The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-09-23
BY TELEGRAPH
The Battle of Su,ifay--Retreat of Gem Rose
crans upon Chattanooga ia Good Order

The Battle of Sunday Retreat of Gen. Rose
c,ans upon Chattanooga ia Good Order.
CHATTANOOGA Sept. q.
The engagement was resumed at q O'Clock
on the morning Of the 20th by an ATTEMPT OF
the rebels 10 storm Gen. Thomas left and
'front.'. They were severely repused several
times with heavy loss TO them and very little
to u.s. The fight lasted an hour and half,
and was most terrific, a continuous fire of mus
kerry and artillery being kept up with deadly
effect During this fight our right and centre
were not engaged our skirmislers keeping up
peting fire.
The enemy finding their assaults vain. man
euvered to the left with the intention of throw
ing force on the Russville road and attacking
Gen. Thomas on the left flank. At this june
ture Gen. Thomas ordered Gen Brannan, who
had one brigade in reserve and two with Gen.
Reynolds holding the key OF the position,
which was Gen. Thomas right, to move to the
left of the line 20 protect the flank of General
Rosecrans, and at the same time sent Davis
and Van Cleve from the right and centre to
hold the line to Russvile and protect General
Thomas left. On seeing the withdrawal of
the skirlnishers i'll front of the division, which
was moving from the right and centre the
enemy made vigorous attack on that part of
the line, piercing the centre, cutting off Davis
and Sheridan from the left and driving the
centre into the mountains, both right and CEN
tire being much scattered without any serious
loss in killed and wounded
1he right and centre gone, Gen. Thomas
right became exposed to Il most terrific flank
attack, and Reynolds and Brannon, the right
of Gen. Thomas line, was swung around, bis
extreme left being as at first This also fell
back a short distance on the Russvie road.
Parts of the centre were gathered up and
reported to Gen. Thomas, who made several
stands bIt upabla In cbanE tb., ahal nI
vance until the arrival of reinforcements At
one O'Clock Gen. Granger, with one division
OF reserves, came up, aud was at once thrown
into the centre, driving the enemy handsomely
from his position on strong ridge with heavy
loss. The fire from one of Gen. Changers
batteries moved them down like grass. The
fight lasted about half an hour with slight loss
to us. Capt. Russell, Gen. Changers AID utant
was killed before he had been ten minutes in
the fight.
After this bloody repulse the enemy re-
manned quiet until 4 O'Clock, persisting, how
ever, in maneuvreing on both TANKS. Their
full and correct Information regarding this
country enabling them to do so with great ia
cility. Having again got on our flank the en-
envy made "A vigorous attack, and q fight en-
sued, which has no parallel in the history of
this army. Gen. Wood, Col. Harker and Gen.
Garfield were present and with the remnant of
Gen. .Johnson's division held the left and COW
cred themselves with glory. On the right and
centre Gems. Brannan, Baird, Reynolds and
Palmer with parts of their divisions. fought
most calamity, while Gems. Steadman and
Granger held the reserve and drove the enemy
at every point where they went in.
At O'Clock General Thomas was still tri-
umphant, and Oh the left held the line of the
morning. but with the right of the enemy
back to his lines, nearly at right angles with
that of the morning. Two lines of retreat
were open to General Thomas to Chattanoo-
ga, on one of which he fell back to Russville
during the night.
Our losses have necessarily been heavy, but
the lists of killed will be surprisingly light, and
in the two days engagement we have not suf-
fered more in men than the enemy.
In the charge of Gen. Thomas on the first
day the enemy lost as many in killed as we
did in the whole day. What the loss is in
prisoners and material cannot now be reported
Our killed will reach 1900; our wounded will
amount to 1000-most of them have slight
wounds. We have captured Gen. Adams of
Texas, and 1900 of his men.
The Herald's Washington despatch SAYS
nothing has been talked OF but the fate of Gen.
Rosecrans' army. 1t has been officially ascer-
tanned that he has fallen back to Chattanooga
TO await the arrival of Burnside's forces, which
were yesterday within thirty miles, and were
expected to be up with him to-day, when a
forward movement would be promptly made
upon the lines of the enemy. The utmost con-
fidence is felt here that upon the junction of
Burnside with Rosecrans the enemy would be
badly beaten. and compelled TO fall back on
Rome and Atlanta.