markable action from our own side exclusively. Let us now see it as it appeared to Gen. Bragg, posted on the crest of Mission ridge (until driven off), and enjoying by far the wider and clearer view of it. His report, being brief and pungent, is here given almost entire :

"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE,

"DALTON, GA., 30th Nov., 1863. "Gen. S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond:

"SIR-On Monday, the 23d, the enemy advanced in heavy force, and drove in our picket line in front of Missionary ridge, but made no further effort.

"On Tuesday morning early, they threw over the river a heavy force, opposite the north end of the ridge, and just below the mouth of the Chickamauga; at the same time displaying a heavy force in our immediate front. After visiting the right, and making dispositions there for the new development in that direction, I returned toward the left, to find a heavy cannonading going on from the enemy's batteries on our forces occupying the slope of Lookout mountain, between the crest and the river. A very heavy force soon advanced to the assault, and was met by one brigade only, Walthall's, which made a desperate resistance, but was finally compelled to yield ground. Why this command was not sustained is yet unexplained. The commander on that part of the field, Maj.-Gen. Stevenson, had six brigades at his disposal. Upon his urgent appeal, another brigade was dispatched in the afternoon to his supportthough it appeared his own forces had not been brought into action—and I proceeded to the scene.

"Arriving just before sunset, I found that we had lost all the advantages of the position. Orders were immediately given for the ground to be disputed until we could withdraw our forces across Chattanooga creek, and the movement was commenced. This having been successfully accomplished, our whole forces were concentrated on the ridge, and extended to the right to meet the movement in that direction.

"On Wednesday, the 25th, I again visited the extreme right, now under Lt.Gen. Hardee, and threatened by a heavy force, whilst strong columns could be seen marching in that direction. A very heavy force in line of battle confronted our left and center.

"On my return to this point, about 11
y's forces were being moved

A. M., the

66

443

in heavy masses from Lookout, and beyond, to our front, whilst those in front extended to our right. They formed their lines with great deliberation, just beyond the range of our guns, and in plain view of our position. the strength of our position that no doubt Though greatly outnumbered, such was was entertained of our ability to hold it, and every disposition was made for that purpose. During this time, they had made several attempts on our extreme right, and heavy loss, by Maj.-Gen. Cleburne's comhad been handsomely repulsed, with very mand, under the immediate direction of Lt.-Gen. Hardee. By the road across the ridge at Rossville, far to our left, a route was open to our rear. Maj.-Gen. Breckinridge, commanding on the left, had occupied this with two regiments and a battery. It being reported to me that a force of the enemy had moved in that direction, the General was ordered to have it reconnoitered, and to make every disposition necessary to secure his flank; which he proceeded to do.

"About half-past 3 P. M., the immense force in the front of our left and center advanced in three lines, preceded by heavy skirmishers. Our batteries opened with fine effect, and much confusion was produced, before they reached musket range. In a short time, the roar of musketry became very heavy, and it was soon apparent that the enemy had been repulsed in my immediate front.

"Whilst riding along the crest, congratulating the troops, intelligence reached me that our line was broken on my right, and the enemy had crowned the ridge. Assistance was promptly dispatched to that point under Brig.-Gen. Bate, who had so successfully maintained the ground in my front; and I proceeded to the rear of the broken line to rally our retiring troops, and return them to the crest to drive the enemy back. Gen. Bate found the disaster so great that his small force could not repair it. About this time, I learned that our extreme left had also given way, and that my position was almost surrounded. Bate was immediately directed to form a second line in the rear, where, by the efforts of my staff, a nucleus of stragglers had been formed, upon which to rally.

"Lt.-Gen. Hardee, leaving Maj.-Gen. Cleburne in command on the extreme right, moved toward the left, when he heard the heavy firing in that direction. He reached the right of Anderson's division just in time to find it had nearly all fallen back, commencing on its left, where the enemy had first crowned the ridge. By a prompt and judicious movement, he threw a portion of Cheatham's division directly across the

