The National tribune., 1902-08-14

left to cover Rossville, four miles north
west, with Stedman's Division and d.
McCook's Brigade. Mitchell commanded
the Federal cavalry on their right; Gen
Thomas commanding the entire Federal
right.
Before the battle commenced a recon
noisance was made on the Confederate
right which disclosed the fact that Il road
on the Federal left was open, or at least
inadequately guarded. Stonewall Jackson
would have rushed at it like a thunder
bolt. Bragg, however. had planned IN
attack in front, and no promise of victory
could induce him to change his original
intention. Regarding this neglected op-
portunty" the Confederate writer, whom
l have mentioned, says:
Napoleon usually had some general
plans for battle, but he determined upon
no details, wisely leaving them for de
velopment as the battle progressed or the
situation changed. The Union line was
protected by logs and rails, breast high,
constructed during the night of the 18th,
as the continued sounds of axes and fall
ing trees plainly indicated; and mJst uf
it, Icing on the slope of Mission Ridge,
afforded excellent positions for artillery.
as well as rising ground for infantry, and
was very formidable; but Bragg, though
aware of the fact, insisted on direct at
tack. The road to Chattanooga, his first
objective point, was open to him had he
been willing to take it by slight tianl:
movement and without serious resistance;
but he preferred to approach it, u part,
at least, over the strong position of the
enemy and by direct attach, instead If
forcing that enemy to leave his works and
resist him on equal ground. Obstlnacy IS
sometimes an excellent passion III COM
mander. but it is always fatal to his for
tuies if allowed to dominate his intelli-
gence and judgment. GeI. Bragg pos
sessed fine organizing ability and some
capacity for strategy, but these gifts were
accompanied by deficiency i'll tactical skill
ari mfirmities of temper. which disluali-
fed him for Independent command"
DISASTER TO THE CONFEDERATE RIGHT.
The battle did not open until $50 a. m.
made the direct attack were terribly torn
during their repeated assaults upon the
stanch Federal line. Gen. Helm was
killed, and his brigade, badly broken with
its dead and wounded lying on the field,
was withdrawn. Two brigades, however,
gained the Chattanooga road, meeting
with comparatively feeble opposition, and
then turned upon that part of the Federal
line commanded by Baird, but they soon
Vandeveer's Brigade and
part of Stanley's, and were forced to
abandon the road, leaving Gen. Adams
wounded on the field. In the meantime
the divisions on Breckinridge's left had
advanced upon Johnson's, Palmer's and
ReynOlds's line, making repeated charges,
but were each time repulsed with fright
full loss. The entire right wing was badly
bruised and beaten, the situation, so far
as the right was concerned, being, to say
the least, discouraging, and the discOm-
flied Confederates, not unlike the Scots
on Floddens fatal field, were wont to cry,
20 for one hour of Wallace wight
Or well-skilled Bruce to rule the fight"
The cry was not unheeded. A great
Captain was at hand-"a new Richmond
was in the field"
MASTERPIECE OF TACTIs."
While the Confederate right was he
roically but vainly assailing the firm Fed
eral line in that quarter, Longstreet, with
his 5000 veterans of the Army Of North
ern Virginia, was not actively engaged.
Why? Was Bragg apprehensive that
Longstreet would monopolize the glory of
the field? Be that as it may, when, about
II o'clock, Gen. Longstreet saw that
Bragg's effort to turn the Federal left
had disastrously failed, he dispatched
member of his staff to the Commanding
General with the following laconic mes
sage: My troops can probably break the
enemy's line, if you care to have them go
in" Bragg, being in dire extremity, cared
to have him go in," and made favorable
response to the waiting Generals cool
suggestion. Longstreet promptly arranged
his troops for stern battle, and it would
seem that while he was chafing under en-
forced inactivity, he had carefully studied
the situation and adopted in his own mind
a plan of battle. He placed his troops by
brigades at half distance, thus making his
line compact. An admiring and
scientific Federal General pronounced the
"a masterpiece Of tactis."
The proximity Of the second line encour-
aged the first.
Longstreet ordered Hood, with Bush
rod johnson and Hindman, to lead the
attack. Hoods line became at once ex--
posed to q storm Of missiles, and the
ground was soon strewn with his dead and
dying, Says the writer heretofore quoted:
Broken muskets, cartridge boxes and
limbs of men flew through the air. Hoods
leading brigade was frightfully decimated
by the sheets of missiles that cut them
down like wheat stalks before some wide
sweeping scythe. The troops staggered
under the furious storm of canister, shrap-
mel and bullets. The advancing mass
swayed like a field of grain under the
awful pressure of some fierce storm. But
summoning all their physical strength and
nerving themselves against the havoc that
sorrounded them, that astonishing infan-
try pushed on with grand fury. As Bush
rod Johnson's Division approached the
works that alert officer discovered that
Woods command was being moved from
on the enemy's right, and toward the
opening gap he hurried his men before
the force intended to fill the space could
reach 1t.
up to the time when the entire line
had gotten within so yards of the enemy
there had been little cheering The stern
and bloody work to be done seemed to
suppress all excitement and waste of vi
tai energy. But then one wild, soul-curd-
ling rebel yell'-that sharp, challenging
cry which Jackson said was the sweetest
music he ever heard-ran along the SER
ried and irresistible column. Every voice
that was not stilled by death Joined the
ringing chorus of cheers. Even the
wounded, lying PROSTATE on the field,
some exhausting their last breath in the
effort, invoked their feeble organs to swell
the grand pean of victory. Over the
works leaped the entire line, such excel
lent order had it maintained despite the
slaughter, capturing thousands of prison
ers and entire batteries of artillery, so
swift it swept There was, however, a
second line to overcome, but the wonder
full tactical skill of Longstreet had anti
cipated this, and Kershaw's and Hum
phrey's Brigades were close at hand ad
yancing at dOuble-quick. The strength
ened column paused for a moment to fire