the army of the cumberland-第54章

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　the　Tennessee　River；　opposite　the　mouth　of　Chickamauga　Creek；　where　they　were　to　cross　on　a　pontoon　bridge　to　be　swung　there　under　the　supervision　of　W。　F。　Smith；　and　the　crossing　of　the　troops　to　be　protected　by　batteries　under　Brannon；　Thomas's　Chief　of　Artillery。　　After　crossing　the　river；　Sherman　was　to　move　rapidly　forward；　carrying　the　heights　on　the　north　end　of　Missionary　Ridge　as　far　as　the　tunnel；　if　possible；　before　the　enemy　could　concentrate　on　his　front；　Thomas　was　to　concentrate　all　his　troops　in　Chattanooga　Valley　on　his　left　flank；　leaving　on　the　necessary　force　to　defend　the　fortifications　on　his　right　and　centre　and　to　hold　a　movable　column　of　one　division　to　move　wherever　needed。　　This　division　was　to　make　a　show　of　threatening　Bragg's　forces　up　the　valley。　　Thomas　was　then　to　effect　a　junction　with　Sherman；　co…operate　with　him；　advancing　his　left　and　moving　forward　as　nearly　simultaneously　as　possible；　and　support　him。　　Hooker　on　the　right　in　Lookout　Valley；　was　to　hold　that　position　with　Geary's　division　and　two　brigades　under　Cruft　from　the　Fourth　Army　Corps；　ordered　to　report　to　him。　　Howard；　on　Friday；　the　20th；　was　ordered　with　his　corps　to　take　position　on　the　north　side　of　the　Tennessee；　opposite　Chattanooga；　near　the　pontoon　bridge；　and　hold　himself　in　readiness　to　move　to　Thomas's　front　or　to　co…operate　with　Sherman　as　needed。　　Colonel　Eli　Long　with　his　brigade　of　cavalry　was　directed　to　report　by　noon　on　Saturday；　the　21st；　at　Chattanooga；　to　cover　Sherman's　left　flank；　and　if　not　further　required　by　Sherman　he　was　then　to　cross　the　Chickamauga；　make　a　raid　on　the　enemy's　line　of　communication　in　the　rear；　doing　as　much　damage　as　he　could。

Sherman　made　his　movement　with　his　troops　from　Bridgeport　though　Whitesides。　　Sending　his　leading　division　under　Ewing　up　Lookout　Valley；　to　make　a　feint　on　the　left　flank　of　the　rebel　army　in　the　direction　of　Trenton；　he　crossed　his　others　at　Brown's　Ferry　and　marched　up　the　north　bank　of　the　river　to　the　mouth　of　South　Chickamauga　Creek。　　Here　they　kept　concealed　in　the　woods　from　the　enemy　until　they　were　ready　to　effect　their　crossing。　　Owing　to　heavy　rains　and　the　state　of　the　roads；　Sherman　was　able　to　have　but　one　division；　under　John　E。　Smith；　in　position　by　the　21st　and　Grant　delayed　his　plans　of　battle　to　give　him　additional　time。　Sherman　on　the　21st　moved　his　second　division　under　Morgan　L。　Smith　over　the　bridge　at　Brown's　Ferry；　and　on　the　23d；　after　many　repairs　to　the　bridge；　rendered　necessary　by　the　swollen　stream　and　the　raft　of　logs　sent　down　the　river　by　the　rebels；　Ewing's　division　also　got　safely　across。　　Sherman's　fourth　division　under　Osterhaus　was　not　able　on　the　23d　to　cross；　and　this　division　was　then　ordered；　in　the　event　of　not　being　able　to　cross　by　eight　A。M。　the　24th；　to　report　to　Hooker　on　the　south　bank　of　the　Tennessee。　Davis　had　reported　with　his　division　to　Sherman；　and　on　the　23d；　the　boats　of　the　pontoon　bridge　were　used　to　effect　a　landing　at　the　mouth　of　South　Chickamauga　Creek　by　Giles　A。　Smith's　brigade；　who　captured　the　rebel　pickets　at　this　place；　landed　his　entire　brigade；　and　then　sent　the　boats　back　for　additional　troops。　　By　daylight　of　the　24th；　Sherman　with　two　divisions　of　some　8；000　men　was　intrenched　on　the　east　bank　of　the　Tennessee。　　A　pontoon　bridge；　1；350　feet　long；　was　then　built　over　this　river；　and　another　over　Chickamauga　Creek　under　the　direction　of　W。　F。　Smith。

