The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1863-10-13
THE BATTLE OF CHICKA
- MAUGA.

-. MAUGA.
Further Details and Develop
l1-2 mentS.
The following are extracts from privat
letter by an eyewitness of the battle o
Chickamauga, communicated to the lUinoi
State Journal et'- --
CHICKAMAUGA, Tenn, Sept. %.
Although we gained but little in Satur
days fight, it was satisfactory, from the
fact that we held our own, if nothing more
and took some prisoners. Recollect that
the rebel force was double our own.
returned to camp last night-that is, to
where our trains were-and started the
next morning early with some more pro
visions for George. [ met him about half
way, coming back after rations for the men,
We went back to the train and get three
days' rations for our divisions and some
cattle, and started for the front. The firing
had commenced about nine o'clock,
with very heavy attack on our right. We
had eighteen wagons loaded with supplies;
the rest of the train then moved toward
Chattanooga twelve miles, When we
got within couple Of miles of the battle
field we met large number of stragglers
going to the rear. They all told extrava-
CANT stories of being cut to pieces, etc
George had gone ahead, SO undertook to
get some of them to 80 back. l gathered
good many of them up and got them to
fall in to guard our train. As soon as [
got them stai ted they soon gathered up
more and moie. But we had gone but a
little way farther when We met trains, am
balances, and complete tide of men going
to the rear. We learned then that our
right wing had given way, and that all
trains were ordered to Chattanooga. We
had to turn our train around and 90 back.
Then the men l had gathered up were
worse scared than ever, and all began re-
treating rapidly. rode upon little knoll
toward the front, where / could get view
of large portion of the field. The sight
was truly heart. .sickening. Out of the
woods there came one continual stream
not only along the road, but on either side
of it as far as l could see-of men (some
wounded,) wagons, ambulances, cavalry,
niggsrs, droves of cattls-all one intermin-
able mass of confusion, all trying to get in
the front of each other, all driving pell-
NEIL through fields, over fences, while the
dust and smoke, the booming of cannon and
rafting of musketry, all plainly showed
that the enemy were advancing, and that
our right had become panic-stricken. Oh,
never till then knew how / loved my
country. l could not keep back the tear
as l thought Of the consequences of that
retreat, and prayed to God to succor and
maintain our army. did not like to leave
that little knoll to Join that retreating host,
for such it had become, growing larger all
the time.
Soon after we had got down off Mission
ary Ridge with our train, and got the valley
road toward Chattanooga, General McCook
and staff came riding by, going from the
teld;; this appeared to give fresh impetus
to the retreat. George rode up to him and
asked him how the day was going. "Oh,"
said McCook, "this is the worst whipped
army over you saw" "Well," said George,
"can't these men be rallied in this valley
and hold it2" "No, they cannot be rallied
this side Of Chattanooga" said McCook.-
"Well," said George, "Is our whole line
giving way 2" "sNo," said McOook, "Gen
eral Thomas is trying to rally the men, and
is fighting away
| was too full to speak, but felt like
cursing the man that would leave the field,
as McCook had done, in that critical hour
when every man was needed. How could
men be expected to fight when their COM
general left the field? Oh, how |
lore that man | can't keep from crying now
to think how felt then,
Now, mark you, this critical hour was
about one o'clock, P. NJ. Various reports
were coming from the field all the time -
That We were whipped; that Rosecrans was
captured; that the left was broken, etc.;
but still we could hear them fighting in the
center and knew that Thomas was still hold
ing them in check. When within about
four miles of Chattanooga, George and |
had got little way ahead of our train and
got off of our horses at the top of little hill
in an open field, and were looking back and
for ward at the long line Of retreat-at the
marks of defeat On all sides, when courier
rode up to US at gallop and said, "Captain,
luS NoJ - y ooA1 oAN
dered back | was too full to cheer.
could do nothing but cry, and while George
galloped off to turn our wagons around, /
road among the men through the fields and
told them the news; told them that We were
going back with a supply train, and to fall
in and go along. | believe near ly every
man that was not wounded turned to go
back, and in few minutes the tide was
turned, and that long line OF men began 60
ing the other way. And as the news was
repeated from lip to lip, they all began turn.
ing around to 60 back. George and | had
them fall in with the wagons and got back
about mile, when we met almost whole
brigade-at least what was left Of one
Colonel Wilders. We stopped them and
told them the news. 1t was then near sun
down, and the road for miles was blocked up
with ambulances full of wounded and trains
going to Chattanooga, So that it was imPos-
sible to get our wagons any further back
besides we learned our division had moved
to the left so far that we could nUS reach
thar, hv that road Col Wilder hOSeye