the army of the cumberland-第43章

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Brannan　to　post　a　brigade　on　the　road　to　Alexander's　Bridge　as　support　to　Baird；　and　with　his　other　brigades　to　reconnoitre　the　road　to　Reed's　Bridge　in　search　of　this　brigade　of　the　enemy。　　Brannan　moved　at　nine　o'clock　A。M。；　and　Baird；　under　orders　from　Thomas；　threw　forward　his　right　wing　so　as　to　get　into　line　with　Brannan。　Baird　was　also　ordered　to　keep　a　sharp　outlook　on　his　right　flank　and　watch　the　movements　of　the　enemy　in　that　quarter。　　Shortly　after　these　movements　a　part　of　Palmer's　division　reported　to　Thomas　and　was　placed　in　position　on　the　right　of　Baird。　　Rosecrans；　when　he　sent　Thomas　to　the　leftthe　critical　pointtold　him　that　he　was　to　hold　the　road　to　Rossville；　and　if　hard　pressed；　that　he　should　be　re…enforced　with　the　entire　army。

Under　Bragg's　orders；　Walker's　corps　on　the　18th　crossed　the　west　side　of　Chickamauga　a　little　below　Alexander's　Bridge　and　then　moved　up　the　stream　opposite　this　point。　　Bushrod　Johnson's　command　the　same　day　crossed　at　Reed's　bridge；　and　then　marched　up　the　stream　some　three　miles　and　took　position　on　the　morning　of　the　19th。　Walker　resumed　his　movement　to　his　left　up　the　stream；　under　the　impression　that　our　centre　was　still　at　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills；　Bragg's　plan　being　to　mass　Walker's　and　Johnson's　commands　and　attack　our　left　flank。　　The　advance　movement　of　Brannan's　division；　Croxton's　brigade　in　front；　about　ten　o'clock　encountered　the　enemy；　being　the　cavalry　under　Forrest　with　Wilson's　and　Ector's　brigades　of　infantry；　and　drove　them　nearly　half　a　mile；　when　it　met　with　obstinate　resistance。　　This　reconnoissance　of　Brannan　in　pursuit　of　the　brigade　reported　by　Dan。　McCook　developed　the　relative　position　of　the　opposing　contending　forces；　which　up　to　this　time　was　unknown　to　the　respective　commanders　of　each。　　It　gave　to　Bragg　the　knowledge　that　his　right　was　greatly　overlapped　by　Thomas　on　our　left；　and　that　his　flank　was　in　danger　of　being　turned。　　It　compelled　him　at　once　to　halt　Walker's　command　on　its　march；　and　to　direct　it　to　retrace　its　steps　and　reinforce　Forrest；　now　engaged　with　Croxton；　whose　movement　brought　on　the　battle　of　Chickamauga　before　Bragg　had　his　troops　in　the　position　ordered。

Thomas　then　ordered　Baird's　division　forward　to　Croxton's　support。　Moving　at　once　with　two　brigades　on　the　front；　with　Starkweather's　in　reserve；　Baird　and　Croxton　drove　the　enemy　steadily　for　some　distance　with　great　loss；　capturing　many　prisoners。　　Croxton's　brigade　having　exhausted　its　ammunition　in　the　severe　fighting　of　over　an　hour；　was　then　moved　to　the　rear；　and　Brannan's　and　Baird's　divisions　with　united　forces　drove　the　enemy　from　their　immediate　front。　　Here　the　line　was　halted　and　readjusted。　　Baird　learning　from　his　prisoners　that　the　rebel　army　was　in　heavy　force　on　his　immediate　front；　gathering　for　an　attack　in　mass；　drew　back　his　right　wing　and　waited　the　assault　of　Bragg's　right　on　his　line；　which　was　made　in　heavy　force　by　Walker；　who　had　reached　his　new　position。　　Before　Baird　had　completed　the　reforming　of　his　line；　Walker's　corps；　in　overwhelming　numbers　was　upon　him；　assaulting　Scribner's　and　King's　brigades；　and　driving　them　back　in　disorder。

