The National tribune., 1906-08-23

ly in camp at Fairfield. with only out
posts thrown out in and beyond the
gaps.
Capture at Ho0ver's Gap.
Col. Wilder. with his brigade OF
mounted infantry. led Reynolds's Divi'
sion, the advance of the Fourteenth
Corps. About O'Clock he struck the
rebel outposts, only seven and a hal!
miles from Murfreesboro. and followed
up his blow with such pertinacity that
he rushed them clear through Hoover's
Gap. He had been ordered to halt al
the entrance to the gap, and wait for
the rest of the division to come up. He
was soldier. enough to know when to
disobey orders and improve great op-
portunity and he did not allow his ene-
mics time to rally in their strong works.
but hustled them on through the gap
to the lower ground about Fairfield in
the valley of Garrison Creek. Hardee
had been reused in the meantime, and
sent two brigadeS from Beech Grove to
meet and drive him back. Wilder
showed a firm countenance to this ST.
perior force, and, diSmounting his men.
took a good position near Beach Grove,
where he repulsed the first assault of
the enemy The noise of the battle
reached Reynolds. whose men double
quicked through the gap, and went into
position on Wilder'S right, and drove
back fianking party from the two bri-
gades. Thus the first and most critical
step in the campaign was won by Will
der's soldiersnip and at a cost of only
So men.
In the meanwhile McCook was NOV
iy,o ins r co Tot ~
Division in the lead and the 39th Ind,
mounted, as the vanguard. Sheridan's
and Davis's Divisions were at Millers-
burg. Col. Thos. J. Harrison, of the
39th Ind, was not so fortunate as Will
dec. and met with resistance which he
could not overcome, nor could the
whole of Willich's Brigade. Col. John
F. Miller-he who had signalized him
self at Stone River-came next, and
promptly led his brigade to a height
from which he opened an oblique fire
on the defenders of the gap. They fell
back before this to the other end of the
gap, where they were reinforced. and
when night came on they held this,
while Johnston held the entrance to the
gap.
During that same afternoon Mitchell
pressed sharply upon Wheeler at Mid
dleton. but was unable to drive him,
and Minty was hurried over to Mitch
ellis assistance.
Bragg Begins to See.
By the night of June "a Bragg saw
that he had been mistaken as to Rose
crans's purposes. and that the capture
of Hoover's Gap placed his army in a
precarious position. He Immediately
set to work to concentrate behind the
strong works of TuIlahoma for a check
to RosecranS'S advance. He sent orders
to Hardee to hold back Thomas and
McCook, while Polk could withdraw to
Tullahoma. Forrest was ordered to
leave Columbia and come south of Duck
River to join the main army. Wheeler
was ordered to hold on to Guys Gap.
and defend Shelbyville while the move
ment was going on.
Hardee. in obedience to orders, con-
centrated his corps behind Garrison
Creek, with his right at Beech Grove.
Reynolds still held the position he had
fought into the night of June "a. So
narrow and difficult was Hoover's Gap
that the only reinforcements which
reached him during June 25 were two
brigades. As Reynolds did not advance
Hardee tried to drive McCook away
from Liberty Gap. Willich's and Mil
ler's Brigades repulsed his first assault,
and then he began outfianking them,
but was met by Carlin's Brigade, and
his whole force driven back toward
Bellbuckle. He had lost heavily, while
McCook's loss was 231.
Hardee had to be disposed of before
the movement could be continued. and
Rosecrans ordered Thomas to attack
him at Beech Grove, while McCook
should feint from Liberty Gap. and
Crittenden advance beyond his flank to
Lumley Stand. A heavy rain set in,
but Thomas began the attack at II
O'Clock on the morning of June 90.
with four divisions. Reynolds advanced
directly against the center and right of
the enemy, while Brannan and Rous-
seau. crossing Garrison Creek, reached
the Manchester road. There was sharp
fighting, but the Confederates were
driven, and fell back on Fairfield, from
which they retired to Tullahoma.
The Discontinue of Wheeler.
While the three infantry corps on the
left were plodding forward resoluteIy
through the drenching rain over the
worst possible roads. dragging their
trains through rough. narrow gorges.
and by one device and another crossing
the wild, muddy torrents. Granger re-
ceived orders to push forward on the
left toward SheIbyville.
June 81 Minty made a fierce rush for
Guys Gap. and sent the defenders sour
rying over the open fields for the pro-
lection OF the outlying defenses of Shell
byville. There Wheeler rallied them,
brought up his artillery and for a few
moments checked Minty. This was un-
fortunate for Wheeler. since it gave
time to Mitchell to come up still farther
to the right, charge in to Sheibyville,
and reach the bridge across Duck Riv-
er. Wheeler betook himself to flight
for another bridge a few miles farther
up. hotly followed by Mitchell and
Minty. a great part Of Wheeler's men
succeeded in reaching and crossing the
bridge, but the broken fugitives our
cavalry was driving before them made
a mob through which farther passage
was impossible, and the 1st Confeder-
ate Cavalry was captured almost entire.
Wheeler and Martin only made their
escape by swimming the river, and in
trying to follow their example more
than 100 ConfederateS were drowned.
The Federais only lost 20 men in the
fight. but they captured 629 prisoners
and three pieces of artillery. Forrest
was coming up with all speed to Wheel
er's assistance, when he ran agains.
Mitchelrs column, with their fighting
blood up. and he was glad to hunt a
ford to get back across the river. He
then rode off to join Bragg at Tulla-
homa. whittier Wheeler also led his
shattered forces.
Rosecrans now had possession of the
whole of the formidable line OF Duck
River, from which he had been defied
SO long.