Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-10-29
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shicl !, sss tllHEe3 -, e,.i.,-..,.,
Tbs tsoysss1S gpoa fh6iass Il &ciSnSfse UoFa heTI
s failed be having effected his escape up the mountain
the wbele of the troops OF Bragg we're Wlthoiesh w
LAFAYETTE. On their Withdrawal, RoseCrans, WHO, Dy
tbs time had discovered Braggs whereabouts, recalled
NoCook ioto wills Valley and ordered him 70 iooH
Tbouas who WAS again put 10 molten over the moui
tsn into the cove The two corps Sere thus ocneen'
trated oa the east side Of Lookout Mountain III lnTY
b,urs sf,er Bragg left IL. Ia the mea time, Oaueh-
ja, Who lad reached Chattanooga and, finding no enc
nv tbere did not stop 10 occupy and iortiy ~ Du'i
song in the general feeling OF the Northern army has
the OOnfsderates were thoroughly demorshz'u AnS
would not fph: moved on toward Rnggold 10 cut OH
Bnokner who was understood to be moving 10 the sup
nort Of Bcsgg On reaching the point Oh the Georgia
Railroad at which Buckner crossed he discovereI he
Sas tcO late and turned toward EaFAyette 70 ioho"
him He moved up the Chiokamauga, on Its as Sde n
the direction of Lafayette, aud was conironteo oy tno
ce7otrv under Generals Pegram and Armstrong AiIer
skrmishes with them in which there were some Drl'-
liant dashes on the part Of our cavalry the atte re-
tired slowly before the elsmy, falling back towards Ia
Fayette To meet this movement ueneral hfsSg OF
deied force Of two divisions, under Lieut. ueh- IoA,
20 move 10 the front These divisions, Oheathams and
Wskers, were put in motion, and were IN line oil patt
before DAYLIGHT covering the three roads on Wheh the
eDem,s three divisions were marching. hndinsn came
np after daylight and Buckner was thrown orwsu dc
supporng force to guard Folks lett ag anst inomas
a,d WcCooS IN the cove. Crittenden, finding himself
,,nToated declined battle and retired during the nign
falling hack on the Chckamauga, which he crossed a.
lac and Gordon's mills This placed the whole oil Rose
Grams three corps the east side OF the ohieksmaug
and 10 easy supporting distance .0--.-
Nor vas pre5ented once more q magnificent oppor-
unity for the Confederate General There was no
longer doubt as to the position OF the forces oil the
enemv His whole army with the exception oil granger
vas before him. IL was distributed from the heau VI
NcIemOres Cove along and down the westside Oh tue
Ohickamsuga Valley IA far as Lee aud uordohs mus,
from
Coniederates. A strong demonstration on tue creek
was all that Was necessary TO cover the proper move
nent That movement was TO march MS "noie army
RAPIDLY by the rgb. flank, down as low "a heeds noge
and the contiguous iOrds and at that point 10 Throw IL
across the creek and valley forming 1t right angles 70
the LAFAYETTE and Chattanooga road, ana so covering
be exit from the valley in the direction OF Chattanooga
This movement would have been met by That Oh tue
Virginia troops landing from the railroad NJ h'hggoIo,
and would have efscualy blocked the ahkee army up
in McLemores Cove cut it of from Chattanooga, ana
oeced IL Al the mercy OF the COntederates. But the
point was no. seen. twas beyond the limited aase Oh
the u,ual sttategic combinations OF the Confederate
Chief ADD while no ordered demonstration on the
euemys lines at Lee and Il lrdoas AIS, ne iAiieu "
grasp the whole Of the situation. Instead oil thro"lug
MS whole army 10 body ecross the Onlcksnauga Suu
far down he moved il by divisions and crossed II AZ
saverl fords and bridges north OF Ice ana Gofdons
nils no to VIII Oh ne ordered the Virginia troops which
had crossed many miles below and near to Which ne az
tempted to concentrate about half OF hb army This
was on Saturday, the 18Th.
