The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-09-28
Rithmonh gispatrb.
MONDAY MORNING. . :. sElTExRsR %. ,sss
further Particulars Of the Fight
Scenes on the BatNe Eveld-THe
Losses-Reiato torcements, DC, dc.

The Atlanta papers contain some addi
tional particulars Of the battle Of Chicka
mauga. The accounts include some
meagre description Of the fight of Sun.
day. We give letter from the IatelH
ge"cer, written on the ed inst:
The preliminary fight commenced. it ma,
| l.c said, on Friday, the 18th inst, at AIcxan
ders bridge, eight miles west of Rinepoltl
WalthaaIs brigade was principally engage
and sufirren most, one regiment losing Z:
killed and wounded. Gen. Bushrod John
| sons brigade moved III at the time from
Ring.old, crossing the Chickaman.a above
| at Reeds bridge, the enemy falling back be
fore us and nlarshaling their forces in lin.
6! hatttie. Their advance on Georgia sol
had been So successful and easy that the,
seemedsHrpriseda at ne nesf 0f being chec kci
| contemplating triumphant entrance into
| Atlanta.
On Saturday, the 10Th, the two conteudino
armies confronted each other in battle array
Our line extended from Reeds bridge 10 Lee
| q Gordons mills, distance OF between
seven and ten miles, over. u rugged, barrc,
country of hill and dale. Between 8 and .
O'Clock a. NJ. the battle opened on our right.
In The course OF an hour the firing became
heavy and rapid, the batteries of Forrest 3
| and Walkers divisions, aud the reserve.
Capt. Lumsden's battery, in command oi
| Major Palmer, Chief of Artillery. keeninv
up perfect roar Of fire, which was fully re,
turned by the enemy. The lines of>both ar
mics moved to and fro like the advancing
and receding waves of the sea. Cheatham's S
division soon became under fire, with its ar
tillery under command Of Major Melanthon
Smith. The tight was kept up with varied
success, when the gallant division of General
Cleburne charged the enemy after dark, by
moonlight, and drove them two miles from
their first line Of battle and in front of Alex.
ander's bridge. 1t was here the brave Gen.
Preston Smith fell. After this victorious
and most brilliant achievement our army
rested on their arms for the night During
the fight Capt. Carnes' S battery was captured,
all the horses being killed, and all the artil-
lerists being either killed or wounded. This
battery was afterwards retaken by General
Smiths brigade, and also one or two other
pieces which had been abandoned, the horses
being killed. That day We took the enemy's
celebrated Loomis' battery Of six guns, and
four other pieces, aud 200 prisoners.
The fight on Saturday commenced on this
side Of the Chickamauga river, extending
from the right OF Lee and GordOn's mills to
what is known as the new bridge across that
stream, q distance of about five miles, with
q flanking force well ont on either wing. In
the evening the Yankees rctreated across
that stream, burning the new bridge behind
them, the river dividing the two armies for
the night.
That night the Yankees were hard at
work digging entertainments, aud threw up
three lines of works towards the Missionary
Ridge.
Sunday morning, the Goth, before day. the
banks We're dug down on each side Of tue
stream, just below the point where the
bridge had been burned, and our forces
fOrded the stream and drew up in line Of bat
tie about s O'Clock.
Gen. Polk, who commanced the right, had
a hot days work before him, but he felt con
fident of success. The battlefield was al un.
dulating or rolling open wood, SO much so
that artillery had room and range enough for
iuil play. The attack was commenced by
our forces shortly after nine O'Clock A. NJ.
Our line Of battle was four miles west of
Chickamauga, and half mile cast OF the
main road leading from Lafayette to Chatta-
noOga. We pressed the enemy sorely from
the start, who, though strongly contesting
the ground inch by inch, gradually fell back
before our braves. Charge after charge was
made on the enemy, and one vocifcratine
yell prevailed our ranks, VIC tuning their
left on their centre, and driving back his
right ut the same time. In the afternoon the
enemy attempted to throw reini0rcements
from the left to the right across an open field
and the Chat ttanooga road. Major Wilian,s's
battery was concentrated on this road, and
cut off the enemy, the whole forest being
completely moved down with grape, canis-
ter, shrapnel, and shell; it was at this time
We took several thousand prisoners. II was
after dark that Gen. Polk carried the last
line Of the enemys entrcnchments, when
thrilling yell of triumph rang out on the air,
which told Of our glorious victory.
The enemy was completely routed, and in
full retreat. Gen. Breckinridge's division,
and Gen. PrestOn's Of Buckncr's corps, also
bore Il most gallant part in the charging of
the enemy s Sentrenchments, who were driven
three miles, back to Missionary Ridge, and
from which the enemy were driven to within
five miles Of Chattanooga. Gen. Bragg was
on the field with the troops, night and day,
aud i'm riding down the lines iu front of Gen
Breckinridges division, on the night OF vic
tory, Lc\was most enthusiastically cheered
by Hrecknri.lge and his brave Kentucky,
Louisiana, Alabama and Florida troops.
We have captured over 40 stand OF colors.
45 pieces Of artillery, and taken over G000
prisoners. Our loss is estimated from eight
to ten thousand. killed and wounded; the
enemy's cannot be less than from twenty 10
twenty five thousand.
The battle field extended about ten miles,
and the carnage was the most frightlul yet
witnessed, far exceeding Charlottesville,
Gettysburg, MurireesbOrO', or Shiloh. The
constant and terrific roar of artillery never
was exceeded. The fighting Of our men OH
Sunday evening in carrying the enemy's en-
trenchments was magnificent, grand, and
terrible Yhey faced the whirlwind OF lead
aud iron with the steadiness and cOmpOSure
of a summers rain. Then came charge If.
ter charge, the frightful gaps in our lines be-
ing Immediately closed up, and with the Yell
of demons our battle cry. arose above the
roar and crash of musketry aud artillery,
while the terror stricken foe fell back aghast
as our braves mounted and carried their en-
trenchments, line after line, over the dead
carcases OF the Abolition foe, who fell in
heaps in the pits they had but dug for them
Ne:rhs. The battle field tnat'nlght by moonlight
the glitterng beams shining on the CHASTITY
faces Of the dead, distorted i'm expression
from the wounds Of their torn and miaDgled
bodies, with heaps OF the wOundeti and dy-
ing, with scattered arms strcwn every where,
broken artillery carriages and caissons, dead
horees, and all that makes up the debris oil o
bloody contested ticld-was terrible and ap-
palling.
Gen. Polk tonight his corps with great skin
and ability, and with all the GOODNESS that
bravery can command. The noble divisions
Of the heroic Breckinridge and chlvalrous
Cheatham carried the last entrepchments
and they slept upon the field with the
wreath Of victory crowniDg their brOws.-
McNair's brigade, attached to Bushrod John
sons division was ON the left Of Gen. y.
II. HIis corps, and charged the entrench-
ments Sunday with its famed aud distii-
gnishetl ssallantry, taking II pieces OF arli'
lery. Gen. McNair was wounded, anu the
noble Col. r. w. Harper. commanding Dri'
gade, was killed. Col. Harper was Mary.
Ian IF Arka