the army of the cumberland-第31部分

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w　the　force　and　position　of　his　command。　If　Knoxville　and　Cumberland　Gap　were　under　his　control；　then　it　would　be　reasonably　safe　to　follow　out　a　plan　of　operations　looking　to　flank　Bragg's　left　by　a　movement　across　the　Tennessee　over　the　ranges　of　mountains　of　Northern　Georgia。　　But　to　do　this；　part　of　the　force　under　Grant；　now　inactive　after　Vicksburg；　should　be　ordered　up　at　least　as　far　east　as　the　Tennessee；　to　protect　the　line　of　supplies　and　prevent　any　movement　of　the　enemy　to　the　rear　on　that　flank　of　Rosecrans's　army。　　Another　weighty　consideration　was　that　of　forage　for　the　animals　of　the　command。　　By　the　middle　of　August；　corn　in　the　valleys　of　Southern　Tennessee　and　Northern　Alabama　would　be　ripe；　and　subject　to　the　wants　of　the　army。　　It　was　General　Rosecrans's　plan　to　wait　until　these　movements　could　be　accomplished　and　until　the　corn　had　ripened；　and　knowing　the　difficulties　in　the　way　at　the　best；　of　his　successfully　accomplishing　his　plans　for　the　campaign；　he　wished　at　least　to　have　that　best　in　his　favor。

In　making　his　final　preparations　for　his　operations　against　Chattanooga；　General　Rosecrans　considered　two　plans。　　One　was　to　appear　on　the　front　of　Chattanooga　and　attempt　a　direct　attack　on　the　town　and　reduce　it　by　a　lengthy　siege。　　The　other　was　to　flank　Bragg　out　of　Chattanooga；　as　he　had　been　compelled　by　the　movement　on　the　Tullahoma　campaign　to　abandon　his　strongholds　one　by　one。

The　first　plan　could　hardly　be　entertained；　as　Bragg　was　at　his　base；　with　but　short　lines　to　all　important　points　under　control　of　the　rebel　government；　and　at　a　place　where　in　a　very　short　time　heavy　reinforcements　could　be　sent　him；　while　Rosecrans　in　front　of　Chattanooga　would　be　in　a　rough；　sterile　country；　far　away　from　his　base　of　supplies；　with　a　long　wagon…haul　over　rocky　mountain　ranges　from　his　nearest　depot。　　To　attempt　the　movement　on　the　left；　or　through　Sequatchie　Valley；　would　concentrate　Bragg's　entire　army　at　the　contemplated　point　of　crossing　the　Tennessee。　　This　plan　Bragg　was　prepared　for；　and　was　resting；　quietly　awaiting　the　movements　of　our　army　carrying　it　into　effect。　　But　it　was　not　the　purpose　of　Rosecrans　to　meet　this　expectation　of　his　opponent。　　The　genius　of　Rosecrans　contemplated　one　of　the　most　brilliant　military　movements　of　the　war　to　obtain　possession　of　this　great　stronghold　of　Nature；　the　gateway　to　East　Tennessee　and　Northern　Georgia；　Chattanooga。　　At　that　time　this　place　was　of　the　utmost　importance　to　each　of　the　contending　forces；　and　the　highest　prize　in　a　military　point　of　view　that　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland　ever　contended　for。

To　properly　understand　the　magnitude　and　importance　of　the　campaign　that　Rosecrans　was　now　entering　on；　it　is　necessary　that　the　topography　of　the　country　should　be　considered。　　The　position　of　our　army　after　the　Tullahoma　campaign　was　on　the　northwester　base　of　the　Cumberland　range；　in　camp　occupying　McMinnville；　Tullahoma；　Dechard；　and　Winchester；　with　Chattanooga　south　of　east。　　Immediately　in　front　was　the　first　great　barrier　in　the　advance　movementthe　Cumberland　Mountainsa　lofty　range　of　rocks　dividing　the　waters　flowing　into　the　Cumberland　and　Tennessee　Rivers。　　The　range　rises　far　to　the　north　and　extends　to　the　southwest　into　Alabama。　　North　of　Chattanooga　the　mountains　are　much　bolder；　more　difficult　to　cross；　with　almost　sheer　declivities　on　each　of　the　sides。

