The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-11-21

splitting the Confederacy in two. Gettys-
burg, although the full fruition of the vic
tory was not gsTnered, forever crushed the
hope of successfully carrying the war into
the North, az well as of the COnfederates re-
ceiving direct aid from their many sympa-
thizers in the Union States.
Chattanooga opened up gateway to the
heart of the Confe6erscy from the West, and
rendered possible the siege and capture ef
4tianta alo the march TO the sea. Nash
vile virtually slesed the war in the West.
The battle stands out as unique in that IL is
Che only battle in history in which the be-
sieging army was attacked and defeated in
the omen Ssid bv the besieged, sustaining a
total loss Of their artillery and equipments,
snd were so utterly crushed as to never he
effectually reorGanized. The battle of Five
Forks forces the evacuation of Petersburg
and Richmssd, resulting in the surrender OF
Lee, which virtually closed the war.
IL was ny fortune 10 be participant in
two Of these battles, Champions Hill and
Chattanooga, and il is OF the latter that this
paper is 10 give ing personal Tecellections.
From the beginning OF the rebellion Chatta-
nooga was recognized as one of the streng-
holds, in a strategic sense, Of the coming
WIT At that time Chattanooga was but
Tennessee River. Enclosed by a semi-ciTcle
OF mountainous hills, with Mission Ridge in
the foreground and 6snked by historic
Lookout Mountain.
From its position it seemed capable Of
being impregnably-for and, being the
KEY TO Georgia and East Tennessee, which
constituted a vast store house Of supplies ID
could be mace 2 base of supplies Tor he
Confederate armies. For thus reason atten-
tion was early called 10 il, and it became an
objective point soon after the evacuation OF
C0rinth.
When the Army Of the Tennessee, under
Grant, commenced a movement having in
ultimate view he capture of Vicksburg and
the renewal Of the distinctions to the nayi-
CATION of tire Mississippi River, The Army
Of the mberland, under Buell., turned
eastward, with the ultimate object OF capt
uring Chattanooga and opening a gateway
10 the heart of the COnfederacy from the
west In each case the goal TO be reached
was far IN the future, 10 be reached only
after lorg marches through the binding
smoke Of battle.
Gen. Grant pushed southwark as far rs
the GochnEpatafa River, below Oxford.
Miss, when the burning of Holly Springs
and the destruction of his supplies caused
4CAADtAoAI tDN'NBEtiAs anu v ltkbOuIG WAS
left in Confederate hands for another wear.
So too, Buell. WAS checkmated by the move
menis Of Bragg, threatening Louisville and
Cincinnati, resulting in the race of the two
armies across Tennessee and Kentucky. and
the counteTmarch. with the incidental battle
OF PerfyvDle, fought with a division Of
Buell's army, while he lay in the rear, hold
ing the remainder Of his army inactive
Without waiting 10 be relieved. Buell.
turned the command OF his army over 20
Gen. Thomas, and dropped from the public
Raze-" weighed in the balance and found
wanting" The command of the Army Of
The Cumberland next devolved upop Gen.
RosecraRs, tic hero Of Iuka and Coriuth
He WAS the idol of his army. and added
new laurels 10 his fame by bis victory al
Stones River. But the willy Confederate,
Gen. Bragg, lured him on past Chattanooga,
only to turn and crush him at Chickamauga.
one of the most useless and destructive bat
ties fought during the war. This disaster
so effectually closed the remnant of the
Union army up within the town of Chatta-
Dooga that il seemed TO have left only the
choice Of three alternatives surrender,
starvation, or annihlation.
The fatal blupder of Rosecrans az Cbicl,a-
mauga and his subsequent inactivity when
mewed up within the limits of Chattanooys
threw dark cloud over his hithcrto-bright
reputation ard lost him the confidence of
the Nation, which he had so firmly possessed
since bis victory at Iuka, one year before
All eyes now turned hopefully TO the hero
OF DOnelson and Nicksburg, the silent and
inyincible Grant.
The Military Department of the Missis-
sppi was created, embracing the Depart
ments OF The Ohio, the Cumberland, and the
tennessee, with Grant As it's commander,
Sherman succeeding Grant to the command
Of tbs Army Of the Tennessee Hooker was
sent West with Inc Eleventh and Twelfth
Corps, commanded, respectively, by Howard
aud Slocum.