two brigades from Mississippi, and reinforcements from General Lee's lines in Virginia were hurrying up to what was to be the scene of one of the most critical and magnificent actions of the war. The latter reinforcements consisted of five brig following orders were issued at 8 o'clock, A. M., on the 10th, for Major-general Buckner to move with his two divisions, and report to Hindman. man. HEADQUARTERS ARMY TENNESSEE, Lee and Gordon's Mills, 8 o'clock A. M., Sept. 10th, 1863. [ GENERAL:-I enclose ́rders issued last night to Generals Hill and Hind General Hill has found it impossible to carry out the part assigned to Cleburne's division. The general commanding desires that you will execute without delay the order issued to General Hill. You can move to Davis's X roads by the direct road from your present position at Anderson's, along which General Hindman has passed. Signed, MAJOR-GENERAL BUCKNER, Anderson's. I am, General, &c., &c., GEO. W. BRENT, A. A. General. And both Hindman and Hill were notified. Hindman had halted his divis lon at Morgan's, some three or four miles from Davis's X roads, in the cove, and at this point Buckner joined him during the afternoon of the 10th. Reports fully confirming previous information in regard to the position of the enemy's forces, were received during the 10th, and it became certain that he was moving his three columns to form a junction upon us at or near Lafayette. The corps near Colonel Winston's moved on the mountain towards Alpine, a point twenty miles south of us. The one opposi the cove continued its move ment and threw forward its advance to Davis's X roads, and Crittenden moved from Chattanooga on the roads to Ringgold and Lee and Gordon's Mill. To strike these isolated commands in succession was our obvious policy. To secure more prompt and decided action in the movement ordered against the enemy's centre, my Headquarters were removed to Lafayette, where I arrived about 11 on the 10th,-and Lieutenant-general Polk was ordered forward with his remaining division to Anderson's, so as to cover Hindman's rear during the operations in the cove. At Lafayette I met Major Nocquet, engineer officer on General Buckner's staff, sent by General Hindman after a junction of their commands, to confer with me and suggest a change in the plan of operations. After hearing the report of this officer, and obtaining from the active and energetic cavalry commander in front of our position, Brigadier general Martin, the latest information of the enemy's movements and position, I verbally directed the major to return to General Hindman, and say that my plans could not be changed, and that he would carry out his orders. At the same time the following written orders were sent to the general by a courier: HEADQUARTERS ARMY TENNESSEE, Lafayette, Ga., 12 P. M., Sept. 10th, 1863. GENERAL :-Headquarters are here and the following is the information : Crittenden's corps is advancing on us from Chattanooga. A large force from the South has advanced to within seven miles of this point. Polk is left at ades of Longstreet's corps; and these were without artillery and transportation. The Virginia troops landed from the railroad at Ringgold, and were moved rapidly forward to the Chickamauga. Rosecrans' army was distributed from the head of McLe Anderson's to cover your rear. General Bragg orders you to attack and force your way through the enemy to this point, at the earliest hour you can see him in the morning. Cleburne will attack in front the moment your guns are heard. MAJOR-GENERAL HINDMAN, I am, General, &c., Signed, Commanding, &c. GEO. W. BRENT, A. A. General Orders were also given for Walker's reserve corps to move promptly and join Cleburne division at Dug Gap to unite in the attack. At the same time Cleburne was directed to remove all obstructions in the road in his front, which was promptly done, and by daylight he was ready to move. The obstructions in Catlett's Gap were also ordered to be removed to clear the road in Hindman's rear. Breckinridge's division, Hill's corps, was kept in position south of Lafayette to check any movement the enemy might make from that direction. At daylight I proceeded to join Cleburne at Dug Gap, and found him wait ing the opening of Hindman's guns to move on the enemy's flank and rear. Most of the day was spent in this position, waiting, in great anxiety, for the attack by Hindman's column. Several couriers and two staff officers were despatched at different times, urging him to move with promptness and vigor. About the middle of the afternoon the first gun was heard, when the advance of Cleburne's division discovered the enemy had taken advantage of our delay and retreated to the mountain passes. The enemy now discovered his error and commenced to repair it by withdrawing his corps from the direction of Alpine to unite with the one near McLemore's Cove, while that was gradually extended towards Lee and Gordon's Mills. Our movement having thus failed in its justly anticipated results, it was determined to turn upon the third corps of the enemy approaching us from the direction of Chattanooga. The forces were accordingly withdrawn to Lafayette, and Polk's and Walker's corps were moved immediately in the direction of Lee and Gordon's Mills. The one corps of the enemy in this direction was known to be divided-one division having been sent to Ringgold. Upon learning the dispositions of the enemy from our cavalry commander in that direction on the afternoon of the 12th, Lieutenant general Polk, commanding the advance forces, was directed in the following note. HEADQUARTERS ARMY TENNESSEE, Lafayette, Ga., 6 P. M., 12th Sept.) GENERAL:-I enclose you a despatch from General Pegram. This presents you a fine opportunity of striking Crittenden in detail, and I hope you will avail yourself of it at daylight to-morrow. This division crushed and the more's Cove, along and down the west side of the Chickamauga Valley, as far as Lee and Gordon's Mills, Chickamauga creek separating it from the army of the Confederates. The enemy commenced the affair of the 19th by a vigorous attack on Major-general Walker's corps. Our line was formed with Buckner's left resting on the