The National tribune., 1900-03-29
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have to Say
About Their Campaigns.
THE STORY OE CHICKAMAUGA.
How Whitaker's Brigade Fought for Three
Days-An Answer to Criticism.

THE STORY OE CHICKAMAUGA.
How Whitaker's Brigade Fought for Three
Days-An Answer to Criticism.
| EDITOR NATIONAL. TRIBUNE: I have
| read with care the statement of Lieut.. III
II. Hills in Your issue of Jan. 4, as to Chicka-
mauga. | have nothing TO say as to his
| praise OF the 9th. 18th, and 35th Ohio, and
| the Sth Ind. They We're brave men, and
doubtless did their duty on that bloody
field, like the heroes they We're. Bu: when
he makes it appear that Whitaker's Bri-
gade was not engaged more than one
hour, and that they left the field in dis
| graceful flight, he is unjust to men who
we're equally brave, and who did their full
share in saving the day on that occasion.
First as TO the battle Rosecrans had
been ordered to take and hold Chattanooga.
10 do this by direct assault, with the forces
at his command, was impossible; and the
rcinforccmentS repeatedly asked for were
not furnished. AS a lastresort, Crittenden
was sent around by the right flank to cut
off Bragg'S supplies, while strong force
attacked in front. This had the desired
| effect. To save his communications Bragg
evacuated Chattanooga, and Rosecrans
| took possession.
ROsecrans now proposed TO concentrate his
forces on the line of the Tennessee, in
such way as to hold the objective point,
Chattanooga; but through the treachery
or the incompetency of his guide, Critten-
den was misled, and was not able to get to
Chattanooga. Bragg had received heavy
| relnforcemcnts from the East, and had
turned on him. expecting to crush him,
and then march his victorious army into
| Chattanooga and annihilate the Army of
the Cumberland.
In this emergency the entire army was
hurried forward to the support of Critten-
| den and to avert the threatened disaster
! In this forced march Granger's Reserve
Corps marched two days and a night,
! without halting. except to draw rations and
for meals. In this way the army was con-
ccntratcd on the line of the Chickamaupa
Creek, through a blunder or a mishap on
the part OF the right wing, and the battle
was fought there; but Chattanooga was
! all the time the objective point for both
| armies.
There was nothing at Chickamauga to
hold and nothing for which to contend.
except as one OF the approaches to the CITY
1t was an advanced and exposed position
which would have been extremely unwise
TO attempt to hold permanently under any
circumstances. Hence on Sunday night
we Withdrew to Rossvile. On Monday
we occupied Missionary Ridge and Look
out Mountain. On Monday night the army
concentrated in the Chattanooga Valley.
On Tuesday the main force Withdrew to
the line of bluffs overlooking the city from
the opposite side OF the river, and forming
the real key TO the situation. leaving a
strong detachment in the city itself |
may be asked why, if the battle of Chicka-
mauga was = victory for the Union army.
did not Rosecrans continue to hold Mission,
airy Ridge and Lookout Mountain even
admitting the wisdom of abandoning the
line Of the Cbickamauga? To this would
reply, that Hoccasin Point and the ad-
jacent hills formed the key to the situa-
ton. With these in possession, and a
in hn .Itt
could safely defy the combined forces of
the Confederacy. On Wednesday Bragg
sent i'll n flag of truce, and demanded the
surrender of the place. Rosecrans's re-
ply, was: My compliments to Gen. Bragg,
and tell HIM If he wants us just come and
get US" But he did not come. | would
also reply that to hold Missionary Ridge.
Lookout Mountain and the key across the
river at the same time would have divided
the army, already weakened by the terrible
battle through which it had passed, into
three isolated bodies, utterly unable to
support one another. and each at the mercy
OF Braggs entire force, with all of his re-
Inducements, and would inevitably have
resulted in the destruction of the Army
of the Cumberland.
give great praise to Grant, Thomas,
Hooker and Sherman, in that they were
able to retake Lookout and Missionary
Ridge, to raise the Siege of Chattanooga,
and to send Bragg's army flying in dis
grace and in confusion before them, and
far be it from me to detract one iota from the
laurcls so richly merited and earned by
such heroic valor; but we forget the thou
sands OF reinforcements sent to their sup
port, and that, if Rosecrans had been
furnished with only one-half these ad-
ditional men when they were so urgently
needed, these points would have never
been abandoned by him. Yes. Chicka-
mauga was a victory for the Union army.
and the Confederacy there and then met
with defeat and sustained a loss from which
it never recovered.
Now for the part Whitaker's Brigade
took. ] was at this time n private i'm the |
S4th Ind, part of Whitakers Brigade. |
We arrived on the field of Chickamaupa
not later than 1 o'clock p, M on Sunday,
Sept. 20, having come on the double-quick |
from the vicinity Of McAfee Church, on the |
extreme left of the line. where we had been |
in fighting on Friday and Sunday, and |
had lost Il number of good men, especially |
during the latter day. On Saturday night |
the enemy had withdrawn from our front |
and concentrated on Thomas's position.
At II o'clock we had been ordered to rein
force Thomas, and moved at once.
McAfec Church is three miles from
Snodgrass Hill, and outside the present
park limits. The old log church building
has long since fallen into decay and been
replaced by modern structure. But |
can easily show any one the scene of our
Friday and Saturday fighting, and follow
the line of our advance until we come to the
spot where one of the most imposing monu-
mcnts in the park marks the place where so
many brave men fell at the post of duty.
On arrival on the field. We at once went
into action and remained OH the scene
until after dark, perhaps 8 o'clock. when
we fell back in good order, taking many of
our wounded with us to Rossvlle, where the
remainder of the night WAS spent by the
Surgeons, with many of the comrades as
assistants, in dressing wounds.
The foundation of Lieut.. Hills's story
recently told of Stcedman and his fleeing
force, and his vain cndeavor to halt them"
presume is this:
At one time our brigade was lying down.
in obedience TO orders, along a raxine that
puts off to the southwest from the point
where the S4th's monument now stands.
We were ordered to hold our fire. but were
from that of the enemy from the
front and the right and left
When it became apparent that we
would be caDturpl we fell hack nrc.ini |