the army of the cumberland-第45章

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　the　east　side　of　Chickamauga　Creek；　rode　over　there　and　delivered　his　message。　　Bragg；　impatient　at　the　delay；　proceeded　in　person　to　his　right　wing　and　there　found　the　troops　wholly　unprepared　for　the　movement。　　Messengers　were　sent　for　Polk　in　hot　haste；　and　on　his　reporting　he　was　urged　to　a　prompt　execution　of　his　orders　and　to　make　a　vigorous　attack　at　once。

During　the　night　our　troops　threw　up　temporary　breastworks　of　logs　and　rails。　　Behind　these　Thomas's　command　awaited　the　attack。　　After　Bragg　had　sent　for　Polk；　he　ordered　a　reconnoissance　in　his　front　on　the　extreme　left　of　our　line；　and　crossing　the　main　road　to　Chattanooga　developed　the　fact　that　this　position　so　greatly　desired　by　him　was　thus　feebly　held。　　At　half　past　eight　o'clock　the　rebel　attack　opened　on　our　left　with　skirmish　firing。　　Pushing　forward　with　a　heavy　line　of　skirmishers　to　develop　Baird's　position；　with　Breckenridge's　division　on　the　right　and　Cleburne　to　his　left；　the　rebels　made；　about　an　hour　late；　a　tremendous　assault。　　Beatty's　brigade　of　Negley's　division　being　now　in　line　on　Baird's　left；　received　the　full　force　of　the　blow　from　the　brigades　of　Adams　and　Stovall　on　the　right　of　Breckinridge's　division；　and　was　driven　back　in　disorder。　　Helm's　brigade　and　Cleburne's　division；　advancing　on　the　front　of　Baird；　encountered　the　troops　behind　their　breastworks　but　were　here　met　with　a　terrific　fire　of　canister　and　musketry；　and　their　advance　checked　so　thoroughly　that　it　was　not　regarded　as　safe　to　send　the　two　brigades　now　overlapping　Baird　to　attack　his　rear。　　These　brigades；　however；　had　reached　and　crossed　the　La　Fayette　road。　　Beatty　in　falling　back　was　relieved　by　several　regiments　of　Johnson's　division；　which　were　placed　in　position　by　Baird。　　These　regiments　were　joined　by　Van　Derveer's　brigade　of　Brannan's　division　and　a　portion　of　Stanley's　brigade　of　Negley's　division；　which　had　been　hurried　to　the　left　and　thrown　into　action。　These　forces　advancing　checked　the　assault　of　the　enemy　and　then　drove　him　entirely　from　Baird's　left　and　rear。　　Immediately　following　the　attack　on　Baird；　the　enemy's　assault；　being　taken　up　by　the　divisions　on　Breckinridge's　left；　pressed　on　and　struck　Johnson；　then　Palmer　and　Reynolds　successively　with　equal　fierceness；　maintaining　the　attack　for　two　hours；　the　enemy　in　repeated　assaults　bringing　fresh　troops　constantly　to　the　front　was　each　time　met　and　hurled　back　by　the　splendid　fighting　of　our　troops。　　Here　Bragg　exhausted　his　utmost　energies　to　drive　in　the　centre　and　to　dislodge　Thomas's　right；　and　failing　in　this　after　repeated　attacks　fell　back　and　occupied　his　old　position。

McCook；　early　in　the　morning；　on　going　to　the　front　found　that　Wood's　division；　not　having　the　battle…front　of　Negley's；　did　not　occupy　the　entire　of　the　rude　barricade　thrown　up　by　Negley's　troops；　and　that　portion　of　it　on　Wood's　right　was　not　occupied　by　any　of　our　forces。　　Wood；　on　meeting　McCook；　explained　to　him　that　his　left　was　well　protected；　resting　on　Brannan's　right；　and　that　his　orders　were　to　keep　well　closed　up　on　Brannan。　　On　the　right　of　this　gap　to　the　right　of　Wood；　McCook　had　posted　Wilder　with　his　brigade；　who　had　been　ordered　to　report　to　McCook　and　receive　orders　from　him。　　McCook　then　directed　Sheridan　to　bring　forward　one　of　his　brigades　and　occupy　with　it　the　space　between　Wood's　right　and　Wilder。　　As　McCook　started　to　leave　this　portion　of　the　line；　he　met　Davis's　division　marching　toward　this　vacant　space。　　Davis　was　directed　at　once　to　post　one　of　his　brigades　in　this　part　of　the　line；　holding　the　other　in　reserve。　　When　the　brigade　Sheridan　sent　arrived；　McCook　placed　it　in　column　as　support　to　Davis　on　his　right　and　rear。　　At　this　time　Thomas　again　reporting　that　he　needed　reinforcements　and　the　right　as　yet　not　being　actively　engaged；　Rosecrans　concluded　that　Bragg's　efforts　were　still　looking　to　the　possession　of　the　roads　on　our　left；　and　that　he　was　massing　his　troops　on　his　right；　thus　prolonging　his　line　on　that　flank。　　He　then；　at　10。10　A。M。；　ordered　McCook　to　withdraw　as　far　as　possible　the　force　on　the　right　and　reinforce　Thomas；　stating　that　〃the　left　must　be　held　at　all　hazards；　even　if　the　right　is　withdrawn　wholly　back　to　the　present　left。〃　　Five　minutes　after　the　receipt　of　this　order　McCook　received　one　dated　10。30　A。M。；　directing　him　to　send　two　brigades　of　Sheridan's　division　at　once　with　all　possible　dispatch　to　support　Thomas　and　to　send　the　third　brigade　as　soon　as　it　could　safely　be　withdrawn。　　McCook　immediately　sent　Lytle's　and　Walworth's　brigades　of　Sheridan's　division　on　the　double　quick　to　the　support　of　Thomas。

