Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-10-29

ESoefS HUI IL HetStH lplti t3s iaySf c?tae sbtetF
bata 10 fec'aoe Gleblin II sic gebeis ahg and Shs
tbis movement was being Effected, another message
from General Hill vas received by General Polk, in-
forming him that his right was again threatened aud
he wanted support General Polk examined tie position
of Cleburn and finding he could held H. IT be could not
advance moved Cheatham rapidly by the right hank to
the extreme right to meet the reported movement OF
the enemy which ascertaued to be one OF the d.
visions OF Grapgers corps, approaching from Chatta-
nooga and was moving towards the centre, Where Oie
burn had made his attack
The whole line then revised and posted, and
forward movement in all its length ordered The reht
yupp round with all extended sweep, with its htm sup
p,rts and the left rallied more to the charge OIL
the works. before which il had suffered so severely 10
the morning Never did troops move up 10 their work
9TH more resolution the daring Breckenridge with MS
Kentuckans and Louisianians, and Cleburn with hs
Arkansans and Alabamians and Walker with his South
O. ronians Mssssippans and GeorgAns, and Oheatham
with his Tennesseeans, all moved forward in one
mighty tide amidst the ihunders OF some twenty bat
teries and the of thousands OF mukets and rne
The scene was of passing sublmiiy and grand
eur Sweeping forward the food of mighty river,
il carried everything before it, nothing being able 10
stand before Il in the Tessess line OF ia path. TT
eremy's works, which opposed such stubborn Fesls-
ance in the morning, succumbed before tne on-moVli
tocrent and the brave of CeburIs division, which
had been REFUSED in the morning. had by their extra
ordinary galantry in the evening" the opportunity OF
averaging the experiences of the eser part OF the day
The whole field carried trumphanty, and the ene-
nv driven as chaff before the wind. He whstood as
| long as human powers of endurance could bear up
against such a pressure teen yielded, and fell bsck
partly upon aud into the hands Of the right wing, where
several hundred captured the residue crossing the
Chattanooga road and reIeating in the direction OF
Missionary Ridge. Night interposed, and though it
brought with It magnificent moon no orders were re-
ceived TO pursue and the troops were halted, giving
expression to their Of the glorious victory won,
and unconquerabe desire to pursue 1t to an absolute
success in the enemys utter annihatcn, in such long,
loud and triumphant cheering as would almost seem to
rend the heavens Such cheering has never been heard
| at the close OF any battle since the war began
Such were the operations on the right wing. The
battle beginning on the right It's tide from right 10
left and reached LongsTeets extreme left about j
o'clock and was avaed Of and directed by that emf
nent chef-whO very much resembles the Duke Of We'll
liogon in the aspects moral and intellectual OF bis
Oh iracter az he has resembled him in the fortune Of
uniform success-in manner prompt and energetic
as il was wise aud skiilfu. While Hood and Others
we're ordered by him TO make a vigorous assault in
'front.' Buckner made to execute successful flank
movement the Joint effect OF which 10 force the
Federa to abandon that part of the field and to seek
position high ridge. From this position they
we're driven with heavy loss in killed. wounded prisO
ners artillery small and colors, after desperate
struggle, by tue brigades of Kershaw aud Humphries
under the command Of Brig. Gen. Kershaw, 10 the ab
sence of Ms Gen. hcLsws reinforced by q acise,
Kelley's and Trigss brigades, of Maj Gen. Preetons
division, Maj. Gen. Hndman completing the general
york Of tho le the lef by driving the enemy on his
front before him, along with those driven from the
ridge by Preston and KershaW. Rosecrans, percevlng
Nha: was taking place on his right, ordered up
renorcemsnts fom his left to support his retiring
rather frig ened batsons, which, finding good posi-
ton awaited their arrival turning upon their pursuers
With the erceness of temporary and desperate ener
gy Brig Gen. Law, commanding Holds division, per.
ceivng this movement ordered q battery Of ten (l0)
guns 10 position FROM which he could enhade the re-
luloroing column II advanced. The battery opened
Just as Il was about wheeling into position, and at the
same time Stewards division, posted on the extreme
right, was thrown forward on its flank.
These movements, made ootemporaneously with the
movements Of Polks wiDg as mentioned above, led to
the almost simultaneous rout OF the whole Federal ar
my, aud ensusd in the glorious victory described
o. the most absolute and decisive Of the war From
this moment panic confusion, disorder became the con-
don of army which had never before acknowledged
defeat aud which for two days had been contesting
every inch of ground With Valor the most Obstinate
And what did the Confederate Commander do? Did he
puTaue an enemy thus demoraized and furnished, by
his not forming hs line Of battle at right angles with
hI actual line with opportunity Of retreat upon Cbstta
noOga whose possession was the Of the campaign,
An enemy not only demOralizad but encountered with
heavy trains and mode Of exit save through two
gaps OF NJ ssionary Ridge, mountain? No. Night had
in, and he deemed it prudent to halt Notwithstanding
bis men eager for the pursuit. and brilliant moon
furnished almost the light Of day. Three hours had been
lost in the morning by Poke failure attack at daylight
aud, therefore, the condition Of the trooos was such
to fcrbd the possibility Of pursuit. But granting
that reasons substantive existed for not pursu
ing on Su, day night, what hiDdered the Commander
n-Chief from pursuing Monday morning at daylight!
Chattanooga was only ten Q0) miles from the battle
field and unfortfed, our pursuing cavalry could zee
their head Of column, and urged General Bagg by
peated messages to pursue that every hours delay
aOuld be equal to the loss of thousand men. Citizens
along the road reported that many OF their commands
passed their dwellings in the utmost disorder without
CT accoutrements and many without hate as con-
fused aud routed mob, not as troops in column every
thing in Chattanooga and on the road inviting rather
than foibddipg attack Even they had had good de-
iensive works. with tie condition as reported above by
prompt pursuit our army would have gone into Chat
tinoogG with theirs and thus broken the effect of their
fire, and if such could have been the result with good
defensive works what might not the result have
without them and the enemy panic stricken bcauee of
The knowledge that none such existed What hindrod
him from pursuing is not known, but is known that
while pursuit seems to have been inv ed he did not
pursue, and not pursuing, what did he do Monday
morning. lie first sent out detachments to the
battlefield 10 gather up the fruits of victory, in
large and smIli, 10 be secured and sent to the
rear, and caused the captured banners to be eel
lected TO be sent TO Richmond aud prisoners to be
counted and sent 10 the rear. He then ordered the
troops under arms, and marched item down the Chat
'anonga road until they came TO Rossville where
FOrcst and Pegram we're laundering away with their
batteries at the retroling enemy there had them fled
10 the right and thrown down the Chckamauga creek
that they might rest from their faiigues and DO in
gnnd polite" nrnn Rn-nsida Aonk Pnon-
Grams, as future contingencies might dictate.
There the troops halted from Monday until Wednes-
day morning, the enemy in the meantime working like
beavers and terrifying night and day with all their
might On Tuesday night order issued for the
wholo army 10 move upon Chattanooga at o'clock the
next morning. Wednesday, 2Sd September.
The army moved up to and over Missionary Ridge,
where was halted and where it remains halted this
day. the 2sd October
That the campaign tar is failure, and the battle
of Ohckamauga, though victory, is not success
propositions plain for denial We have recoV.
cred Chattanooga yet, much ess Tennessee, and
may be well for the country to inquire whether the fault
md IL hrI,,