The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-05-31
The Chickamauga Campaign a Success.

To tie Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
/ received rebel bullet at Chckanaauga-the
only reception of the kind at which ever acted
host-and FOR that reason everything connected with
the ChiczaTnauga campaign is of special interest to
me. have read many accounts of the campaign
and battle by ci-deUIui historians and have
never yet read one that did not make me hot
and, as never expect 10 be historian and as ali
the eminent" have exhausted themselves on the
subject, suppose l shall have to content myself
with getting no.. never yet have read an account
OF that palgn that did not speak of il as great
disaster 10 the Union arms-cnly saved from COM
plete and total ruin by the a Rock of Chiekarl
ga where's L consider the campaign and its
results of the brilliant successes Of cur arms
over what was supposed and intended To be- over
whelming odds, and had there been less politics
and more justice in the distribution of awards
Old Rosy would have gone conqueripg
ana 10 conquer, instead of being relieved from
command. and the department Turned over to
Grant, who never did better service, or achieved
more brilliant victories under like circumstances
than die cur brave cid commander, w. s. Eosecfans
saw the brave old fellow the bloody field at
Stone River. where the bullets few thick and fast
and remember that at the same battle on New
ears morning, 1868, when the Union army looked
like an Iowa town struck by cyclone and when
~ a conference of generals il was the unanimous
opinion that we must retreat to Nashviile-eyen
gallant Phil Sheridan saying that he Ind his belly
full OF light old Rosy alone said No. We will
whip them yet. Bragg good dog, but hold fast is
better" and whip them we did. But to the
Chckanlauga campaign
When we ieit MuIfreesboro' on June 9th ii was
not simply for the purpose of gaining possession of
ma They possessed no great strategical importance
nor old they shat of from any very rich iorag-
ing ground, and IN themselves did not nor could
they compensate Ior the two weeks weary toll
ing through the mud but they were one step to-
ward the Chattanooga. The objective point
could not be reached by direct attack surrounded
rs 1t WAS by almost impossible mountains so il
had 10 be tianked Crossing the Tennessee River,
climbing over Sand Mountain, through the beauti-
! iu Trenton Valley Of Dade county, Ga away to
the south we went, keeping the rocky ridge of
Lookout Mountain between al3d the enemy. At
length we climbed the mounlain-9IcCook's corps
ioIty miles south of Chattanooga our corps
iThonas) twenty miles south OF Chattanooga Our
first object was accomplished. The enemy had
lett the stronghold to protect their line of comInu-
nicatlon. We had the rebels out; now we must
get our army IN, and the campaign would be sue
cess Had accomplished this without fight
/ tiie whole world would have rcsouHdcd with the
hosannas OF victory but when we did it after
! bloody fight, IL was defeat
! Our army would have had a respectable fight on
/ hand had met only our old antagonist Bragg
but IN addition 10 that, had to contend with at
least half Of the army inst pnroled lay Grant at Viczs
burg and with the best corps of tlie Army of Vir-
/ glnla, winch the nincompoop commander allowed
I TO slip away without notice, bet we beat them
! yet To SUM IL all up, only ~ few of the Army of
/ the Cumberland ever Chattanooga until after
the battle of Cbickamauga We started out to take
Chattanooga. We took it, we kept it, and we have
had 1t ever since. If that is defeat rive us more
! oft. OSCAR F. AVERY
Corporal, Co. IL, llth Mich Inf.
PONTIAC I'LL.