128 



AEMY OPERATIONS. 



cessively came to the assault. A battery of 

 six guns placed in the gorge poured death and 

 slaughter into them. They charged within a 

 few yards of the pieces, but our grape and can- 

 ister, and the leaden hail of musketry, deliv- 

 ered in sparing but terrible volleys, from car- 

 tridges taken in many instances from the boxes 

 of their fallen companions, was too much even 

 for Longstreet's men. About sunset they made 

 their last charge, when our men, being out of 

 ammunition, moved on them with the bayonet, 

 and they gave way, to return no more. In the 

 mean time the enemy made repeated attempts 

 to carry Gen. Thomas's position on the left and 

 front, but were as often thrown back with 

 great loss. At nightfall the enemy fell back 

 beyond the range of our artillery, leaving Gen. 

 Thomas victorious on his hard-fought field." 



During the night, Gen. Thomas fell back to 

 Rossville, leaving the dead and most of the 

 wounded in the hands of the enemy. Gen. 

 Sheridan, who had been cut off by the advance 

 of the enemy, as he was upon the extreme 

 right, gathered his brigades and struck across 

 Missionary ridge, directly to the west. The 

 enemy were in possession of the country north 

 of him. As he reached the top of the ridge, 

 he caused the " assembly " to be blown, and 

 picked up all the stragglers from the other di- 

 visions that he could find. He had lost three 

 pieces of artillery, but in his progress met a 

 whole battery which had been abandoned, and 

 took it in charge. Passing the enemy's flank, 

 and regaining the road on the ridge, he turned 

 east through Eossville, and, without halting, re- 

 enforced Gen. Thomas at midnight. The po- 

 sition near Eossville was held during Monday 

 without serious molestation from the enemy, 

 and in the night the entire force was withdrawn 

 to Chattanooga. 



On Monday, Gen. Bragg first sent out de- 

 tachments to the battle field to gather the 

 arms and banners. The former were sent to 

 the rear, and the latter to [Richmond. The 

 prisoners were then counted and sent to the 

 rear. The troops were then ordered under 

 arms, and marched down the Chattanooga 

 road until they came near to Rossville, when 

 they filed to the right and moved down the 

 Chickamauga valley, to be in good position to 

 move upon Gen. Burnsido or to flank Gen. 

 Rosecrans. On Wednesday, Gen. Bragg moved 

 again up to and over Missionary ridge. 



The loss of Gen. Rosecrans in these battles 

 was 1,644 killed, 9,262 wounded, and 4,945 

 missing, which, with a cavalry loss of 1,000, 

 makes 16,851. In material, his loss was 36 

 guns, 20 caissons, 8,450 small arms, and 5,834 

 infantry accoutrements. He captured 2,003 

 prisoners. The loss of the enemy in killed, 

 wounded, and missing was reported at 18,000. 



After Gen. Rosecrans's retreat to Chatta- 

 nooga, he withdrew his forces from the passes 

 of Lookout mountain, which covered his line 

 of supplies from Bridgeport. These were im- 

 mediately occupied by the enemy, who also 



sent a cavalry force across the Tennessee above 

 Chattanooga, which destroyed a large wagon 

 train in the Sequatchie valley, captured Mc- 

 Minnsville and other points on the railroad, 

 and thus almost completely cut off the supplies 

 of Gen. Rosecrans's army. 



The line of the railroad at this time was 

 well defended. The enemy's cavalry were at- 

 tacked by Col. McCook, at Anderson's cross 

 roads, on the 2d of October ; by Gen. Mitchell, 

 at Shelbyville, on the 6th, and by Gen. Crook, 

 at Farmington, on the 8th, and were mostly 

 captured or destroyed. 



On the 2d of October, Gea. Rosecrans is- 

 sued the following order : 



Orders No. 3. 



HEADQITABTIRS DEPARTMENT OF THI CrniBEKLAxn, > 

 CHATTAJJOOGA, October 2d, 1863. j 



Army of the Cumberland : You have made a grand 

 and successful campaign ; .you have driven the rebels 

 from Middle Tennessee. You crossed a great moun- 

 tain range, placed yourselves on the banks of a broad 

 river, crossed it in the face of a powerful, opposing 

 army, and crossed two other great mountain ranges 

 at the only practicable passes, some forty miles be- 

 tween extremes. You concentrated in the face of su- 

 perior numbers ; fought the combined armies of Bragg, 

 which you drove from Shelbyville to Tullahoma, of 

 Johnston's army from Mississippi, and the tried vet- 

 erans of Longstreet's corps, and for two days held 

 them at bay, giving them blow for blow, with heavy 

 interest. When the day closed, you held the field, 

 from which you withdrew, in the face of overpowering 

 numbers, to occupy the point for which you set out 

 Chattanooga. 



You have accomplished- the great work of the cam- 

 paign ; you hold the key of East Tennessee, of North- 

 ern Georgia, and of the enemy's mines of coal and 

 nitre. Let these achievements console you for the re- 

 gret you experience that arrivals of fresh hostile 

 troops forbade your remaining on the field to renew 

 the battle ; for the right of burying your gallant dead, 

 and caring for your brave companions who lay wound- 

 ed on the field. The losses you have sustained, though 

 heavy, are slight, considering the odds against you, 

 and the stake you have won. 



You hold in your hands the substantial fruits of a 

 victory, and deserve and will receive the honors and 

 plaudits of a grateful nation, which asks nothing of 

 even those who have been fighting us, but obedience 

 to" the Constitution and laws established for our own 

 common benefit. 



The General Commanding earnestly begs every of- 

 ficer and soldier of this army to unite with him in 

 thanking Almighty God for His favors to us. He pre- 

 sents his hearty thanks and congratulations to all the 

 officers and soldiers of this command, for their energy, 

 patience, and perseverance, and the undaunted courage 

 displayed by those who fought with such unflinching 

 resolution. 



Neither the history of this war, nor probably the 

 annals of any battle, furnish a loftier example of ob- 

 stinate bravery and enduring resistance to superior 

 numbers when troops, having exhausted their am- 

 munition, resorted to the bayonet, many times, to hold 

 their positions, against such odds as aid cur left and 

 centre, comprising troops from all the corps, on the 

 afternoon of the 20th of September, at the battle of 

 Chickamauga. 



(Signed) W. S. ROSECRANS, 



Major-General Commanding. 



When it was known at Washington that 

 Gen. Longstreet's corps had probably gone to 

 the aid of Gen. Bragg, the authorities ordered 

 to Tennessee the forces of Gen. Grant at Vicks- 



