The National tribune., 1883-10-25
ARMY oFTHE CUMBERLAND

ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND
Its Campaigns, Marches, Battles and Leaders fron,
Start to Finish.
The fifteenth annual Reunion of the So
ciety of the Army of the Cumberland began
at Cincinnati yesterday. The veterans of
that magnificent army may fairly claim a
full share in the glorious history of our
armies in the war of the rebellion
Organized in Kentucky in the fall and
winter of 1861. it struck its first blow at the
rebellion under the leadership of its future
great commander, Major General Geo. H.
Thomas, at Fishing Creek, on the 10Th of
January, 1862, full account of which bat
tie appeared in these columns week before
last. Oae of its brigades, under command
of Colonel Charles Cruft, participated In the
capture of Fort Doneisen, and on the night of
the 9Th of April it's arrival on hefeId of Pitts
burg Landing brought much-needed relief to
the sorelypressed troops of the Army of the
Tennessee. Then followed the siege of Cor
inth, during which time the Seventh divis-
ion, under command of Brigadier-Gene
Geo. FL. Morgan, held position at Cumber-
land Gap, and the Third division, under
Brigadier-General o. NJ Mitchell, captured
Huntsville, Ala, and extended its lines as
far east as Bridgeport.
After the retreat of Beauregard from Cor
inth, General Buell's army occupied Middle
Tennessee, whence, in August, 1862, it moved
into Kentucky, and after meeting the enemy
at Perryville, expelled him from the State.
Up 10 this time the army had been known
as the Army of the Ohio. Major-General
VIM. S. Rosecrans assumed command, re-
ieying General Buell., on the 9th of Octe-
beT, and concentrated the army at Nashville.
The Department of the Cumberland, created
by General Orders, No. 16S, Adjutant-Gen-
erals Office, October "a, 1862, embraced that
portion of the 8 State of Tennessee east of the
Tennessee River, and such parts Of Northern
Alabama and Georgia as may be occupied
by United States troops.n The entire terri
tory south of the Cumberland specified In
the order, was, with the exception of Nash
vile and vicinity, at the date Of the order,
occupied by Confederate troops, so that it
was necessary for the new commander to lit
orally carve his department out of the South
ern Confederacy
On the 26th of December the army, in
three grand divisions, known as the right,
left, and center, under command of Generals
McCook, Crittenden, and Thomas, moved
0ft5l ti1O army VI 0EuCAdl k1t 1l
freesborO', where, in a hard-fought battle
which commenced on the 3fst and continued
three days, the Confederates were defeated,
and Murfreesboro' occupied by the United
States troops. The army lay at Murfrees-
boro from January to June 23 1853 dur
ing which time it was thoroughly reorgan-
lied, supplies were brought forward, and
secondary depot established and fortified at
Murfreesboro.
The Tullahoma campaign, one of the most
brilliantly executed of the war, followed,
resulting in expelling the Confederate army
from Western Tennessee. Bragg took posi-
ton behind the Tennessee, with headquar-
ters at Chattanooga, which place now be-
came the objective point of the next cam
paign. The work Of repairing the railroad
was pushed forward with vigor, and Sheri-
dams division advanced and took position
at Stevenson. The necessity of strategical
maneuyers 10 induce the enemy to evacuate
Chattanooga compelled march over the
mountains to threaten his Communications
The movement began On the 18th of August
and the army commenced crossing the Ten
nessee River on the 29th. Thomas corps
crossed the Sand Mountains and descended
into Lookout Valley at Trenton; he then
ascended Lookout Mountain at Johnson's
Crook and passed through Stevens and
Frich's Gaps, descending into Chattanooga
Valley.
McCeok crossed the Sand Mountains,
moving to Valley Head, where he ascended
Lookout Mountain. Crittenden moved, via
Wauhatehie, and crossed over the nose of
Lookout Mountain into Chattanooga, on the
10th, thence to Ringgold.
On the 18th, the three corps were concen-
trated In the valley of Chickamauga Greek.
Granger, with his Reserve Corps, moved
from Bridgeport to Rossyille. The cavalry
was posted as follows: The First division
at Blue Birds Gap, the Second division
with the exception of Mintys bFigadel at
Dougherty's Gap, Minty at Reeds Bridge,
and Wilder's mounted infantry at Alexan-
der's Bridge.
simultaneously with these movements,
the enemy, alarmed at the demonstrations
made upon his comm unieations, abandoned
Chattanooga and Tetreated to Lafayette,
Ga, where he awaited the arrival of Long
streets corps, then EN- route from Virginia
On the 18th he forced the passage Of the
Chickamauga at Reeds and Alexander's
Bridges, driving back Minty and Wilder.
During the night, Rosecrans completed the
concentration of his army, posting the re-
SELVES dt hUoSfsiiS w Sudiu tue rear Oi his
army On the 18th and Goth the battle of
Chiekamauga was fought, resulting in Chat
tanooga, the key of the railway system in
East Tennessee, being wTested forever from
the Confederate States
AIajor-General VIM. S. Rosecrans was at
this juncture unjustly removed from COM
mand of the army, and Major General Geo.
Ell. Thomas appointed to succeed him.
On the 25th of November, at the battle df
Missionary Ridge, the Army of the Cumbef-
land occupied the center, Howards corps
and the Army of the Tennessee, with the
exception of Osterhaus' division, the left,
and the Twelfth Corps, Osterhaus' division,
and Whitaker's and Crosses brigades of the
First division, Fourth Corps, under General
Hooker, the right. The Army of the Cum+
berland was commanded by Major General
G.. III. Thomas, the Army of the Tennessee
by Major General w. T. Sherman, General
Grant commanding the whole. The attempt
to drive the enemy from his position opl
posite our left failed. Hooker drove in the
enemy's left upon the center, and the mag
nifcent charge of the Fourth and Four
teenth Corps of General Thomas army drove
the enemy in confusion from the summit of
the ridge.
In the Atlanta campaign, which COM
menced on the 9Th of May, the Army Of the
Cumberland bore conspicuous part. The
Eleventh and Twelfth Corps were cdnsoli-
dated into one corps, 1.-THE Twentieth, under
command of Major General Hooker In the
October reOrt anization the old Twehtia{h