The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-25

began to move eastward to intercept Gen
eral Bragg. whom Rosccrans believed u
be III full retreat.
l,revlD,ts 10 these events a third corps
or Rosccrans's army, Under Crittenden. hnu
/ crossed the tennessee at bridgeport, ana
| at the mouth or Battle Creek, and was
moving by way OF Rtngold towards Dal-
| tom NJ,
Let us consider the situation at this
time. Rosecrans's army was widely sepa-
rated q McCook could only reach Thomas
bv d march Of thrty-tive miles. While
Crittenden was separated from both, as
he moved down the east side OF Mlsslon-
airy Ridge. General Bragg had concen-
trated his whole force near Latsye eye ., h,lu
i, was impossible. therefore, for McCook
to reach Thomas by the road mentioned:
There was but one opportunity open, anu
that was to march back into wills Vai-
ley and nortliward, some fiftS nlles
Through most difficult mountain roads ana
passes. 1t was fortunate, indeed, for the
Federal commander hat General Bragg
did not take in the situation; certainly 1t
! was the best opportunity afforded during
| the war 10 destroy an army IN detail.
on September 18th the Federal Army
| was posted is follows: NfcCook's Twei-
tieth Corps, 1895 effective ana 81 cannon
!. near Alpine. Ga.
Thomas Fourteenth Corps, 2i,o!s effect,
I've and 70 cannon, in front OF stevens
can. and Crittenden's Corps 1870 erect
ivr and IS cannon, west Of Lee and Cor
don,s Mills. Total, 81, 39o infantry, III guns
ana 5000 cavalry, making an e1lectiVe
force Of more than 10000 men. While Il
division OF Gordon Changers Corps Was
al Shell Mound. General Brngg's force
consisted OF polk IS Corps, 1907 strong:
Is IL. Hill, 1872; Bucknor II 029; loo
cannon and $500 cavalry Total. E,52s
@It Wu be noted that General Bragg
madc no effort to destroy either OF the
separated Federal forces. !,
Ry the 18th of September Genera Rose-
manga valley, southwark OF Lee and
!, fGordor's Mills, tho bulk Of his army,
i while General Bragg had, as before
stated, concentrated his army about La
! fayctte. J,
on Septcmber 10th General Bragg Do
7 cided to take the offensive. Eushrod
thomson was ordered to take the initia-
|. live With his div:s on by crossing the
t{Chickamauga at Reeds Bridge, about
81 four or i've miles from Lee and Gordon,s
4 NILS. and move southwark against MS
(, enemy, while Walker, with his divis on,
was to cross at -Alexandcr's Bridge ana ana
support Johnson -.
/, Ford, still nearer the enemy's positlon'
while Hill was TO cover the left hank
/ against any operation, the Federals mlght
make from that direction.
johnson began the movement carly on
| Fir day morning with four brlgades, while
Forrest covered his TANKS and trout.
Forrest came in contact with the Ecu
/ eral cavalry at Kellers Mill and pressed
1 them back to Reed S Bridge, Where there
4 was sharp lighting before the Infantry
! arrived Tw sbrlgades Ga and Robert
| SOM, commanded by General Hood. soon
lre-enfOrced Johnson.
Buckner,T as instructed. marched from
! LAFAYETTE, and approaching Tedford's and
| Dalton,s Forfs' lato in the afternoon,
| seized the hills commanding both fords
| where he planted his batter es to cover
/ tho crossing. Folks Corps In the mean-
I time (Hindman's and Cheatham's sDivi'
sions) had taken position nearly opposite
2 Lee and Ciordon's Mills, NS
1t will therefore be seen that on the
morning of September 10th the bulk OF
i: the Confederate Army lay cast OF Chicka-,
/ manga 68, 5t
/ This was a position fraught with great
! jeopardy for General Bragg. Had Rose
| Grams been such q man as Generall Lee,
or Jackson or Forrest, he would have
/ made use of il. Tho buttle was now near
7 at hand. With forces opposed OF num-
4 bers, courage and other qualities and as
4 pirntions. which assured that 1t would be
\ one Of the most sanguinary and obstinate
4 OF the wal. s5
I General Bragg had electives. located as
4 we have shown, not to exceed 49, 600 bay0-
/ nets, 1850 cavalry and $50 cannon.
! Rosucrans fronted Chickamauga with
: Crlttenden's Corps, while Thomas W tn
+ his corps occupied the Chattanooga and
Z Lafayette road to the loft OF Cfittenden
/ and McG.ook was Mt Crawflsh Spring. On
! the morning OF the Goth Forrest was or
] Aered To develop the enemy on the OK
IRENE right. and was assured Of prompt
/ support. Forrest moved swiftly to Jay s
saw mill, when he encountered heavy
1 Federal column, which he boldly attacked
J and brushed back some 1--WE or SIX hun
| dred yards, where he observed two strong
\ iaes in battle array, nearly due west OF
4 Reeds Bridge.
! lie sent an officer TO headquarters with
4 the Information and requested that his
left should be re-enforced
i IT was now about 10 O clock A. M. The
4 Yankees threw forward a line OF sklr-
! mishers, and it may be said that this was
i the overture of the battle Of Chlcka-
J manga.
The conflict became warm and was
maintained with pertnacity on both sides.
q Forrest drove back the Federal line until
4 t formed a junction With McCook's ana
\ Reynolds Division Of Thomass Corps.
\ The battle thus far had been confined
4 to an arena scarcely 4 mile and a half
sim length, the whole face az which was an
\ undulNtins plateau covered with an oak
I forcs, and dense underground. Tho Fed
erals had thrown up carthworks. from
which they now poured forth u hot toy
rent Of innshctry fire. as well rs grape,
canister and shell from numerous bat
teries.
The attacking Confederate force thus
: far consisted Of Two small cavalry di-
visions, about $3.50 riles and eight guns.
u In "a short time Walkers Division, five
thousand strong, and sixteen guns was
sent TO the support OF Forrest. but about
this time Forrest discovered that the
enemy Was overlapping his 5liifes and he
4 fell back, III the meantime events were
eliminating,
chGathams y vision of Polk's Corps
had been ordered from Dalton Ford to
is-enforcG Walker. Cheatllam hastened to
the right and took position astrnddln tho
road from AleSander's Bridge.
Chatham at once advanced his Tenno5-
EeeaAs, and they were soon engaged W.
; tnb counter movement which had pressed
Walker and Forrest back. Thomas and
4