the army of the cumberland-第33部分

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he　line　of　march　of　the　infantry；　covering　the　left　flank。　　Crittenden　succeeded　during　the　day　in　effecting　a　concentration　of　his　command　at　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills；　which　point　Wilder's　brigade　reached　after　a　severe　skirmish　during　the　day　near　Leet's　tanyard；　where　he　lost　thirty　men　killed　and　wounded。　With　the　knowledge　that　Bragg　was　concentrating　his　forces　awaiting　reinforcements　behind　Pigeon　Mountain；　in　the　vicinity　of　La　Fayette；　and　that　his　own　army　was　scattered　a　distance　of　thirty　miles　from　flank　to　flankfrom　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills　to　AlpineRosecrans　felt　that　it　was　a　matter　of　life　and　death　to　effect　the　concentration　of　his　army　in　the　shortest　possible　space　of　time。

During　these　movements　of　the　army　under　Rosecrans；　what　was　Bragg　doing？　　On　August　20th；　the　movement　of　our　army　over　the　Cumberland　Mountains　was　reported　to　Bragg；　and　he　then　knew　that　he　might　look　for　an　immediate　advance。　　The　movement　of　our　army　across　the　Tennessee　was　also　reported　to　Bragg　by　his　scouts；　but　was　regarded　by　him　as　incredible。　　These　reports　were　soon　after　confirmed　by　the　news　that　our　cavalry　had　occupied　Trenton　and　had　advanced　up　the　Will's　Valley　Railroad　as　far　as　Wauhatchie；　within　seven　miles　of　Chattanooga；　as　a　covering　force　under　which　Rosecrans's　columns　of　infantry　were　advancing。　　Our　army　was　now　as　near　the　line　of　communication　of　the　rebel　army；　as　the　latter　was　to　the　line　to　Nashville；　and　with　less　risk　in　its　advance　movements　should　Bragg　commence　operations　to　the　north。　　Bringing　his　cavalry　forward　at　once；　Bragg　soon　ascertained　that　the　general　movement　of　our　army　was　toward　his　left　and　rear　in　the　direction　of　Dalton　and　Rome；　keeping　Lookout　Mountain　between　the　armies。　　He　then　determined　to　meet　our　army　as　its　columns　debouched　from　the　defiles　of　the　mountains。　　To　hold　Chattanooga　would　require　at　least　two　strong　divisions；　and　he　felt　that　his　force　would　not　permit　this　and　make　a　successful　attack　also。　　Bragg　put　his　army　in　motion　on　September　7th　and　8th；　and　took　up　position　from　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills　to　La　Fayette；　on　the　road　running　south　from　Chattanooga；　with　the　front　to　the　east　side　of　Lookout　Mountain；　and　on　the　east　bank　of　Chickamauga　Creek；　establishing　his　headquarters　at　the　former　place。

