the army of the cumberland-第45节

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ery　attack。　　And　when　the　sun　went　down　he　was　still　there。　　Well　was　he　called　the　〃Rock　of　Chickamauga；〃　and　trebly　well　for　the　army　of　the　Cumberland　that　George　H。　Thomas　was　in　command　of　the　left　at　that　battle。　On　the　20th；　when　the　hour　of　supreme　trial　came　and　he　was　left　on　the　field　with　less　than　one　half　of　the　strength　of　the　army　that　the　day　before　had　been　barely　able　to　hold　its　own　against　the　rebel　assaults；　he　formed　his　25；000　troops　on　〃Horseshoe　Ridge；〃　and　successfully　resisted　for　nearly　six　long　hours　the　repeated　attacks　of　that　same　rebel　army；　largely　re…enforced　until　it　numbered　twice　his　command；　when　it　was　flushed　with　victory　and　determined　on　his　utter　destruction。　　There　is　nothing　finer　in　history　than　Thomas　at　Chickamauga。

All　things　considered；　the　battle　of　Chickamauga　for　the　forces　engaged　was　the　hardest　fought　and　the　bloodiest　battle　of　the　Rebellion。　　Hindman；　who　fought　our　right　at　Horseshoe　Ridge；　says　in　his　official　report　that　he　had　〃never　known　Federal　troops　to　fight　so　well；〃　and　that　he　〃never　saw　Confederate　soldiers　fight　better。〃　　The　largest　number　of　troops　Rosecrans　had　of　all　arms　on　the　field　during　the　two　days'　fighting　was　55；000　effective　men。　While　the　return　of　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland　for　September　20；　1863；　shows　67；548　〃present　for　duty　equipped；〃　still　taking　out　the　troops　guarding　important　points　within　the　Department；　the　actual　force　was　reduced　to　the　figure　just　given。　　Of　Gordon　Granger's　nine　brigades；　only　two　were　on　the　battlefield。　　Wagner；　of　Wood's　division；　was　in　Chattanooga；　and　Dan　McCook　was　holding　Rossville。　Post's　brigade　was　guarding　the　wagon　trains　and　was　not　in　the　action。　　Rosecrans's　losses　aggregated　killed；　1；687；　wounded；　9；394；　missing　5；255。　　Total　loss；　16；336。　　Bragg　during　the　battle；　when　his　entire　five　corps　were　engaged；　had　about　70；000　effective　troops　in　line。　　Among　Bragg's　troops　were　large　numbers　of　prisoners　of　war　captured　at　Vicksburg　and　Port　Hudson；　who　had　been　falsely　declared　by　the　rebel　authorities　as　exchanged　and　released　from　their　parole；　and　in　violation　of　the　cartel　were　again　placed　in　battle。　　His　losses；　in　part　estimated；　were　2；673　killed；　16；274　wounded；　and　2；003　missing；　a　total　of　20；950。　　A　full　report　of　the　rebel　losses　was　never　made。

To　the　enemy　the　results　of　the　engagement　proved　a　victory　barren　of　any　lasting　benefits；　and　produced　no　adequate　results　to　the　immense　drain　on　the　resources　of　his　army。　　In　a　number　of　places　Bragg's　official　report　shows　that　his　army　was　so　crippled　that　he　was　not　able　to　strengthen　on　portion　of　his　line；　when　needed；　with　troops　from　another　part　of　the　field；　and　after　the　conflict　was　over　his　army　was　so　cut　up　that　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　follow　up　his　apparent　success　and　secure　possession　of　the　objective　point　of　the　campaignChattanooga。　　This　great　gateway　of　the　mountains　remaining　in　possession　of　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland；　after　Bragg　had　paid　the　heavy　price　he　did　at　Chickamauga；　proves　that　his　battle　was　a　victory　only　in　name；　and　a　careful　examination　of　the　results　and　their　cost　will　show　how　exceedingly　small　it　was　to　the　enemy。





