personal memoirs-1-第43章

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Chattanooga　for　the　twofold　purpose　of　holding　this　gateway　of　the

Cumberland　Mountains；　and　to　assume　a　defensive　attitude　which　would

enable　him　to　take　advantage　of　such　circumstances　as　might　arise　in

the　development　of　the　offensive　campaign　he　knew　we　must　make。　　The

peculiar　topography　of　the　country　was　much　to　his　advantage；　and

while　we　had　a　broad　river　and　numerous　spurs　and　ridges　of　the

Cumberland　Mountains　to　cross　at　a　long　distance　from　our　base；　he

was　backed　up　on　his　depots　of　supply；　and　connected　by　interior

lines　of　railway　with　the　different　armies　of　the　Confederacy；　so

that　he　could　be　speedily　reinforced。



Bridgeport　was　to　be　ultimately　a　sub…depot　for　storing　subsistence

supplies；　and　one　of　the　points　at　which　our　army　would　cross　the

Tennessee；　so　I　occupied　it　on　July　29　with　two　brigades；　retaining

one　at　Stevenson；　however；　to　protect　that　railway　junction　from

raids　by　way　of　Caperton's　ferry。　　By　the　29th　of　August　a

considerable　quantity　of　supplies　had　been　accumulated；　and　then

began　a　general　movement　of　our　troops　for　crossing　the　river。　　As

there　were　not　with　the　army　enough　pontoons　to　complete　the　two

bridges　required；　I　was　expected　to　build　one　of　them　of　trestles；

and　a　battalion　of　the　First　Michigan　Engineers　under　Colonel　Innis

was　sent　me　to　help　construct　the　bridge。　　Early　on　the　3ist　I　sent

into　the　neighboring　woods　about　fifteen　hundred　men　with　axes　and

teams；　and　by　nightfall　they　had　delivered　on　the　riverbank　fifteen

hundred　logs　suitable　for　a　trestle　bridge。　　Flooring　had　been

shipped　to　me　in　advance　by　rail；　but　the　quantity　was　insufficient；

and　the　lack　had　to　be　supplied　by　utilizing　planking　and　weather…

boarding　taken　from　barns　and　houses　in　the　surrounding　country。　　The

next　day　Innis's　engineers；　with　the　assistance　of　the　detail　that

had　felled　the　timber；　cut　and　half…notched　the　logs；　and　put　the

bridge　across；　spanning　the　main　channel；　which　was　swimming　deep；

with　four　or　five　pontoons　that　had　been　sent　me　for　this　purpose。

On　the　2d　and　3d　of　September　my　division　crossed　on　the　bridge　in

safety；　though　we　were　delayed　somewhat　because　of　its　giving　way

once　where　the　pontoons　joined　the　trestles。　　We　were　followed　by　a

few　detachments　from　other　commands；　and　by　nearly　all　the

transportation　of　McCook's　corps。



After　getting　to　the　south　side　of　the　Tennessee　River　I　was　ordered

to　Valley　Head；　where　McCook's　corps　was　to　concentrate。　　On　the　4th

of　September　I　ascended　Sand　Mountain；　but　had　got　only　half　way

across　the　plateau；　on　top；　when　night　came；　the　march　having　been　a

most　toilsome　one。　　The　next　day　we　descended　to　the　base；　and

encamped　near　Trenton。　　On　the　l0th　I　arrived　at　Valley　Head；　and

climbing　Lookout　Mountain；　encamped　on　the　plateau　at　Indian　Falls。

The　following　day　I　went　down　into　Broomtown　Valley　to　Alpine。

The　march　of　McCook's　corps　from　Valley　Head　to　Alpine　was　in

pursuance　of　orders　directing　it　to　advance　on　Summerville；　the

possession　of　which　place　would　further　threaten　the　enemy's

communications；　it　being　assumed　that　Bragg　was　in　full　retreat

south；　as　he　had　abandoned　Chattanooga　on　the　8th。　　This　assumption

soon　proved　erroneous；　however；　and　as　we；　while　in　Broomtown　Valley；

could　not　communicate　directly　with　Thomas's　corps；　the　scattered

condition　of　the　army　began　to　alarm　us　all；　and　McCook　abandoned　the

advance　to　Summerville；　ordering　back　to　the　summit　of　Lookout

Mountain　such　of　the　corps　trains　as　had　got　down　into　Broomtown

Valley。



But　before　this　I　had　grown　uneasy　in　regard　to　the　disjointed

situation　of　our　army；　and；　to　inform　myself　of　what　was　going　on；

determined　to　send　a　spy　into　the　enemy's　lines。　　In　passing　Valley

Head　on　the　l0th　my　scout　Card；　who　had　been　on　the　lookout　for　some

one　capable　to　undertake　the　task；　brought　me　a　Union　man　with　whom

he　was　acquainted；　who　lived　on　Sand　Mountain；　and　had　been　much

