the army of the cumberland-第44章

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full　force；　supported　by　Cheatham；　assaulted　Johnson　first　and　then　Baird　with　tremendous　force。　　The　onset　was　so　determined　that　some　confusion　in　the　line　resulted；　but　in　a　few　minutes　our　troops　rallied　and　the　enemy　was　repulsed　in　fine　style。　　This　conflict　lasted　for　some　time　after　dark　with　heavy　losses　on　both　sides；　the　heavy　firing　lighting　up　the　struggle。　　At　this　point　our　artillery　was　again　used　with　good　effect。　　Wilder's　brigade　had　occupied　a　position　during　the　day　on　the　La　Fayette　road　about　a　mile　north　of　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills；　with　Minty　close　by。　　The　latter　was　now　ordered　to　report　to　Granger　at　Rossville；　to　hold　in　check　the　enemy's　cavalry　operating　on　their　right。　　Granger；　with　his　reserves　protected　the　roads　to　the　rear　toward　Rossville　and　covered　our　left　flank。

With　night　the　fighting　ceased；　and　the　troops；　worn　out　after　the　marching　of　the　night　beforemoving　from　the　right　to　the　extreme　leftand　the　heavy　fighting　of　the　day；　slept　on　their　arms；　awaiting　the　heavier　conflict　of　the　morrow。　　Though　weary；　the　troops　were　in　most　excellent　spirits；　and　confident　of　final　victory。　　It　was　known　throughout　the　army　that　we　had　been　fighting　during　the　day　largely　superior　forces。　　That　Bragg　had　been　heavily　re…enforced　from　Mississippi　and　East　Tennessee；　and　by　Longstreet's　command　from　Virginia；　and　that　the　enemy　was　fighting　most　desperately。　Bragg's　great　aim　had　been　to　conceal　his　main　attack　on　our　left　by　the　feint　on　the　centre；　and　supposed　that　our　centre　on　the　morning　of　the　19th　was　still　at　Lee　and　Gordon's　Mills。　　Presuming　this　to　be　the　case；　Bragg　had　massed　heavily　on　our　left；　intending　to　repeat　his　movement　made　on　our　right　at　Murfreesboro。　　His　plan　contemplated　the　breaking　of　our　left；　sweeping　it　before　him　in　broken　masses；　crushing　our　centre；　and　destroying　our　right；　and　then　occupying　the　road　to　Chattanooga　in　force　he　would　have　the　Federal　army　completely　in　his　power。　　The　movement　made　by　Croxton　compelled　Bragg　to　open　the　battle　in　heavy　force　on　the　left；　before　his　troops　had　secured　the　positions　assigned　them；　and　then；　to　his　surprise；　he　found　that　during　the　night　our　left　had　been　greatly　prolonged；　and　that　Rosecrans　was　in　force；　occupying　a　position　far　to　the　north　of　what　he　had　been　led　to　expect。　　During　the　night　Bragg　ordered　up　by　forced　marches　all　reinforcements　arriving　by　railroad。　　Three　brigades　of　fresh　troops　reached　the　enemy　during　the　night；　and　were　placed　in　line　early　in　the　morning　of　the　20th。　　These；　with　the　troops　ordered　late　the　day　before　from　the　east　bank　of　the　Chickamauga；　gave　Bragg　a　large　number　of　fresh　troops；　which　he　placed　in　line　of　battle　on　the　20th。　During　the　night　Bragg　summoned　his　generals　to　meet　him　at　his　camp　fire；　and　there　gave　them　orders　for　the　following　day。　　He　divided　his　entire　force　into　two　commands；　to　which　he　assigned　his　senior　Lieutenant…Generals　Longstreet　and　Polk。　　The　formerwho　had　reported　during　the　nightto　the　left；　composed　of　six　divisions　where　his　own　troops　were　stationed；　and　the　latter　continuing　in　his　command　of　five　divisions　on　the　right。　　Bragg's　plan　of　battle　for　the　20th　was　for　Polk　to　assault　in　force；　with　Breckinridge's　division　on　his　extreme　right　at　day…dawn；　when　the　attack　was　to　be　taken　up　rapidly　in　succession　by　the　divisions　to　his　left。　The　left　wing　was　to　await　the　movement　on　the　right；　and　when　the　attack　was　made　there　to　take　it　up　promptly。　　When　the　entire　line　became　engaged　it　was　to　move　forward　vigorously　and　persistently　throughout　its　entire　length；　the　whole　army　wheeling　on　Longstreet's　left　as　a　pivot；　but　constantly　pressing　our　left　to　get　possession　of　the　road　to　Chattanooga。

