The New York herald., 1863-09-27

In which Preston paid for his rashn~ss tho penalty
OF me- II the last sesporate blow q the dsaom-
hed Tho day over. and had then reason 70 feel
that II nsttH
RxsrLrs SATURDAY.
And yet the OF the days contest bad bean any
thing but fattering the riaht and centre, however
much may have felt dsposed 70 gIoriy ths splen
achievement Of the lert wing Everywhere eus IN
front OF that corps defeat hid been our bitter
lot but then. rising the ocoas0n and norvng seaf
for the task the old Fourteenth corps had nooy osee
than Its duty, and crowned w hard won hooon
the pas, with an achievement more glorious and
grand than all its past efforts had been We
had lost not In killed and wounded snAn sne
enemy for though losses In Thomas corps had ooea
severe, had terribly punished Lonsstrost WINE N
rout and hesitate that had tho rest OF N
enemy sufficiently pushed 70 Distract his ATTENTION
from Thomas, Longstreet would have been totally
and rYetYieyabiy routed. On tho field between KeAys
house and the creek there not less than two thou
sand dead wounded and dying rebes but mingled with
them were many, but do NOT think an equal NUMBER W
our poor fellows blue The gains In artillery on tho
left more than compensated for Losses tho right
and centre We we're three guns ahead n nghtfAl We
had fallen back the right about half mile but shs
left wing budgod and tho ensuing morning hs'd
about tho general line. Tho men Of Thomas oo0
nand were spirits their victory. and svsa
cd together who had besn overpowered, not d.
feated and who stu were worthy be called soldiers
And though the men In good Spirits yet many sn
anxious heart went sleep that night haunted BY tho
sad memory the morning would rse upon tnou
sands Of ghasy faces and stripped bodies for the rebels
had possession OF tho neld Of Chickamauga.
Thomas saves tho Army.
RoaEcaAm GIAHCB At rHx LnE.
On the morning or the Goth Sunday, General Rose
crans very early hour, accompanied oy his stan ana
Generals Crittsnden McCook rode along tho line OF
those corps established during tho night IL rear
and 70 the len OF headquarters he found Davis DIVISION
the right posted upon the slope Of OF the smaller
ridges OF Missionary Mountains brigade Of Sherdans
bsna posted the other two pushed forward
on Davis wo found the line stretched In the fol-
lowing order. from right to loft, along the road from
Gienns Keliys house, the two dwellings being upon
the right and left OF tho lne-Davs right, then Sheri
dan with brigade In Wood two brgAdes of
Brannan with the other and all OF Van Ceve in reserve
Reynolds Palmer, Baird Johnston and Nsgley on the
extreme eft the latter three divisions furnishing their
own reserves Upon tho right Of General Thomas line,
q held BY Reynolds and Brannan's two brgades, was
slight rise in tho pan and from the top Of this tho whole
neld could be commanded. It tho key OF tho posi-
tion and Reynolds had been impressed with Its import
ruoxAs' mzAnwoaxs.
Along Thomas front there had been built during the
night rude breaswork for the protection Of the men
wish make this statement most distinct, FOR has
been denied by general officers tn at works OF any
kind existed General Thomas had wisely taken the pre-
cautions 70 make rude works about breast high along his
whole 'front.' using rails and logs for the purpose Tho
logs and rails right angles 70 each other the logs
keeping parallel with tho proposed line Of battle and y.
ing upon the rails until the proper height was reached
The spaces between these logs wore filled with rails.
which served add their security and strength The
spade had not been used These rude works were only
10 Thomas positive 70 their existence for
watchsdhe Tight for time from General Thomas head.
quarters in their and during the rest OF the ght up
70 tho time Of the nank movement on Reynolds, lay
under the works where Croxtons brigade Of Brannan
fought and cannot have been mistaken. Generals Crit
tenden and McCook had taken the wise precau
tions or tho day might perhaps, have gone otherwise
THR REBEL LINE
During the night rebels had established their limo
got Longs,ects corps well together again. Prison
ers state this boon effected with great dincuty
the virginans having much scattered and demoal
ized with despondency that was natural under tho
circumstances their very great defeat OF tho day be
FORE Iongstreet still held the right, d. H. Hill had tho
centre and Polk left Of tho rebel no well ostab
lished west oe tho Chickamauga crook.
PIE
The fog on tho morning Of the Goth iifted slowly
a. on tho day before and gracefully glided away
into clouds above tho peaks Of Mission Ridge,
Just In our rear. But the lifting Of the curtain
did not bring CO the drama Immediately. The enemy
appeared, from half past eight until ten o'clock 70 be
readjusting his lines, II they had been badly dis
the day before There bad previously been proof
positive OF the statements Of the captured and tho
witness OF eyes. Longsrset had suffered terr
bly, and madc his preparations on Sabbath morning with
Ia tran Ha WA IL
tack until nearly O'Clock A. NJ when the vatc opened
with q furious assault Thomas left.
Battles have been compared 70 rain storms and the
comparison not without it, merit. This battle may DO
compared tho storm Of the tropics which psrrakes
something of The OF tho hurricane opened with
great fury only few scattering shots falling, Ike the
nrst great drops OF the rain storm, herald Of what
was approaching and wsPnng 70 the men TO seek the
shelter or their works and then the storm, IN all It's
fury burst along tho pan enveopng the lines Of Hogey
Johnston, Baird and Palmer-no farther-and 70 this
par, was confined for nearly two hours.
despair Of giving any correct idea Of this engage
ment I. Is much easier conceive In the Imagination
picture Of that desperate encounter than II s for
who writes choose the right colorng Of words
one grasps adectves such "desperae" bloody"
TERRIBLE and others not less expressive but 70
these furnishing gnboard TO direct the readers
Imagination The mind must All out tho picture At last
for him who has t. In tho centre Of the picture
there rses IN graceful folds and forms great dividing
curtain white, misty smoke Of mcskesry III with
occasional flashes OF red flame Of tho artillery and
hiding from the locker tho enemy il beyond H.
But beneath this constantly rising curtain tho combatans
view each o,hor and tho ncd. He who stands In
the rear sees side Of this pcturethe long line
whose s,eadness fluctuations tell the story OF
what Is beyond For two hours that limo never wavcred
Can you not guess result the other sde' He who
chooses 70 the danger and become part this line
ths stands steadily tho soousnuous and nery assault
can see both sides OF picture Making that venture
saw ,ha, morning both sides aud that portion Of the
picture beyond whore the rebels struggled
can never be obterstcd from my mind. which retains
that m maxniacent AL s grandeur and terrible
fascination Along General Reynods lines all remained
for the time quiet. and fall view d tho battle on tho