persecuted　by　guerrillas　on　account　of　his　loyal　sentiments。　　He　knew

the　country　well；　and　as　his　loyalty　was　vouched　for　I　asked　him　to

go　into　the　enemy's　camp；　which　I　believed　to　be　near　Lafayette；　and；

bring　me　such　information　as　he　could　gather。　　He　said　such　a　journey

would　be　at　the　risk　of　his　life；　and　that　at　best　he　could　not

expect　to　remain　in　that　section　of　country　if　he　undertook　it；　but

that　he　would　run　all　the　chances　if　I　would　enable　him　to　emigrate

to　the　West　at　the　end　c　f　the　〃job；〃　which　I　could　do　by　purchasing

the　small　〃bunch〃　of　stock　he　owned　on　the　mountain。　　To　this　I

readily　assented；　and　he　started　on　the　delicate　undertaking。　　He

penetrated　the　enemy's　lines　with　little　difficulty；　but　while

prosecuting　his　search　for　information　was　suspected；　and　at　once

arrested　and　placed　under　guard。　　From　this　critical　situation　he

escaped；　however；　making　his　way　through　the　enemy's　picket…line　in

the　darkness　by　crawling　on　his　belly　and　deceiving　the　sentinels　by

imitating　the　grunts　of　the　half…wild；　sand…colored　hogs　with　which

the　country　abounded。　　He　succeeded　in　reaching　Rosecrans's

headquarters　finally；　and　there　gave　the　definite　information　that

Bragg　intended　to　fight；　and　that　he　expected　to　be　reinforced　by

Longstreet。



By　this　time　it　was　clear　that　Bragg　had　abandoned　Chattanooga　with

the　sole　design　of　striking　us　in　detail　as　we　followed　in　pursuit；

and　to　prevent　his　achieving　this　purpose　orders　came　at　12　o'clock；

midnight；　for　McCook　to　draw　in　toward　Chattanooga。　　This　could　be

done　only　by　recrossing　Lookout　Mountain；　the　enemy's　army　at

Lafayette　now　interposing　between　us　and　Thomas's　corps。　　The

retrograde　march　began　at　once。　　I　moved　back　over　the　mountain　on

the　13th　and　14th　to　Stevens's　Mills；　and　on　the　15th　and　16th

recrossed　through　Stevens's　Gap；　in　the　Lookout　range；　and　encamped

at　its　base　in　McLamore's　cove。　　The　march　was　made　with　all　possible

celerity；　for　the　situation　was　critical　and　demanded　every　exertion。

The　ascent　and　descent　of　the　mountains　was　extremely　exhausting；　the

steep　grades　often　rendering　it　necessary　to　drag　up　and　let　down　by

hand　both　the　transportation　and　artillery。　　But　at　last　we　were　in

conjunction　with　the　main　army；　and　my　division　breathed　easier。



On　the　17th　I　remained　in　line　of　battle　all　day　and　night　in　front

of　McLamore's　cove；　the　enemy　making　slight　demonstrations　against　me

from　the　direction　of　Lafayette。　　The　main　body　of　the　army　having

bodily　moved　to　the　left　meanwhile；　I　followed　it　on　the　18th；

encamping　at　Pond　Spring。　　On　the　19th　I　resumed　the　march　to　the

left　and　went　into　line　of　battle　at　Crawfish　Springs　to　cover　our

right　and　rear。　　Immediately　after　forming　this　line；　I　again　became

isolated　by　the　general　movement　to　the　left；　and　in　consequence　was

directed　to　advance　and　hold　the　ford　of　Chickamauga　Creek　at　Lee　and

Gordon's　Mills；　thus　coming　into　close　communication　with　the　balance

of　our　forces。　　I　moved　into　this　position　rapidly；　being　compelled；

though；　first　to　drive　back　the　enemy's　cavalry　skirmishers；　who；

having　crossed　to　the　west　side　of　the　creek；　annoyed　the　right　flank

of　my　column　a　good　deal　while　en　route。



Upon　arrival　at　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills　I　found　the　ford　over

Chickamauga　Creek　temporarily　uncovered；　through　the　hurried　movement

of　Wood　to　the　assistance　of　Davis's　division。　　The　enemy　was　already

present　in　small　force；　with　the　evident　intention　of　taking

permanent　possession；　but　my　troops　at　once　actively　engaged　him　and

recovered　the　ford　with　some　slight　losses。　　Scarcely　had　this　been

done　when　I　was　directed　to　assist　Crittenden。　　Leaving　Lytle's

brigade　at　the　ford；　I　proceeded　with　Bradley's　and　Laiboldt's　to

help　Crittenden；　whose　main　line　was　formed　to　the　east　of　the

Chattanooga　and　Lafayette　road；　its　right　trending　toward　a　point　on

Chickamauga　Creek　about　a　mile　and　a　half　north　of　Lee　and　Gordon's

Mills。　　By　the　time　I　had　joined　Crit