Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-09-19

FRIDAY EVENING. SEPT. 10. iss4.
The Battle Of CAIekamaaga.


The Battle Of Chlckamaaga.
The presence OF the soldiers Of the
Seventy ninth regiment In our midst to.
day, recalls ths 6erce battle of Chicka-
mauga, Ca, twenty -one years ago, one
Of the bioodiest and most stubbornly
contested OF the late war. Gen. Rose
Grams commanded the Union forces, the
Confederate forces being under COM
mand OF Gen. Bragg. The object OF
Gen. Rosscrans Was to drive the Con
federates ont OF Chattanooga and make
It a strategic base for further military
operations. The object of Gen. Bragg
was not only to hold Chattanooga, but
after tempting Rosecrans to cross the
mountains, TO fall upon his army and
annihilate it.
The engagement with the Confederate
forces under Bragg began on Sept. 10th,
at Chickamauga creek, near Gordon's
mill. Bragg had been heavily reinforced
by Longstreet's army from Virginia, ,and'
evacuating Chattanooga, he fastened to
meet Rosecrans. The battle ragged with
varying success along an irregula. line,
extending from Gordon's mills to the
village of RingQold, and night closed
the conflict temporarily with both parties
remaining on the field. During the night
some changes of position were made
BY both armies, and at dawn the
battle was renewed, and continued
till nightfall, when the Union army
retreated to Rossville gap, and thence to
Chattanooga, which they fortified and
held against Bragg's army, which fol-
lowed them up and almost invested the
city by taking possession of Mission
Ridge, Lookout mountain and the val
ley between.
During this engagement the troops of
the Seventy-ninth regiment fought as
became brave men. The regiment was
commanded by Col. II. A. Hambright,
and was attached to Gen. Stark weath her g
brigade of Baird's division of the 14tb
army corps under Gen. Thomas. On the
morning of the 10Th, soon after the
bat tie began. Bsird's division was led
into the woods to support the
troops already in action. 1t was soon
evident the division was too far to the
left. aud 1t was rapidly moved TO the
right. 1t had not proceeded far in this
direction, when it was opened upon by
the enemy. As Starkweather' brigade
was at that time marching by the flank,
10 could reply only With very ineffec
tive tire, and before it could be properly
assigned, wavered and inslly broke,
leaving mauy bravo men deaf and
wounded on the field. Later in the day
the brigade was reformed, aud again
moved to the front, as support to some
Kentucky troops. Shortly after sun
down these troops had lively fight with
the enemy, whose shot and shell fell also
into the second line, causing some casual
ties. Later, the line was thrown into con.
fusion by being fred upon, as was sup.
posed. by some Union troops in another
part of the field, and was finally with.
drawn for the night. On Sunday morn
Ing a new line was formed, and The
enemy were not long in finding it Blu,
there was no more wavering now. Again
and again the enemy charged it, and
again and again were driven back. All
day long the lght continued, and it was
not until late in the afternoon,
when both the right and tie
left of the Union army had been
driven back, that Gen. Thomas gave
orders fer the l4th corps to leave the
field. and these unwelcome orders were
obey ed by the 10Th and other regiments
AS they left the field, the Confederates
hurled upon them shot and shell of Every
description, and many poor fellow fell
dead or wounded. and many were cap
tured by the enemy. .
The brave stand these soldies made in
their country's cause Oh these two
fateiul days, entities them to the endur
Ing gratitude of all lovers of the Union.