The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1913-09-12

other in the southeast
Whether not Fate decreed
A......-l thus, chance. accident and neces-
S&S2z3k sity three elements that are pres
NUkNARE emit in all great military opera
tions 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 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 it should
be decided there, and Gettysburg is a glorious
heritage in which all Americans are common
heirs
seventy-hve days after the flames Of Get
tysburg, two great armies of Americans threw
themselves against each other like thunder.
bolts OF death on 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 mournful but glorious testimonial
to American valor for all time to come.
Like the conflict Of Gettysburg. the slaugh-
ter of Chickamauga was due largely, II not Who'll
ly, to chance and accident Neither General
Rosecrans nor General Bragg, commanding. the
y Union and Confederate forces, respectively, nm
derstoOd or expected that battle would be
fought on that wooded plain
After the Tullahoma campaign of the Union
army in middle Tennessee, which sended July 4,
1868. General Bragg moved the army Of Tonnes
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 R0secrans had established headquar-
tiers at Winchester, Tenn. for the purpose Of d.
recting these military operations against Chatta-
nooga His left corps, under Crittenden, was 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
was at Decherd, under Gen. George H. Thomas,
grass Hill McCook commanding the goth corps.
was at Winchester with Rosecrans. Minty's
cavalry was to the left OF Crittenden. 3. M Nc
Cooks division Of MitchelYs cavalry corps was on
the right Of the goth corps. General Sheridan's
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 was dispatched to the vi
cinity 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, was 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
4 t6fc6pt THOMAS ana hAcCOOh, as tn0y came GOWN
from the mountains into the valley south of
Chickamauga. The Confederate plan of cam
paign is clearly revealed in this movement GEN
eral Bragg saw an 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
Braggs hands by failure on the part Of corps
commanders to carry out his orders.
General Crittenden discovered that Bragg had
evacuated Chattanooga on the morning of Sep
TENDER 8, and Immediately occupied the city
eral Rosecrans believed that Bragg was in full
tion he ordered pursuit through the Pigeon noun
tains. Crittenden's corps with the exception of
garrison force. sent after Bragg. They
found him at Lee Gordon's mill Chicka-
4 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-
Jail had miscarried, ordered a movement Of his
vt number a. bridges and fords. Late on the
N,Svening OF the 18th sharp engagement occurred
~ Alexander's bridge.
u The battlefield OF Chicknmauga was densely.
wooded plain with occasional elevation from
which the thunderbolts of war could be hurled
from heavy artillery.
The visitor today to the field OF Chickamauga
IL wheeled along the Lafayette road. old high
way now well improved BY the government. that
did service before the war for the country folk