Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-10-01
Lafayette road aud take position there which he did
throwing up for his protection breastwork OF rails


PREPARATIONS FOR GENERAL BATTLE.
When Friday night came few expected battle next
day. but the movements of Thomas and McC0ok toward
the left commenced at this time and carried under
of the Darkness Indicated TO the rejecting that the
rebel foe was still menacng line of communication
with Chattanooga, and that final position was about 70
be taken up for the purpose OF defending TINS ne quo
giving battle to the enemy if he desired it; for IL was noI
intention to fight if could just well avoid IT,
say this with great confidence OF course Gen. hosecrans
has not told Of his designs neither has any one whom
l might consider authorized to speak ior nun but 80
great 10 my reliance upon the wisdom and generashp OF
Rosecrans much in was to be gained by de-
lay; evident it that the enemy had massed against
almost half his available force making hun Tor the Tune
too strong for us plain it that behind the fortica
tiops at Chattanooga best position for defensive
purposes obvious Indeed We're hundred reasons why
should just then have avoided battle, that Thick
run no hazard of contradiction from official sources when
assert that if Gen Rosecrans could have honoraby post
poned an engagement with the en-my he wonld unqnes
tonaby have ne But the enemy had collec ed what
he besv to be u sufficient force crush our gallant
army: thu uecessts OF his situation would not allow him
to watt he could easy turn tanks BY reason of fs
superior numbers he knew that could not afford uu.
der any circumstances to allow him to get between and
Chattanooga no his opportunity aud he determined
to seize it,
All night long on Friday night the movement of Thomas
it intended to hold the next day that Thomas
ed by and placed his divisions upon the left of the line
Ter Nsgty being in position at Owns Ford higher up
tn valley for the purpose OF preventing he enemy from
l. our line, Gen JotnsOu's division of Mot ooks
corps reported Gen Thomas and marched with him TO
take positon upon the LETT OF Crtenden Gems Davis
and Sheridan in the mean time moving as rapidly
possible toward the ef to connect wi toe right
Of Crttenden and thus mpl-e the line, which would
be much shorter than it was the day before
A night march of large body Of troops is solemn
thing The dier- scarcely speak word to each othrr
the animals with dull, mechanical notion which
hardly resembles life the rattle of the wagon whe els serm
gey mufsd and almost the ouly sound you recog
MAE the heavy measured awful tramp of thousands Of
living men
For the first half of the night during which the march
referring to took place, every thing comfortable
enough, but midnight it turned reezingly cold and
necessary after passing Gen. Crittenden, for
feel way with caution, long wearsome halts took
place. dsrng which skirmishers would scOur the woods
Immediately upon our front and right flank The boys
who not diminishing becoming very cold during hese
has began to knde fires at every stopping place warm
themselves At first trey made these fires of logs of wood
and rails taken from the neghboring fences but after
ward thew ceased to trouble themselves about removing
the rails and set fire to the fences themselves wherever
they CHANGED to stop In the of hour line Of
fires stretching all along the Lafayette road illuminated
the clouds above and showed the silent columns of Gen.
Thomas gliding by like an army OF spectres.
At last the weary march came to end the artillery
was wheeled into position, and the marching columns
facing to the right stood in order of battle looking to
ward the east.
An hour or two longer and the sun arose in glory thawed
the crisp white Frost which had collected upon the grass
dispersed the mss that had gathered around the tops of
the mountains and sending flood of golden light into thu
valley Of the Chickamau9a showed at least twotbirds of
the entire Union army drawn up in battle array Not
that any individual old Sol, could them ALL for
the peculiar nature of the ground covered almost every
where with thick woods rendered it impossible in many
places to see even the whole of single regiment.
BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE.
Az soon as the fairly risen, mounted my
horse, intending to ride to the extreme left Of ne
and thence proceed from left to right to get
curate idea of it possible before the real work Of the
day should commence. Riding about mile saw troops
coming into the road from the woods to the east Of it, aud
had not perceived through glass that they hab
tied in blue should have judged from the direction
whence they that they portion Of the rcb
army. Ttey the two brgades Col Mitches and Col
McCouks)of Gen. Gordon Changers corps who had been
diminishing the day before in the neghb rh cd Of Reds
Bridge ana of kinggold, / have already described.
They had come to form junction with the main army,
bad tailed aud were voting for orders Scarcely bad
reached these Troops in safety, when order Gen.
Rosecruns which had reached Geo. Granger by another
route, directed the two brgades TO fall back at T.,
Rossve get supply of ations for three days. and hold
themselves 10 readiness to march at moments notice
As the cose proximity of the rebels rendered it
difficult just then to rfach Gen. Bards men, who
nearest TO the right, fell back" with Gen Gran
gers troops and remained in the vicinity Of Rossvie,
until the sounds Of battle Ia the direction whence had
come attracted my attention wild galop back to the
left immediately ensued was accompanied in the ride
by member OF the corps Of Typographical Engineers
attached TO Gen. Rosecrans headquarters.
THE WRECK OF THE CONFLICT.
few miles riding brought on the way that we
began to get gmpses of that stream of wreck, debris,
mingled lite, and mingled humanity, which always flows
from battle. field For time we asked the news of
each came to, and the replies filed alternately
with sorrow with indignation, with Keen apprehension
| ard with hopes. Il
One said the battle had been going on several hours and
our arms bad met with disaster al ing The whole line
Another declared that although unsuccessful at rs our
troops at length recovered their ground aud were now
drivir the emmy
Here comes q single solder, covered with dust and
sweat Let us question him. Where de you belong ~
To the Regular brigade Has it been eng sQed this
mornng3" I" / should think it had" with what re-
girnent is yours 2" The 10th United States Infantry
odd suffer much 7" Dolly thirty forty of its mem
bers are left"
Here Il man with an arm roughly bandaged and very
bio dy The blood has dried upon and hangs To il
great black Cots Who are your" Private -, OF
the 35th Indiana" What news have you I" Bad
news enough Has your regiment been in the fght =.
II It has not no one has With what result7 Z" .Oue
third OF its numOer killed and wounded Z" Were
you whipped 2" :" Our brigade was lett unsupported
overpowered by NUMBERS, and compelled for time
give way" . Is Col. Scribner safe7" SO far az
know be il"
Another with gbasty wound 10 the head has upon hi,
jacket the red stripes which sh,w him TO be artillery
man I" Whose battery do you belong ~ "Gunhsr's'
Why that Is the regular battery belonging tb Gen Kpg
brigade what has il been doing I" has all boon taken
by the enemy" Can that be- pt ssble7" 1T r but
have heard since that IL retaken "How came te
be lostf The infantry supports gave way, and the
horses being nearly all killed. Of the guns were
/ captured"
The stream grew stronger and stronger. StraQger,
were run over by wagons dahng back toward the
Ambulances, filed with wounded came in long procession
from toward where the battle raging. Mrn with
nj ma daan