The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-02
On a HISTORIC Spot.


On a Historic Spot.
General Longstreet sat to-day under the
great oak tree in the door-yard of the Snod-
grass house, listening to the story the pro-
prietor told of Thomas's movements during
the closing hours of that days fight.
General Thomas came here late on Satur-
day night" said the old gentleman. "He
had his headquarters right under these trees
all of Sunday. He didn't seem much dis
turbed during the most of the days fighting,
but when the attack was made on him to-
ward night he seemed considerably worried
He would walk up and down the yard right
in front of these trees, looking anxiously IN
all directions When Changers troops came
around the bit of woods yonder to the lett OF
us he brought his glass to bear upon them,
and then walked up and down more rapidly
than ever, as if unable to make up his mind
whether they were friend or foe. He said
something in q low tone to staff officer, who
rode in the direction of the approaching
troops as fast as possible. He then kept walk
ing up and down quite neryousy until word
was brought to him that they were reinforce
ments from Granger. This was the only time
during the day that he evinced the least ex-
citemeht. 1 remained here, aud so did ali my
family, during all of the fight, and L reckon
we were safer here than as though we had
| run away"
Granger's two brigades reached Thomas at
an opportune time Longstreet had begun to
move forward to drive him from his position.
The head of the Confederate line, Bennings
brigade. was moving through II low defle be-
tween the hills when Grangers troops came
up. Steedman, seing the peril to Thomas's
force if this brigade got in, snatched the colors
of a regiment and led his brigade in furious
rush upon the Confederate advance. For a
time there was hand-to-hand conflict. and
| the result hung in the balance. At last the
Confederate line began to waver and finally
it broke. This movement was valuable to
Thomas because it brought him nearer to
nightfall, for which he was fervently wish
ing. AS Steedman himself expressed it: II
was fighting for time, but thought the sun
would never go down; it seemed to ME as
though it was hung up in the trees"
Looking off from the hill to-day to where
this combat took place, General Longstreet
said: "Steedman had short fight with our
advance, but his success was not important,
except that it caused delay in the Confeder-
ate movements. We had plenty of troops to
put in as soon as Steedman drove them back.
Indeed, we were forming our whole line for
final attack while this combat was going
I.on. AS soon as we could get in readiness to
advance we moved forward, and drove
Thomas's force from its position behind the
rail defenses with comparative ease. We had
reached the summit of the hill, almost in
sight of this point where Thomass head
quarters were, when the cleaning thickened
into the darkness. and the Federal force
melted away like phantom.
Just at this moment my men sent up a
shout of victory, and it was taken up along
the whole line and continued untl the woods
shook with the cheers of the men. Cheat
ham, Cleburne and their commands, down on
the Lafayette road, kept up the cheering
with one long-continued shout. Forrest,
who saw the Federals going to the rear, went
to Bragg and begged for permission to follow
the retreating army, and L sent him word
that our victory was now complete, and the
fruits of it should be rapidly gathered. He
did not seem to catch the spirit of the occa-
sion, and as Thomas lines faded away in the
dark ness toward Rossville Bragg sat down to
wonder what he had better do next
"As devoutly as Thomas had wished for
the sun to go down, l asked that Sunday
night for one single hour more of daylight.
We would have swept Thomas from the field,
and what was simply a victory for US would
have been the destruction OF the Federal
army.
Thomas was beaten, badly beaten, before
the darkness came and gave HIM chance to
slip away, and his hanging-on after the rest
of the army had been driven off is a lasting
tribute to his qualities as a soldier. 1t was
noble action, and his success will live in his
tory, as it should, as a grand accident of
war"
This is the plain story of Chickamauga as
I have been able to gather it right on the
field with superior authority at hand TO adj
wise me- 1t would be easier to write book
about it than a few columns for newspaper.
Ii was one of those great battles that remind
one of those conflicts in which the greatest
captains the world ever knew led mighty
armies to battle. The faithful narrative of
Al. III - .
record of single engagement that exceeded
this in magnitude, or in the demands it made
upon the courage and endurance of the Off
GERS and soldiers of both armies. | recall no
single battle of the war where the losses were
greater. Rosecrans lost from his 81, 900 men
16 1856 in killed, wounded and missing. Bragg,
in his official report, made the astounding
confession that he lost two-ifths of his
200 men. His estimated losses are-20, $50;
nearly 40, 900 men from the two armies.
General LOngstreets Narrative.