The Dickinson press., 1888-08-18

Nicksburs. Bragg prepared once more to
move OH.
He had with him about Chattanooga Is 600
men. His army, before lie received rc-cll-
forccments, was equal to Rosecrans', the
Union commander having been obliged to
detail numerous regiments to guard his long
limo of communication behind him.
Bragg marched ont of Chattanooga Sept.
Z and s. He Went southwark to Lafayette,
Ma, n town to the east of Pigeon mountains.
Here he waited for Rosccrans' next move in
this game of retreat and advance Safe OUT
side of Chattanooga, where he could COM
maud tho road furnishing his supplies, he
could, if necessary, even tako the offensive.
Tho fall of Nicksburg ha,l released $4,000
Confederate soldiers from Johnston's army
for the reinforcement of Bragg. Buckncrs
command. from East Tennessee had also To-
enforced Bragg
at Lafayette Bragg had Thomas corps in
front of him. Crittendcn, with tho Union
left, was something over twenty miles to tho
right of him. McCook, with the right wing,
having crossed Sand and Lookout noun
tains, was about the S,lMo distance AWAY on
BragS's left.
AS early us Aug. SO Gen. Thomas learned
of the heavy rc-enforcements that had come
To Bragg from Johnston. After crossing
the Tennessee, Sept. 4, Thomas four divis-
lois marcncd directly on over the mountains
INTO Wills valley. Ncgeys division WAS in
the advance. A brigade from it was sent
forward at once eastward to seize Stevens
gap, i'll the Lookout mountain range The
Eighteenth Ohio regiment advanced as far
as the top of Lookout mountain. They met
Confederate pickcts. This was Sept 6.
Ncslcy's advance fell back and waited ill
next day. Then, going forward with re-
enforced numbers, it took poss. ssion of tho
t"pof Lookout mountain at this point. BY
sept. 10 Ncsley's division had crossed Mis-
si"nary ridge and gained McIcmorcs cove
They found the Confederate cavalry drawn
u:' III line to meet them across the entrance
to Dug gap They found, Furthermore, what
seemed to be II whole Confederate army, ar
tillcry and all, in front of Them
There had been rumors before this that
Bragg had evacuated Chattanooga. On tho
morning OF Sept. IL regiment from Rcy-
| nds' division of Thomas corps was sent
along the top of Lookout mountain to recon-
hotter
The regiment from Reynolds division was
mounted. AS the men rodc along they ex-
tended their rcconnossanccs nearer and
nearer to Chattanooga. Towards noon they
came to tho town itself. They found the last
III Brags's army in the act of leaving.
Sept. 8, Rosccrans had become certain by
the great number of the enemy on Ncyey s
front that Chattanooga had been abandoned
by Bragg. He sent II dispatch at once to
crittenden, OH the nurth, to take five days
rations and start in pursuit. Crittendcn
received this message ut 6 O'clock on tho
morning of the 9th.
McCook had llcwisc executed the part of
the plan assigned to linn, and was now i'll
Wills valley, between the Sand and Lookout
ranges. Sept. Rosecrans sent him orders
to hasten his march eastward and intercept
Bragg's retreat southwark, and attack his
right flank
Accordingly McCook hurried to Alpine,
across the Lookout mountain range, and en-
canpc'l there. He was not long i'll discover
ing that ho was alone on the east side OF
Lookout valley; that Bragg was not retreat
Ing southward and seemed to have no incll-
ton of doing 50; that, finally, the valley east
OF Lookout mountain was full of Comfcl-
crates, so that he himself could not commu-
nic;,tc with Thomas corps.