Thomas；　learning　that　Sherman's　movements　across　Lookout　Valley　had　been　discovered　by　Bragg；　on　Sunday；　the　22d；　directed　Howard　to　cross　into　Chattanooga　to　give　Bragg　the　idea　that　these　were　Sherman's　troops　coming　to　reinforce　Chattanooga。　　Howard　made　the　crossing　on　Sunday　and　took　position　in　rear　of　our　front　line　in　full　view　of　the　enemy。　　On　the　20th；　Bragg　notified　Grant　that　it　would　be　well　for　him　to　withdraw　all　non…combatants　from　Chattanooga。　This　the　latter　regarded　as　a　cover　for　Bragg's　withdrawal　of　his　own　command；　which　he　was　confirmed　in　by　deserters　and　spies　reporting　a　large　number　of　Bragg's　troops　as　marching　to　the　north。　These　were　two　divisions　of　Buckner's　corps　sent　to　strengthen　Longstreet　in　East　Tennessee；　that　last　sent；　however；　was　recalled。　To　determine　the　truth　of　these　reports；　early　on　the　morning　of　the　23d；　Grant　directed　Thomas　to　develop　the　enemy's　lines；　driving　in　his　pickets；　and　determine　if　he　still　held　his　force　on　our　front。　　Thomas　ordered　Granger　in　command　of　the　Fourth　Corps　to　form　with　Sheridan's　and　Wood's　divisionsSheridan　on　the　right；　Wood　on　the　leftwith　his　left　extended　nearly　to　Citico　Creek；　and　advance　directly　in　front　of　Fort　Wood；　and　make　this　movement。　Palmer；　commanding　the　Fourteenth　Corps　with　Baird's　division　refused；　was　to　support　Granger's　right　and　was　to　hold　Johnson's　division　under　arms　in　the　intrenchments　in　readiness　to　move　as　occasion　might　require。　　The　troops　were　all　in　position　at　2　P。M。　They　moved　out　on　the　plain　as　if　on　parade；　and　in　plain　sight　of　Bragg　and　his　army　on　Lookout　and　Missionary　Ridge；　formed　their　lines　as　if　in　review　and　moved　forward　to　attack　the　enemy。　Rapidly　advancing　〃in　the　most　gallant　style〃　our　troops　steadily　pushed　in　the　rebel　line。　　They　first　struck　the　pickets；　drove　these　on　the　reserve　and　then　sweeping　everything　before　them　they　hurled　the　rebels　out　of　their　first　line　of　rifle…pits　and　sent　them　on　the　full　run　in　retreat　to　the　rear；　except　over　two　hundred　of　them　captured。　　Here　Granger's　troops　made　themselves　secure　by　throwing　up　temporary　breastworks；　while　he　sent　a　strong　picket　line　to　the　front　to　protect　his　new　line。　　In　this　charge　Granger's　line　secured　〃Orchard　Knob〃　which　was　then　occupied　by　Bridges'　battery。　　Howard's　corps　was　placed　in　position　on　the　left　of　the　line　to　Granger's　left　and　also　ordered　to　throw　up　breastworks。

Sherman　after　crossing　the　river　on　the　23d；　about　1　P。M。；　placed　his　command　in　three　columns；　following　in　his　advance　the　general　direction　of　Chickamauga　Creek；　with　his　left　under　Morgan　L。　Smith　resting　on　the　creek。　　His　centre　was　under　John　E。　Smith　and　his　right　under　Ewing；　all　under　the　command　of　Frank　P。　Blair；　Corps　Commander。　　In　support　of　these；　Davis's　division　also　moved　to　the　attack。　　Grant　and　Sherman　had　supposed　that　Missionary　Ridge　was　one　prolonged　even　range。　　When　Sherman　left　the　river　he　passed　over　the　foothills　and　then　pressed　up　what　he　supposed　was　the　main　portion　of　the　ridge。　　When　he　reached　the　top　of　this；　after　a　lively　skirmish　with　the　rebel　pickets；　he　found　a　deep　depression　intervening　between　this　hill　and　the　next；　which　was　the　one　the　tunnel　ran　through；　where　the　rebels　were　heavily　intrenched；　and　which　he　had　been　ordered　to　take。　　On　the　top　of　this　first　hill；　finding　he　could　not　take　the　hill　beyond　where　the　tunnel　ran　through；　he　threw　up　intrenchments　and　prepared　to　hold　the　ground　he　had　thus　far　gained。　　Here　about　4　P。M。　he　had　a　heavy　engagement。　The　enemy's　advance　with　sharp　artillery　and　musketry　fire　was　gallantly　met　and　repulsed。　　Sherman　then　made　preparations　for　the　night；　posting　his　command　to　hold　all　positions。　　Howard　had　reported　with　three　regiments　to　him；　as　he　crossed　the　bridge　which　connected　him　with　the　main　Army　of　the　Cumberland。　　Howard　leaving　these　troops　with　Sherman；　then　returned　to　his　corps。　When　his　command　was　placed　on　the　front　to　Granger's　left　in　the　afternoon；　he　connected　with　Sherman's　right。　　Here　Sherman　rested　all　night；　and　about　midnight　received　orders　from　Grant　to　〃attack　the　enemy　at　dawn　of　day；〃　〃that　General　Thomas　would　attack　in　force　early　in　the　day。〃

While　the　main　attack　was　progressing　under　Sherman　on　the　left；　Hooker　on　the　right　had　been　pressing　the　enemy。　　On　the　23d；　Osterhaus；　finding　that　he　could　not　cross　the　Tennessee　in　time　to　engage　in　the　movement　with　Sherman；　reported　with　his　division　to　Hooker；　who　was　then　ordered　to　take　these　troops；　with　Geary's　division　and　Whittaker's　and　Grose's　brigades　of　the　First　Division　of　the　Fourth　Corps　under　Cruft；　and　make　a　strong　demonstration　on　the　northern　slope　of　Lookout　Mountain；　drawing　Bragg's　attention　to　this　point　and　away　from　Sherman　while　crossing　the　rive