ridge, facing the enemy, who was now duty assigned them, however difficult and moving a strong force immediately on his hazardous. They had for two days conleft flank. By a decided stand here, the fronted the enemy, marshaling his immense enemy was entirely checked, and that por- forces in plain view, and exhibiting to their tion of our force to the right remained sight such a superiority in numbers, as may intact. All to the left, however, except a have intimidated weak minds and untried portion of Bate's division, was entirely soldiers. But our veterans had so often enrouted, and in rapid flight; nearly all the countered similar hosts, when the strength artillery having been shamefully abandoned of position was against us, and with perfect by its infantry support. Every effort which success, that not a doubt crossed my mind. could be made by myself and staff, and by | As yet, I am not fully informed as to the many other mounted officers, availed but commands which first fled and brought this little. A panic, which I had never before great disaster and disgrace upon our arms. witnessed, seemed to have seized upon offi- Investigation will bring out the truth, howcers and men, and each seemed to be strug- ever; and full justice shall be done to the gling for his personal safety, regardless of good and the bad. his duty or his character. In this distressing and alarming state of affairs, Gen. Bate was ordered to hold his position, covering the road for the retreat of Breckinridge's command; and orders were immediately sent to Gens. Hardee and Breckinridge to retire their forces upon the dépôt at Chickamauga. Fortunately, it was now near nightfall, and the country and roads in our rear were fully known to us, but equally unknown to the enemy. The routed left made its way back in great disorder, effectually covered, however, by Bate's small command, which had a sharp conflict with the enemy's advance, driving it back. After night, all being quiet, Bate retired in good order, the enemy attempting no pursuit. Lt.-Gen. Hardee's command, under his judicious management, retired in good order and unmolested.

"As soon as all the troops had crossed, the bridges over the Chickamauga were destroyed, to impede the enemy, though the stream was fordable in several places.

"No satisfactory excuse can possibly be given for the shameful conduct of our troops on the left, in allowing their line to be penetrated. The position was one which ought to have been held by a line of skirmishers against any assaulting column; and, wherever resistance was made, the enemy fled in disorder, after suffering heavy loss. Those who reached the ridge, did so in a condition of exhaustion from the great physical exertion in climbing, which rendered them powerless; and the slightest effort would have destroyed them.

"Having secured much of our artillery, they soon availed themselves of our panic, and, turning our guns upon us, enfiladed our lines, both right and left, rendering them entirely untenable. Had all parts of the line been maintained with equal gallantry and persistence, no enemy could ever have dislodged us; and but one possible reason presents itself to my mind in explanation of this bad conduct in veteran troops, who had never before failed in any

"After arriving at Chickamauga, and informing myself of the full condition of affairs, it was decided to put the army in motion for a point farther removed from a powerful and victorious army, that we might have some little time to replenish and recuperate for another struggle. The enemy made pursuit as far as Ringgold; but was so handsomely checked by Maj.-Gen. Cleburne and Brig.-Gen. Gist, in cominand of their respective divisions, that he gave us but little annoyance.

"Our losses are not yet ascertained; but in killed and wounded it is known to have been very small. In prisoners and stragglers, I fear it is much larger.

"The chief of artillery reports the loss of forty (40) pieces.

"I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, BRAXTON BRAGG, "General Commanding."

He is not usually accounted a good workman who disparages his tools; and the soldiers thus discredited by Bragg were mainly those who fought so bravely, skillfully, tenaciously, successfully, at the Chickamauga, barely two months before. They were probably reduced by the casualties of that bloody contest, by Longstreet's withdrawal, and otherwise, to 40,000; while Grant must have had here not less than 70,000, nearly all of whom were brought into action. This disparity of numbers, together with the fact that the movements on our side appear to have been judiciously planned, skillfully combined, and vigorously made, explain the result more naturally than does Bragg's as

CLEBURNE TURNS ON HOOKER AT RINGGOLD.

445

sertion, that his men quite generally | mauga, where the enemy had burned and shamefully misbehaved and were the bridge behind him. A most galpanic-stricken. It is plain that they lant but rash effort was made to drive were largely outnumbered, and that him out, wherein the 13th Illinois they saw and felt it; yet, with such was honorably conspicuous. Two or dispositions, such handling on both three charges on our part were resides, as rendered Fredericksburg a pulsed with loss; and it was not till black disaster to us, there is no obvi- afternoon, when some of our guns ous reason for believing that Bragg's had come up, and the mouth of the eyrie, so difficult of approach, might gap had been flanked by our infantry not have been triumphantly held. crowning the ridge on either hand, Thomas returned directly from the that Cleburne was persuaded to conbattle-field to Chattanooga to expe- tinue his retreat; having inflicted on dite the movement of Granger's corps Hooker a loss of 65 killed and 367 thence to the relief of Knoxville; wounded. The enemy left 130 killed while Sherman and Hooker pursued, and wounded on the field. Hooker at daylight, the routed columns of remained at Ringgold till Dec. 1st; Bragg: the former, by way of Chick- but was not allowed to advance: amauga Station; the latter by Greys- Sherman, with a large portion of ville and Ringgold; Palmer, in his ad- our army, having been dispatched to vance, having overtaken and charged the relief of Knoxville. Meantime, by the way the Rebel rear-guard un- Gross's brigade visited the battleder Gist, breaking it and capturing field of Chickamauga and buried the 3 guns: our advance-badly delayed moldering remains of many of our by the non-arrival of pontoons at the slain, who had been left by Bragg to Chickamauga-bivouacking on the lie as they fell. Osterhaus took post crest of the ridge cast of that stream, in the valley of the Chattanooga, and resuming the pursuit at dawn while Geary and Cruft returned to next morning; Osterhaus leading, their camps in Lookout valley. followed by Geary, and he by Cruft; | and going into Ringgold, 5 miles farther, close on the heels of the flying

enemy.