The　battle　increasing　in　fury　and　volume　was　gradually　approaching　the　centre　from　the　left；　but　Thomas　still　sustaining　the　brunt　of　the　fight　was　compelled　to　send　again　and　again　for　reinforcements。　Beatty's　and　Stanley's　brigades　of　Negley's　division　had　been　sent　from　the　right。　　Van　Derveer　with　his　brigade　of　Brannan's　division　also　reported。　　Barnes's　brigade　of　Van　Cleve's　division　had　also　been　ordered　to　Thomas；　and　now　the　two　of　Sheridan's　divisions　were　under　orders　to　proceed　to　the　left。　　About　this　time　Lieutenant…Colonel　Von　Schrader　of　Thomas's　staff；　who　had　been　riding　the　lines；　reported　to　Thomas　that　there　were　no　troops　on　Reynolds's　right；　and　a　long　gap　existed　between　Reynolds　and　Wood；　not　aware　that　Brannan's　division　although　not　in　front　line　was　still　in　position；　retired　in　the　woods　a　short　distance　back；　but　not　out　of　line。　　This　information　was　at　once　sent　by　Thomas　to　Rosecrans；　who　immediately　directed　Wood　to　close　up　the　line　on　Reynolds　and　support　him；　and　sent　word　to　Thomas　that　he　would　be　supported　if　it　required　all　of　McCook's　and　Crittenden's　corps　to　do　so。

On　receipt　of　this　orderimpossible　for　him　to　execute　literallyWood　undertook　to　carry　it　out　by　withdrawing　his　entire　command　from　the　front；　leaving　a　gap　of　two　brigades　in　the　line　of　battle；　moving　to　the　rear　past　Brannan's　division；　to　where　Reynolds　was　posted　in　line。　　Into　the　gap　thus　made　by　Wood；　Davis　attempted　to　throw　sufficient　force　to　hold　that　portion　of　the　line　thus　vacated；　by　posting　his　reserve　brigade。

Just　at　this　time　the　order　of　battle　on　the　enemy's　lines　had　reached　Longstreet's　command；　who；　seeing　this　gap；　ordered　his　troops；　formed　in　heavy　columns；　to　advance。　　Into　this　gap　there　poured　Stewart's；　Hood's；　Kershaw's；　Johnson's；　and　Hindman's　divisions；　dashing　impetuously　forward；　with　Preston's　large　division　as　supports。　　Our　right；　disabled　as　it　was；　was　speedily　turned；　the　line　of　battle　on　the　enemy's　front　extending　nearly　from　Brannan's　centre　to　a　point　far　to　the　right　of　the　Widow　Glenn's　house；　and　from　the　front　of　that　portion　of　the　line　Sheridan's　brigades　had　just　been　taken。　　McCook；　to　resist　this　fierce　assault；　had　only　Carlin's　and　Heg's　brigades　of　Davis's　division　and　Laibold's　brigade　of　Sheridan's　division。　　On　finding　the　rebel　troops　pressing　through　the　space　vacated　by　Wood；　McCook　ordered　Lytle　and　Walworth　to　change　front　and　return　to　assist　in　repelling　the　enemy。　　Wilder　and　Harrison　closed　in　on　Sheridan　with　their　commands　as　speedily　as　possible；　and　aided　in　resisting　the　enemy's　attack。　　Davis；　being　overpowered　by　the　immense　numbers　of　the　rebels；　was　compelled　to　retire　to　save　his　command。　　Laibold　was　in　turn　driven　back　in　confusion；　and　the　tide　of　battle　then　struck　Lytle　and　Walworth；　who　contended　nobly　against　the　overpowering　columns；　and　for　a　time　checked　the　advance　of　the　enemy　on　their　immediate　front。　　The　rebel　troops　swarming　in；　turned　the　left　of　these　brigades；　and　they　were　compelled　to　withdraw　to　escape　being　surrounded。　　At　this　point　the　gallant　Lytle　was　killed。　　Here　our　army　lost　several　thousand　prisoners；　forty　guns；　and　a　large　number　of　wagon…trains。

Once　more　the　right　of　the　army　was　broken　all　to　pieces；　and　five　brigades　of　that　wing　cut　off　entirely　from　the　rest　of　the　command。　In　the　meantime　Bragg；　determined　to　turn　Thomas's　left；　and　cut　him　off　from　Chattanooga；　was　making　his　preparations　for　a　second　assault　on　his　right　in　heavier　force。　　Bragg　directed　this　movement　in　person。　　Extending　his　right　by　moving　Breckinridge's