The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-10-03

test at Chickamauga was a draw.
Bragg had much to win, but he needed
positive victory to give him anything.
The Confederates, however, slept on the
battlefield, which, as things go in war,
was game for them. 1t would be a
CHASTITY joke to say that most Of them
slept there because they couldn't crawl
away, but it is a fact that they won the
doubtful privilege only by suffering
enormous loss. On no other field Of the
war did they face such frightful carnage.
More than 5000 men in gray went
down in the two days fighting. Bragg
outgeneraled Rosecrans when he COM
PEELED him to fight at a disadvantage
and against odds, but Rosecrans OUT
generated Bragg by getting between
him and his base, where he could look
calmly on during the struggle with the
confident feeling that whichever way
this goes is my gain.' Bragg won in
tactics, Won in fighting, won the field,
but all this simply resulted in giving to
Rosecrans the objective of his campaign.
What it was all about was the occupancy
Of Chattanooga, a stronghold by nature
and the gateway to Tennessee and north
ern Georgia, which, falling into Union
power, would crown the victories Of
New Orleans and Vicksburg. Chatta-
nooga was the prize, and Rosecrans
seized and held it. And he accomplished
all by one Of the most brilliant military
maEeuyers of the war, a successful ma
neuver, the bri lliancy of which was not
dimmed by the disasters in fighting to
carry it through.
At Chiclamauga, for once, the Con-
federates had the most men, hence were
able to Overwhelm the Union army. The
boys in blue fought hard to stave off an
Inhalation, but they did it and reaped a
double reward. It was not simply their
old enemy Of the west that they had to
contend with, but Longstreet's corps
from the Army of Northern Virginia
was thrown in at the crisis of the battle
to turn the tide. Many and marvellous
the deeds, many and valorous the heroes
which the day brought forth. The fame
OF Rosecrans has been beclouded in Spite
of the genius displayed throughout that
campaign because in the eyes of some of
his superiors he was slow in setting
about it. While Grant was hammering
at Vicksburg with Johnston at his back,
Rosecrans played with Bragg in Ten
nessee so that he would not detach troops
to re-enforce Johnston in falling upon
Grants rear. Whether or not the plan
was sound from military point Of view
. it succeeded. When at last he sounded
the trumpet to advance, it was march
Of triumph, not for lack of skill or Prov
ess on the part Of the foe, but owing to
his superiority Of maneuvering He so
moved his forces as to flank Bragg out
Of Tennessee, where he had established
formidable line, and also to draw him
out of Chattanooga into the labyrinth of
valleys and passes along the Chicka-
manga. Finally, all being in readiness,
as he believed, he threw his army in
front Of Chattanooga and defied Bragg
to recover bis ground. Unfortunately
McCook's corps met with delay and did
not reach the field of encounter as soon
by day as Rosecrans had planned Still
his lines were safe, his strategical vic
tory won, as things stood, but night
changed all. Longstreet, new, unheard
OF enemy, reached Bragg's camps with
1000 fresh men, uniting them with
1900 under Breckenridge, also fresh,
and forming an enthusiastic phalanx
$4,000 strong.
The struggle of the first day, Sept
10, was fight for positions. The Con-
federates lost heavily and gained but
little, although Rosecrans was at seri-