The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-09-23
Gen. Rosecrans ,loyenent..

| The triumphant entry of this brave general
into Chattanooga and of Burnside into Knox
vile, was cause for rejoicing among all loyal
men. twas an important point gained as it
freed Tennessee from the controlling power
of the rebels. But the work of these generals
was not done, but only begun. Gen. Rose
Grams, allowing himself and men but little
time for rest, pushed on into Georgia. 1t was
seen at once by rebel generals, that he must
be repmlsed or all was lost. Rosecrans was
aiming first ut Rome, and then at Atlanta, an
important railroad center, the possession OF
which by our forces, would cut off the only
remaining railroad communication between
Virginia and Alabama and the South West.
When the enemy retired from Chattanooga,
upon the entrance of Rosecrans army, stand
was made at Lafayette, about twenty miles
south of thatpace. Here the rebel force, hav-
ing been made formidable by reinlorcements,
so that it numbered $4,000 men, made a stand
at the gap of the Pigeon Mountain, forming a
line on this side as if TO attack
On Sunday week, Gen. Rosecrans left Chat
tanooga, and assumed strong defensive posi-
ton on Chickamanga creek, covering Chat
tanooga. Gen. Negley's Brigade, consisting of
$500 was met on the same day by rebel force
of 10000 and driven back some three or
four miles, but he recovered the ground the
next morning with loss of 35 killed, woun-
ded and missing
Rosecrans, fiuding he had such formidable
force to meet, was compelled to mass his for
ces in the neighborhood of Lafayette, making
that place his headquarters. On Saturday,
while Gen. Rosecrans was concentrating his
forces at Crawford Springs, Gen. Thomas,
corps on the left was attacked, and after des-
perate fight the rebels were repused. Gen.
Thomas forces then charged the rebels for
nearly mile aud half Furnishing them
badly.
About two o'clock the enemy made fierce
dash on the center which gave way and the
troops became much scattered, but Gems.
Thomas and Davis pushed forward their col
umns and recovered the ground. The rebels
evidently intended to get between Rosecrans'
army and Chattanooga, which they were not
permitted to do. The fight was severe through
the day Saturday and was kept up until a
late hour in the evening, our troops having re-
covered their original ground, and captured
several hundred prisoners, losing seven guns
and capturing ten.
On Sunday morning the enemy attacked
Gen. Rosecrans with overwhelming numbers,
having been reinforced, as is supposed, from
Lee and Beauregard Two Of Gen. Rosecrans
divisions gave way in panic and confusion, but
q large portion of them were rallied again, the
main army holding its position. The number
OF killed aud wounded on both sides is estima-
ted at thirty thousand. The contest of Sunday
was probably the fiercest and most bloody of
the war, in which Rosecrans maintained his
ground against force nearly double his own.
Gen. Rosecrans, after two days of the most
severe fighting, against two or three times his
numerical strength, deemed it prudent to fall
back on Sunday night to Chattanooga, where
he has no doubt been reinforced by Burnside,
and is now in condition not only for defen-
sive but offensive operations against the COM
bined force that has been concentrated against
him.