The National tribune., 1890-10-02

it south away from its base Of supplies anC
60 certain destruction; or, failing in this, Il
penetrate its center, roll up either wing and
destoy it by detail. 1t was bold, adven-
turous stroke on the part of Gen. Bragg, and
enc worthy it's conceptor, who, had he pos
Eessed The impulsive celerity of a Napoleon
the blow would, more than likely, have
fallen upon the almOst-lone Thomas in Nc
Iemore's Cove, weakly if not entirely un-
supported as he must have been by the
Twentieth and Twenty-frst Corps, from his
(Thomass) early entrance into McDemore's
Cove. But from, TO us, some inconceiv-
able cause, Bragg remained almost entirely
inactive, 90 far as aggressive movements
may be considered, during the six days we
OCCUPIED the Cove and with them forever
passed the chance for the clean aud the ILL
favored kline" to eat up the "fat-feshed and
well-iavored kline" In other words, Bragg
had fritlered away invaluable time, thereby
losing the first, last and only real opportunity
that ever was his in which TO strike, crush
and possibly Ennihiate Rosecranss army.
With al this masterful tsrdiness and sggres-
siye Inactivity during those six precious days
20 Bragg, days of salvation to us, his effort
made iate though il was, proved in sequel all
TOO nearly successful for our welfare, certainly
for cur comfort its failure and our continued
possession OF Chattanooga was ehristened with
tbe blood Of scores of thousands.
Col. Archer Anderson, IN an address before
the Virginia Division Of the Army of North
ern Virginia Association, thus speaks Of those
Ril-imP0riant days 10 both armies: And
yet there were four days (Sept. ID to I'D of
critical peril for the Federal army. It was
only 81 midnight Of the 10Th that McCook. on
their extreme right, received the order TO close
upon Thomas Ii was only after four days of
bard marching that his junction was effected.
During these four days McCook's whole corps
WSs - completely anhihilated as if il had been
In Virginia; during part Of this time there
was vide interval separating Crittenden and
Ibomss. The Confederate army was perfectly
In hsHd. What chances did those four days
not cscr TO an enterprising commander Rose
crans VAS completely aroused. He saw now,
IS he himself says, that il was matter of life
Bpd ceath 70 concentrate his army. During
these four days the Federals marched as men
mArch upon the issues of life and death, but
she Cva.ederates lay in their camps in idle
Fsgraacy."
Lient-Gen. d. r. Hill says: "The truth in,
Gen. Bragg was beEildered by the
PoPPEsG OUT OF RATS FROM SO MANY
HOLES"
sllu1.aE 70 the many passes In the mountain
caeFcfy side OF Bragg, out Of which Rosecranss
troOp> poured.
Aatr ia the afternoon or evening of Friday
tbe l-tA, The SGth Ohio, IN conjunction with
tAe6niIre Fourteenth Corps, took up its line Of
march toward Rossvilie Gan. Upon with
drawing from Pond Spring, the regiment
MARCHED by road along the eastern slope Of
Aisslon Ridge, our immediate objective the
y1nction Of roads in the Chickamaug& Valley
lsadiLg into Chattanooga, toward which Bragg
Was driving ms forees-St least endeavoring to
I'm the shape OF wedge, in order TO penetrate
our iiEes, crush Crittenden thus as observed,
turn oar LETT and get not only between Chat
tanSog4 but also between the Tennessee River
and tie Union army.
