New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-14

actually was at Chicltsmauga by the superior skill
and courage OF his lieutenants and the stubborn
gaIlantry Of his troops.
T. is fair TO recall Halleoks futile interference.
No doubt he worried and impeded Rosecrans with
his unintelligent and incessant headquarters IN
structons No doubt too. Rosecrans WAS handl-
capped by the policy which made Burnside prao-
tically independent Of him-which, as Generai
Turchin observes, separated all the corps COM
manders as much as II they had been In diHeren'
countries, and rendered concentration ana M
uony Of action out Of the question: "hen "l'
mischief was done, HaIleck ordered up re-en
ments from everywhere, without resalu "
ths difficulties OF transportation. But then
It may be said that h"Secr"n' ~
hound 70 make his account WIN
e.. ,r,sr,s-srce and general utilities Of Halleck.
and that when he crossed the Tennessee ne khe"
h. rrnSt depend upon the force be had in hand
for all op.rattons against Bragg. General hose
Grams wos a good strategist. His plans were
.ororsur sound Even when he was superseded
after the Chickamaugn campaign, his successor
carried cut most OF his proiects, That OF Browns
Ferry WAS VIGOROUSLY his. for example But he
soonns 70 have been deficient in mental elasticity
.rd resource and when the unexpected happened
he eopld not always rise 20 the occasion This
apnears 70 be the explanation Of his departure
from the field Of Chickanauga on the second
day.
The ta,finess OF M'Cook's march over the noun
tains put him out in the beginning. Nobody
could have anticipated that this march would
consume five days-nobOdy, that is 10 say, AT u
time when topogra phical maps were not ana
when the knowledge OF corps commanders concern
ing the condition of country roads was generally
obtained only in the course of marching Over
them Bragg, however, waS quite as much
baffed by the sluGgishness Of his heutenants' anu
especially by Folks delay in beginning the ATTACK
The elaboration bestowed by General Iurchn
roor tho details Of the two-days' fighting brings
out the chara and incidents OF the great oatCe
with unprecedented clearncsS, and resolves nearly
all the questions which have been undetermined
hitherto His account Of the second day. ana
particularly that of the magnificent detenco Oh
Horseshoe Ridge, is Of the deepest interest, ana
singularly free from the technicalties when arc
so apt TO confuse the non-profesSlonHl reader IN
books written by trained soldiers. lie crltlolses
the action which led 10 tie capture OF the
ODD Michigan, the seth Ohio, and part
of the 2lst Ohio Regiments, severely
and with apparent justice; though. perhaps more
allowance should be made for the prevailing con-
fusion and increasing darkness at the time when
the troops were withdrawn from the Ridge. IL Is
his opinion, however, that this episode was the
most shameful that happened during the battle
Of Chickamauga," and that there was no occa-
sion whatever for the sacrifice Of those fine regi'
ments They could have withdrawn just as easily
as did Steedman's or B:annan's troops
In his examination OF the results and character
Of the action at Chickamauga, General Turchin
reaches the conclusion that 1t cannot be considered
a rebel victory His position here is unquestion-
ably strong II is certain that Bragg took no
advantage from the BATH. Chattanooga, which
he was fighting TO recapturc, remained In tho
hands Of the Federal troops. The Army OF
Tennessee was so roughly handled that its efficiency
was paralyzed Its losses greater than those
of the Onion army. The latter withdrew from "a
position which was not essential 10 it, and took
no another which Bragg found unaSsiiahle, ana
on Missionary Ridge the Northern troops com
pleted that defeat Of tho rebels the ground TOT
which was laid in the Chickamauga Valley. Bragg
was ve=y much worse of after the battle than
before it, His strength WA diminished by 10000
men, and the spirit Of his best troops was de-
pressed by their failure 70 carry the Horseshoe
Ridge All that had been done was TO occupy
positions from which the Union forces had not
been driven, but had retired. II was, In fact
drawn battle, with all the resulting consc-
cuences in favor OF the Union army. General Iur-
chin adds to his narrative q chapter OF criticism
in which he makes several obviously sound and
practical suggestions Is an appendix he gives
various official documents relating 10 the battle
and complete record Of the troops engaged in
it, An admirable index and eight fine maps com
plete the usefulness OF volume which is most
important contribution 10 the literature OF the
rebellion, and careful and intelligent study
OF an action which has been the thcme Of con-
troversy ever since il took place. All who read
this work will be pleased TO learn that the author
contem plates the speedy publication OF similar
full and authoritative history OF the battle OF
Missionary Ridge, in which the Army Of the
Cumberland conclusively demonstrated that the
bloody work of Chickamausa had not demoralized
il, Is General Grant spprchcnded.