The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-03-29

and gave us used-up soldiers renewed
energy. Gen. P. R. Cleburn soon
followed on the left Gen. Cheatham
with his splendid division of four
brigades of Arkansas and Tennessee
soldiers; Gen. A. P. Stewart on the
left of Gen, Cleburn with his splendid
division, and we continued the fight
until dark, fighting backward and
forward over about the same ground
with little deviation. This was the
right wing of Braggs army. The
left wing of our army was not so
heavily engaged the first day, as the
battle was opened on the right and
continued to the left by the introduce
tion of fresh troops on both sides.
The result Of the first days fight was
not a success for either army. Both
were completely used up and losses
were frightful.
We rested on our arms Saturday
night, with the enemy at close quar-
ters, but with little picket firing.
The next day Gen. Bragg divided his
army into two wings-Lieut. Gen.
Polk in command of the right and
Lieut. Gen. Longstreet in command
of the left, Gen. Longstreet having
reached the battlefield Saturday
night with his corps from the Vir-
ginia almyA Gen Bragg'S orders
the next morning we're for the right
wins, under Gen. Polk, to attack at
daylight, the attack TO continue from
right to left Of his entire army. The
enemy were building breastworks
all along their lines all Saturday
night, hence Gen, Bragg's order was
for an early attack Lieut.. Gen. d.
II Hill, of Gen. Polk's wing, owing
to some misunderstanding of orders,
did not get into action before 8
o'clock, which delay so infuriated
Gen. Bragg, who had ordered day
light attack, that he issued an i'm
possible order to a member Of his staff
to proceed along the line Of battle on
the right wing, not respecting the
general officers, "but tell the CAPTAINS
of eombanies to lead thev men into
actton at OHce I"
At about this time (half past nine
O'Clock Sunday morning) the battle
was opened all along the confederate
lines and continued with varied results
all day, coniederates having had to
charge improviSed breastworkS in
many places. Late Sunday evening
the federal lines we're broken in the
vicinity of snodgrass Hill, and they
were driven Off the field completely
and effectively whipped. They would
have been annihilated had they have
been pursued to Chattanooga. Night
coming on so soon and Gen. Bragg
not following up his grand victory
was all that saved Rosecrans' army
This was the opinion Of nearly al
Gen. Bragg's officers and soldiers.
On Sunday morning our Texas
brigade was moved to the left, neal
what is known as the Kelley Field
and we fought over the same GROUND
made memorable in history by Breck
enridge's stubborn fighting, in which
one third Of his gallant Kentucldani
we're left dead and wounded on thu
, field and their gallant commander
Gen. Helm, mortally wounded. w
! lost in less than two hours over one
third of our Texas brigade, which
/ made our loss in the two days fgh
over 60 per cent Of enand officers
and every horse killed. | was pulle'
from under my horse by members O
the gallant Fourteenth Texas regi
mcnt. Our losses on Sunday wer
probably greater than those Of tn
enemy, as in many places we had Il
) charge works. Gen. Hindeman truth
| fully said he never saw the fedora
: troops fight so we'll nor the confeder
ates fight better Cleburn lost A pc
cent, Bushrod Johnson's division A
/ per cent, Stewards division so pc
cent, Breckenridge from s5 to SO pc
cent, oheathsm's 50 per cent
) walkers from So 70 50 per cent
llThese wese sll confeaegates. Th