The Raymer enterprise., 1913-09-11


Whether or not Fate decreed
Foso,,e.,, T. thus. chance, accident and neces.
IHESGY1 sity. three elements that are pres
rA4ASI ent In all great military opera
tions. combined to produce the
conflicts OF Gettysburg and Chickamauga
It is 4 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 Coniederacy in the east would
be fought at Gettysburg; but chance and acci.
dent. otherwise Fate. decreed that It should
be decided there, and Gettysburg is glorious
heritage in which all Americans are common
heirs
Seventy-hye 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 Chcka.
mauga Is mourntu but glorious testimonial
10 American valor for all time to come
Like the conflict OF Gettysburg. the saugh
ter of Chickamauga was due largely. II not Who'll.
ly TO chance and accident. Neither General
Rosecrans nor General Bragg. commanding the
Union and Confederate forces respectively un.
derstood or expected that a battle would be
fought on that wooded plain
After the Tulahoma campaign OF the Union
army In middle Tennessee. which ended July g.
1863. Genera! Bragg moved the army OF Tennes.
see 10 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.
tnra ~ Ft,nI ~.
rectng these military operations against Chatta-
nooga. His left corps. under Crittenden was at
McMlnnvile. about fifty miles north OF Wnches.
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.
who was destined to glorify his name at Snod.
grass Hill McCook. commanding the Goth corps.
was at Winchester with Rosecrans Mntys
cavalry to the left OF Crttenden. f. NJ Nc.
Cooks division OF Mchells cavalry corps was on
the right OF the Goth corps. General Sheridan's
division early In the month OF August was ad.
vanced to Bridgeport and Stevenson Ala. on the
Tennessee river.
Thomas and McCook we're 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.
clnity OF Chattanooga. the purpose being to en-.
ghse 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 nigh, OF septem.
Der and morning OF September s he quietly
evacuated Chattanooga. marching south to In.
terce1t Thomas and McCook. as they came down
from the mountains into the valley south OF
ChIckamauga The Confederate plan OF cam.
Euip "a rlg rtv In
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
tun'ty for the Confederates. but slipped through
Rraggs 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
tember ., and Immediately occupied the city
Through the most unreliable information, Gen.
eral Rosecrans believed that Bragg was In full
retrea, on Rome, Ca Acting upon this nforma.
ton he ordered pursuit through the Pigeon noun.
tains, Crittenden'o corps. with the exception OF
a garrison force. was sent after Bragg They
found him at Lee & Gordon's mill, on Chicka.
mnuga creek preparing for battle, with the
forces OF Thomas and McCook.
There was now no lingering doubt that a great
battle was to be fought on the banks OF the
Cbckamauga on the morrow. On September IS,
which was Friday, General Braxton Bragg realiz.
Ing that his plan to engage his antagonists in de.
tail had miscarrled ordered movement OF his
army down the Chickamauga TO effect crossings
at n number OF bridges and fords Late on the
evening OF the 18th sharp engagement occurred
nt Alexanders bridge
The battlefield OF Chlckamauga was a dcnscly
wooded plain with nm occasional elevation from
which the thunderbots OF war could be hurled
from heavy artillery.
The visitor today to .he field OF Chickamauga
II wheeled along the Lafayette road an old high.
way. now well improved by the government that
did service before the war for the country folk