to advance with two brigades on the road to Reid's bridge, while Baird should throw forward the right wing of his division on the road to Alexander's bridge; thus attempting between them to capture or crush the Rebel brigade, if such there were where McCook located it.

It was now 9 A. M.; and, while Baird and Brannan were making the required movements, Palmer's division of Crittenden's corps came up and took post on Baird's right. By 10 A. M., Croxton's brigade of Brannan's division had become engaged, driving back Forrest's cavalry; when Ector's and Wilson's infantry brigades were sent in by Walker to Forrest's support. Croxton, of course, was brought to a dead halt; but now Thomas sent up Baird's division, and the Rebel brigades were hurled back, badly cut up. Hereupon, Walker in turn sent up Liddell's division, making the odds against us two to one; when Baird was in turn driven: the Rebels, charging through the lines of the 14th, 16th, and 18th U.S. regulars, taking two batteries; while Walthall's Georgia brigade captured the 5th regulars, 411 strong, and Govan's, charging by its side, took 100 more prisoners.

One of the batteries here lost was the 1st Michigan, formerly Loomis's; regarded by the whole army with pride, and by those who served in it with an affection little short of idolatry. It had done yeoman service on many a hard-fought field, and was fondly regarded as well nigh invincible. But now, abandoned by its supports, who recoiled before a Rebel charge in overwhelming force, with all its horses shot and most of its men killed and wounded, it could not be VOL. II.-27

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drawn off, and was doomed to be lost. Its commander, Lt. Van Pelt, refused to leave it, and died, sword in hand, fighting-one against a thousandby the side of his guns.

And now Johnson's division of McCook's corps, and Reynolds's of Thomas's, came up at quick step, and were instantly put in by Thomas— as was Palmer's division-on Baird's right, giving a clear superiority to our line, which for the moment outflanked the enemy, driving him back in disorder and with heavy loss on his reserves, posted near the creek; retaking our lost guns, and enabling Brannan and Baird to reform their disorganized commands. In resisting this advance, the Rebel Gen. Preston Smith was killed. The enemy's position on the creek was very strong, and it was not deemed wise to assault it: so our men rested on their arms, and there was a lull of an hour, or from 4 to 5 P. M.

Thomas well understood that the fight was not over, and made his dispositions accordingly; expecting that the next effort would be to flank his left, carry the road, and gain his rear (as was Bragg's original programme for the battle). But he judged that the enemy had had enough for the day, and had given orders for a concentration of his divisions on more favorable ground, somewhat to the rear of that to which they had advanced, pursuing their advantage; when his front was again charged by Liddell's and Gist's divisions-Reynolds being first struck on his right (Thomas having been looking for an attack on his left); then Johnson, then Baird, then Van Cleve-the Rebel charge being so impetuous and weighty as to throw our front

Another charge was made on Johnson's front just at sunset by Pat. Cleburne, (the Stonewall Jackson of the West,') with a division of Hill's corps, who pressed up to our very lines, and claim to have gained some advantage; but night soon fell, and the day's fighting was done either army resting without fires in the keen Autumn night air of that mountain region, on the field where it had so stoutly fought.

There had been some artillery practice during the day on our right, but no serious effort, till afternoon; when Stewart threw forward Brown's, Clayton's, and Bate's brigades by turns, charging one of our batteries and capturing three guns; but he was soon sent to the right about, and compelled to leave the guns where he found them. The attack at this point, though for some time persisted in, was a conceded failure.

Hood, holding the Rebel left, having cannonaded in the morning with no advantage, threw in, at 3 P. M., two of his divisions-his own, under Law, and Bushrod Johnson's-attacking Jeff. C. Davis's division of McCook's corps, pushing it back from the road, and capturing a battery; but Davis maintained a firm front against superior numbers till near

Superficially regarded, the net result of that day's combat was favorable. Our army had lost no ground for which it had contended, and claimed a net gain of three guns. Our losses in men had doubtless been less than those of the enemy. And, as we were standing on the defensive, we might fairly claim the result as a success.

