The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1896-01-04
"a URDAY,.... JANUARY A, 1899.
ON ~Cl1ICKAMAUGA FIELD.
The Great cattle That Occurred Sept 10
and go 1903.

The Great cattle Tint Occurred Sept 10
and go. 1903.
With the sole exception of Gettys-
burg, Chickamauga was the most SAN
culinary battle which had thus far ever
been fought on 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 ''riyer OF death" Rose
Grams, with his army of Do, 0Go men, had
marched out Of Chattanooga in the late
summer of 1868 in pursuit Of Bragg,
who seemed to be retreating southwark.
But the Confederate commander, receiv-
ing endorsements which brought his
force mp to 20, 900 men, turned sudden
ly about and fell upon Rosecrans with
great vigor ON the morning Of the 10Th
Of September. All day long the battle
ragged with the utmost fury. 1t 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 Fl. Thomas, who on that fearful
day we'll won his famous title of 1.-The
Rock Of Chickamauga."
Though the Confederate attack, made
by superior numbers, was both fierce
and determined, it had gained no i'm
portant advantage until u terrible dis
aster bcfcll the center Of tho Union line
through IL Misunderstanding of orders
which led General Wood to withdraw
an entire division. Through the gap
thus left Longstreet Immediately threw
six divisions, dividing McCook's corps
from tho rest Of the Union army and
scattering 10 entire right wing in great
confusion.
1Le disaster seemed 10 he irreparable.
Rosccrans himself, apparently believing
that all was lost, left the field and fled
to Chattanooga to gather up the frag
ments of his beaten and ~disorganized
forces and make u last stand there. But
Thomas, %undauntcd as tho mountains
which doomed above him, chung to his
position until he was REINFORCED by the
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-
hausted, and Thomas men met and
hurled back with cold steel the final
desperate charges of the enemy. Then,
under tho shelter Of darkness, Thomas
Withdrew tho heroic fragments Of his
corps toward Chattanooga.
Technically Chickamauga was q Con-
federate victory, and beyond a certain
moral advantage the bloody triumph
was fruitless, for Chattanooga remained
in Union hands until Grant and Sher-
man came up and raised its aiege in the
splendid campaign which eliminated in
the thrilling struggle "above the
clouds on Lookout Mountain. The
Union loss ut Chickamauga was l6, 900
men killed, wounded and prisoners; the
Confederate from Is, 900 to 20, 900,
This record eloquently attests the stub
born and desperate nature of the fight
ing, which extended over two whole
days, the 10Th and goth of September.
Four brigadier generals commanding
fell on either side, Among the Union
officers who especially distinguished
themselves were Philip FL. Sheridan,
who led a division, and James A. Gar
field, Rosecrans' chief of staff, who was
made q major general after the battle
for his gallant and meritorious serv-
ices. Boston Journal.