Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-10-11
ON CHlckAMAuGA FIELD.
the Great Battle That Occurred Sept. 1e
 and 20, 1863.

The Great Battle That Occurred Sept. 19 and 2O 1863.
 With the sole exception of Gettys- burg, Chickamauga was the most san guinary battle which had thus far ever been fought OH the American continent. 1t took its name appropriately enough from the creek along the banks of which the stubborn encounter ragged most fiercely--a stream whose Indian name Is said to signify river of death. J Rose crans, with his army of 55, 900 men. had marched out of Chattanooga in the late summer of 1863 in pursuit of Bragg, who seemed to be retreating southward. But the Confederate commander, receiv- ing re-enforcements which brought his force up to 70, 900 men, turned sudden ly about and fell upon Rosecrans with great vigor on the morning of the 18th of September. All day long the battle ragged with the utmost fury. It was Bragg's plan to crush the Federal left flank, seize the roads to Chattanooga, cut Rosecrans off from his base of sup plies and capture or destroy his entire army. But fortunately the Union left the ''keypoint" of the whole situation was commanded by that wonderfully tenacious chieftain, Major General George H. Thomas, who on that fearful day we'll won his famous title of "The Rock of Chickamauga.
 Though the Confederate attack, made by superior numbers, was both fierce and determined, it had gained no inn portant advantage until a terrible dis aster befell the center of the Union line through misunderstanding of orders which led General Wood to withdraw m entire division. Through the gap thus left Longstreet immediately threw six divisions, dividing McCook's corps from the rest of the Union army and scattering the entire right wing in great confusion.
 The disaster seemed to be irreparable. Rosecrans himself, apparently believing that all was lost, left the field and fled to Chattanooga to gather up the frag- ments of bis beaten and disorganized forces and make a last stand there. But Thomas, undaunted as the mountains which loomed above him, chung to his
 
 reserve under General Gordon Granger. With less than half as many men he beat back repeated onsets of almost the entire Confederate army. The slaughter along his lines was frightful Evening came. The Union ammunition was ex- nausted, and Thomas' men met and hurled back with cold steel the final desperate charges of the enemy. Then, under the shelter of darkness, Thomas withdrew the heroic fragments of his corps toward Chattanooga.
 Technically Chickamauga was Con- federate victory, and beyond q certain moral advantage the bloody triumph ras fruitless, for Chattanooga remained in Union hands until Grant and Sher- man came mp and raised its siege in the splendid campaign which culminated in the thrilling struggle above the clouds' on Lookout Mountain. The Union loss at Chickamauga was 16, 900 men killed. wounded and prisoners; the Confederate from 18,000 to 20, 1000. This record eloquently attests the stub born and desperate nature of the fight ing, which extended over two whole days, the 18th and 20th of September. Four brigadier generals commanding fell on either side. Among the Union officers who especially distinguished themselves were Philip H. Sheridan, who led a division, and James A. Gar field, Rosecrans' chief of staff, who was made major general after the battle for his gallant and meritorioss serv- ices. Boston Journal