The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-20

his right wing at the expense of his left and
center, and at the council of corps and division
commanders, held at his headquarters on the
evening of the I4th, Thomas informed them
that the plan had been so changed that Steed-
mans movement against the rebel right would
be only feint, while from their place on the
extreme right of our line the cavalry were TO
sweep away the division of Chalmers, attack,
dismounted, the detached redoubts, and, sup
ported on their left by the infantry OF Smith,
turn the left flank of the enemy and try TO
gain his rear. These movements would necessl-
tate taking ground TO the right and front by
Gen Wood, to avoid break in the line, and he
accordingly made the change, the point where
the outer line of works changed to the north
west being the point.
scHoFIELD, WITH THE TwENTY-TRIRD CORPS,
was also moved out of his lines to the rear of
the new positions of Wood and Smith, and
held in reserve. The division composed of
Quartermaster employees under Gen. Donald
sou, held the right of the line of defenses.
The Provisional Division, commanded by Gen.
Cruft, occupied the line vacated by Schofeld
and Wood, while Gen. Miller, with another
force Of employees, moved into that of Steedman
on the extreme left.
Hood had left the banks Of the Tennessee on
his march northward with about $1,000 men.
His field return for Dec 10 gives a total pres
6uR al NdSuN4lEc Ol OO,Jzu. 40 bulS buL3pSi
mast be added the brigade of Sears, which
had been recalled from Murfreesboro which
was composed of five regiments and one bat
TALON of Mississippi troOps-probably l,oOO
men. Now. at the time when he needed every
man and horse and gun he could get, his forces
were scattered over miles of territory-Forrest,
with all but Chalmers's Division of the cav
airy, and two brgades of infantry, at Murfrees-
boro, and Cockrell's Brigade of infantry and
detachment of cavalry, from Chalmers'S Divis-
ion, at the mouth of Duck River on the Ten
nessse so miles away. These troops if present
could not have saved the battle,
BUT WITH FORREST IN COMMAND
on his left, with 1000 more cavalry, Wilson and
his division commanders would not have had
"the walk over they did with Chalmers. The
offensive defense of Rousseau and Milroy
should have told him that he could not hope TO
capture the place with what troops he could
spare for that purpose, and with the railroad
thoroughly destroyed, one brigade each OF cav
airy and infantry would have been enough to
observe the place and obstruct any nOrthward
movement If attempted. 1t is not known what
Cockrell was expected to do with his force,
unless to watch the river and prevent any
small force from it raiding the railroad In
Hoods rear.
For the attack Gen. Thomas had available
As 800 men. Camps were astir long before day
troops, M0rgan's COlored Brigade leading, (the
General was recently appointed Commissioner
of Indian affairs, passed out of their works to
and along the Murfreesboro pike, and with four
companies of the 14th Colored and portion OF
GrosvenOr's Provisional Brigade of white troops
deployed as skirmishers faced TO the south
ward along that road and advanced to the at
tack of the rebel right.
The morning was warm, and thick fog at
first obscured everything, but by 9 o'clock this
had vanished and all movements became visl-
bic. Every roof in the city which faced the
opposing forces was black with persons intent
on witnessing the coming strife. The rebel
piekets were soon driven in, and on through
the thin timber on the extreme left and far
ther to the right through cultivated fields and
orchards the Union troops steadily pushed
their way, till Grosvenor's Brigade reached the
work thrown up by Steedman on Dec. 2, and
abandoned, as has been stated. Here they
met a murderous fire, and after vain effort
to carry the work were forced to retire, hav-
ing left their gallant leader among the slain.
On their left the 18th Colored (Col Shaf4erl
had suffered heavy loss having been expos
ed for some time TO a cross-fire of infantry,
as well as that of battery directly in its front
across the rocky cut of the Chattanooga Rail-
road The skirmishers of the Colored Brigade
took ground to the left when the main line be-
came engaged, and some of them crossed the
track south of the cut, but fire from the
refused line of the rebel right drove them
back. As soon as the firing began by the main
! line, the 1O0-pound guns of Fort Neglcy, two
miles away, opened, and for time did some
execution, but failed TO get correct range, as
our line advanced and some of our own men
were killed by their FIRE while passing through
the timber, which partially hid their move
ments from the gunners. The feint had ac-
complished the purpose intended in drawing
/ troops from Hoods left and center, and before
! Steedman's line fell back batteries could be
seen moving at gallop from the left, and TAX
/ ing position on a knoll in rear of the center OF
Cheatham's line they threw shells over the
/ heads Of their own men into the ranks of the
/ Colored Brigade. The ground from the Muir
4 freesboro pike slopes gently upward to the
:" Rains house," just at the northern end of the
! deep cut, and withdrawing his line far enough
back to be out Of range of the artillery, Steed-
man for the time ceased any further attempts,
4 the rebel pickets reoccupying the line from
which they had been driven. For the rest oi
/ the day not much more Sighting was done on
| this part of the field, though in the afternoon,
and far into the night, the picket-lines kept UP
a skirmishing fire, joined in occasionally by a
section of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery.
! ITO be continued.)