The National tribune., 1886-10-21
CHICKAMAUGA.
The Historic Root on which Gen. Thomas Sat Dur
ing the Battle.
I0noinnafi Commercial Gdsette.

The Historic Root on which Gen. Thomas Sat Dur
ing the Battle.
I0RoinRGfi Commercial Gdsette.l
rode out the other day to the battlefield of
Chickamauga with a party Of veteran soldiers
stopping here on their return from the excur-
sion TO Atlanta The battlefield lies TO the east
ward of Mission Ridge and on the west side OF
Chickamauga Creek. The nearest point Of the
field is about nine miles from Chattanooga, and
10 reach il you pass up the Valley of Chatta-
nooea Creek five miles 10 Rossville Gap, where
the road crosses Mission Ridge into the Valley
of the Chickamauga. The battle was fought on
the 18th and goth of September, 1863, and was
one of the seyerest defeats suffered by the Union
armies during the war. The points Of greatest
interest are along the famous Horseshoe Ridge,
where Gen. Thomas met and repulsed the des-
perate assaults OF the rebel troops. after the
whole right wing of the Union army had been
swept from the field.
This part of the field is covered with a heavy
growth OF forest trees, many Of which are pines
with clean, straight trunks running 10 hight
of 10 feet before the first limb is reached. The
rosin, continually exuding from the wound
made by bullet or shell, has formed a round
excrescence upon the bark, preserving with
great distinctness the marks of the battle which
ragged here % yesrs ago. In the trunk of one
of these huge pines, standing part way down
the front of the ridge, counted O. of these
I
ruthless hand, and there is scarcely pine
along the slope which has not been chopped
| into for bullets. The owners of the land have
found it necessary, in order TO preserve their
| timber from ruin, TO forbid this mutilation OF
the trees, and 10 obtain these mementos of the
great battle it is now necessary to buy tree
| outright.
The oaks are not so proud of their battle scars
as the pines, and their wounds, healing over,
have left no mark, or at best only a slight
| irregularity of the bark, not distinguishable
! from the knots and excrescences natural TO the
| growth Of the tree. The ground is covered
thickly with underbrush, which makes il i'm
possible TO see more than q few rods, though
| we were informed by mon lying upon the bat
tle6eld that this has mostly grown up since
the war and that at the time the battle Oc-
CURED the woods were comparatively open.
Owing TO these distractions and 10 the fact
| that there is no point from which compre-
hensive view Of the field can be obtained, il
is very hard TO get any clear idea of the posi-
| tions or movements Of troops. For these rea'
sons, too, there is great confusion and many
contradictions in the official reports, many oth'
| GERS having entirely erroneous notions as tC
distances, directions and positions.
This characteristic Of the battle is strikingly
| illustrated by a story told me by Nj. S. Sheats
| of Dayton, a veteran of the llth Ohio part
! of his regiment was deployed as skirmishers on
the forenoon Of the second day, and in the re-
adjustment of the Union position the line OF
battle was withdrawn from their rear, but tho
| skirmishers were not notified of the change
Advancing through the woods two of the mer
became separated from the rest of the com
mand, when they suddenly encountered body
| Of 10 rebels, who demanded and received theil
surrender. Conversing with tieir captors, tn,
two soldiers found that the rebels were as com
pletely lost as themselves, being afraid either
TO advance or retreat for fear of running int
the lines of their enemy. The rebels had en-
tered the army unwillingly, having been re
Gently conscripted and il was finally agreed
that they in turn should surrender to the TIVE
Union soldiers, and all should attempt to make
their way together into the Union lines. Thu
they finally succeeded in doing, and the pris
oners were hurried TO the rear.
Over winding road cut through the fores
We made our way to the Snodgrass House
where Gen. Thomas had his headquarters dur
ing the battle. The house stands upon th,
Horseshoe Ridge, having an open field in il
front, and faces the east directly toward Chick
amauga Creek. The owner is an old gentleman
Of so years or more, whose name consists of thu
rather singular combination, George Washing
ton Snodgrass He is feeble with age and rheu
matism, and moves about with the creates
difficulty. He is very intelligent, and i'm
pressed me as being scrupulously honest il
He has lived upon the field nearly all his life
and both he and his wife remained in thei
house during the battle Gen. Thomas's head
quarters were in n small fly tent erected
couple of rods from the house, and he spen
most of his time under large oak tree in tn
yard. From one side of the tree large roo
runs out, projecting above the ground, AM
forming very comfortable seat.
In the Summer of 1883 Gen. Longstree
visited the field with two companions, who's
names the old gentleman does not recollect
Riding up 20 the fence he inquired If this wa
the place where Gen. Thomas had his head
quarters. On being informed that it was, an
being pointed 10 the spot where Gen. Thomas
tent had stood, he remarked that if Thoma
spent most of the day under the tree, it wa
very reasonable TO suppose that he had Ofte
sat upon the root which have described. Seat
, ing himself accordingly upon the root, Gel
J Longstreet spent several hours in lunchinl
smoking and talking over the incidents of tn
great battle. This root is now worn quit
! smooth by visitors 10 the field who are anxiou
/ to absorb greatness by sitting where Thoms
} and Longstreet sat. One Of the party approach
ed the tree with like intent, when the oil
gentleman exclaimed: Hold on there, Yanke
Take off your shoes. You are standing upo
holy ground!" Our friends momentary col
8 fusion did not prevent him from taking sea
, upon the historic root.