brls.-Gen. 3. r. Johnson, whose brigade had
Been at hinggOld holding the railroad was
tneFed toward Reeds Bridge. which brought
lin Oh tne extreme right OF the line Walkers
1oTrs formed on bis LEFT opposite Alexander's
Bride, Buckner's next near Tedford's Ford,
Iolks opposite Lee and Gordon's Mills and
Ahis on the extreme left. With johnson
olsEed two brigsdes just arrived from Missis-
Elpii and three Of Longstreet's Cops (Bragg's
report
TIE - or Is miles marched by us that night
were EosJ toilsoHs and WeaFisome ones the
amost entire line of march. where, as we
passed through the lanes, both sides, were illu-
mlnaied Jy burning fences, while in the forests
IAs aEc .2n among tie leaves, writhiug, twist
Ing Ead trrning as il Wended its serpentine
WEE slong where there was but little upon
which T. feed, then feeEly sweeping aad surg
Ing o. IL cracking 14mss ss more abundant
1istefIai vas reached nov splitting and bissing
IS within its caFaciOus nav was embraced and
CONSUMED the thicker undeTgrowth and fallen
nmseT; tbea froiicking or pisyfaily dailying
q lEe io,t, then climbing ia whole embrace OF
skipping q daEting IN Aery jets; now creeping, |
SOW climbing higher. on and mp in trailing |
4Des siih higher, or racing with speed surpris- |
lhR irSai root 70 topmost branch, fed and led |
AT Its 4acent by the dry and tinder-like bark OF
E1e ds.la and standing timber: yondeT tongues I
OF naf9e could be seen loaping from bough to |
bouga. irom Tree TO tree, gyrating with eddy |
ing sUiil among, licking with flaming touch, /
Csvoutsug with scOrchiug breath from within
from uelAer TO loftiest tip the branches OF /
Eaany 4 the ho2ry, gigantic monarchs Of /
SAnse lofesiE. Utterly beyond human control /
was t.iat hery holocaust Of garnered haTvestA
fence. c0pse and forests; not q single fence /
believe, along the entire line of march /
escaping destruction seemed rife on every /
hand Z was only now and again. as tie cold l
eddyibS wind Of that sharp. frosty September l
night ifted the heavy dark pail Of sInoke that /
snFeiol'rd Us, that we cond get glimpse Of the |
stars e they twinkled dimly with pale aud |
gnastiy hue from out reddish sky illuminated /
with the lurid glare from below There sat |
grim, stera-F'saRed war On every hand. |
Column q smoke and pillars Of fire around /
arc about "a; while we marched through 4
E1niBg smoke, and at times. while from the /
Tosd over which we tEamped aud our trains |
were passing covered, as il was with pulyer- /
lzed earth shoe-top deep, there arose cloud Of 1
Gust that completely enVel0ped Us It's finer 4
particle Ierme4tDg our clothing, penetrating 4
the ear eyes, nostTIs and mouths OF the NOV.
Ing trc00s, causing exquisite suffering To Laan 1
sic beast. This tOisone march continued 1
uarlifg the entire night, interpreted with an /
OocasiD-ia short halt, Of which aVailed myself
20 obi4in. Epon each occasion, despite the bleak
night winds, few moments OF much h-needed |
rest aud sleep not having enjoyed an nm |
Broken itiglts rest since leaving Trenton. IL /
was e.iceat that the great struggle, now upon |
~ would Be FOR the roads leading into Chatta- |
nOoEz.
During the 18th Bragg had been In2ssipe his |
toTce- ~ crush Crittendcn and get position On |
the aEkees left, but by this 70 US eyer-mern-
orssbie nights march Thomas had succeeded In /
GWeeiaHg with Lila corps by Crittenden's rear |
% biS oz.reH1e left. BY this swift aud entirely
unlo0E 20 FOR movement on the part Of Thomas |
the Fo0rtsenth Corps was placed in such position
9s 70 cover all the gaps and roads, 20 that when |
Bragg columns began 10 move on the morning |
o. Tie lSth they were confronted by Thomas's |
TeteraHs. already IN position, covering their in
tendE! line Of advance
be following 10 copy OF Bragg's circular
crder u attack and conduct 10 govern Lis com
naLdcrs II the then grooming battle:
HEADQUAETEEE Army or TIE TEsyEssYK
is TBE YIELD, LEET's TAsYhRD. Sept 10. I5eg / |
tCireuisTl
j. JSifson's column tHood'El, On crossing nj or
Leiz ie Brcge, val turn 70 the left by the most
pF1e,ies.le route and svcep Up the Chick aulat,en
toward LIE and G0TdOu's Mills