But the truth was otherwise. Our soldiers were clearly outnumbered, and now they felt it. Every brigade but two of our army had been under fire-most of them hotly engagedwhile the enemy had several yet in reserve. We had no rëenforcements at hand, and could expect none; while Hindman's division (three brigades) and McLaws's (two brigades of veterans, fresh from Virginia) came up during the night, and were posted just where experience had proved that they were most needed. And beside, Longstreet himself came up, and took command of their right wing-and he was worth at least a brigade. The best estimate that can be formed of their entire force on this bloody field makes it 70,000; which, on ground affording so little advantage to the defensive, was a clear overmatch for Rosecrans's 55,000. And, though the profane axiom that 'God is on the side of the strongest battalions,' is not always and absolutely true, it is certain that, as be

tween two armies equally brave, equally disciplined, and equally well handled, the decidedly larger-the ground affording no considerable advantage to the defensive-must generally triumph.

During the night, Bragg moved Breckinridge's division of Hill's corps from his extreme left to his extreme right being still intent on flanking our left, and interposing between it and Chattanooga.

Our corps commanders reported to Rosecrans after nightfall. Negley had been brought down from our extreme right during the afternoon, and sent in just before night, on Van Cleve's right, pushing back the enemy. He was now ordered to report to Gen. Thomas; McCook being required to replace him by one of his divisions. McCook was ordered to close well on Thomas, refusing his right, and covering the position at widow Glenn's, where Thomas had his headquarters. Crittenden was to hold two divisions in reserve, ready to support McCook on our right or Thomas on the left, as should become necessary. These orders being given, our Generals lay down to snatch a brief rest; and the silence was thenceforth unbroken.

At daylight," Rosecrans, attended by part of his staff, was galloping along our lines. He found McCook's right too far extended, and Davis, with the reserve division, too far to the right; as were also Crittenden's two divisions in reserve, and ordered he requisite changes of position. Negley had not yet moved when

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"Polk says that, when he was ready to advance and attack, he found a division of the left wing (Longstreet's) directly in his front; so that,

the General returned from visiting our left, and was now directed to send Thomas his reserve brigade only; holding his place in the line with the other two till relieved. Crittenden, having his reserves at hand, was now directed to relieve him; but failed promptly to do so; and it was nearly 10 o'clock when Negley was relieved and enabled to proceed to strengthen Thomas, where he was sorely needed.

Both armies stood to their arms at daylight; and the battle was to have opened at once by an attack by Hill's corps on our left; but Polk's aid, sent with the order, could not find. him; and the fighting did not commence till 8 A. M. In fact, it could not, without destruction to the assailants; for a dense fog filled the valley, rendering all objects indistinguishable at a few yards' distance; so that an attack might better have been delivered on any moonless but starlit night." Meantime, Thomas's corps (augmented by successive reenforcements, till it was now more than half our army) improved the non-shining hours by throwing up rude breastworks of logs and rails, which stood it in good stead thereafter.

The fog having lifted, Breckinridge, facing and overlapping our extreme left, advanced his fresh division, flanking our army, and pushing across the Rossville road, fighting desperately, and facing to the left when he had gone forward toward Rossville so far as his orders required. The movement was taken up in succession by the divisions farther and

had he literally obeyed his orders, he must have slaughtered their own men. He had no choice but to wait till it was taken out of his way; and this consumed some two hours.

farther toward the Rebel centerBragg thus renewing the attempt to interpose between our army and Chattanooga, which Thomas had disconcerted by his advance and attack of the previous day. But now Beatty's brigade of Negley's division, moving from our right center, came into action beside Baird, on our extreme left, checking Breckinridge's advance; and, Baird and Beatty together being still outnumbered and the latter losing ground, several regiments of Johnson's division, hitherto in reserve, were sent up to Baird and posted by him on his front; and these, with Vandever's brigade of Brannan's division and part of Stanley's of Wood's division, completely restored the battle on this flank, hurling back Breckinridge's command in disorder; Gens. Helm and Deshler being killed, Maj. Graves, chief of artillery, mortally wounded, and Gen. Adams severely wounded and taken prisoner. Breckinridge rallied his men on a commanding ridge in the rear of his advanced position, where his heavy guns were posted to repel assault. Walker's division first, then Cheatham's Tennesseans, then Cleburne's, and finally Stewart's, were sent to the support of Breckinridge; and the tide of battle ebbed and flowed on this wing, with frightful carnage on both sides, but without material advantage to either. Still, Bragg's attempt to turn our flank, so as to interpose his army between ours and Chattanooga was baffled by Thomas's firmness and that of the veterans under his command; while the struggle along our left center was equally desperate, equally sanguinary, and equally indecisive.

