Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1903-10-24
chiekamausa Forty Years Ago.

Chickamauga Forty Years Ago.
Forty years ago was fought the bat
tie that made the name Chickamauga
historic. In the character and number
of troops engaged in the strategic
maneuvers that preceded the battle,
and in desperate fighting on the heid,
Chickamauga was the great battle of
the West, and one of the most remark
able conflicts of the civil war.
The troops engaged were mostly YES
Grams. The men of the Union army
had fought under Grant and Buell. at
Shiloh, under Buell. at Perryville,
under Rosecrans at Stone River, and
were organized in corps and divisions
commanded by such officers as
Thomas, Crittenden, McCook, Sheridan
and Palmer The soldiers of the sew
eral divisions had the confidence that
comes with long association in CAM
paigns, and they had also that knowl
edge of the opposing army that came
of meeting it in several battles
On the Confederate side there were
not only BraggS veterans of PerryV1lle
and Stone River, but Longstreet's
splendid soldiers of Lees army and
many of the veteran regiments from
the rebel armies that had been operat-
ing in Mississippi and Georgia. Each
army had respect for its antagonist,
and an overwhelming desire to win
On the Confederate side this desire
to win had been intensified by what
had gone before Bragg had fought at
Perryville and run away. He had
fought at Stone River and retreated,
yielding all of northern Tennessee to
the Unionists. He had been Outman-
euvered at TulIahoma in June and
T,,Ix- Hod xrin16 Cd oil f1f
southern Tennessee without battle.
Two months later Rosecrans had fore
ed the passage of the Tennessee and
compelled Bragg's army to retreat
from Chattanooga, which had been
pronounced impregnable, and which
was to the rebel line in the West what
Richmond was in the East.
When Bragg had retreated and
Rosecrans' elated division had moved
on diverging lines in pursuit, the Con-
federate authorities formed a plan to
crush the pursuing army. Lee was
weakened that Longstreet might be
hurried to Bragg. Troops were with
drawn from Sherman's front and sent
toward Chattanooga, and on Sept. Is.
1863, the President at Washington and
the people throughout the country and
Rosecrans at Chattanooga saw that
the Army of the Cumberland was
threatened with destruction in the
hour of it's greatest triumph.
Rosecrans confronted with the prob
lem of holding Chattanooga and saw
ing his army recalled his divisions to
the line of the Chickamauga river, and
had them in supporting distance be-
fore Bragg was ready TO strike. On
the night of Sept. Is, he shifted his
whole army, anticipating the plan of
Bragg to crush his left and drive the
Union army away from Chattanooga.
So on the morning of Sept 10, 1863
Bragg, with an effective force of II 900
men, was ready to attack Rosecrans
army of Sc 900, and was confident tina.
he would not only crush the Union
army but reoccupy Chattanooga that
| day. Before he could attack however
| Gen. George H. Thomas, in command
on Rosecrans' left. which was not
where Bragg supposed it to be, took
the initiative and made furious at
tack on one of Bragg's advance briga-
ades- This movement developed the
rebel position and at the same time
so disconnected Bragg that he post
poned his general attack.
Rosecrans, with Bragg's plans re-
vealed, made his dispositions accord
ingly. His men knew they were out
numbered and fought with despera-
| ton. On Saturday night, Sept. 10,
| the men of the Army of the Cumber-
land felt they had been worsted In
| the hard fighting of the day they had
| lost heavily in men and artillery, but
| they felt as they went into new posi-
| lions that Rosecrans was preparing
to hold fast
On the morning of the Goth, forty
years ago. the sore-hearted soldiers
| of the depleted Union army were hang
| ing like a bulldog to the roads by
which Bragg must reach Chattanooga.
The very flower of the rebel army
| of the East and West was against
| them, but they chung to the roads
/ and gaps between the enemy and
| Chattanooga.
| Divisions were crushed, charging
rebels ran over the generals head
| quarters, line of battle mile in ex-
| tent, melted away. Gen Rosecrans
himself was swept from the field in
rout of the regiments nearest him.
1 and at a vital point in his line and
yet the bulldog Army of the Cumber-
land held on to the roads and gaps
Assaulted again and again, the divis-
i OF Jcf<