Chapter　XIII。




The　Siege　of　Chattanooga。


On　taking　position　at　Chattanooga；　after　the　battle；　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland；　between　the　rebel　troops　in　front　and　the　forces　of　Nature　in　the　rear；　was　practically　in　a　state　of　siege。　　The　lines　around　the　town　were　held　by　our　troops　behind　extensive　rifle…pits；　strengthened　with　heavy　earthworks　covering　all　approaches　on　the　front。　　Bragg's　army　moved　up　immediately；　and　invested　our　lines；　throwing　up　rifle…pits　within　a　short　distance　of　those　of　our　army。　　To　the　rear　of　these　Bragg　threw　up　two　other　lines　of　intrenchments　and　on　the　right　of　his　command　erected　a　more　permanent　line　of　earthworks　on　the　crest　of　Missionary　Ridge；　massing　however；　the　bulk　of　his　troops　in　Chattanooga　Valley　on　our　immediate　front。　　As　our　army　retired　within　its　works　at　Chattanooga；　the　troops　holding　the　road　over　Lookout　Mountain　were　withdrawn；　and　this　point　was　immediately　occupied　by　the　enemy　and　strengthened　by　extensive　works；　Bragg　sending　Longstreet's　corps　into　Lookout　Valley　to　occupy　the　extreme　left　of　the　besieging　line；　and　to　cut　off　all　communication　with　Bridgeport；　on　the　south　bank　of　the　Tennessee　River。　　The　lines　were　now　fully　occupied　from　the　river　on　the　north　to　the　bank　south　of　the　town；　and　the　rebel　army　in　force　on　our　front。　　To　the　rear　the　only　road　that　was　open　was　over　Walling's　Ridge；　through　Sequatchie　Valley；　down　to　Bridgeport；　a　distance　of　sixty　miles；　the　short　road　on　the　north　side　down　to　Bridgeport　being　closed　by　the　rebel　batteries　and　sharp…shooters；　while　their　troops　holding　the　road　to　the　south　of　the　river　compelled　all　supplies　of　every　kind　to　be　hauled　over　these　sixty　miles　of　road。　　To　thus　supply　the　army　during　good　weather　was　a　very　great　undertaking；　even　with　the　teams　of　the　various　commands　in　good　condition；　but　with　the　rainy　season　that　soon　set　in；　and　the　incessant　hauling　wearing　out　the　mules；　the　daily　rations　for　the　army　were　constantly　growing　less　and　less。　On　October　1st；　Wheeler　crossing　the　Tennessee　with　Martin's　and　Wharton's　divisions　of　cavalry　moved　up　the　Sequatchie　Valley　upon　our　line　of　supplies　at　Anderson　cross…roads。　　Here　he　captured　a　large　number　of　trains　loaded　with　rations　for　the　front；　burned　over　three　hundred　wagons；　and　killed　a　large　number　of　animals。　Colonel　E。　M。　McCook　with　his　cavalry　division；　moving　rapidly　from　Bridgeport；　overtook　Wheeler　on　the　2d；　and　drove　him　with　great　loss　in　a　sabre　charge　from　the　trains；　recapturing　some　eight　hundred　mules。　　After　this　Wheeler　was　driven　from　Shelbyville　on　the　6th　by　Mitchell's　cavalry；　and　on　the　8th　from　Farmington　by　Crook；　and　from　here　he　re…crossed　the　Tennessee　with　a　small　portion　of　his　command；　the　rest　having　been　killed　or　captured。　This　loss　in　wagons；　with　the　roads　becoming　almost　impassable　by　reason　of　the　heavy　rains　and　the　growing　weakness　of　the　animals；　lessened　daily　the　amount　of　supplies　brought　into　the　town；　so　that　our　troops　were　suffering　for　food　and　were　in　danger　of　being　starved　out　of　Chattanooga。　　This　was　what　Bragg　was　quietly　waiting　for。　　To　supply　an　army　some　forty　thousand　strong；　by　wagon　transportation　over　rough　mountain　roads　a　distance　of　sixty　miles；　Bragg　knew　was　an　impossibility；　and　that　unless　other　lines　were　opened　up；　the　evacuation　of　the　place　was　only　a　question　of　time；　and　he　could　then　walk　in　and　take　undisturbed　possession。　As　the　forage　became　reduced；　the　artillery　horses；　for　which　there　was　no　immediate　need；　had　their　rations　cut　off；　and　they　died　in　large　numbers；　starved　to　death。　　The　supplies　grew　so　small　that　parts　of　crackers　and　corn　dropped　in　handling　packages　were　eagerly　seized　and　eaten　to　stay　the　demands　of　hunger；　and　still　the　pressure　was　growing　daily；　and　no　one　knew　how　it　would　ultimately　end。　However；　not　for　an　instant　was　the　idea　entertained　of　abandoning　the　town；　to　say　nothing　of　the　extreme　hazard　of　attempting　that；　in　the　face　of　the　strong　force　of　the　enemy　on　our　front。　　The　Army　of　the　Cumberland　had　won　Chattanooga　and　there　they　proposed　remaining。

Immediately　after　the　battle　of　Chickamauga；　the　authorities　at　Washington　sent　hurried　orders　to　Burnside；　Hurlbut；　and　Sherman　to　move　forward　without　delay　to　Rosecrans's　assistance；　and　on　September　24th　the　latter　was　informed　that　〃Hooker；　with　some　fifteen　thousand　men；〃　was　en　route　from　the　East　as　fast　as　rails　could　take　him；　and　that　he　would　be　in　Nashville　in　about　seven　days。　　While　reinforcements　were　the　thing　needed　before　the　battle；　now　the　pressing　demand　of　the　hour　was　the　opening　of　the　line　of　communication　to　the　rear；　over　which　adequate　supplies　could　be　forwarded　to　the　troops　at　the　front。　　To　add　to　the　number　of　men　there　simply　increased　the　difficulties　of　the　situation。

On　the　arrival　of　Hooker　with　the　Eleventh　and　Twelfth　Army　Corps　at　Nashville；　Rosecrans　directed　him　to　take　position　on　the　line　of　the　Chattanooga　Railroad；　securing　that　road　from　the　attacks　of　the　rebel　cavalry　while　supplies　were　being　accumulated　at　Stevenson　awaiting　the　opening　of　communication　with　the　army　at　Chattanooga。　　Without　driving　back　the　entire　of　Bragg's　army　in　Lookout　and　Chattanooga　Valleys；　it　was　impossible　to　use　the　railroad　from　Bridgeport　east　in　bringing　up　supplies。　　The　wagon…trains　could　no　longer　be　depended　on；　and；　under　the　spur　of　necessity；　Rosecrans　was　preparing　a　plan　to　utilize　the　river　with　boats。　A　new　one　had　been　built　at　Bridgeport　and　another　captured　at　Chattanooga　had　been　repaired。　　By　thus　using　the　river　he　could　secure　his　supplies　over　a　wagon…road　of　only　eight　miles　from　Kelley's　Ferry；　via　Brown's　Ferry。　　The　course　of　the　Tennessee　River　at　Chattanooga　is　due　west；　after　passing　the　town　it　flows　south　to　the　foot　of　Lookout　Mountain；　from　which　point　it　then　sweeps；　after　a　short　curve　to　the　northwest；　due　north；　forming　here　what　is　known　as　〃Moccasin　Point。〃　　Crossing　the　river　at　the　town；　a　road　leads　southwest　across　this　point　o