The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-20

uated on the Tennessee river, surrounded
by mountains, il is difficult of approach
from north and west. During the lat
ter part of the month of June and in
early July, the union and confederate
hosts contested the line of Tullahoma,
the confederates afterwards retiring 10
the line OF the Tennessee river. About
the 1st OF Aug, 1863 the whole union
army commenced its advance, the leIt
pushed forward a brigade to Poe's tav-
ern in the valley of the Tennessee, TO
watch Chattanooga, and, by show OF
tource, 10 threaten that place ana also
the crossing of the Tennessee river.
In the meantime Rosecrans moved his
center and right over the mountains
in the supposed or reported direction of
Rome, in order to reach the confederate
rear, and on the sth day of September,
in consequence OF that movement, the
cOnfederates evacuated Chattanooga
On the morning of the 10th 1 received
an order to pursue the enemy IN the dlrec-
overtaken by Gen. Crittenden, who in
formed me that il had been discovered
that Gen. Bragg had retired from Chatta-
nooga in the direction of Lafayette, Ga,
FOR the obvious purpose OF
watching the movements of our
center and right; protecting his lines OF
communication and receiving the rein
forcements from the Army of Virginia,
which were then on their way 10 join
him; he told me thai Rosecrans had gone
hastily TO join Thomas and McCook, who
We're then crossing the mountains, and
bring them 10 confront the confederates
in Chickamauga Valley and fight battle
for the possession Of Chattanooga.
When Gen. Crlttenuen gave me the In
formation l have before mentioned he
ordered me to march from Ringold to Lee
& Gordons mill. on the Chickamauga.
was more apprehensive OF the advance
of the confederates than Gen Crittenden
seemed to be, for had never believed that
Gen. Bragg intended to abandon Chatta-
nooga without striking a blow for its pos
session. At my request he allowed me to
lighting
of my division in the direction of Pea Vine
church, to feel for the enemy, while the
transportation, protected by Van Cleve's
division, was moved TO Lee q Gordons
mill by the most direct route. marched
in the direction / have indicated, few
miles, and encountered in the neighbor-
hood of Pea Vine church. a solid copfed-
crate force, and after a close sktrmtsh re-
tired, and crossed the Chickamauga, so
that by the evening of Sept. Il the Twen-
ty-first corps, with the. exception Of two
brigades, were in position on the left or
western bank of the Chickamauga.
From that time it was a race between
the union center and right, and the con-
federates, for battlefield. Longstreoc,
from Virginia, was approaching, with
some thousands of veteran troops, who
had participated in the bloody battles or
Virginia, had crossed the Potomac, and
had fought at Gettysburg, while the forces
under the immediate command of Gen
Bragg were moving steadily upon US, ana
on Sept. II and is made themselves felt
at the different crossings Of the Chicka-
the Fourteenth and Twentieth corps or
the union army were hurrying to unite
with the Twenty-frst corps and resist his
advance. On Sept. l6 l moved with my
the crossing, and on Sept II the advance
of the right and center began to arrive,
and the whole army commenced and con-
tinued it's movement by rapid marches TO
the left.
1 remembered a meeting of leading Of
ficers at the headquarters of the army on
.F atag . Co.. TO-. tn..na
which l attended for a few moments,
called away from the meeting by the ur-
gency of the situation. Reports We're re-
ceiVed from all directions; the advance
of Longstreet's reinforcements had, as
we were informed, reached Ringold. The
army of Gen. Bragg was reported to be
nearly on the opposite side of the river,
moving with an evident purpose of cross
ing, and sezng the road which led along
the eastern base of Missionary Ridge.
During the whole night of the 18th OF
September, every portion of the federal
army was in motion My own division,
after interruptng delays, reached Lee q
Gordons mill about sunrise, while the
Fourteenth corps under Thomas had, by
a more direct route gained position al
McDaniers house near the Chattanooga
road. l heard firing in that direction
about o'clock, and directed Gross to pro-
ceed with his brigade and learn it's cause.
Time is important in all military opera
tions. If Longstreet had reached Rim
gold a day earlier and had at once at
tempted to seize the road to Chattanooga,
which led along the eastern base of Mis-
sionary Ridge, he would have succeeded.
He did not reach the field until the morn
ing of the 10Th, when too late, for he
found the union forces in a position pre-
pared to receive them. Another incident
may be mentioned to illustrate the same
fact. Soon after Gross had marched to
ascertain the cause of the firing to our
left, l received note from Gen. Thomas,
which, l supposed until lately, led to the
real opening of the battle of Sept. 19, and
had an important influence upon the con-
faI.a 70 mo
Southern Confederacy, newspaper pub
lished at Atlanta, of the date Of Oct: 3,
1868, which came into my hands few
days after ii was published:
''It is said that Gen. Bragg's plan of at
tack was designed to be the same as that
of Gen. Lee .on Chickahomany, viz A
movement down the left bank of the
Chickamauga by column which was to
take the enemy in flank and drive him
down the river to the west ford; or, cross
ing below. where a second column was to
cross over and unite with the first in push
ing the enemy still further down the river
until all the bridges and fords had been
uncovered and our entire army passed
over"
This plan was frustrated, according to
report, by counter movement which is ex-
planned in the following order of the
federal general Thomas This order was
found upon the person of Adjutant General
Muhleman of Gen. Palmers staff who
subsequently fell into our hands:
Headquarters Fourteenth Army Corps,
Near McDaniers House. Sept. 10, 1868, a.
m.-Maj Gen. Palmer: The rebels are
reported in quite a heavy force between
you and Alexander's Mill. If you advance
as soon as possible on them in front
while I attack them in flank, I think we
can use them up. Respectfully, your obed-
lent servant, George II. Thomas
Major General Junior, Commanding
This was Saturday morning: the counter
attack upon the front and flank of our
fanking column was made with vigor
soon after It crossed the river. and in
accordance with the plan suggested by
Gen. Thomas; and If not entirely success
full, it was sufficiently so to disarrange
our plans and delay our movements -
I received the note of which this article
speaks within half an hour after it was
written, made the attack as directed as
soon as possible, and gained some advan-
tage, but did not succeed in driving them
back across the river. A heavy force
crossed the river to my right, which was
met and resisted by Van CleVe and Wilder
and the new and large regiment, the Sew
enty-fifth Indiana, then commanded by
the gallant soldier, Col Milton S. Robin
son, afterward promoted by his fellow cit
liens to a high judicial place, which ne
left vacant by his untimely and lamented
death.
1t is certain that Gen. Bragg had not
anticipated the movement Of Thomas
column, so far to our left. nor the attack
of my division as early as it was made