Beyond　the　main　range；　in　the　direct　road　to　Chattanooga；　running　south；　flows　the　Sequatchie　River　through　the　valley　of　that　name；　formed　by　another　range　jutting　off　slightly　to　the　east　from　the　main　range；　and　between　it　and　the　Tennessee　River。　　This　spur　is　known　by　the　name　of　Walling's　Ridge　＇NOTE　from　Brett　and　Bob：　This　is　probably　what　is　now　known　as　Walden's　Ridge　which　was　named　after　a　Mr。　Walling　or　Wallen　as　subsequently　described。　　This　Ridge　was　quite　sparsely　populated　with　an　estimate　of　11　families　at　the　time　of　the　civil　war；　so　it's　history　is　not　exactly　well　documented。　　Subsequent　references　use　Walling's　Ridge　to　be　consistent　with　the　original　text。＇；　after　an　early　settler　and　Indian　hunter。　　It　abuts　close　on　the　Tennessee　in　precipitous　rocky　bluffs。

South　of　the　Tennessee；　and　separated　from　the　mountain　ranges　north　by　this　river；　are　the　two　ranges　known　as　Sand　and　Lookout　Mountains。　　The　northern　extremity　of　the　former　is　called　Raccoon　Mountain。　　Here　the　river　cuts　its　channel　as　a　great　chasm　through　these　mountain　ranges；　so　sharply　defined　that　the　masses　abut　directly　upon　the　water　in　heavy　palisades　of　rock。

The　tops　of　all　these　mountain　ranges　are　of　poor　soil　but　generally　with　considerable　timber；　rough；　with　but　few　roads；　and　these　almost　impassable　for　wagons　and　nearly　destitute　of　water。　　The　western　slope　of　Sand　Mountain　reaches　nearly　to　the　Tennessee　River。　　Between　this　latter　range　and　Lookout　Mountain　is　Lookout　Valley　with　the　creek　of　that　name　flowing　through　it　into　the　Tennessee　a　short　distance　below　Chattanooga。　　This　valley　is　also　known　as　Wills　Valley；　and　at　that　time　was　traversed　by　a　railroad　branching　from　the　Nashville　road　at　Wauhatchie；　terminating　at　Trenton。

Beyond　this　was　Lookout　range；　2；400　feet　above　the　sea；　with　almost　perpendicular　sides；　heavily　wooded　and　with　little　water；　abutting　abruptly　on　the　Tennessee；　some　two　miles　south　of　the　town；　with　only　three　practical　wagon　roads　over　itone　close　to　the　river；　one　at　Johnson's　Crook；　and　the　third　at　Winston's　Gap；　twenty…six　and　forty…two　miles　respectively　south　of　Chattanooga。

To　the　east　of　Lookout　Mountain　is　Chattanooga　Valley　with　the　town　at　the　head　of　it　and　the　creek　of　that　name　flowing　through；　with　Dry　Creek　as　a　branch　emptying　its　waters　into　the　Tennessee　just　south　of　the　town。　　Beyond　this　to　the　east　is　Missionary　Ridge；　and　parallel　to　it　and　just　beyond　is　Chickamauga　Valley；　with　the　creek　of　that　name　running　through　it　emptying　into　the　river　above　Chattanooga；　formed　by　East；　Middle；　and　West　Chickamauga　Creeks；　uniting　with　Pea　Vine　Creek　between　the　latter　two　as　a　tributary。　　Chattanooga　and　West　Chickamauga　Creeks　have　a　common　source　in　McLemore's　Cove；　which　is　formed　by　Pigeon　Mountain　on　the　east；　jutting　to　the　north　as　a　spur　of　Lookout　Mountain；　with　the　latter　on　the　west；　Missionary　ridge　running　out　as　it　enters　this　cove。　　The　wagon　road　from　Chattanooga　to　Rome；　known　as　the　La　Fayette　road；　crosses　Missionary　Ridge　into　Chickamauga　Valley　at　Rossville　and　proceeds　thence　nearly　due　south；　crossing　Chickamauga　Creek　at　Lee　and　Gordon　Mills；　thence　to　the　east　of　Pigeon　Mountain；　passing　through　La　Fayette　some　twenty…two　miles　south　of　Chattanooga；　it　then　continues　on　to　Summerville；　within　twenty…five　miles　of　Rome；　and　so　on　to　the　latter　place。