101

102

103

Granger's corps turned back from the battle-field to Chattanooga, and was impelled directly thence to the relief of Knoxville-Sherman's corps

Cleburne was now in command likewise turning back 104 from Greyshere a man always hard to drive-ville, he assuming command also over and the gap in Taylor's or White Granger, and moving rapidly by Oak ridge, through which he was re- Charleston, Athens, and Loudon, to was one easy to hold and Knoxville; making the last 84

treating,

105

difficult to carry. Having guns ad- miles over East Tennessee roads in vantageously posted, he refused to be three December days; thus compel

hurried; while our men, flushed and ling Longstreet to raise the siege and exultant, could not be restrained decamp; then turning at once and from attacking, though our guns marching back to Chattanooga. were still behind, having been detained at the crossing of the Chicka

101

Nov. 25.

102 Nov. 27.

Grant states our losses in this se105 Dec. 6.

103 Nov. 25-6.

104 Nov. 29.

XIX.

MISSOURI AND ARKANSAS IN 1863.

FIGHT AT HARTSVILLE-THE SAM GATY.

447

post had by this time been rudely banon; while Marmaduke, moving fortified with detached earthworks, 13 miles eastward that night, turned which were of decided service against abruptly southward and escaped into raw, undisciplined troops, as Marma- Arkansas before a sufficient force duke's appear to have been. Spring- could be concentrated to intercept field was held by Brig.-Gen. E. B. him. Brown, Missouri militia, whose entire strength can not have exceeded 1,200 men, mainly State militia, with 156 of the 118th Iowa, Lt.-Col. Thos. Cook, rëenforced, on the instant, by some 300 convalescents from the hospitals, known in army jargon as 'the Quinine Brigade,' Col. B. Crabb. With this motley force, Brown fought the Rebels bravely and skillfully from 10 A. M. till dark; when they desisted and drew off, having taken one gun and lost some 200 men. Our loss was 14 killed, 145 wounded, and 5 missing; but among our wounded was Gen. Brown, whose valor had animated his men to fight gallantly, and whose able dispositions had probably saved the post.

The Rebels moved eastward; their advance striking, at daylight, at Wood's fork, the 21st Iowa, Col. Merrill, which, after some fighting, they

flanked, moving by a more southerly route, on HARTSVILLE; where Col. Merrill was joined by the 99th Illinois, with portions of the 3d Missouri and 3d Iowa cavalry, supporting Lt. Waldschmidt's battery, and was ready to dispute their prog

ress.

A spirited fight ensued, where

Repairing, with a part of his force, to Batesville, Marmaduke was here attacked by the 4th Missouri cavalry, Col. Geo. E. Waring, who drove him over the river, taking Col. Adams prisoner, with others. In a fight the day before, a Rebel band of guerrillas had been routed in Mingo swamp by Maj. Reeder; their leader, Dan. McGee, being killed, with 7 others, and 20 wounded. Lt.-Col. Stewart, with 130 of the 10th Illinois and 1st Arkansas cavalry, scouting from Fayetteville, Ark., surprised and captured,' at Van Buren, the Arkansas river steamboat Julia Roon; making 300 prisoners.

Gen. Curtis was relieved' as commander of the Department of Missouri; Gen. Schofield being ultimately appointed to succeed him.

The Missouri steamboat Sam Gaty, Capt. McCloy, was stopped' at Sibley's landing, near Independence, by a gang of guerrillas, headed by George Todd, who frightened the pilot into running her ashore, robbed boat and passengers of money and valuables, and then proceeded to murder a number of unarmed White passengers, with 20 out of 80 negroes enemy was repulsed, with a who were known to be on board, and loss of about 300, including Brig.- who were the ostensible object of the Gen. Emmett McDonald, Cols. Por raid. The other 60 made their ester, Thompson, and Hinkley, killed; cape; but all who were taken were having 1 gun dismounted and aban- drawn up in line by the side of the doned. Our loss was 78, including boat and shot, one by one, through 7 killed. Merrill, short of ammuni- the head. Barely one of them surtion, fell back, after the fight, on Le-vived. They were probably escaping Jan. 10. 'Feb. 4. Feb. 28. * March 9. *May 13.

in the

'Jan. 8.

'March 28.