The　positions　of　our　detached　corps　was　fully　known　to　Bragg　on　the　8th。　　Learning　of　Negley's　movement　of　the　9th　into　McLemore's　cove；　Bragg　rightly　interpreted　it　to　mean　that　a　hurried　pursuit　was　being　made　after　his　force；　under　the　idea　that　he　was　in　full　retreat。　　With　his　own　force　concentrated　in　front　of　the　centre；　Bragg　at　once　saw　how　Rosecrans　had　exposed　the　corps　of　his　army　to　be　attacked　and　defeated　in　detail；　and　that　evening　he　gave　order　to　Hindman　to　prepare　his　division　to　move　against　Negley；　and　ordered　Hill　to　send　or　take　Cleburne's　division；　join　Hindman；　and　immediately　move　upon　Negley。　　On　receipt　of　these　orders；　Hill　replied　that　his　part　of　the　movement　was　impracticable；　as　Cleburne　was　sick；　and　that　both　gapsDug　and　Catlett'shad　been　closed　by　felling　timber　which　would　require　twenty…four　hours　to　remove。　　Hindman　having　marched　during　the　night　of　the　9th　some　ten　miles；　was　now　in　position；　some　three　miles　from　Negley　in　the　cove。　　Bragg　not　wishing　to　lose　so　favorable　an　opportunity　of　striking　his　opponent's　force；　ordered　Buckner　with　his　command　to　move　from　Anderson　and　join　Hindman　in　the　cove；　which　he　did　during　the　afternoon　of　the　10th。　　After　these　commands　had　united；　the　commanders　held　a　consultation　and　determined　that　a　change　in　the　plan　of　operations　should　be　made。　　Bragg　having　removed　his　headquarters　to　La　Fayette；　〃so　as　to　secure　more　prompt　and　decided　action　in　the　movements　ordered　against　the　enemy's　centre；〃　now　directed　Polk　to　send　his　remaining　division　to　support　Hindman　during　the　operations　in　the　cove。　　Despatching　an　officer　to　Bragg　with　a　report　as　to　this　change　of　plans；　Hindman　and　Cleburne　waited　his　return。　　Bragg　refused　to　make　any　change；　and　sent　a　verbal　order　to　Hindman　to　proceed　at　once　to　carry　out　his　previous　instruction。　　Bragg　at　the　same　time　sent　written　orders　by　courier　to　Hindman；　notifying　him　of　the　movements　of　our　forces；　that　Polk　had　been　directed　to　cover　his　rear；　and　ordered　him　to　attack　and　force　his　way　through　Negley　to　La　Fayette　at　the　earliest　hour　in　the　morning；　and　adds　〃Cleburne　will　attack　in　front　the　moment　your　guns　are　heard。〃　　Walker's　reserve　corps　was　also　ordered　to　move　promptly；　join　Cleburne's　division　at　Dug　Gap　and　unite　in　the　attack。　　All　obstructions　were　removed　from　Dug　and　Catlett's　Gaps；　and　Breckenridge's　division　of　Hill's　corps　was　kept　in　position　south　of　La　Fayette　to　check　any　movement　of　our　troops　from　that　direction；　thus　putting　30；000　troops　in　position　to　crush　Negley　and　Baird。　　Bragg　shortly　after　daylight　joined　Cleburne；　where　they　waited　nearly　all　day　for　Hindman's　guns　to　openwhen　Cleburne　was　to　attackon　the　flank　and　rear　of　Negley　and　Baird's　divisions。　　After　waiting　long　past　noon　in　great　anxiety　for　Hindman's　attack；　about　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　his　first　gun　was　heard。　　Cleburne　at　once　pressed　forward　and　discovered　that　Negley　had　fallen　back　to　Steven's　Gap。

Bragg；　finding　his　attempt　against　Thomas's　corps　a　failure；　then　determined　to　hurl　his　columns　upon　Crittenden's　divided　corps；　approaching　from　Chattanooga；　by　withdrawing　the　troops　engaged　in　the　movement　on　Thomas's　command　to　La　Fayette；　and　directing　Polk's　and　Walker's　corps　to　move　immediately　in　the　direction　of　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills。　　Bragg　knew　Crittenden's　corps　was　divided；　but　supposed　only　one　division　had　been　sent　to　Ringgold。　　At　six　o'clock　on　the　evening　of　the　12th；　Bragg　wrote　again　to　Polk；　notifying　him　of　Crittenden's　position　of　the　11th；　and　stated：　　〃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　others　are　yours。　　We　can　then　turn　on　the　force　in　the　cove。　　Wheeler's　cavalry　will　move　on　Wilder　so　as　to　cover　your　right。　　I　shall　be　delighted　to　hear　of　your　success。〃　　Later　in　the　evening　two　additional　orders　were　issued　to　Polk；　urging　him　to　attack　promptly　at　〃day…dawn；〃　on　the　13th；　that　our　army　was　concentrating；　and　that　it　should　be　quick　and　decided。〃　　At　eleven　o'clock　that　night　Polk　sent　a　dispatch　stating　that　he　had　taken　a　strong　position　for　defense　and　asked　that　he　be　heavily　re…enforced。　　Bragg　sent　him　an　immediate　order　not　to　defer　his　attack；　as　his　command　was　numerically　superior　to　the　opposing　force；　and　told　him　that　to　secure　success；　prompt　and　rapid　movements　on　his　part　were　necessary。　　Early　on　the　morning　of　the　13th；　Bragg；　at　the　head　of　Buckner's　command；　went　to　the　front；　and　found　no　advance　had　been　made　by　Polk　as　ordered；　and　that　Crittenden　had　united　his　forces　and　recrossed　the　Chickamauga。

