Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-09-28
army of the Gu m berl md.
Battles On the hicamauga.
Desperate engagements on SATURDAY.
and SUNDAY.
Full l!etaiiS Of Events by Our Own
correspondent.


Full Getaiis Of Events BY Our own
Correspondent.
Graphic Description Of the Contest.
Special Correspondence of the Cincinnati Gazette.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE CUMBER-
LAND, Monday, September 1861
Another battle, and would that / could
say, another victoryi but, alas! truth
compels me to declare that, after series
of tremendous struggles, unsurpassed by
anything similar in the present war, the
Army of the Cumberland has been over
whelmed by numbers; has suffered i'm
mense losses in men and material, and
has fallen back to new position. 1t
may console US to know, however, that it
has saved its honor, kept its naughty foe
at bay, and has inflicted upon the enemy
as severe blows as it received.
But let me not anticipate | propose
to tell you plain, unvarnished tale, into
which my own personal observations and
experience shall largely enter, but which
SHALL at the same time, be faithful re-
cord of the general features of the great
contest J. have just witnessed
If you have received my letters, they
have made you aware of the progress of
events down to the 18th inst, but brief
recapitulation may not be out of place.
The rebel army, after evacuating Chat
tanooga, retired to Lafayette, twenty
eight miles TO the southwark, concentra-
ted his troops at that point, restored their
courage and hopes by the promise of re-
Inducements, and awaited the arrival of
the same. Meantime he took possession
of the gaps in Pigeon Mountain (Which
General Rosecrans must cross in order
to reach the Georgia State road, and the
great railroad which formed Bragg's line
of communication with Atlanta and
carefully fortified them. This obstruc-
ton delayed for some days the advance
of our forces, which had already crossed
the Raccoon and Lookout Mountains.
and gave the enemy time not only to re-
cover their spirits, but to receive a Dor
ticn of their re-enforcements. Hitherto
our army had been marching in three
great columns-Crittenden, followed by
Granger, by way of Chattanooga; Thom-
as by way of Trenton; and McCook, with
Stanley's cavalry, srill further to the
southwark The daily increasing num-
bers and boldness of the enemy compell-
ed a concentration of our forces as rap
nit nit and 6yn nstgRf etgRff1f 1f i the would ad
whole army was in line along the West
Chieamauga, between the Lookout and
Pigeon Mountains, and just to the East
of that low chain of wooded hills called
Mission Ridge On Thursday, the 18th,
the army shifted toward the North, con-
tracted its lines, and as the enemy S dem
onstrations became each hour more
threatening prepared for battle.
On Friday morning the extreme left
of the army rested upon the Chicka-
manga, at Gordon's Mil, the point where
the Lafayette road crosses the Chicka
manga, about twelve miles southwest o
Chattanooga. The right could only b'
loosely defined and was in a constan
state of preparation to shit northward
in order to bafflle the rebels who seelne
bent upon turning our left and gettin
between US and Chattanooga.
About II A NJ, hearing some car
nonading to the northward, | starte
from near the center of our lines, an(
riding past Palmer and Van Cleve's d
visions. came upon Gen. Woods trool
at Gordon's Mill. Here had this daun
less commander been stationed for
week, liable at any moment to be
; tackled from Lafayette by the whole arm
of the enemy and cut to pieces beto
a assis -ance could reach him. But 1t W
a matter of the last Importance tn
= while Crittenden's main body was me
ing to form junction with Thomas, t
rebels should not be allowed to get
the rear of the former and take poss
sion of Chattanooga. Consequent
: Wood was ordered to hold this imports
m n point at all hazards, and as long as p
sible, and if overpowered to fall back
Rossville, renew the fight there, and ii
fhe could not sustain himself, to retr
to the foot of Lookout Mountain, and
the narrow passage between it and
z river to fight while a man remained.
execute his difficult and perilous t
Gen. Wood had but two brigades, L
80 kers and Buelrs, Gen. Wagners CT
Or mand of his division having been left
of Chattanooga.
tes' tes' But. as there was no hesitation on
site part to undertake the business, Il
was no hinching manifested amongst
wy man in standing by HIM. Scarcel..
- hour of that long, weary week pa
without a skirrnish On Thursday n
!, the concentration of our forces in
vicinity of the mill, promised these +
full guardians relief, and On Friday m
ing. at the hour | have mentioned,
eral Wood found that his two brig
still in position, constituted the ext
s.ii left division of the army in line,
i | Wilder's mounted infantry and MI
i cavalry being any further down
II Chickamauga.
A stronger position naturally,
that which General Wood occupied
e, scarcely be imagined The cree
Gordon's Mill bends round in the
of a semi-circle, the convexity bel
ward the south, whence the enemy
- have advanced toward Gen. Wood
eminence, forming what would be
. eter of the circle if completed, run:
g east to west, uniting the extremi
% the bend. Upon this General Woe
placed his artillery. The creek its
considerable depth, and with bar
- eral feet high upon our side of it,
Oil tuted splendid ditch, and all all
bank lay Woods men, behind ru
efficient breastwork of logs and ra
OIL am particular in describing 4
lso sition because the enemys NOV
made for the purpose of avoiding
- the immediate cause of bringing
battle of Saturday.
nd, Here was Gen Wood when
him on Friday, expecting mono
table in that the storm which was now
~ IDENTITY preparing, would burst up
90 1t seemed to me that the very S
LCG. vigilance was embodied in the {
ED AN NJ P'-s-S ~ :