The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-09-29
&ictuluah 9ispattt.
THE esEar saTTlE of calekllaucD.
TFROM OUR OWN CORREsp0NlDENTl
NEAR CHATTANOOGA, TENN,
S0Ofomber ss1. 1Sf2

II ~~---S -
September .y3d, 1853
The most important battle Of the war, af
ter that Of the fnt Manassas, has just beer
fought aud won by the Confederate arms
The result is told in few words There il
no longer an armed enemy on the soil o.
Georgia Only the Federal dead, wounded
and prisoners, now remain. The multitudi
nous host, swelling with confidence anf
pride, who lately invaded that powerful
| State, threatening to overrun her territory
and devastate her homes, has been defeated
| and breastwOrks along the banks ,H the Ten
nessee river. Let every heart i'm all our suf
ietlnS land give thanks to Almighty {, nd fol
Ills great kindness for this sigma, del, yer
aacc!
Having been detained on the route. ar
rivea upon the field too late to witness the
Dattie am also almost wholly uninformed
Oh the organization of the various corps, di-
VISIONS, and brigades which compose the
Army of Tennessee Under these circnm. I'M
stances am constrained to rely, in great
part, upon the statements Of others who
were In position to be we'll informed. and
90 not pretend to speak with absolute Ger
tahty, or 10 enter much into detail But
tnefe is one fact which may be affirmed with
seat confidence and emphasis, to wit: thai
Tue confederate troops never fought better;
nor did any other troops upon any other
oaitie-Heid.ever conduct themselves with
higher courage or more distinguished gal
iantry. Longstreef's veterans and Bragy's
oraVcs entered into generous rivalry. and
each stroye to set an example of daring and
to Guido the other. The one rushed to the
conflict with their old battle flags, bearing
upon their ample folds the Inscriptions Of
md
Pines" "Malvern Hili," ''Frederickshnrs y
and 'Chancellorsville," and fully resolved to
wave those glorious standards in triumph
over q Western, as they had already done
over an Eastern, foe. The other. conscious
OF their own manhood, and yielding to none
IN high resolve and dauntless courage, YET
sthng by the memory Of former disasters.
went upon the field with their minds and
hearts iuily made up never to quit it but as
vlctors, nor uutil'they had proven to all the
worid that they were the worthy brothers of
the heroes Of the Chickahomjny and the
tappahannock. Before men thus animated
and thus resolved, many of whom 1.-THE Geor-
glaIs) fought in view Of their household
gods, nothing could stand and live. Their
herce battle cries rung out above the din and
upr0ar OF the mighty strife-the trumpet-
note Of victory to Confederate arms. aud the
knell OF defeat and death to the enemy
Great clouds OF yellow dust and blue smoke
from the guns and burning woods euveloped
the field and the struggling combatau Is. and.
ascending from the plains, settled upon the
crests of the hills and mountains in festoons
Of fantastic shape; but, deep as was the
gloom, there were flashing eyes there that
saw throughit all, and followed with steady
gaze the path that led to victory.
Nor were Bragg and Lonsstrcet insensible
to tie feeling which animated their follow
ers. To them it was the last opportunity to
reverse the DEGREES Of hit hertO unpropi.
tiOus fortune; to the Otherit was new field
OF hope and ambition, where another blow
might be struck for his country, and fresh
laurcls gatlieredfor his own brow. Each did
bis duty nobly, as did all then officers and
men, and the rewards of o graf eful country
await them. Only portions Of two of Long
streets divisions arrived in time to take part
in the tight, but they were host within
themselves. They were Benning's, Laws,
and Rohertson's brigades, Of Hoods divis.
ion. and kershaw's and Humphreys brig:ldes,
OF MeLaw 5. But let us proceed with the
battle.
1t is already snowa that General Bragg
deemed il pru dent to withdraw his forces
from Chattanooga and East Tennessee, and
to retire into the State of Georgia, and there
await reinfUrcements. The enemy's cavalry
penetrated as far as ltinggold and Tunnel
Hill, on the Western and Atlantic Railroad
our WI cavalry, unfortunately, setting fire
to t.ne bridges as they retreated. Several
affairs between OutpOsts followed on Thurs
day and Friday, the Eth and 18th inst ,and
on the 18th q hesvy skirmish ensued, amount
ing almost, il not quite, to a general battle
in which Hood and his veterans DISPLAYED
great spirit and resolution. Gen. Bragg ad
vanced upon the enemy, driving in his out
posts and skirnlishers, and gaining impOr
tant advantages. He considerable best, pro
|. I~x.H l..
reinforced, and even before all his own rein
forcements could arrive. The Federal com
mander was evidently surprised by the Wig
OrOus movements OF Bragg, from whom ht
expected only a feeble resistance. Even a.
late as Sunday morning, when the Coniedc
rates deployed ON he west bank of tht
Chickamauga, he Was hardly prepared for {
serious attack from All army which he sup
posed would be only too glad to effect lis Is
cape.
The great battle was fought on the wes1
bank Of the Chickamauga on Sunday, III.
Goth day of September The line Of battle
extended east and west across the boundary
line between Walker and CatOOsa counties
resting here and there on the bends in the
Chickamauga river, veiy crooked stream
running east and northeast and eslptying in
to the Tennessee above Chattanooga. ID. IL
Hill commanded on the right, Polk in the
mand of Longstreet was composed oe sucl
of the brigades of Hoods and McLaws's di
visions as had come up, and IIfndman's
Preston's, Stewards, and BushrOd JOhns0n's
divisions of the army of Tennessee. Tht
three last constituting the corps OF that In
trepid officer, Maj Gen. Buekner. 1NeSt
forces held the extrame left, aud were OppOs
ed to the right wing Of the enemy, viii VIII, q !
rested upon the mountain and occupied 9
strong position. Hills corps on the righ:
was composed of Breckinridge's and Gle
burne's fine divisions. am not yet inform
ed of the composition OF Polk's command,
which occupied the centre, nor Of Walkers
corps which was held In reserve.
BY order OF Gen. Bragg the attack was
commenced about 10 O'Clock Sunday morn
ing, on the extreme right, and was taken up
by each succeeding division to the leit,
reaching Longstreet's left ut ii O'Clock, and
thus taking one hour for the wave OF battle
to roll from one end Of the line to 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 heavy force
on this part OF the field, and maintained his
pOsitiOn with. SO much stubbornness that
Walker was ordered up with his reserves to
the support of Hill and Polk. He moved
forward in superb style, and fell upon the
enemy like q thunderbOlt; but the Federal
columns still stood their ground and fought
with desperate gallaniry.
In the meantime Longstreet had been
steadily pushing back the enemy on the left,
me etin.- no check and carrying everything
before him. Under his orders Buckner exc
cuted q successful flank movement. whilst
Hood end others made . vigorous assault In
front. The effect of this combined attack
was to force the Federals to abandon tnal
part of the field and to seek p0sitton on
kiOh RIDGE They had not more than formed
their lines, however, before the brigades o.
Kenhaw anil Humphreys, Of McLaw,s dlvls
ION, under command Of KeEshaw, AcLaN
mt vet hay1 np arrived with the remainder o.