The National tribune., 1886-03-18
GEN. A. Med McCOOK.

uot bc y, was Tue DtSb tDdb COulu
be made under the circumstances.
1t has been charged that Gen. McCo0k was
not up when the enemy made the attack on our
lines the next morning but | was called by
him to take an order to Johnson's Division. and
had nearly reached the end of the line, and
was in rear of the batteries, whose horses had
been sent to water. when the assault was made.
| could distinctly see three lines of rebel in
fantry, one behind the other when the first
volley was fired. Our men were
COOKING THEIR BREAKFAST,
but as skirmish firing bad been going on along
the picket-line ever since early dawn, the men
did not pay much attention to the increase in
volume until the picket reserves were called,
and at the same moment the enemy's line
sprang forward and into sight. They were too
close to admit of our men forming on their
colOr-line, or for the batteries to do much exc
cution. AS the horses had all been sent to the
rear for water, these batteries (Stone's and
Mueller's) were quickly taken in by the rebels,
while the infantry fell back in more or less
confusion.
As soon as Gen. McCook heard the heavy fir
ing he quickly mounted his horse and, with his
stall, rode out among the flying troops and used
every exerti0n to form new line. All the
brigades in the second, or the reserve line, were
put under arms, and under the Generals i'm
mediate eye strOve to check the on-coming and
himself had he been there could have availed
nothing against that double tide of humanity.
The first wave consisted of or own demoraliZed
troops rushing back pell-mell over ground
which was unfamiliar to them and all that
could be done was to direct the officers where
to go, and then select new line. The second
wave was the enemy, coming on with steady
blaze of flame leaping out from their almost
continuous volleys. One line would fire, drop
fhair for rd 1,
freshly-loaded guns to deliver their fire and
execute the same manuver. At one time seven
such lines were counted thus alternating in
their fire.
Sending his staff in all directions with orders
how to direct the troops to new line, the Cen
eral retired to position near the Nashville
pike, and here deplOying his escort and press
ing into this service as many mounted officers
as possible, he succeeded in checking the re-
treat. Under cover of the batteries which
Gen. Rosecrans had planted to check the enemy,
he again rallied the two divisions that had
suffered such blow. Sherdan's Division,
which constituted the left of our corps, having
time TO form in lines after the assault on
Johnson's Division, before the enemy struck
them, had made gallant fight, and had only
given ground as its right became exposed by
the crOwdiug back of Johnson.
Certainly no man labored harder to regain
the lost prestige of his command than did Gen.
McCook that day, and the rapidity with which
he rallied the fragments in front of the Nash
vile pike, contributed to the success of the
move which finally checked and beat off a vic
toriouS enemy.
The greatest qualities of a General are not
always exhibited during the moments of sue
cesStul battle, but are i'll times of disaster,
when, by
GOODNESS, INTREPIDITY AND ENERGY,
,J,~ - o@
his troops, and by some stroke of genius turns
defeat into victory. The beating back of a
portion of his corps ut Stone River was one of
those incidents of battle for which no one can
be blamed, and against which no adequate
preparation can be made. Had our line been fully
formed, every battery in position, and horses
on hand, the result would have been the same.
Gen. Bragg had carefully planned the manuyer
and doubled-yes, qugdruplcd-hs line of bat
tie in front of our devoted corps. He had issued
a double ration of whisky and gunpowder TO
his men to render them absolutely frenzied.
This was told to the writer since the war by a
Georgia gentleman, who was a Lieutenant
Colonel in Bragg's army and was personally
cognizant of the facts. Every possible prepara-
ton was made looking TO the overthrow of our
right wing, and no single line such as we had,
however warned and prepared, could have re-
sisted that terrific onslaught. A line of breast
works held by veterans Of later period Of the
war might have checked the attack sufficiently
TO give time for reiniogcements, but nothing
less.
At Stone River then, Gen McCook did all
that an able General could do, and displayed
extraordinary qualities OF pluck. forethoug hit
and endurance, and contributed III no small
degree to the subsequent success of our army on
that bloody field
Passing over the long period of encampment.
during which Gen. McCook was indeiatigable
in his efforts to bring his splendid corps up To
the highest degree of efficiency, we will next
review the incidents of Chickamauga, that
most deadly and desperate battle of the war
The events leading to this sangunary conflict
are now familiar 10 every reader of rebellion
history. How the advance was made, Chatta-
nooga fanked, ana the rebel army forced to
evacuate this important strategic point is
known. The onward march over and above
Lookout Mountain range, into Chickamauga
Valley, Thomas in the center with the solid old
Fourteenth Corps Crittenden on the leftwIth the
gallant corps under bis command, and Met 'oOk
with the old Twentieth Corps on the extreme
right. The day before the battle he was ID or
20 miles away, and portion of his command
actually down IN the valley on the other side
OF the mountains. In the rear, and acting as a
reserve came the force of Gordon Granger.
Almost at the last moment Gen. Rosecrans
discovers that Bragg, instead of being in full
retreat, has been reinforced and is playing a
game at strategy, which comes all too near
succeeding Rosecrans quickly sends an order
to Gen. McCook, whom he has sent into
DANGEROUSLY EXPOSED POSITION,
directing him to come to the left and close up
the interval between his troops and Crittenden
The order actually finds McCook down at the
foot of the mountains with part of his com
mand, but with characteristic energy he at
once sets about doing all in his power by the
utmost CELEBRITY of movement. to correct the
blunder. With herculean efforts the army
takes its artillery and wagon train back up
that steep ascent Of nearly two miles of rug
ged road, laboring all night to accomplish the
task. Think what would have been the result
had FitZ- John Porter been in command of the
sturdy Twentieth Corps! few hours delay
even, and that corps would have been cut off
and sacrificed, and with it all hope OF making
successful stand with the balance of the grand
army led by Rosecrans. A man of energy is
there, however, and with rapid feet the corps
is led back along the mountain-top. until the
anxiOusly y-eXpectant Commander u-Chiof sees
its advancing columns within supporting dis
tance near Crawfish Springs.
Clouds and a heavy mist obscure the rising
sun the next morning. The whole army
awaits in line the furious assault that all realize
IS about to he hurled upon them. until a faint
gllmmer of the sun through the clouds appears
TO be Il signal to the Confederate line. A heavy
boom away to the left. another nearer-battery