Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1913-09-12


kE$S$IG8s sty three elements that are pres
H@k-M4@E ent in all great military opera
S<7z04A1A111-' tons, combined to produce the
conflicts of Gettysburg and Chickamauga.
1t is a part of the military history of the
United States that neither Meade nor Lee
intended that the battle that was to decide the
issues between the opposing forces of the
Union and the Confederacy in the east would
be fought at Gettysburg; but chance and acct
dent, otherwise Fate decreed that 1t should
be decided there, and Gettysburg is glorious
heritage in which all Americans common
heirs.
Seventy-fve days after the flames Of Get
tysburg, two great armies of Americans threw
themselves against each other like thunder
bolts of death the banks of Chickamauga
creek in the northwest corner of the state of
Georgia. ten miles south of the city of Chatta-
nooga, Tenn, and the battlefield of Chicka-
manga is a mournful but glorious testimonial
to American valor for all time to
Like the conflict of Gettysburg, the slaugh-
ter of Chickamauga was due largely, if not Who'll
ly, to chance and accident Neither General
Rosecrans nor General Bragg, commanding the
Union and Confederate forces respectively, un-
derstood expected that a battle would be
fought on that wooded plain
After the Tullahoma campaign of the Union
army in middle Tennessee, which ended July 4,
1863, General Bragg moved the army Of Tennes-
see to Chattanooga General Rosecrans, about
the first of August, began moving the army Of
the Cumberland to the western slopes of the
Cumberland mountains with the intention of
throwing his forces across the Lookout range
into the Chattanooga territory
General Rosecrans had established headquar
tiers at Winchester Tenn, for the purpose of di
recting these military operations against Chatta-
nooga His left corps, under Crttenden, at
McMinnville, about fifty miles north Of Winches
ter, but the same distance from the western
base of the Cumberlands The center of his line
of noch ord 1odp Gpn
who was destined to glorify his at Snod-
grass Hill. McCook, commanding the goth corps,
at Winchester with Rosecrans. Mintys
cavalry to the left of Crittenden. e. M. Nc
Cooks division of Mitchells cavalry corps was on
the right of the goth corps. General Sheridans
division early in the month Of August was adj
vanced to Bridgeport and Stevenson Ala, on the
Tennessee river.
Thomas and McCook were sent through the
mountains many miles south of Chattanooga,
striking the valley about forty miles south of
that city Crittenden dispatched to the vi
entity of Chattanooga, the purpose being to en-
gage the attention of Bragg until Thomas and
McCook could cross the mountains and place
their corps between Chattanooga and the Con-
federate base of supplies to the south
General Bragg, however, not to be
caught in such trap. On the night of Septem-
Der and morning Of September he quietly
evacuated Chattanooga marching south to in
tercept Thomas and McCook, as they came down
from the mountains into the valley south or
Chickamauga. The Confederate plan of cam
paign is clearly revealed in this movement. Cen
eral Bragg saw opportunity to engage the
Union corps in detail and destroy them. Long
street was coming over from Ringgold Ga. with
heavy reinforcements having just reached that
point from Gettysburg. 1t was the golden oppor-
tunity for the Confederates, but slipped through
Bragg's hands by failure the part of corps
commanders to carry out his orders
General Crittenden discovered that Bragg had
evacuated Chattanooga the morning of Sep
TENDER g. and Immediately occupied the city.
Through the most unreliable information, Gen.
eral Rosecrans believed that Bragg was in full
retreat on Rome Ga. Acting upon this informa-
ton he ordered pursuit through the Pigeon noun
tains. Crittendens corps, with the exception of
a garrison force, sent after Bragg They
found him at Lee & Gordons mill, on Chicka-
manga creek preparing for battle, with the
forces of Thomas and McCook.
There was now no lingering doubt that great
battle was to be fought on the banks of the
Chickamauga the morrow. On September Is,
which was Friday, General Braxton Bragg, realiz-
ing that his plan to engage his antagonists in de-
tail had miscarried. ordered a movement of his
army down the Chickamauga to effect crossings
at number Of bridges and fords. Late the
evening of the 18th sharp engagement occurred
at Alexander's bridge
The battlefield Of Chickamauga was densely
wooded plain with occasional elevation from
which the thunderbolts OF war could be hurled
from heavy artillery.
is wheeled along the Lafayette road, an old high
way. well improved by the government. that
did service before the for the country folk