Our right, however, had ere this been involved in fearful disaster. The movement of several divisions from right to left after the battle had actually commenced was at best hazardous, however necessary, and was attended with the worst possible results. Negley's and Van Cleve's divisions were successively ordered by Rosecrans to move to the support of Thomas on our left; while Wood was directed to close up to Reynolds on our right center, and Davis to close on Wood; McCook, commanding on this wing, being directed to close down on the left with all possible dispatch.

Such movements are at all times difficult of execution in the heat of battle, and in the face of a skillful, resolute, and vigilant enemy. In this instance, the hazard was increased by the fact that they were not clearly comprehended. Wood, understanding that he was ordered to support Reynolds, undertook to do so by withdrawing from the front and passing to the rear of Brannan, who was in échelon slightly to the rear of Reynolds's right; thus opening a gap in our front, into which Longstreet at once threw Hood's command, supported by an advance of Buckner on our right flank.

The charge was decisive. Davis, by McCook's order, was just attempting to fill with three light brigades the gap made by Wood's withdrawal, when Hood's charging column poured into it, striking Davis on the right, and Brannan on the left, and Sheridan, of Crittenden's corps, farther to the rear, cutting off five brigades from the rest of our army, and pushing them to our right and rear, with a loss of 40 per cent. of their numbers.

In short, our right wing, struck heavily in flank while moving to the left, was crumbled into fragments and sent flying in impotent disorder toward Rossville and Chattanooga, with a loss of thousands in killed, wounded, and prisoners. Rosecrans, McCook, and many subordinate commanders, were swept along in the wild rush; Sheridan and Davis rallying and reforming the wreck of their divisions by the way, and halting, with McCook, at Rossville; while Rosecrans-prevented by the enemy from joining Thomas hastened to Chattanooga, there to make all possible provision for holding the place; since it now looked as though our whole army was or would be routed, and that desperate effort would be required to hold Chattanooga, so as to save what might be left of it from being captured or driven pell-mell into the Tennessee.

But matters, though bad enough, were not so bad as they seemed to those who had shared or witnessed the rout and dispersion of our right. Thomas was still fighting stoutly and holding his own on our left; when, not long after noon, Capt. Kellogg, who had been sent to hurry Sheridan, then expected to rëenforce his left, returned with tidings that he had met a large Rebel force advancing cautiously, with skirmishers thrown out, to the rear of Reynolds's position in our center. There was some effort made to believe this was no Rebel force, but Sheridan, till heavy firing on Thomas's right and rear decidedly negatived that presumption. Thomas ordered Col. Hooker, whose brigade held a ridge in the direction of the firing, to resist the advance of these Sept. 17.

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questionable wayfarers, and return their fire if it should be persisted in

an order which that Brigadier proceeded at once to obey. Meantime, Wood came up, and was directed to post his troops on the left of Brannan, who had already taken post on the slope of Mission ridge, behind Thomas's line of battle, and just west of the Chattanooga and Lafayette road, where Capt. Gaw had ere this, by Thomas's order, massed all the artillery he could find in reserve, and supported it by strong lines of infantry. To this position, Johnson, Palmer, and Reynolds, who, behind their log breastworks, had sustained and repulsed a succession of desperate charges on our center, were withdrawn, and here Thomas's command was now concentrated.

Gen. Gordon Granger, with his small reserve corps, had been posted at Rossville, whence Col. J. B. Steedman, with six regiments, made a reconnoissance.to within two miles of Ringgold;" discovering enough by the way to convince him that a battle was imminent and he out of place ; when he returned to Rossville. Gen. Whitaker's and Col. D. McCook's brigades were next sent forward by Granger to the Chickamauga-the latter supporting Col. Minty at Reid's bridge, where he had a smart skir mish, as did Gen. Whitaker, farther down the stream; each falling back; Gen. Steedman ultimately burning Reid's bridge and retreating. Granger held the roads in this direction, on our extreme left, throughout the 19th and till 11 A. M. of the 20th; when, finding that he was not attacked, while the roar of guns on his right front, where Thomas was posted, Sept. 18.

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