Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-10-10

was ordered to fill the vacancy and
left It's place In McCook's line to do
so. It was all a mistake. for Bran
mans division lay In the woods cover
Ing that gap. The new gap made by
the withdrawal of Wood from his first
position was opened just as the Con-
federate General Longstreet took up
the fight against McCook to break
through the Federal line.
Longstreet's column. numbering eight
brigades several lines deep. rushed
through the gap like an angry flood.
General P. Fl. Sheridan had already
taken his division from McCook's front
to march over to Thomas.
Master Stroke by Longstreet.
When Longstreet found his march
through the gap almost unopposed he
turned to the right against Thomas.
McCook's emnan was cut of, and
that luckless general could do nothing
except flee or rejoin Thomas. With
McCook were Rosecrans and Sheridan.
A mile or more In the rear Of Thorn
as right there was a second road par
allel to the one be was defending and
passing through McCook's old line.
Rosecrans, McCook and Sheridan gath
cred up the remnants of the troops
and attempted to pass around to the
rear of Thomas and come to his aid.
But Longstreet thrust his advance
westward across this second road also
and, then facing north, charged up the
height. which became famous that day
as the bloody Horseshoe ridge.
Rosecrans and the generals with him
rallied what they could of McCook's
broken line and drifted away toward
the village of Rossville. where the
Chattanooga road passes through Mis-
sionary ridge. There Rosecrans deter
mined to make a stand. The divisions
of Brannan and Wood so strangely in
volyed In the hapless events of the day
rapidly swung about from the east
front to the south and formed the right
flank Of Thomas line. . Until Wood
brought him the news Thomas didn't
know that the troops climbing the
southern slope of Horseshoe ridge were
C~onfederates and not the reinforce
ments he had asked for from McCoOk.
Here was a peril greater than that on
his left flank. He must fight in three
directions-north. east and south.
Death Grapple on Horseshoe Ridge.
The eager rush of Longstreet's men
was first checked by Woods line. The
river of blood was rechristened. But
A. (1Aof0Jo~Ao tfro- xr1ro 1n1I1..
their battalions inexhaustible. They
passed beyond Woods flank and storm
ed ~Snodgrass hill. %squarely in the rear
Of Thomas line at the breastworks,
and captured his headquarters. 1t was
past midday when Longstreets men at
last came to a halt on the crest of
Horseshoe ridge. The Confederate line
now described three-quarters of a cir
Gle. Thomas was almost surrounded.
Fortunately. at this time the Con-
federates made a fresh charge ON
Thomas north front and were repulsed
with awful slaughter. Not knowing
ho~Tv-HeafAthe victory was, these beaten
troops fell back and gave up to Thomas
the road to Chickamauga. Three Fed
eral brigades rushed at double quick
from the left to the right. now less
than a mile apart. ready to meet any
fresh outbreak of Longstreet. The last
card in Thomas hand had been played.
his last man put In to save the army
from being surrounded.
A gap less than a mile in length re
NAMED to be covered by the Confed-
crates to make their circle complete.
and they were rushing in from two d.
rections. Longstreet was forming his
ranks of gray upon a spur of Horse
shoe ridge to drive the charge home.
His guns were unllmbering OF a hill
where they could rake Thomas line
lengthwise. If Longstreet's men closed
the narrow gap behind Thomas the
way of retreat would be shuttle road
to Chattanooga through the mountain
pass at Rossville. Back on the Ross
vile road, four miles from the battle
field, General Changers reserve corps
had been stationed some days before to
guard the rear of the Federal army.
Reserves Save the Day.
Throughout the morning of the Goth
the roar of battle warned Granger of
a fierce struggle on Thomas line. He
waited impatlently until II o'clock.
scanning the region with his field
glass. Then he declared. with an
oath. I'm going to Thomas, orders
or no ORDERS" and started with two
brigades. Granger grasped Thomas by
the hand as he stood anxiously watch
ing Longstreet's swelling ranks on
Horseshoe ridge.
No time was wasted maneuvering.
At the command Fright face; forward
march," the brigades wheeled into
line with their division commander.
General j. B. Steedman, at their head.
The enemy met the charge with shell