While he was engaged in discussing the precise po=
sition OF the enemy, the latter relieved MS
ment by en- attack on Major General Walkers Corps
This attack was made With great vgcr, aud was sus-
tanned by the gallant men vno compose that DIVISION IN
style in kaepng with their former reputation ior the
highest sodiery qualities. the attack was made slmui
taHeously on iront and flank by a part OF Thomas
Jorps and Psmsr's Division, OF Crittendens Corps
De- sNlW Nal hal "a
Goyap uIdsr the command Of Bngader GENERAL
IIddel commanding Division, eminenty distinguished
themselves The Division OF Msor General Cheatham,
was moved to the support Of walker, ald was taken
into the tight most opPortuneyi for while the greatly
superior force by which Walker was attacked was not
only held in check, bus driven at tie outset-Haker
running over several OF the enemys blteriesyet the
strong reinorcements that came up clused walker 10
hail Uheatbam's approach as seasonable reiel Thls
veteran DIVISION under its well tried and skilliu leader,
threw itself upon the eDemys line with Ls usual weight
and force, capturing many Of the enemy's guns, and
driving Tin back until he me! By heavy reinforce
meptg Toe enemy here crowded bis troops down upon
hs left and tue fight became OF great desperSt on,
oeng sustained by the enemy with the Thos oil Thomas
corps Toe strength of his force bsng great enough
to GU flank Cheattsn, he Tapped arougd him on beth
right aud Left aud although bis advance met with
heroic GrmOess, yet being greatly Outaumbered he
Vas compelled to fall back This was not accomplish
cd however until fearful sacrifices had been experience
ed and no help was seen TO be at hand. His line was
maintained uutl the enemy, by rapid flank movement
on his let. had pushed close upon the battery OF the
gallant Captain Csrnes and s0id most Of its horses and
men, The heavy loss Ia horses rendered il impossible
60 withdraw the guns end they therefore aoau-
doned to tue enemy. The division of Msor Gen. Gle
burn Of L.. Gen. Hills corps, which had held Lee and
Gordons Mills during the day now came to Oheatham's
support IL moved the attack with its usual energy,
and rolled back the tide of battle which pressing
with such weigh. OF Cheathams righ', The dre with
ahich 1t opened e5rnc aud soon Afforded relief TO
ODE Athsm who, with the elasticity which belongs to
thai veteran DIVISION resumed Immediately the forward
movement uniting With Cieburn, aud pressing the re-
firing fines of the enemy. This hght vas continued
until the night and it Just before the close, that
the gallant officer, Brig. Gen. Preston Smith, with one
or more OF his aids dc camp, fell under OF the vol
iey5 of the eReuy'1 IGusEeIry
Tire division of Major Gen. Hood, and the corps OF
Major Gen. Buckner, we're prominently engaged in the
opersons of the day, and bore themselves most gal
lautly
A. the coso of the days work, the General command
ing iss1ed an order, dividing the forces of his army
into two Wigs.
The fiqh, wing was placed under L., Gen. Polk aad
the left under LIT. Gen. LongsTeet. The former was
composed of IL. Gen. Hills corps, o two divisions,
Maj Gen. Cleburn's ana Maj, Gen. Breckinridges; OF
the division of Mai Gen. Chestham OF It. Gen Folks
corps and he division Of Maj. Gen. w. II. T. Walker.
The left was composed Of the divisions Of Maj Gen.
Stewart and Brig Gen. Preston aud BIshyod Johnson,
Of Mai. Gen Buoknef's corps; Maj Gea. Hindman, OF
Il. Gen. PolE's corps, and Bonnng's, Lanes and RI,
bersous bIgades, OF Hoods division, aud Kershaw's
and HUMPHREYS brigsdes of MoLlw5 division of his
own IL. Con. Iongstreets) corps.
The front line Of the rig9t wing CONSISTED OF tnrse
MISUNDERSTANDING aud Clsburn, of Hills corps,
and Uholtham of Folks corps. which posted from
right 10 left in the order named. Maj. Gen. Walker
was held in reserve
The left wing was composed Of Major Gen, Stewards
division on the right with Hoods on the left On Hoods
left was Hindman's division of Lieut.. General Folks
enrps With Preston's division Of Buckner's corps
the extreme LETT.
Orders we're given to tie Lieutenant General CON-
handing the right wing to attack at daylight next
,ooTninS These orders Immediately issued by
him 10 his subordinate commanders, but owing to cir
cnstanres beyond his CONTROL the attack not made
rnt o'clock Prior to giving the order to move for.