The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-08-29
CHlCKAM4UGA.
Blunde- of staff Officer Caused Dis aster to
the Union Forces

the Union Forces.
EDITOR NATIONAL TETuvSS: | recent
ly visited Chattanooga and took in the
battlclclds While at SnodgraSs Hill, in
reply to questions, the wcll-poSted guide
gave me much valuable information as
to the positions of various commands, es-
lpeciaIly those on EOsecranss left wing
Gen. rhomaSs Fourteenth Corps. The
scenery is very attractive, and to the
lover of history the preservation Of scenes
of heroic. deeds both sides on that
field leads one to commend the action Of
our National Government i'll its outlay OF
the money needed to keep the positions
of the various arms of the service en-
gagged marked on the battlefield. My I'M
Outstanding IS that eN-COnfedeTates fur
nlshed their own markers. At least, they
are palmer than ours.
The Kentucky monument was put up by
the State to commemorate both sides.
Evidently the Confederate division OF
kentuckianS under Breekinridge, on their
extreme right, fought over the ground
where the monument stands Is il not
the part of wisdom for the National Gov
eminent to place markers for the EXON
federatss Oh all battcfcldS that are con-
stituted National Parks!
Subsequently meeting the guide in
Chattanooga, he stated that he had all
the reports (oliiciaD on both sides. from
up. anu hltN tliC
strength and losses sustained by each COM
mand also. an important item, where
they were stationed at different periods
of the battle.
In reply to the question of who was re-
spOnsibie for the loss of the battle OF
Chickamauga, he stated there were two
errors cOmmittcd-One by Gen. G.. III.
Thomas and ore by ROsecrans. The evil
dent purpose Of Bragg to turn ROsecrans's
left wing, where Thomas was stationed
with the Fourteenth Corps, and cOnse-
quently where the heaviest fighting was
done on the first day, necessarily led to
drafts upon the center and right wings
for reinfOrcements. This was continued
until, on the morning of the second day,
! Thomas had about 1900 infantry under
| his immediate command. The first line
! lay behind barbados that Were thrown
up. principally during the night following
| the first days battle. The corps of Me
Cook and Crittenden, composing the CEN
/ ter and right wings, on the morning of
the second day (Sept. 2Ol, were mere skel-
etons-Sheridan on the extreme right,
JEFF C.. Davis, then Wood: perhaps not
over 10000 to 12,O00 men, covering a
long stretch of front. The losses the first
| day were from 1000 to 5000 men, prin-
cipally on our left wing. So, when the
| battle opened on the morning of the 10th,
| the left wing had a naturally strong po-
sitiOn, two lines of battle deep, first line
4
federates began the attack upon our left
wing CHhOmasl, each Confederate organ
iZatiOn taking it up and successfully at
lacking Union troops in front of them,
until about IL a. M, 1t reached their left
wing, under Longstreet. At this time
and locality occurred an event that rem
dered Longstreet's successful attack much
easier than it otherwise would have been.
Col. Kellogg, of Rcsecranss staff, riding
the line from left to right, at the right OF
Reynolds troops did not observe that
the line that was intended to connect with
him was parted somewhat in its rear, at
once reported TO Rosecrans that there
We're not troops at this interval. Conse-
quently, Rosecrans dictated an order to
Wood, under this erroneous impression,
to close up on Reynolds" The Aid who
wrote the order, of his own volition, add
ed and support him. Brannan's large
division was actually filling the supposed
gap in the line, and to pass to Beynolds's
support he must needs march by the left
flank in rear of Brannan, which he was
doing double-quick when the avalanche
that Longstreet had been preparing all
morning was being launched, numbering
$4,000 men, in three divisions swept
through the gap, cutting off Sheridan and
Jeff G. Davis's divisions from our almost
impregnable left wing, under Thomas.
Kellogg's failure TO see Brannan's
strong division in echelOn, to the right
and slightly to Reyn0lds's rear, misied
Rosecrans into this terrible mistake, that
the devoted heroism of the gallant men
and officers on the right wing could not
atone.
At this time Polk. who commanded the
Confederate right wing on the second day,
had dwindled from near 10000 men to
about two-thrds of this number-per-
haps 1900 or $4,000 men; balance killed,
wounded and missing, cOnfrOntS Thomas,
partially intrenched with $1,000, on the
Is, IL. 81
crate left wing, now taking The offensive,
with 10000 men, OverpowerinS our center
and right. Some of these troops rally on
ThOmas's right as it is refused, and later
in the day, aided by the two brigades of
the Reserve Corps. under Gordon
ing the weight of the entire Confederate
armyS attack upon the position that
SnOdgrass Hill dominates. The failure of
Sheridan to move his division from the
the Dry Valley road TO Thomas's assist
ance in imitation of Granger. is account
ed for by Sheridan's knowledge at 3 p.
IN. of Garfield tROSecranss Chief of Staff
being sent to Thomas with the order to
from the battlefield at the ear
lest opportunity in the direction of Chat
tanooga. Then Sheridan would improve
the time in reorganization of his depleted
division and others, that had accumulated
to the number of 5000 to 1000 men. IL
the Aid had not added to the order sent
to Wood and support him. Wood would
have known that the order was imPos-
sible of execution, as Brannau was in the
way. The order as delivered justified him
IN leaving the line of battle ard passing
10 Brannans rear.
ThomaS's tirmneSs after the first days
'everses at Stone River justly exalted his
Judgment in Rosecrans's mind, and his
Continued calls for reinforcements on the
'Orenoon of the second day the 20thJ was
lot justified by the number of troops now
Known to have been opposed TO him. His
numbers We're more than sufficient to have
lot only held his own position. but to have
the right and center to have
esisted the impetuous attack of Long
treet with overwhelming numbers. To
LhOmasS Over-cautiOn and kcloggS blum
er i'll reporting an interval unOccupied in
he line Were due the regretful results of
he 18th and 10th of September Let the
istOry of the war be rewritten in the light
f the knowledge of the archives of both
ides Do it fairly. We are Americans
here is enough glory richly earned on
9th sides to make our postcrity proud to
e our decentralization. w Holmes,
9th Mo. and 22d Ohio, Shapes, Fla.
Lost Chest.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: On April
or S, 1865, an oak chest was removed
rom the house of Mr.. Beverly Scott. near