Chickamauga about one others are yours. We can then turn again on the force in the cove. Wher ler's cavalry will move on Wilden so as to cover your right. I shall be delighted to hear of your success. LIEUTENANT-GENERAL POLK. Very truly, Yours, Signed, BRAXTON BRAGG. Upon further information the order to attack at daylight on the 13th, was re newed in two notes, at later hours of the same day, as follows: HEADQUARTERS ARMY TENNESSEE, GENERAL:-I enclose you a despatch marked “A” and I now give you the orders of the commanding general, viz.: to attack at day-dawn to-morrow the infantry column reported in said despatch at of a mile beyond Pea-vine church, on the road to Graysville from Lafayette. Signed, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL POLK, GEO. W. BRENT, A. A. General Commanding Corps HEADQUARTERS ARMY TENNESSEE, GENERAL:-The enemy is approaching from the South, and it is highly important that your attack in the morning should be quick and decided. Let no time be lost. Signed, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL POLK, I am, General, &c., Commanding Corps. GEO. W. BRENT, A. A. General. At 11 P. M. a despatch was received from the general stating that he had taken a strong position for defence, and requesting that he should be heavily reinforced. He was promptly ordered not to defer his attack, his force being already superior to the enemy, and was reminded that his success depended upon the promptness and rapidity of his movements. He was further informed that Buckner's corps would be moved within supporting distance the next morning. Early on the 13th I proceeded to the front, ahead of Buckner's command, to find that no advance had been made on the enemy, and that his forces had formed a junction and recrossed the Chickamauga, To GENERAL S. COOPER, BRAXTON BRAGG, General Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va. mile below Lee and Gordon's Mills. On his right came Wood with his own and Johnston's divisions, with Walker on the extreme right,-Cheatham's division being in reserve. General Walker found a largely superior force of the enemy opposed to him. He drove them handsomely, however, and captured several batteries of artillery in most gallant charges Before Cheatham's division, ordered to his support, could reach him, he had been pressed back to his first position by the extended lines of the enemy assailing him on both flanks. The two commands united were soon enabled to force the enemy back again, and recover our advantage, though we were yet greatly outnumbered. These movements on our right were in a direction to leave an opening in our line between Cheatham and Hood. Stewart's division forming Buckner's second line was thrown to the right to fill this, and it soon became hotly engaged, as did Hood's whole front. The enemy, whose left was at Lee and Gordon's Mills when our movement commenced, had rapidly transferred forces from his extreme right, changing his entire line, and seemed disposed to dispute with all his ability our effort to gain the main -oad to Chattanooga in his rear. Lieutenant-general Polk was ordered to move his remaining division across at the nearest ford and to assume the command in person on our right. Hill's corps was also ordered to cross below Lee and Gordon's Mills and join the line on the right. Whilst these movements were being made our right and centre were heavily and almost constantly engaged. Stewart by a vigorous assault broke the enemy's centre and penetrated far into his lines, but was obliged to retire for want of sufficient force to meet the heavy enfilade fire which he encountered from the right. Hood, later engaged, advanced from the first fire and continued to drive the force in his front until night. Cleburne's division of Hill's corps, which first reached the ight, was ordered to attack immediately in conjunction with the force already engaged. This veteran cominand, under its gallant chief, moved to its work after sunset, taking the enemy completely by surprise, driving him in great disorder for nearly a mile, and inflicting a very heavy loss. Night found us mas ters of the ground, after a series of very obstinate contests with largely superior numbers. For the grand and decisive work of the next day, the forces of Bragg's army were divided into two wings. The right wing was placed under Lieutenant-general Polk, and the left under Lieutenant-general Longstreet. The former was composed of Lieutenant-general Hill's corps, of two divis ions, Major-general Cleburne's and Major-general Breckin ridge's; of the division of Major-general Cheatham, of Lieutenant-general Polk's corps, and the division of Major-general W. H. T. Walker. The left was composed of the divisions of Major-genera Stewart, and Brigadier-general Preston and Bushrod Johnson, of Major-general Buckner's corps; Major-general Hindman, of Lieutenant-general Polk's corps, and Benning's, Lane's and Robertson's brigades, of Hood's division, and Kershaw's and Humphrie's brigades, of McLaw's division, of his own (Lieutenant-general Longstreet's) corps. The front line of the right wing consisted of three divisions, -Breckinridge and Cleburne, of Hill's corps, and Cheatham, of Polk's corps--which were posted from right to left in the order named. Major-general Walker was held in re .serve. The left wing was composed of Major-general Stewart's di vision on the right with Hood's on the left. On Hood's left was Hindman's division of Lieutenant-general Polk's corps, with Preston's division of Buckner's corps on the extreme left. Orders were given to Lieutenant-general Polk to commence the attack at daylight. The left wing was to await the attack. by the right, take it up promptly when made, and the whole line was then to be pushed vigorously and persistently against the enemy throughout its extent. "Before the dawn of day," writes General Bragg in his official report," myself and staff were ready for the saddle, occupying a position immediately in rear of and accessible to all parts of the line. With increasing anxiety and disappointment I waited until after sunrise without hearing a gun; and at length despatched a staff officer to Lieutenant-general Polk |
