The National tribune., 1902-02-27

Mountain, Sdnd Mountain. passed Valley
Head, passed over Lookout Mountain at
Wenston Gap, and entered BroomtOwn
Valley, threatening Bragg's rear. This
was a most difficult march of so miles.
Gen. McC6ok occupied Alpine and sent
Col. Brownlow's cavalry to threaten
Rome, at the confluence of the Estanaula
and Etowah Rivers, which rivers at that
point form the Coosa River.
Gen. Thomas directed his march on
lines still ntarer' to Chattanooga. He
marched south from Bridgeport, crossed
the spurs of mountains to Lookout Val
ley, followed that valley to Cooper's Gap
and Stevens's Gap, and took strong posi-
tiOns in these gaps in the rear of the Con-
| federate army. Thomas marched over 5O
miles and was now 26 miles south OF
| Chattanooga. with McCoOk to his right
II miles farther south, with an outpost
at Alpine, 60 miles from Chattanooga.
This great movement was made without
firing a gun.
Thomas secured the gaps of Lookout
Mountain on Sept. 8.
Gen. Bragg now fully realized the sig
nificGnce of Rosecrans's movements; he
recognized the fact that his single railroad
to the south was in danger, and that he
might in a few hours be cut off from his
base of supplies and from reinforcements
He at once decided to withdraw from
Chattanooga.
On Sept. . he marched southwark by
the Rome road, passing near the east en-
trance of CoOper's and Stcvenss Gaps
Gen. Thomas drew in some advanced reg
iments and allowed Bragg to march down
the valley without attacking him. Bragg
halted at Lafayette. From this point
Bragg was free to move southwark down
the valley to the railroad at Rome, east
ward through Ships Gap and Snake
Creek Gap to the railroad at Resaca, or
northward to give battle to ROsecrans.
Gen. Crittenden followed Gen. Thomas
across the river at Bridgeport, leaving the
four detached brigades to demonstrate
against Chattanooga. He marched up the
river toward Chattanooga, scaled Lookout
Mountain, discovered that Bragg had
abandoned Chattanooga. and Immediately
took possession of that city and was at
once joined by Hazen, Wagner, Minty
and Wilder, with their brigades. Gen.
Rosecrans, with his staff, now marched
into Chattanooga and here established his
headquarters.
The strategy of this great flank move
ment was completely successful. The. OBJ
iective point of the campaign, a position
of great military Importance, had been
wrested from the enemy, never to be re
gained by him, and this had been done
without the loss of man.
excited great enthusiasm in the North,
while its effect upon the Confederate au-
thOrities at Richmond was quite the re-
verse. Alarm and modification were the
result. But prompt action was taken to
retrieve the loss. Heavy reinfOrcements
were Mt once sent to Gen. Bragg. Gen.
Longstreet, with his corps. from the Army
of the Potomac, was Immediately dis
patched by railroad; troops were sent by
rail from Charleston, Mobile, East Ten
nessee, and from Gen. Johnst0ns army in
Mississippi.
In one week from the day Bragg with
drew from Chattanooga he issued his or
der of battle, and on Sept. II he began
his march northward to engage Rose
crans's forces. ~
Rosecrans on his part, as soon as he oc-
cupied Chattanooga, issued orders for the
concentration of his army, the rallying-
point being the position occupied by
Thomas in the gaps. Crttenden, who had
marched out to Ringgod in search Of
Bragg, had there learned of his where
abouts and had promptly marched west
ward to Lookout Mountain in supporting
distance of Thomas, but it took McCook
four days and a half to retrace his steps
over the mountains and join Thomas at
the western entrance of the gaps.
McCook reached this position the very
day Bragg began his movements north
from Lafayette.
Rosecrans realized that a great battle
was to be fought between these armies,
and that Chattanooga was to be the stake
fought for. On Sept. 1S it developed that
Bragg was directing his march so as to
throw his army between Rosecrans and
the railroad and the river, and thus secure
line Of battle which would enable Bragg,
if successful, to seize and hold Chatta-
nOoga, and at the same time drive Rose
Grams southwark into the mountains and
probably capture his army.
10 be continued)