PREPARATIONS FOR THE IMPENDING BATTLE. 635 mountain on the 10th, and camped for the night at Rossville. General Thomas had crossed Lookout mountain with his corps, and taken position in McLamore's cove, and was busily engaged in reconnoitering Bragg's position. Crittenden, leaving but one brigade in Chattanooga, was ordered to push on vigorously to Ringgold and Dalton, and send a reconnoissance to Gordon's mills and open communication with General Thomas. Two of Thomas's divisions, Negley's and Baird's, had passed through Frick's gap to Pond Spring, and beyond, on the Lafayette road, and there found the enemy in large force. After a short skirmish they fell back into and through Frick's gap, to protect their trains. General Halleck had telegraphed General Rosecrans that Bragg was to be reinforced by Buckner, Johnson, and Longstreet, and it now appeared that they were all near at hand, or had already formed a junction with him, and that his withdrawal from Chattanooga had only been made with the intent to secure a better position for fighting the battle which should again give him possession of that stronghold. General Rosecrans found that the most prompt action was necessary to bring his army together in season to confront hist enemy, whose force under the best circumstances would be double his own. His energy was equal to the emergency. Crittenden was ordered up to form a closer connection with Thomas, and McCook was directed to make a forced march by the shortest practicable route to McLamore's cove, lest Bragg's forces should be thrust between him and the remainder of the Union army. McCook was fifty-seven miles south of Thomas's camp, by the nearest road practicable for wagons-that from Alpine through Doherty's gap into McLamore's cove-but of the existence or good condition of this road he was not informed; and having sent his train under sufficient escort into Lookout valley, he marched back through Valley Head on the night of the 13th of September, and thence up Lookout valley to Stevens's gap, which he crossed into McLamore's cove, arriving on the 17th, and taking position on the right of General Thomas. The delay of nearly two days consequent upon this mistake in regard to the roads, had afforded opportunity for Longstreet to come up within supporting distance of Bragg's army, and had so far hindered General Rosecrans' arrangements for the battle that he was unable to secure the best position for a defensive conflict, such as under the circumstances he must fight. On Le night of the 18th, and the early morning of the 19th of September, tae final preparations for the impending battle were made. The small corps of Gordon Granger were stationed as reserves at the extreme left, near Rossville, with orders to guard the two roads leading to Chattanooga, which it was the evident aim of the Rebels to seize. About three miles further south commenced the actual line of battle, Brannan's division of Thomas's corps occupying the extreme left; next in order was Baird's division of the same corps; then Johnson's division of McCook's corps, which had been sent to support this part of Thomas's line; next to Johnson, came Palmer's division of Crittenden's corps; and joining Palmer, Van Cleve's division of the same corps; then came ReyDolds' division of Thomas's corps, and Wood's division of Crittenden's corps, which covered the Gordon's mills ford; while Wilder's cavalry brigade guarded the right wing. Four miles below, at Crawfish springs, Negley's division of Thomas's corps was engaged in observing Owen's ford, over the Chickamauga, while a Rebel division on the opposite side of the Chickamauga was endeavoring to cross, to get at the right flank of the Union army. In reserve, west of Gordon's mills, were Davis's and Sheridan's divisions of McCook's corps; and immediately behind them, at the widow Glenn's house, were General Rosecrans's headquarters. The battle commenced about ten A. M. of the 19th, two brigades of Brannan's division, on the extreme left, reconnoitering and attacking the Rebel force which was endeavoring to force a passage by way of the Lafayette road toward Chattanooga. These two brigades attacked so vigorously as to drive the Rebels back nearly half a mile, when a very strong column advanced to their support. This column, which General Rosecrans believed to have been composed of part of Longstreet's corps, fell in heavy mass upon the Union left, and forced back the remainder of Brannan's division, and threw Baird's division, which came up to its support, into disorder. Johnson's fine division of McCook's corps now came up, and striking the Rebel column in flank with great fury, drove it back more than half a mile, until the superior numbers of the enemy enabled them to, overlap his right, which was in danger of being turned, when Palmer, coming in on his right, which was, in the ardor of pursuit, considerably advanced beyond the main army, threw his division with such force against the Rebels as again to drive back their advancing columns. But the immense numbers of the Rebels which now swarmed up, showed their great superiority in troops to the Union army; constantly extending toward the right, they overlapped Palmer's flank, and when Van Cleve's division came up, overlapped that also, and forced it back, as they did Reynolds, who came to his assistance. Davis's division now advanced most opportunely, and drove the enemy back, but under the immense pressure of fresh Rebel troops, he too was gradually being pressed back, when Wood's division came up, and again turned the tide of battle the other way. At three P. M., General Rosecrans finding his line hardly pressed, ordered up Sheridan's division, one of the finest in the army, and which till then had been in reserve, to support Wood and Davis. It came up on the double-quick, and drove the Rebels back with such slaughter that they did not again attempt to advance on the right. Meanwhile, the centre (Van Cleve's and Reynolds' divisions) was being driven, and the battle was approaching General Rosecrans' headquarters. Anticipating this, the general had ordered General Negley's division to move up from Crawford Springs toward the headquarters, and at half |