The National tribune., 1888-11-29
CHICKAyAUGk.
Rebel Testimony that 1t Was a Fatal
Blow to the COnfederacy.


federade dream of Northern invasion, conquest
and plumber, Chickamauga extinguished the
last Confederate hope Of oyerthrowing and de-
stroying the Union army, which, IN the central
West was being driven into the very heart OF
the ConfedeTacy. and which threatened 1t as
vitality as poised spear held IN stalwart hand
ever threatened the life Of man. Nashville
Vicksburg. New Orleans, Charleston, Knox
vile, were but 0utposts Of the Confederate
power The successive fall OF each marked an
encouraging progress Of the National arms, but
affected only incidentally and minutely the
general result.
Tie cannaicn OF CEiclamauga was directed
against a city which was the very key to the
interior Of the Confederacy, the crossing point
Of lis greatest lines OF railroads from all d.
rections-the CitaIel Of Georgia, and the in
terror South.
So long as Chattanooga remained in Confed-
crate hands the enemy's power was practically
unbroken, and the great slave empire IN
touched.
It was fought Sept. 10 and %, 1853.
Il was in the month Of April, 1865, on board
steamer bound to New Orleans, the day after
the battle Of Blakelv-in which Gen. LOTing,
one Of the most sagaclous OF all the officers that
wore the gray, commanded the Confederate
forces, and he and his entire force that survived
the battle were made prisoners by the Union
army under Gen. Canby,-that the following
conversation occurred.
] had approached the distinguished pris-
oner, had introduced myself as war CORE
spondent Of one of the leading journals Of the
North. and had asked him 10 give me the exact
relative position of the different bodies of
troops under his command In the battle of the
previous DAY. That he very courteously did,
and authorized me TO make use of the informa-
ton in the account Of The battle which l was
preparing while fastening northward 10 the
home Office.
Then I gave him the latest information
possessed as to the progress being made by
Grant in Virginia and Of the advance Of Sher-
man through the Csrolinas toward Richmond.
We had not then heard Of the surrender at
AppomattoT. and it was upon the information
] had given him that be made the first remark
in the following conversation:
Oar cause is probably lost but your tenn
porary victories up to the latter part Of 1863
had little 10 do with il. Not a man IN the
Southern Coulederacy felt that you had really
accomplished anything until Chattanooga fell"
You do not mean 10 say, General, that
EicbsbGrg and Gettysburg were nOthing?"
The loss Of Yicksburg," he replied,
weakened our prestige, contracted cur ter
rit0ry. and practically expelled Us from the Mis-
sissippi River; but il left the body Of our
power unframed. As TO Gettysburg, that was
an experiment il we had won that battle, the
Government at Washington would, perhaps,
have rendered peace, with a recognition of the
Confederacy. Our loss Of 1t, except that we
could less easily spare the slaughter Of veteran
soldiers than you could, left US just where we
were"
But in the latter part of 1858 some of your
people lost hope ?" I asked.
Not exactly that" said he: shut they
experienced then for the first time diminu-
ton Of confidence IS to the final result"
fAnd may ask what ii was that occurred
then which oecssioned this change Of feeling?"
1t was the fall Of Chattanooga" he re-
Piled, in consequence Of the Cbick2mauga
can PaigR, and the subsequent total defeat OF
Gen. Bragg's efforts to recover II"
why did you regard Chattanooga as Of so
much iIapOrtance?" / asked.
As long as we held IT," he replied, it
was the closed doorway to the interior Of our
country. When it passed into your hands the
door stood open, and however rough your prog
ress in the interior might be. il still left You
free to march inside. ! tell you continued
be with a vehemence which, IN SO modest and
quiet 2 gentleman, greatly impressed me,
that when your Dutch General, ROsecrans,
commenced his forward movement for the capt
ure Of Chattanooga, we laughed him to seorn.
We believed that the black brow OF Lookout
Mountain would frown him out Of existence:
that be would dash himself 10 pieces against
the many and vast natural barriers that rise
al around Chattanooga; and that then the
Northern people and the Government at Wash
efforts when they came to attack the real
South"
But the capture Of Chattanooga convinced
you t3at even the real South was vulnerable
did itf"
Yes said he; % it was then only a question
as TO whether we could beat back your
armies by sheer force Of desperate fighting, and
As you largely outnumbered us, and our re-
sources were every day diminishing the pros
poets to tic thinking part of our people looked
gloomy indeed"
Bat General. p said. there are people in
the North who regard the Chickamauga cam
paign as a failure 10 the Union arms"
Ali be replied, we should gladly have
exchanged q dozen Of our previous victories for
that one failure"
Hall an hour afterWard / was seated fat on
my launches on the deck Of the steamer.
writing FOR dear life, when Gen. Loring ap-
preached and accosted me.
" bat are yea writing now?" he inquired
lie had been 50 courteous under adverse cir
eUnstances that felt ] could not be otherwise
than entirely frank with him.
i am writing out your remarks concerning
the eject q me Chickamauga campaign said l.
II struck me- said he, that You might be
doing that; bur think you viii see that the
publication Of those remarks while the war con
tiuues might be seriously misunderstood BIZ nv
companions harms, and might subject me TO
heavy ceusure- i did not intend them for pub-
LEGATION, and regarded them as part Of a private
conversation We were having after the public
portion was closed. I cannot take back the
remarks now, and 4 have no power to prevent
you from printing them. can only ask You.
as q gentleman, TO withhold them from publi-
cation until the war is over"
It was a hard request TO comply with If the
struggle were TO 20 on, Gen. Loring's views
would make a sensation, and be a great en-
courascmeEt 10 the loyal people Of the land
felt that N printing them ] should make
big hit both as a journalist and patriot But
with thar courteous, sad-eyed, mild-mannered
and unfortunate gentleman standing over me.
helpless, as prisoner Of war, who had given
me his confidence, there was only one thing
10 90.
I" Your wishes shall be respected, General
said J. shall finish my notes while our
talk is fresh in my mind but they will never
see the light until feel sure that their publi-
cation viii discredit you with no one"
Thank yous" said he; however the war
may end, print what ! have said, if you choose
any time after the conflict is closed"
For more than . years the notes Of that con-
versajon have remained in my hands, and l
should probably have never made them public
i the whole American people had done imme-
date justice 10 the noble Army of the CulD-
berland, which took and held Chattanooga at
the awful cost Of ChickamaUga, and had given ia
the great soldier VINO led our army in that strlp-
gle the crediSWhich his ability. his genius. his
ne f+o1 ! 3.