The National tribune., 1906-12-27


Enthusiastically, Grant. after send
Ing Il dispatch to Washington announc-
ing the decisive result of the batt;.
sent orders To everybody for Il Vicor-
Gus pursuit at daylight the next morn
ing. Unfortunately, the lack % fnraSt
had compelled the cavalry To he SEM
back some distance, and there WAS ol!H |
present 4 single briSade-lhat of grin
old Eli Long-wh" had a caValrNmaEH |
savage joy i'm the abundance of tin |
harvest for his keen saberS to rca y. |
Long did two days of work which filled
his veteran soul with satisfaction. H.
crossed the Tennessee after Sh"rn .
on the afternoon of the 24th. ANA
thence passed over the chickamau2a
near its mouth 10y Il pontooa bridge
reaching in the evening the Chatta-
nooga & Cleveland Railroad and T.
ners Station. where he found Bragg
had an immense depot.
Longs rough riders from Ohio, Mich
igan, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois
paid up somewhat for the short com
mons to which the rebels had con
demned them for weeks by commit
ting the rebel rations here To the hun
CRY flames The destruction was great
enough to have carried a sharp panS to
Bragg's heart if he had not had about
that time other DanSS great dcai
more poignant. After seeing Brag@'s
corn meal and side meat relegated TO
the flames without any possibility oil
salvage, Longs men rushed off by the
way of Ooftawah. greedy Of more de-
pots to destroy and AT Cleveland found
a still larger depot with greater guam
titles of the coarse but sufficient corn
meal and rank-tlavorcd but exceeding
ly nee essary side meat. When the boys
could not find r;ltions TO destroy they
put IN their time tearing up the rail-
had destroyed 10 miles of the road
towards Dalton. Then Long learned
that a large train of supplies evidently
intended for LOngstreet had been
caught at Charleston, Tenn, by the
carrying away of the bridge crossing
the Hiawassce, and he rushed off after,
that prey.
Hooker Moves Due East.
On the extreme right Hooker sent
out accommodating parties, who report
ed everything in front as silent as the
grave. Hooker reported this to Gen.
Thomas, and suggested that orders be
sent him to march on Graysville. This
was station on the railroad almost
due east from Rossville, with Il good
road leading TO it. Bragg had stores
there. and the capture of the place
would also cut off his principal depot
and base of supplies at Chickamauga
pei the surrender of a large portion Of
his force Thomas approved o. this
plan, and sent Hooker Palmers Corps,
which was put in advance and Hooker
started on d quick march, which was
brought TO halt upon reaching the
Chickamauga by finding the bridge de-
stroyed. 1t took several hours to build
even so much of a bridge as would
take the infantry across. with the OH
GERS swimming their horses. The ar
tillery and ambulances were left be-
hind until the pontoons which had
been sent for could arrive. Here the
order of march was changed somewhat,
with Palmer being sent on towards
Gra.-sville, while the rest of the COM
mand, Cruft in advance, turned off in
the direction of Ringgold. Palmer
pushed on until he reached the forks
of the Ringgold and Graysville roads,
where Carlin and Stoughton fell upon
portion of the rear guard of Stew
arts Division. This went to pieces
after one volley, and the assailants
reaped as booty three guns, several
ilags, caISSonS. wagons and a number
of prisoners. JohnsOn's Division pushed
on 10 GraySville. where Carln's Bri-
gade struck Hardec's rear guard an
unexpected blow, which scattered ali
who We're not taken prisoners. Then
Palmer turned the heads Of his col.
nmns towards Ringgold 10 rejoin
Hooker. Hooker in the meanwhile was
pushing on towards Ringgold by the
way of Pea Vine Creek, and finding
every evidence that he was in the rear
Of the bulk of the rebel army. whose
rout was indicated by the abandonment
of all sorts OF public and private prop
eriy which would impede rapid going
Wagons cannon, caiSSons. camp equip
age and clothing Uttered the ground
for miles. Hardce was doing his ut.
most 10 reduce this disorder. and was
lucky enough 10 find at Ringgold nor.
tions of Breckinridge's left wing ir
fairly good shape, to which he wa.
soon able 10 add Clcburncs Division
which had marched off from Tunnc
Hill quietly and orderly. Hardce pu
these troops in position TO arrest Hook
er's advance, and to gain time fo
Bragg's army TO reach the Chattoogat:
Mountains, some five or six miles away
the wall-like line of which would af
ford a good refuge and rallyinG place
1t would take at least half day 20
Bragg to gather his army there in to-!
cradle condition. and This time it wa
Hardee's plain duty to gain. The town
of Ringgold is on the west side of TaN
lorS Ridge, where Faurht's Creek en-
ters the East Chickamauga. In from
of the town is a small triangular plain
extending to the Chickamauga an.
leading 10 a gorge on the east. thri
which the mountain is passed. Hardc
placed Cleburne's Division on the righ
and on the ridge back of this plain il
position To defend the gorge. Will
Gists Division was stationed TO chec
any nanking movement. Hardce foun
two or three batteries still serviccabl'
ana established these on the edge of
grove at the side Of the plain.
Hooker's UnskiIful Attack.
The ease with which Hooker's troop
had overcome all resistance since tn
storming of the Ridge mslcd that com
mander into great carelessness. TIL
bis artillery was far behind he had ii
hesitation in at once advancing upo
this strong position without reconnoiS
sance or any Of the other usual prelinl
fnaries. He believed that he had moth
ing before him but the fugitivcs froI
Breckinridge's left wing, which h
men had been driving "or two day
Hardec laid n trap for Hooker an
the latter deliberately walked into I
The line of rebel Skirmishcrs along III
edge of the river made n very sligl
resistance and then rushed headlon
TO the rear, a battery of artillery goin
with them at n gallop. Hooker rushc
Wood forward with one of Osterhaus
breades and when nearly TO the groy
Wood was startled by n heavy eros:
fire of infantry and artillery. Woo
stood this for a few minutes. but tina
" his men were compelled to see