The　battle　of　the　19th　was　a　series　of　brilliant　charges　and　counter…charges；　in　favor　of　first　one　side　and　then　the　other。　During　the　day　our　troops；　at　times　broken　and　driven　by　the　enemy；　always　promptly　rallied　and　drove　the　rebels　in　disorder　to　their　lines　by　brilliant　and　effective　dashes；　moving　to　the　attack　with　vigor　and　determination。　　In　the　main　the　results　of　the　day　were　in　our　favor。　　Bragg　had　been　forced　to　fight　before　he　was　in　position；　and　had　been　foiled　in　his　attempt　to　secure　the　roads；　which　on　the　evening　of　the　19th　remained　even　more　securely　in　our　possession　than　before；　fully　protected　on　both　flanks　by　our　cavalry。　　As　this　was　the　object　of　the　severe　conflict　of　the　19th；　that　day's　fighting　was　a　success　for　our　arms；　both　the　Rossville　and　the　Dry　Valley　roads　being　firmly　held　by　our　troops　that　night。

But　the　battle　was　not　yet　over。　　During　the　night　Rosecrans　assembled　his　corps　commanders　at　his　headquarters　at　the　Widow　Glenn's　house；　and　after　a　consultation　with　them　on　the　state　and　condition　of　their　commands；　gave　orders　for　the　disposition　and　movements　of　the　troops　for　the　next　day。　　The　divisions　of　Thomas's　corps；　with　those　which　had　re…enforced　him；　to　hold　the　road　to　Rossville；　in　the　same　position　as　then　occupied　by　them　in　line　of　battle；　with　Brannan　in　reserve。　　McCook；　with　Sheridan's　and　Davis's　divisions　was　to　maintain　his　picket　line　until　it　was　attacked　and　driven　back。　　His　left　divisionDavis'swas　to　close　on　Thomas；　and　to　have　his　right　refused　covering　the　position　at　Widow　Glenn's　house。　　Crittenden　was　to　hold　two　divisions；　Wood's　and　Van　Cleve's；　in　reserve　near　where　the　line　of　McCook　and　Thomas　joined　to　reinforce　the　front　line　as　needed。

During　the　night　Thomas　received　word　from　Baird　on　the　extreme　left；　that　the　left　of　his　division　did　not　reach　the　road　to　Reed's　Ridge；　as　had　been　anticipated。　　Thomas　immediately　requested　that　Negley's　division　be　ordered　to　report　to　him　to　take　position　on　Baird's　left　and　rear；　securing　this　flank　from　assault。　　At　daylight　Rosecrans；　riding　the　line；　ordered　Negley　to　join　Thomas　at　once；　and　directed　McCook　to　relieve　Negley；　who　was　on　the　front　line。　He　also　ordered　McCook　to　adjust　his　right；　as　it　was　too　far　out　on　the　crest；　and　to　move　Davis's　division　to　the　left；　and　close　it　up　compactly。　　Crittenden　was　also　directed　to　move　his　two　divisions　to　the　left　and　Palmer；　on　Thomas's　line；　was　instructed　to　close　up　his　front。　　On　reaching　the　left　Rosecrans　was　convinced　that　the　first　attack　would　be　made　on　that　flank；　and　returned　at　once　to　the　right　to　hurry　Negley　over　to　Thomas。　　Arriving　there　he　found　that　this　division　had　not　moved；　and　that　McCook's　troops　were　not　ready　to　relieve　him。　　Negley　was　then　ordered　to　send　his　reserve　brigade　under　John　Beatty；　and　to　follow　with　the　other　two　when　relieved　from　the　front。　　Impatient　at　McCook's　delay　in　relieving　Negley；　and　anticipating　momentarily　the　attack　of　the　enemy　on　our　left；　Rosecrans　ordered　Crittenden　to　move　Wood's　division　to　the　front；　to　fill　the　position　occupied　by　Negley　of　which　McCook　was　notified　by　Rosecrans　in　person。　　Rosecrans；　when　first　at　McCook's　line；　was　greatly　dissatisfied　with　McCook's　position。　　He　now　called　McCook's　attention　to　the　defects　in　his　line；　that　it　was　too　light；　and　that　it　was　weakened　by　being　too　much　strung　out；　and　charged　him　to　keep　well　closed　up　on　the　left　at　all　hazards。　　Leaving　McCook；　Rosecrans　then　returned　to　Negley；　and　found　to　his　surprise　that　the　brigades　in　front　had　not　yet　been　relieved　and　started　to　Thomas　after　his　repeated　orders；　as　Wood's　division　had　only　reached　the　position　of　Negley's　reserve。　　Greatly　irritated　at　this；　Rosecrans　gave　preemptory　orders　and　Wood's　division　was　at　once　placed　in　front；　closed　up　on　the　right　of　Brannan。

A　heavy　fog　hung　over　the　battlefield　during　the　early　morning。　Bragg；　before　daylight　with　his　staff；　took　position　immediately　in　the　rear　of　the　centre　of　his　line；　and　waited　for　Polk　to　begin　the　attack；　waiting　until　after　sunrise　with　increasing　anxiety　and　disappointment。　　Bragg　then　sent　a　staff　officer　to　Polk　to　ascertain　and　report　as　to　the　cause　of　the　delay；　with　orders　urging　him　to　a　prompt　and　speedy　attack。　　Polk　was　not　found　with　his　troops；　and　the　staff　officer　learning　that　he　had　spent　the　night　on　the　east　side　of　Chickamauga　Creek；　rode　over　there　and　delivered　his　message。　　Bragg；　impatient　at