Again　the　attempt　to　strike　our　army　in　detail　had　failed；　and　now　Bragg　gave　orders　to　his　commanders　to　concentrate　along　the　east　bank　of　Chickamauga　in　position　for　battle；　and　as　soon　as　his　reinforcements　under　Longstreet　from　Virginia　were　up　to　attack　with　the　entire　command。　　Wheeler；　with　two　divisions　of　cavalry　on　the　extreme　left；　was　ordered　to　engage　the　attention　of　Thomas　in　McLemore's　Cove；　covering　the　main　movement　of　the　rebel　army；　Forrest　with　his　own　and　Pegram's　divisions　of　cavalry　covered　the　right　and　front。　　Bragg　ordered　B。　R。　Johnson's　brigade　from　Ringgold；　where　he　had　been　stationed　protecting　the　railroad；　to　take　position　near　Reed's　bridge　on　the　extreme　right　of　his　line。　　Walker's　corps　was　then　formed　on　Johnson's　left；　opposite　Alexander's　Bridge。　　Buckner's　corps　was　formed　on　the　left　of　Walker；　near　Ledford's　Ford。　　Polk's　corps　was　placed　in　line　opposite　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills　on　Buckner's　left；　with　Hill　on　the　extreme　left。　　Two　brigades　that　had　just　arrived　from　Mississippi　were　placed　under　Johnson　on　the　right；　making　his　command　a　division　of　three　brigades　strong。　　To　this　division　in　the　earlier　movements　three　brigades　of　Longstreet's　corps　from　Virginia　were　temporarily　attached。　　On　the　18th；　Hood　reporting；　was　placed　in　command　of　this　column　on　the　right。

The　rebel　army　on　the　17th　were　in　position；　and　that　evening　Bragg　issued　his　orders　for　his　forces　to　cross　the　Chickamauga；　commencing　the　movement　at　six　o'clock　on　the　morning　of　the　18th。　Bragg's　plan　of　battle　for　the　18th　was　for　the　column　under　Johnsonlater　under　Hoodto　cross　in　force　at　Reed's　Bridge；　rapidly　turn　to　the　left　by　the　most　practicable　route；　and　sweep　up　the　Chickamauga　toward　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills。　　Walker's　corps　next　on　the　left；　crossing　at　Alexandria　Bridge；　was　to　unite　in　the　movement；　pressing　our　army　vigorously　on　flank　and　rear；　in　the　same　direction。　　Buckner；　crossing　at　Ledford's　Ford；　was　to　join　in　the　movement　to　the　left；　pressing　our　army　back　up　the　stream　from　Polk's　front。　　The　latter　to　push　forward　to　the　front　at　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills；　and　if　not　able　to　cross　there；　to　bear　to　the　right　and　cross　at　Dalton's　Ford　or　Alexander's　Bridge；　and　unite　in　the　attack　wherever　he　could　find　an　opposing　force。　Hill；　to　cover　the　left　flank　of　the　rebel　army　from　an　advance　by　our　forces　in　the　cove；　to　ascertain　by　pressing　his　cavalry　to　the　front　if　we　were　reinforcing　our　corps　at　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills；　and　if　so　to　attack　on　the　flank。　　This　plan　contemplated　the　destruction　of　the　left　of　our　army；　the　seizing　of　the　La　Fayette　road；　and；　if　possible；　occupying　and　holding　the　roads　in　Chattanooga　Valley；　cutting　off　all　access　from　Chattanooga。　　These　movements　were　not　executed　as　rapidly　as　was　contemplated　by　Bragg；　owing　to　the　resistance　made　by　our　cavalry　and　Wilder's　mounted　infantry；　and　the　difficulties　arising　from　bad　and　narrow　roads。　　Johnson　was　repeatedly　urged　to　commence　the　movement　on　the　right；　but　he　delayed　his　advance　until　late　in　the　afternoon；　when　Hood　arrived　and　effected　the　crossing。　　Walker　moved　up　to　Alexander's　Bridge；　at　which　point　Wilder　hotly　contested　his　crossing；　and　finally　broke　up　the　bridge。　　Walker　moved　down　the　creek　to　Byron's　Ford；　where