Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-10-10
NEW SERIES, VOL. l6, NO. %
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE GREAT BATTLES IN
GEORessA.
TT Tn
DETAILED ACCOUNTS.

discovered the weak points of our position,
and were mussing their forces in front of our
lcff centre and left. for the manifest purpose
Ci crushing ,hOsc pants of our lines, or get
! ting between them and Chattanooga. A
| corresponding movement 10y the left flank
was thence made by the whole army further
| dcwn the West Chickamauva, 80 that ON
Friday morning our extreme left rested at
! Gordon's Mill. at the crossing the ChiCka-
mauga 10y the Lafa,ct Pike. about twelve
miles southwest of Chattanooga. On the
morning of the 18th friday, portion of
| the expected rciniorccments, consisting ot
two hrigades of the Reserve Corps, respec-
| lively commanded hy Colonies McCook and
| Mitchell, made their appearance near Chat
| tanooga, and were Immediately ordered to
make II reconnaissance toward ldnggod,
and devclopc the intentions of the enemy
/ from that quarter
| They came upon the advance of Long
| streets corps, pushed it back Tor some dis
tancc. took Il number of prisoners from it,
and fully established the anticipated conccn-
| trat;on of the enemy in front o: our left. All
! day Friday the cavalry, covering our front,
! skirmishcd with different bodies OF the cuc-
my issuing from the various gaps of the III
| gcon Mountains and advancing upon and
/ II gain retiring from our line No serious
collision. however. occurred. II was evident
/ the Rci1 Generals meant to create II false
! impression as to the points of our linc against
| which they proposed to strike II blow with
I concentrated power Dut Gen. ROSccrlns
was not deceived. Tie reports from the
| front all tended tn confirm his previous inn
| preston that an onset in overwhelming
numbers was contemplated upon our left
flank, and that it had to bc met hy II still
! further shifting linc toward Chattanooga.
Accordingly ON Friday might the din isiuns
I of Brannun and Baird. formerly commanded
lay Generals Rousseau and Reynolds, Of
! Thomas Corps, together with Johnsnns, oi
MCCoOk's Corps. moved from the centre 10
the l,tth of Crittcndcn'e Corps They were
in their new positions at day break. The
two other divisions OF McCook's Corps. na
Wis and Shcrman'S were to move into the
position abandoned 10y Thomas Corps, ut
had not time to assume it fully before ih"
commencement of the action on the next
morning. On the morning of saturday our
! ne thcn appeared as follows On the cX-
irene 1t lSrannan, next Baird aud Reynolds
with johnson in reserve in the centre, Pal
ncr ON the right oI Reynolds. aud Van
Cle>e on the left. This line. as already sta.
ted. was to hc completed hN Davis and Shcr
The scene of all the movements on the l1th
and 18th was McLamorc's Cave, previously
described as the valley formed 10y the Mis-
slonaN and Pigeon Mountains. The valley
Is washed l"r It's great part 10y the West
Chickanauga, and travcrscd hy Two roads,
one leading from Rossvilc. and the other
from Chattanooga direct to Lafayette The
tW" roads run about two miles apart and
west of the Chckamauga, where the battle
OF Saturday was fought.
Tie section of the valley hurdcrcd by the
two rNad> Is almost plain, covered with
thick woods, which rendered the field un-
iaNorah!e for the effective use of artillery.
The line proper rs given above, rested
nearly at the base OF the Missionary Noun
ins, some distance in advance OF its r 4. lat.
Gordon's Mills the point of intersection Of
the road from Chattanooga tn Lafayette,
and the ChiCkamauga afoTe mentioned, was
still held on Saturday morning toy Woods
Division ot Crittcndcn's Corps, supported
hy Ncglei's of Thomas Their position
Was strong one; but at AN anGlt with the
line proper. appeared like Il dangerous eN-
tension ot the latter. and was proved such
10y subsequent events Ii was meant 10
SC urr our right against turning manuuyrcs.
bat officers OF Cona Judgment entertained
from their closer contraction and perfect
curity of the right might have been oh-
t1hcd ls posting the latter on the eastern
ahutmcnlo Of Missionary Ridge. The lri-
gadeS of McCook and Mitchell, of the
reserve corps, were ordered back Ia Rossvillc,
on Friday afternoon. for the protection of
our communication with Chattanooga, and
hence were not to participate in the struggle
oi Saturday. The night had been frosty.
and the troops not hcing permitted to build
, hivnuac fires, the discomfort they cXpcrirn.
ccd, together with the fatigue from marching
ana want ot sleep, pat them in physical
condition by no means rs vigorous aS il
should have been for the severe work hctnrc
| them. Fort rtunatcly the sun rose clear, and,
Mllh IT'S cheering rays, did much to revive
| the spirits OF the army
The early forenoon passed away without
iorewhrnlnS ot the approaching conflict ::
but shortly before eleven o'clock the storm
that had been brewing all the morning on
the Rebel side hurst forth in the expected
direction. At that time long mass of
Rebel infantry WAS seen advancing upon
brannan's 5 division nn the extreme left II
| hrst came upon the Second Brigade, Col,
CroNton commanding, and soon forced il
back despite lis determined resistance. The
two Other hrigadcs of the division at once
came To its assistance. and succeeded in
checking the progress at the Rebels and
dH'ing them back hut their column in
turn helng strongly rinio crd. They adynn-
ced again with wild wells So powerful WI.
THIS assault, that they pushed Hrnnan hack
To- and beyond his position in the line. and
lhus uncovered the lrit of liaird's division.
! Making prompt use of their advantage. they
changed their course to the left. aud speed
, lily envelopcd Scridncr's and Kings hrigndrs,
the latter of Regulars They were almost
! surrounded, hut managed 10 disentangle
| themselves after fearful lons.
The crushing Rebel mass next came upon
Johnson's Division. and rolled il upon lRry.
nnlds', which alsO hecame speedily inVOlVcd
in the desperate struggle, The stubborn
= sisiancc of these divisions. howeyvr. aud
| the sweeping hrc of some batteries postcd
/ under tie peF.nnal supervisor of General
| iinsecfans, arrested at last their sweeping
| udNnnce.
The divisions oi Brannan and Daird hay-
ing l,cen rallied. General Thomas 0niervl a
geneml advance at the rghi, and sam iht
,,lr uf haillo Mas decisledly turned IN oiI
la,aF. With cheers onT hae advanced
halting onl, Al iimrs tn slaileI the eneny
anh mnskvlT,. s,yegsl linigs the latter,
! r"nallng llns stopped aud salrly irl,l "a
ntaip ihrlr Raln'i rfounh. lni sleaiil lh'y
NeIv ili,en if'sm posl,lnn a. l'-i'lnn, and
A j.