The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-12-18

REBEL ACCOUNT OF cn1CKAMAUGA.


REBEL ACCOUNT OF CHICKAMAUGA.
Part II, Vol xxx, Official Records of the
Union and Confederate Armies, contains the
Confederate reports of the battle Of Chieka-
manga, and they arevery interesting reading.
The first thing that strikes one is the inn
mensc number of organizations that partiei-
pated in the action.
The rebel army was divided into the Right
Wing commanded by Lieut-Gen. Leoni-
das Polk, and the Left Wing, commanded by
Lieut.-Gen. James Longstreet. In the Right
Wing were Cheatham's Division of FIVE
brigades and five batteries of artillery;
Lieut.-Gen. d. II. Hills Corps, consisting of
Cleburnes and Breckinridge's Divisions;
aud the Reserve Corps, commanded by MAJ
Gen. W. II. T. Walker, and containing the
Divisions of Gist and Liddell. In the whole
Right Wing there were 90 regiments, divided
into l6 brigades, making an average Of more
than six regiments to brigade. There
were 10 batteries with the wing.
The Left Wing comprised Hindman's Di-
vision Buckner's Corps-Stewart's, Pres
tons and JOhnstons Divisions; Longstreet's
Corps-McLaws's and Hoods Divisions In
these were 10i regiments, formed into 81
brigades, making an average of five regi-
ments to brigade. The wing had % bat
teries. This would make 2O3 regiments of
infantry and Al batteries.
Besides this, Gen. Joseph Wheeler had Is
regiments Of cavalry and two batteries, and
Gen. n. B. Forrest had 10 regiments of cav
airy and four batteries.
This would make the total force 237 regi-
ments and AZ batteries.
The next thing is to try to arrive at the
lighting strength Of the rebels from these
premises. But meager facts are furnished
to guide one in this.
Nine days after the battle Bragg made a
report, in which he estimated that his losses
in killed, wounded and missing were $1,000,
and he made a field return which showed
the effective strength of his infantry and
artillery to be 1886 As, in accordance
with the usual rebel custom, this probably
meant only the men who actually carried
guns into battle or manned cannon, fully
80 per cent must be added for the other
necessary men, which would raise his force
present for duty to 81, 595. If we add the
$4,000 disabled in the battle of Chicka-
manga, we make total of over G9,OOO in
fantry and artillery with which he entered
the battle.
To this should be added the cavalry. Gen.
Joseph Wheeler says he took 1000 men into
the battle, and had besides large force
guarding the TANKS, trains, etc.
Neither Forrest nor any of his subordi-
mates give any statement of the strength of
their commands, but we can assume that
Forrest had fully as many men as Wheeler,
which would make the total force of cavalry
not less than COCO, and the total strength of
Bragg's command at least $4,000.
The Losses of the rebels were fearful. Gen
John X. Jackson reports the strength of his
brigade at / ,4O5, Of whom 400 were kidd
or wounded, and the 5th Ga lost 55 per
cent. of its number. Col. George G. Porter,
commanding 9th and 9th Tenn, says he
took 335 muskets into the battle, lost AZ
killed and 13S wounded Gen. Marcus ].
Wright's Brigade had 1852 muskets, and
lost 444 men killed and wounded. Gle
burne's Division went in 5, 115 strong, and
lost ,743 killed and wounded. ID. III. Hills
Corps was 1854 strong, and lost 1890. The
LIST Ark. had 43O men in action, and lost 1913
killed and wounded. Col. Roger Q. Mills
reports that he took 1,783 men into battle,
of whom % were killed and 800 were
wounded. The 10Th and 2lth Ark, which
numbered 22G, lost 1O6 Breckinridee's
Division numbered $780, and lost 1910
The 9th Ky. went in $50 strong, and lost 1O2.
Preston's Division was 4,O7S strong and lost
1887.
So it goes all the way through. But few
of the commanders give the strength Of their
commands, but when they do they show that
they lost from one-third to oue-half of their
fighting strength.
1t was as terrific fighting as the world
ever saw.
TIE CHEROKEE STRIP.