Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1903-10-07

lighting. But strategy o1ten Sc
lects the battlefield and indirect
~ wins a victory. The fierce combat OF
Chickamauga was set down to happen
in the book of fate by campaign OF
strategy which ended at Tullahoma,
Tenn, July 4, 1898.
The Confederate Army Of the Tennes-
see had marched northward from Chat
tanooga in midsummer, 1862, under
General Braxton Bragg to invade the
state Of Kentucky. After two fruitless
battles, at Perryville, Ky, and Muir
freesboro, Tenn, midsummer, 1868,
saw it filing back to Chattanooga, fol-
lowed by its old enemy Of Perryville
and Murfreesboro, the Army of the
Cumberland. The contest in the west
between these two forces was paral-
lei to that between the Army of North
ern Virginia and the Army of the Poto-
mac in the east, a continuous duel for
position. Defeated and turned back
homeward in his march to Kentucky,
Bragg chung to central Tennessee as a
base for "a new attempt to cross the
Ohio and to protect Chattanooga, the
Richmond of the west
It was no fault Of Bragg that the
spring and summer Of 1868 passed
without a battle to finish in central
Tennessee. He was ready to fight-to
fight on ground Of his own choosing.
Rosecrans was a ready fighter, but he
too, wanted to choose the battle ground.
Bragg lay behind fortified lines at Tul-
lahoma, and Rosecrans moved his guns
and battalions around him and gave
him no choice but to yacate the works
and fight in the open or retreat for the
third time within year.
Bragg retreated to Chattanooga,
where he could place rivers and noun
tains between his army and the foe.
The Sequatchie river, the Cumberland
mountains and the Tennessee river
were barriers facing Rosecrans when
he broke camp on the Tullahoma line
Aug. 16 to keep in touch with Bragg.
Having opened the campaign with a
brilliant stroke of strategy, the Federal
commander decided to try it second
time even at the risk of being detected
in repeating himself.
Bragg began to fortify Chattanooga
against attack by building earthworks
on Mission ridge, behind the city. He
also sent his cavalry into the noun
tain passes to head off Rosecrans and
fortified the crossings Of the Tennessee
above and below Chattanooga. Ma
ture had done much to make the roads
from Tullahoma to Chattanooga i'm
possible for an army with active foes
in front. 1t was only necessary for
Bragg to fill up the gaps and Chatta-
nooga was safe. "The Tennessee will
be taken as our line" said Bragg.
Rosecrans waited over month for
nature to do a good turn for the at
| lacking army. The corn would ripen
about the middle of August, and as the
region was generally sterile and the
mountain roads Of the toughest it
would be a boon to the troops to find
| sustenance by the wayside. Bragg
took it for granted that his enemy
would come down upon him through
the Sequatchie valley, rich and broad
| highway. He concentrated all his
| strength to defend that route, and
Rosecrans encouraged the policy Of his
| antagonist by sending an army corps
| through the valley to make feint OF
attack on Chattanooga from the north.
On Aug. 20 Bragg saw the Federals
filing through the passes Of the Cum
berland mountain toward Chattanooga
and prepared to fight. Next day scouts
brought word that the Federals had
crossed the Tennessee river on the rear
Of his army and were moving south
toward his line Of railroad communion
tons with the interior Of the Confed-
eracy.
This last bit Of news was confirmed
by the sound of cannon shot at Chat
tanooga. General J. T. Wilder's Federal
cavalry had galloped up to the bank Of
the Tennessee opposite the town and
began tossing shells into the streets.
1t was fast day. and the churches
were filled with worshipers. One noted
pastor had just opened prayer when
the first shell whistled past the win
dows. He continued the invocation
calmly to the end, but on opening his
eyes found that he had few listeners.
The troops in the place retired to the
fortified hills, and for hours Chattanoo-
ga was helpless under the guns Of the
enemy.
Again Bragg had been outgeneraled.
The enemy was in his rear and Chatta-
nooga in danger. This was the first
time a gun had been fired at the great
Confederate depot Of the west. Federal
armies had more than once turned their
heads toward that point, but never be-
fore came to Il collision with its de-
Tenders. Chattanooga was the gate
way Of the rich region between the
Mississippi and the Atlantic bordering
upon the gulf. 1t was mountain locked
and at q glance seemed beyond con-