Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-06
oHAPTrR XIII.
snAsHIre THROUGH THE UNION !

n AT 9 o'clock on the morning of N EA the 2Oth of September, 1863,
 xEss the tree clad hills in front of
 General Thomas position be tween Chickamauga creek and Mis- sionary ridge, covering the road through Rossyille gap to ChattanOo- ga, were suddenly covered with men who seemed to have sprung up by magic as they rose from the holloWs Tn which they had lain concealed. The instant cracking of the rifles and muskets of the heavy skirm1sh line thrown in advance of the battle line soon gave place to crashing volleys, punctured by the deeper roar of can non as the southern batteries swung front into action, pouring their grape, shrapnel and canister into their enc mics. It seemed to the Union sol diers that scarcely a moment elapsed between the appeRRancs and the ad- vance of the Confederates With con- summate courage the gray masses were moved forward in the smoke and hurled upon the Federal line, and with equal courage the assault was met. The battle ragged up and down Sthe Union Left with terrific f1eroeness and with no present advantage as yet to either side.
 Presently out of the smoke and dust far to the Union Left Breckinrfdge's division, overlapping Thomas shorter line by a 1ong distance, swung around acr0ss the RoagvfI1e road and attacked the Urdon line in reverse. But no better soldier, no harder fighter, than the great virganian ever handled an army. Quick to take in the signifi- canoe of the dangerous movement, Thomas threw his reserve brigades in fierce cCuntercharge right into the face of Breclzinridge, and, aided by timely reinforcement of one of Neg Iey's brfgatses-although the whole di- vision should have been there and was not he forced him back from the road and retained control of it.
 Again and again Polk forged a mighty battle hammer of human bod hes and drove it against the Union left. which shivered and vibrated under the terrific blows rained upon it. The two wings charged and recharged across the disputed ground. Positions were taken and retaken again and again. The armies were locked in mighty, deathlike grip of battle-a writhing, twisting embrace of furious, swaying conflict.
 Meanwhile the front of Thomas com mand was so heavily engaged that he did not dare to weaken it to help his hard pressed left flank by a withdraw al of a single regiment. The absence of Negley's division, or the missing two-thirds of it, which had been prom ised, so seriously jeopardized his posi- tion as to render 1t almost impossible for him to hold it in the face of such. continuous and desperate attacks. Mes senger after messenger came to Rose crans asking reinforcement.
 The right of the Union army had so far only been engaged in desultory way that morning. The fighting as yet had all been on the left. The necessity for moving his right wing by the left flank was imperative, and the move ment was af once begun by the Union general. This is always difficult evo- Iutton in front of an enemy, and when the battle Is in actual course the diff entities are increased a thousandfold. As the morning wore on the Confeder- nte attack was extended from left to right with gradually increasing force. Bragg divined Rosecrans purpose, and he endeayored to make him maintain &ss lines and so nravent detachment to