The National tribune., 1897-10-28

| nently a coveted center of operations for
either the Union or Confederate army.
1t was early taken possession of and
fortified by the Confederates, and used
as base of supply and operations.
Gen. Rosecrans, on taking command
of the Army of the Cumberland in the
Fall of 1862, advanced Dec. 26, 1862,
from Nashville, Tenn, with Gems.
Thomas, McCook and Crittenden in
charge of the center and the respective
wings of his army; and at Murfrees-
boro met the advance of Gen. Bragg,
and after aanguinary conflict at Stone
River, ending Jan. 3, 1863, Bragg was
driven back to Tullahoma, % miles from
Murfreesboro.
On July 1, Gen. Rosecrans advanced
and compelled Bragg to retire from
Tullahoma and cross the Tennessee River
into Chattanooga and vicinity. Gen.
Rosecrans having been successful in OBJ
tanning an increase of his forces, re-
ceived orders from the COMMANDMENTS
Chief to cross the Tennessee River, to
find and fight the enemy. He also re-
ceived assurance that Gen. Burnside
(who was in East Tennessee) would join
his forces near Chattanooga. He had
! to elect between approaching Chatta-
+! rooga at the front and reducing it by
siege, with river in front of him, or by
flank movement in Gen. Bragg's rear,
to compel Bragg to retreat from Chatta-
nooga.
Having repaired the railroads for
bringing up supplies from Nashville,
Rosecrans crossed the Tennessee on pom
toon-bridges and RATS, and by rapid
marches crossed Sand, Raccoon, and
Lookout Mountains into the Chatta-
nooga Valley, 20 miles south of Chatta-
nooga, with $4,000 men.
While these movements were taking
place Rosecrans had sent division up
the river to point opposite Chattanooga,
and bombarded the city; making the
enemy believe he was advancing in that
direction. This plan enabled the cross
ing to be successfully made with pontoon
bridges and RATS lower down the river
on Sept. 4, and as soon as Bragg had
discovered that Rosecrans had crossed
his army in the rear, the Confederate
troops were withdrawn from Chattanooga
and concentrated in Chickamauga Val
ley.
Upon his arrival at Chattanooga
Valley, Sept. 9, 1868, Thomas learned
that the Confederate Joseph Johnston
had reinforced Bragg with $4,000 men
from Mississippi.
Rosecrans found the Confederates
massed in front of him, and decided to
move his lines from right to left by the
flank, the right passing behind the CEN
ter and the left, until he could cover
with his left Rossville Gap, and his
left flank rest on Missionary Ridge.
While this movement was being ex-
ecuted some fierce on.laughts were made
on his troops, and the plan of battle was
changed from day to day, until Sept. 19
and 20, the two decisive days of the
battle of Chickamauga. While the
battle was waging Rosecrans received
dispatches from Helleck, Commander-in-
Chief, that no troops had been sent from
Virginia to reinforce the enemy in his
front, while it was we'll known in our
army at that time (from prisoners already
captured from Longstreet's, Hoods, and
Johnston's Corps that the Confederates
had been largely reinforced from Vir-
ginia and Mississippi until the enemy's
forces numbered $1,000 men.
To meet this force Rosecrans had
only $4,000; every brigade in his de-
partment was represented in this san
culinary battle of Chickamauga
| Chattanooga, the objective point OF
the campaign, was secured. and was never
subsequently given up, Notwithstanding
Rosecrans was not reinforced by Burn
side from East Tennessee. Burnside had
been within five days march of Chat
tanooga for more than two weeks before
the battle began, with no bodies of Con-
federates of adequate force between
Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tenn, to
prevent him from joining Rosecrans.
IF the commands of Hooker and How
ard, consisting Of the Eleventh and