The National tribune., 1902-05-15
Copyrighted. 1901. by the p


grip of the Confederate army, which for
two months had held Chattanooga under
siege. was forever broken.
On this great field men from nearly
every State in the Union had met in bat
tie array. Grant, Thomas, Hooker, Sher-
man. Howard, Blair, Granger, Palmer,
Sheridan, Cruft, Wood, Steinwehr, Schurz,
Geary. johnson, Davis, Baird, Osterhaus,
Morgan L. Smith, Ewing, John h. Smith,
BrannOn and W. F. Smith led the embat-
tied hosts ON the Union side, assisted by
40 brigade commanders, 30 regimental
commanders and 30 commanders of bat
teries.
The Confederate forces were led by
Bragg, Hardee, Breckenridge, Cheatham.
Hindman, Walker, Cleburne, Stewart and
Stevenson. assisted by % brigade com
manderS 135 regimental commanders, and
SO commanders of batteries
The positions on Lookout Mountain and
Missionary Ridge were regarded by Con-
federate military experts as practically i'm
pregnable.
The assault on Missionary Ridge was
certainly one of the most desperate and
hazardous undertakings in any war. Its
capture was a remarkable achievement
The physical obstacles encountered and to
be overcome, the armed resistance to the
ascent of the Ridge to be endured with
Stolid fortitude, and the skillfully con-
structed Notifications full of armed men
and artillery to be confronted were condi-
tons which were never met and overcome
before.
The Confederate artillery was not first
silenced by more numerous and heavier
guns and the assault then made; the 24,O00
heroic men of the Army of the Cumber-
land. with an indOmitable strength of pur-
pose with a burning and unquenchable
Il pfnI from line
of works, climbed up the Ridge, mounted
the Notifications. and routed their antag
onists with their muskets.
PURSUIT OF RETREATING ARMY; RELIEF
OF KNOXVILLE.
All day on Nov. %. while Gen. Sher-
man was directing the assault against
Tunnel Hill, he watched for the expected
assault of Gen. Thomas early in the
day" He saw column after column of
the enemy streaming toward him. Gun
after gun poured its cOncentric shot on his
forces from every hill and spur that gave
view of any part of the ground held by
him, and still the promised assault was
not made. But at $40 o clock in the af-
ternoon Gen. Sherman observed a white
line of musketry-fre in front Of Orchard
Knob, extending farther and farther right
and left and on. He could hear only
faint echo of sound, but he saw enough to
satisfy him that Gen. Thomas was moving
on Bragg's center with his entire force.
Gen Sherman knew that he had drawn
vast masses of the enemy against his
forces. and he felt sure of Gen. Thomas's
success, but he could not see the move
ment of the troops up the face of the
Ridge, nor their successful assault upon
the Confederate works.
Darkness came on, and news of the cap
ture of Missionary Ridge was brought to
10 INN OF tod
Gen. Morgan L. Smith to feel to the tun-
mel. 1t was found vacant, except the pres
ence of the killed and wounded of both
armies. Gen. Sherman upon his own mo-
ton Immediately ordered pursuit of the
enemy. Gen. Jefferson G.. Davis was Or
dered TO cross Chickamauga Greek with
his division over the pontoon bridge. Gen.
Howard was directed to repair the bridge
higher up, but the task was so great that
it would cause delay. So the Eleventh
Corps followed Gen. Davis. In the even
ing Gen. Grant issued orders for the pur-
suit of Gen. Bragg's army and for the re-
lief of Knoxville.
His plan was to have Gen Gordon
Granger, with the Fourth Corps, reinforced
to 10000 men, to march at once to Knox
vile. while Thomas and Sherman followed
Bragg. AT IL o'clock on the morning of
Nov. 26 Gen. Davis reached Chickamauga
Station. The place was IN flames, and
Il
ton such as only war can produce.
The Confederates were intrenched upon
two hills beyond the depot. These were
soon driven away.
Quantities of provisions and forage had
been stored al this place, much of which
was burned, but large quantities fell into
the hands Of the Union troops. Among the
captures here were two 32-pounder rife
guns, with their carriages.
Gen. Thomas took the ROssville Gap
road toward Ringgold, and crossed the
Chickamauga on a bridge at GraysyiIle
Gen. Grant Joined Gen. Sherman in the
pursuit.
1t was soon found that Gen. Granger
was slow in getting ready for the march
TO Knoxville.
Gen. Thomas had pushed forward to
RInggod. arriving there on the morning
Of the 9th, and found the enemy in
strong position in the gorge and on the
crest Of Taylor's Ridge. Thomas ordered
an attack, and after n severe fight, in
which he lost heavily. dislodged the enc
my. Gen. Davis closed up on Gen. Thorn
as at Ringgold at noon.
Gen. Sherman sent Gen. Howard to the
left; he struck the Dalton & Cleveland
Railroad at Red Clay and destroyed it.
Gen. Hooker also joined in the pursuit
with his forces.
On Nov. % Cen Grant returned to
Chattanooga, and found that Gen. Grang-
er had not yet started to Knoxville He
therefore changed the orders. and although
Gen. Sherman's troops had marched $50
miles from Memphis to the relief of Chat
tanooga, and had at once gone into the
fight and had had no time to rest he di-
rected that Sherman should al once hasten
to the relief of Burnside. Gen. Grants
letter reached Zen. Sherman at Charles
ton, and Informed him that Burnside was
completely invested at Knoxville, and had
provisions only to include Dec ,; that
Gen. Granger had left Chattanooga for
Knoxville bY the river road, with a steam
boat following him up the river but he
feared that Granger could not reach Knox
vile In time. Grant ordered Sherman to
take command Of all troops moving to the
relief Of Knoxville and hasten to Burn
sides relief
1t must be remembered that seven DAYS
before Gen. Shegman's troops had left
their camp on the north side of the Ten
hessee River. with two days rations with
= out extra clothing, all stripped for the
fight, with but single blanket or coat per
man, including Gen. Sherman himself
These troops had no provisions what
ever. save what they gathered on the
march. and they We're every way lily pro-
yided for snch 4 march.
But l2,OO0 of their comrades were be-
seged nj Knoxville. 81 miles away, and
they must be relieved in three days This
was sufficient spur for these veteran