeting NJ
| check and carrying everything before him. I'm
| der his orders. Buckner executed a successful
flank movement while Hood and others made
vigorous assault in front. The effect OF thi
combined attack was to force the Federas q
i abandon that part of the field and 20 seek posi-
! ton on a high ridge They had not more thai
formed their lines, however. before the brigade
of Kershaw and Humphreys, of McLsw division
; under command of Kershaw (McLaw not We
; having arrived with the remainder of his dlyl
I, sion) were ordered to assault the ridge.
!. Here desperate struggle ensued. Kershav
: carried the position again and again. aud lost
! as often Ii was evident that the enemy had tn
| advantage both in position and numbers, but tn
brave Caronians and Mssissippians did not sto
:. to consult the odds against them Genera
: Longstreet very properly, however. sent Oracle
! Kely's and Trigg's brigades. of Preslon's heroi
! division. to their support. vigorous aud sim
ultaneous attack was then made. and the enem
q fnallv driven with great slaughter from the cre-
] of the ridge and down its side Preston AMI hi
entire command behaved with distin guishe
gallantrv. and like the veteran Kershaw an
Z his loyal followers, excited the admiration ,
: all who witnessed their conduct kershaw CAT
i tured nine guns "A number of small arms al
prisoners. and Humphreys took 435 prisoner
four reemental standards and one headquart'
flag
Hindmau, whose position was next on the lei
) WIS not idle while the struggle was going on II
| engaged the enemy in his front AMI after fer
! encounter compelled him to retire along with III
rest Of the Yankee troops.
:: The advantages which Longstreet had game
e on the left could not but arrest the attentiI
? of Rosecrans. who consequently detached
, ! heavy force from his left wing and center AZ
) sent il 10 the support of his right This in
: portant movement did not escape the vigil Il
ewes of the C0nfcderates. Gen. Law. who ST.
:, ceeded to the command of Hoods division. e
ter the latter dangerously wounded. SEuer'
a battery of ten guns To be pushed forward to
position from which he could enhltde the rel
forcing column as il advanced. This was lace
4 the afternoon and at time when Preston ~
2 Johnson's divisions of Buckner's corps, and he
: shaw and Humphreys. of McLaws division, h
again become engaged with the enemy in de
e perate confict After gaining possession OF q
2 ridge, as heretofore described. they hid contlnu
their pursuit until thew came up with the ret'rii
e foe. who turned upon the pursuers and cnce mo
e attempted to make stand The reinforcing C
4 umn was about To wheel into position. when !,
: battery Of ten guns opened upon il a terrible c
3. hladIng fire.
d About the same time Lieut. Col Sorrel.
e Longstreet's staff, ordered Stewards division
: advance and fall upon the q INK OF the coum
!. The shock was terrible The enemy halle
r staggari backwards, fell into confusion. ~
e finally hei followed by those to whose assistan
d they had gone Indeed, they were badly ~hpp
on this part OF the line aud lost largely in pri,
ners killed and wounded. About three thousa
h prisoners were taken In addition TO the ga
IS captured bv kershaw. Hoods division took .
y thirteen Of which were brought oil nv Laws b
;, gade md eight BY Behring'S Etch Of u,
i last named officers CONSPICUOUS for 20
i conduct But this true of all the officers -
e men, and need not stop TO ptrticulariEe O
II more than another Gen Hoods wound. VIII
& has resulted in the amPutation of his thigh !
h 2lored oy the whole army A more useful a
he gallant officer j. not To be found in the Conf,
= crate service.
Bu, the maneuvcr by which the Federal CO
F..