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CONFEDERATE UNE OF BATTLE IN THECHICKAMAUQA WOODS.
CHICKAMAUG'A-THE GREAT BATTLE OF THE WESTJ
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O N the 13th of July, 1863, while in charge of the defenses of Bichmondand Petersburg and the Department of North Carolina , I received anunexpected order to go West. I was seated in a yard of a house in the suburbsof Bichmond (the house belonging to Mr. Poe, a relative of the poet), whenPresident Davis, dressed in a plain suit of gray and attended by a small escortin brilliant uniform, galloped up and said: “ Bosecrans is about to advanceupon Bragg; I have found it necessary to detail Hardee to defend Missis-sippi and Alabama . His corps is without a commander. I wish you tocommand it.” “ I cannot do that,” I replied, “ as General Stewart ranks me.”“ I can cure that,” answered Mr. Davis, “ by making you a lieutenant-general.Your papers will be ready to-morrow. When can you start?” “ In twenty-four hours,” was the reply. Mr. Dayis gave his views on the subject, somedirections in regard to matters at Chattanooga , and then left in seeminglygood spirits. T
j At the beginning of the Civil War I was askedthe question, “Who of the Federal officers aremost to be feared ? ” I replied : “ Sherman, Rose-crans, and McClellan. Sherman has genius anddaring, and is full of resources. Rosecrans hasfine practical sense, and is of a tough, tenaciousfiber. McClellan is a man of talents, and hisdelight lias always been in the study of militaryhistory and the art and science of war.” Grantwas not once thought of. The light of subsequentevents thrown upon the careers of these threegreat soldiers has not changed my estimate ofthem; but I acquiesce in the verdict which hasgiven greater renown to some of their comrades.It was my lot to form a more intimate acquaint-ance with the three illustrious officers who I fore-
saw would play an important part in the war. 1fought against McClellan from Yorktown to Sharps-burg (Antietam), I encountered Rosecrans atChickamauga, and I surrendered to Sherman atGreensboro’, N. C. — each of the three commandingan army.—I). H. H.
3; His cheerfulness was a mystery to me. Withina fortnight the Pennsylvania campaign had provedabortive. Vicksburg and Port Hudson had fallen,and Federal gun-boats were now plying up and
down the Mississippi , cutting our communicationsbetween the east and west. The Confederacy '"’ascut in two, and the South could readily bo beatenin detail by the concentration of Federal forces,first on one side of the Mississippi and then on theother. The end of our glorious dream could n°"
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