CHICKAMAUGA. The battle of Chickamauga was fought (Sept. 19-20, 1863) in northern Georgia between the Federal army of the Cumberland under Rosecrans and Bragg's Confeder ate army. It was the one great Confederate victory in the West, rendered indecisive by subsequent events. Bragg, afraid of being surrounded in Chattanooga, evacuated the town, which Rosecrans occupied (Sept. 9), and withdrew to Lafayette, where he awaited reinforcements from Virginia under Longstreet before fighting a pitched battle. Rosecrans, when Bragg was found not to be re treating on Rome, hastily concentrated his three corps (Sept. 17), his left (Crittenden) on West Chickamauga creek at Lee and Gordon's mills, 12 m. S. of Chattanooga, and his right (McCook) at Stevens' gap in Lookout mountain. Hood with three brigades joined Bragg (Sept. 18), who that day had begun to move down the east bank of the creek to outflank Crittenden at the mills. His right column crossed 4 m. below, and the movement was to be taken up by the other columns in succession from right to left. Bragg expected to envelop Crittenden and drive Rosecrans back upon Lookout mountain, cutting him off from Chattanooga. Only two Confederate columns crossed that day; three more divisions followed early next morning. But during the night Rosecrans, who had been shifting his army all day to the left, moved Thomas's corps from the centre to the extreme left, to secure his line of retreat to Chattanooga. Thomas's night march defeated Bragg's plan. He was now forced to deliver battle north of the mills, to prevent his own right from being turned. Thick woods concealed the movements of both armies, and the fighting consisted of a series of independent engagements, in which each side alternately outflanked and was outflanked by the other. The battle began (Sept. 19) with Thomas sending a division on a reconnaissance towards the creek. It encountered dismounted cavalry. Both sides hurried up reinforcements and the fighting spread south ward, until the whole of Rosecrans' and the greater part of Bragg's forces had been drawn in. The general result was favour able to Rosecrans. He had strengthened his hold on the roads in his rear, but he had put in all his forces, except three brigades of Granger's reserve corps, which were holding Rossville gap, whereas Bragg had still three divisions in hand and during the night was joined by three fresh brigades.
For the morrow's battle Bragg reorganized his army in two wings, the right under Polk, the left under Longstreet, who arrived at I I P.M., and decided to persevere with his progressive order of attack. Polk was ordered to advance at sunrise (Sept. 2o), but the battle only began some hours later. Thomas had strengthened his line during the night with breastworks. Polk's right overlapped Thomas's left, and two brigades worked round the breastworks into his rear, but were driven out by his reserves. Polk's frontal attacks were repulsed, but Thomas urgently called for reinforce ments to secure his left. Rosecrans, believing that Bragg was massing all his troops against Thomas, ordered the best part of three divisions to the left. The withdrawal of a fourth (Wood's), due to a misunderstanding, opened a gap in the Federal line, into which Longstreet stepped. He had organized a heavy column of attack with eight brigades in three lines and another division forming a flankguard on his left. The Federal right wing, now numbering less than 7,00o men, was swept off the field, but not being pursued, rallied in McFarland's gap. Rosecrans, McCook and Crittenden were all caught in the rout and went to Chat tanooga. The break in the Federal line occurred about noon. Thomas was left with five divisions (including one from each of the other two corps) and two or three brigades to withstand Bragg's whole army. Longstreet, swinging to the right, endeav oured to reach Thomas's rear. Four of Thomas's divisions con tinued to hold the breastworks in Polk's front, but Brannan's division and part of Wood's formed a fresh line nearly at right angles with Thomas's main position along Horseshoe ridge, a spur projecting from Missionary ridge. Longstreet had almost en veloped Brannan's right, when two of Granger's brigades under Steedman came to the rescue, and after a desperate struggle dis lodged the attacking force, and the Federals held the ridge against renewed assaults, until Longstreet, having vainly called for rein forcements from Polk's wing, put in his reserve division. The Fed erals were then driven back from the ridge, with the loss of three regiments captured, to the Snodgrass hill, an elevation 5o ft. lower and over 20o yd. to the rear. Thomas, on receiving an order about 4.30 P.M., had already ordered his left wing to withdraw. Polk, who had remained inactive since his repulse in the morning, about 4 P.M. had recommenced his attacks, but the four Federal divisions succeeded in extricating themselves. The right, on Snod grass hill, was then withdrawn, before Longstreet could renew the attack. The Confederate pursuit was halted at 6 P.M., at which hour the whole field was in their possession. Thomas took up a position for the night covering Rossville, and Bragg's army being too exhausted to attack next day, after dark (Sept. 21) the Federals withdrew unmolested to Chattanooga. The two armies were probably of about equal strength, from 6o,000 to 65,000 each. The percentage of losses was heavier than in any other battle of the Civil War, the casualties on either side exceeding I 6,000.
(W. B. Wo.)