Beyond　these　ranges　is　Taylor's　ridge；　with　a　number　of　lesser　ranges　between　it　and　the　Atlanta　Railroad；　running　through　Dalton。　Both　Pigeon　Mountain　and　Taylor's　Ridge　are　very　rough　mountain　ranges；　with　but　few　roads；　and　these　only　through　gaps。　　At　Dalton　is　the　junction　of　the　East　Tennessee　with　the　Atlanta　Railroad；　in　the　valley　of　the　head　waters　of　the　Coosa　River；　which　valley　is　here　some　ten　miles　wide　and　is　the　great　natural　passage…way　into　East　Tennessee　from　the　south。

To　follow　Bragg　to　Chattanooga　and　to　cross　the　Tennessee　above　that　place　involved　moving　the　army　either　to　the　north　of　the　Sequatchie　Valley　by　Dunlap　or　by　Therman　and　Walling's　Ridge；　some　sixty…five　to　seventy　miles　through　a　country　poorly　supplied　with　water；　with　no　forage；　and　by　narrow　and　difficult　wagon　roads。　　This　route　would　take　Rosecrans　further　away　from　his　base　of　supplies　and　line　of　communication　than　that　south　of　the　river。　　It　was　over　this　northern　route　that　Bragg　anticipated　the　onward　movement　of　the　Army　of　the　Cumberland。　　This　would　enable　him　to　make　a　protracted　defence　of　the　town　and　retard　the　advance　for　weeks；　if　not　months。　　But　Rosecrans's　plan　of　the　campaign　contemplated　a　much　more　hazardous　movement　and　a　far　speedier　one　for　the　possession　of　Chattanooga。　　To　accomplish　this；　however；　it　was　necessary　to　cross　the　Cumberland　Mountains　with　subsistence；　ammunition；　a　limited　supply　of　forage；　and　a　bridge　train；　then　to　cross　his　army　over　the　Tennessee　River；　after　that　over　Sand　or　Raccoon　Mountain　into　Lookout　Valley；　and　from　there　to　cross　Lookout　Mountain；　and　finally　the　lesser　rangesMissionary　Ridgeif　he　went　directly　to　Chattanooga；　or　to　cross　Missionary　Ridge；　Pigeon　Mountain；　and　Taylor's　Ridge；　if　he　struck　the　railroad　at　Dalton　or　south　of　it。　　This　involved　the　carrying　by　his　army　of　ammunition　for　two　great　battles　and　twenty…five　days'　subsistence。

As　soon　as　the　repairs　were　made　on　the　main　line　to　Stevenson；　Rosecrans　ordered　Sheridan's　division　to　make　an　advance　movement　with　two　brigades　to　Bridgeport　and　one　to　Stevenson。　　Van　Cleve　had　been　ordered　up　with　his　divisions　from　Murfreesboro　and　was　posted　at　McMinnville。　　On　August　8th；　stores　being　accumulated　at　the　front；　orders　were　issued　to　corps　commanders　to　supply　their　troops；　as　soon　as　possible；　with　rations　and　forage　sufficient　for　the　general　advance。

The　movement　over　the　Cumberland　Mountains　began　on　August　16th；　and　the　troops　were　ordered　to　move　as　follows：


〃Crittenden's　corps　in　three　columns　to　move　through　the　Sequatchie　Valley。　　Minty's　cavalry　to　move　on　the　left　by　Sparta；　and　after　covering　the　left　flank　of　Van　Cleve　to　proceed　to　Pikesville。

〃Thomas　to　move　Reynolds　and　Brannan　from　University　by　way　of　Battle　Creek；　where　they　were　to　take　post；　concealed　near　its　mouth。　　Negley　and　Baird　to　go　by　way　of　Tantallon　and　halt　on　Crow　Creek　between　Anderson　and　Stevenson。

〃McCook　to　move　Johnson　by　Salem　and　Larkin's　Ford　to　Bellefont。　Davis　by　Mount　Top　and　Crow　Creek　to　near　Stevenson。　　The　three　brigades　of　cavalry　by　Fayetteville　and　Athens　to　cover　the　line　of　the　Tennessee　from　Whitesburg　up。〃


These　orders　were　complied　with；　and　the　movements　completed　by　the　evening　of　August　20th。　　Crittenden　sent　Hazen's　brigade　on　a　reconnoissance　to　Harrison's　Landing；　where　he　found　the　enemy　throwing　up　works。　　On　the　next　day　Hazen　took　post　at　Poe's　cross…roads。　　Wilder　was　sent　to　reconnoitre　fr