McCook；　early　on　the　morning　of　the　19th；　had　taken　position　with　his　corps　at　Crawfish　Spring；　and　was　now　beyond　the　extreme　left　of　the　rebel　army；　massing　his　troops　at　this　point　and　waiting　for　orders。　　At　a　little　after　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning　he　was　directed　to　take　command　of　the　right　and　the　cavalry　on　that　flank。　This　included　Negley's　division　of　the　Fourteenth　Corps；　which　was　watching　the　fords　of　Chickamauga　near　Crawfish　Spring；　one　brigade　of　his　command　being　then　engaged　with　the　enemy。　　The　same　order　directed　McCook　to　send　Johnson's　divisions　to　the　left　to　report　to　Thomas；　and　following　this　came　another　one　from　Rosecrans　directing　McCook　to　send　Davis's　division　also　to　Thomas。　　On　Baird　being　driven　back；　General　Thomas　ordered　Johnson's　and　Reynolds's　division　of　his　own　corpsboth　of　whom　had　opportunely　arrived　by　this　timeimmediately　to　advance　and　drive　the　enemy　back。　　Johnson　arriving　first　was　ordered　at　once　to　advance　his　left；　connecting　with　Baird's　right；　Palmer　was　immediately　placed　on　Johnson's　right　and　Reynolds　still　to　the　right　of　Palmer；　with　one　brigade　of　his　division　in　reserve。　　As　soon　as　the　line　was　thus　formed　the　troops　advanced；　attacking　Walker's　corps　on　the　flank　with　great　vigor；　driving　it　in　confusion　back　to　its　first　position；　while　Brannan's　division；　fighting　them　on　the　front；　drove　back　the　head　of　the　column　and　retook　the　artillery　which　had　been　captured　from　Baird　when　he　was　driven　back。　　Bragg　then　ordered　up　Cheatham's　division；　which　had　been　in　reserve；　reinforcing　Walker。　　With　these　two　commands　united；　the　rebels　pressed　forward　with　loud　yells；　determined　on　the　destruction　of　our　left。　　As　these　two　commands　advanced；　a　gap　was　made　in　their　lines；　into　which　Bragg　threw　Stewart's　division。　　As　they　encountered　our　line；　these　troops　moved　forward。　　Striking　Johnson　first；　they　drove　him　from　his　position　in　disorder；　then　Palmer　was　compelled　to　retire；　when　Van　Cleve　coming　to　his　support　was　also　beaten　back。　　Reynolds　then　in　turn　was　overpowered　and　the　rebels　seemed　to　be　sweeping　every　thing　before　them　as　at　Stone's　River。　　By　this　time　Davis　had　reported　with　his　division；　and　moving　at　once　to　the　front　checked　the　rebel　advance；　when　Wood　coming　up　to　his　assistance；　our　lines　were　reformed；　and　Cheatham's；　Stewart's；　and　Walker's　troops　were　driven　in　rapid　retreat　back　to　their　original　line。　　Sheridan；　under　orders；　had　left　Lytle's　brigade　to　hold　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills　on　our　extreme　right；　and　moved　to　our　left　in　support　of　the　new　line　near　Wood's　and　Davis's　divisions。　　He　reached　the　position　opportunely　and　aided　in　driving　back　the　rebels；　Bradley's　brigade　recapturing　the　Eighth　Indiana　battery　previously　taken　by　the　enemy。　　A　large　number　of　prisoners　were　captured　belonging　to　Longstreet's　corps。

Bragg；　finding　that　his　plan　of　battle　was　discovered　by　his　opponent；　and　that　the　latter　intended　to　dispute　to　the　end　for　the　possession　of　the　Rossville　and　Chattanooga　road；　ordered　Polk　to　cross　the　creek　with　his　remaining　division　at　the　nearest　ford　and　to　assume　command　in　person　on　their　right。　　Hill　with　his　corps　was　also　ordered　to　move　across　the　Chickamauga　below　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills　and　to　join　the　line　on　the　right。

The　rebels　made　another　desperate　assault　at　about　half　past　two　o'clock　on　our　right。　　Hood's　corps；　with　Bushrod　Johnson's　division　from　the　enemy's　centre；　moved　forward　in　heavy　masses；　assaulting　furiously　Reynolds's　and　Van　Cleve's　divisions。　　Here　they　met　with　fearful　loss　from　the　heavy　infantry　and　artillery　fire；　portions　of　six　batteries　opening　with　canister　on　their　advancing　columns；　but　still　on　they　came。　　Soon　the　roar　of　battle　was　heard　approaching　near　to　the　Widow　Glenn's　house；　where　Rosecrans's　headquarters　were。　　Our　right　centre　now　was　pierced　and　the　enemy　was　on　the　La　Fayette　road。　　Negley；　from　the　right　under　McCook；　was　immediately　ordered　up　with　his　division；　Brannan　from　Thomas's　left　joining　him。　　These　two　divisions　were　at　once　sent　in　to　the　fight。　　Moving　rapidly　forward　to　the　attack；　with　cheer　on　cheer；　they　hurled　back　Hood　and　Johnson；　steadily　driving　them　until　darkness　ended　the　combat；　our　troops　re…occupying　their　old　positions。

Thomas；　wishing　to　reform　his　lineswhich　had　become　greatly　extended　in　driving　the　rebelsand　concentrate　them　on　more　commanding　ground　in　the　rear　preparatory　to　the　engagement　to　be　renewed　on　the　morrow；　selected　a　new　position　for　Baird's　and　Johnson's　divisions；　the　former　on　the　extreme　left。　　These　positions　were　designated　to　them　and　were　occupied　at　once。　　Palmer　and　Reynolds　were　ordered　into　position　in　line　on　the　right　of　Johnson；　with　Brannan　to　the　rear　and　right　of　Reynolds　as　reserve。　　While　these　movements　were　being　made；　Cleburne　with　his　fresh　division　of　Hill's　corps；　who　had　been　ordered　to　the　extreme　right　by　Bragg；　under　orders　to　attack　immediately；　advancing　in　full　force；　supported　by　Cheatham；　assaulted　Johnson　first　and　then　Baird　with　tremendous　force。　　Th