The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-28
HISTORIC CHATTANOOGA IN
THE SIXTIES AND ASST IS NOW
ny w. p. THOMPSON

Chattanooga, May 27.-(Special. .)-Here,
after an absence of 80 years, enjoying the
hospitality of a people that to a great
extent have been born and grown up
and built city that ranks along with
those in the lead of the great CONNER
cial marts of the south, is certainly food
for thought.
1t is rather difficult to write of the
appearance now of this city and the sur
roundings that exist today and then
paint a word picture of the same local
ity as it appeared when Longstreet's
corps arrived from the battlefields OF
Virginia in order to reinforce the confed-
crate troops that then by dint of cour-
age held the invading army OF the north
in check at Missionary ridge and near
Lookout mountain.
The average soldier of the confederate
army which occupied the lines and was
at the front under the leadership of the
great Lee in Virginia, on leaving thai
the whole of Longstreets corps, were
favored when it was made known thai
they had been ordered to. reinforce the
confederates in the southwest, but, or
reaching here and after being assigned
a position in the lines of battle, the IL
lusion or thoughts of an easy time
were soon dispelled.
Here at the Battle Above the Clouds,
and at Chickamauga it was native
against native Southern soldiers were
pitted against the flower of the north
ern army" it was the men from the
northwestern states that we were tc
measure courage with.
Surely the old sentence, Greek against
Creek" can be fittingly applied to con-
vey an idea as to the equality of the
men that made up both armies then.
The battles Of Chickamauga, where 3d.
900 men fell, is yet the-historical military
conflict of the age. and to come pach
after so years absence and stroll ovei
these fields, climb these mountains on
trolley cars, is different from what it was
then, when, with gun and ammunition
and three days rations. we fell into line
and charged the enemy and met the
cannons and musketry that were NOW
ing down our comrades.
Incidentally permit the writer to re-
mark that his company-F, Gilmer Grays
Montgomery-went into the Chickamauga
battle AZ strong; II were left on the
field.
Was not that enough that day to sat.
isfy the average man that we mad me-
the enemy" and is 1t not enough TO
after 80 years, come back hero and stroil
over the fields and try to pick out spots
as they appeared then, when in sunshine
and rain carnage reigned, where today 81
lent monuments lift their spires heaven
ward to do homage to those who were
shot down lin that terrible struggle foi
this southland and our noble women OF
that day
Certainly these scenes and incidents are
food for thought and would furnish 9
fertile brain with material sufficient 70 g
write Interestingly, but the man OF
who participated in the connict, lays
down his pen for another who - more
capable, versatile and descriptive to IN
terest the readers Of today.
Here where the great battle OF MIS-
sionary ridge was fought ois November
25 1s6s and knowing that In this con.
flict the federals were victorious ano
that 1t was this struggle that forced
General Bragg with his 1000 to yield &c
Grants 5000, comes back tho scenes ana
incidents that occurred to the private
soldier then serving In the confederate