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military genius, and thought he saw a chance of “ killing two birds with onestone.” On several occasions during the war he came to the relief of theUnion army by means of his superior military genius.
I speak advisedly when I say Mr. Davis prided himself on his militarycapacity. He says so himself virtually, in his answer to the notice of hisnomination to the Confederate Presidency. Some of his generals have saidso in their writings since the downfall of the Confederacy. Whatever thecause or whoever is to blame, grave mistakes were made at Chattanooga ,which enabled us, with the undaunted courage of the troops engaged, to gaina great victory, under the most trying circumstances presented during thewar, much more easily than could otherwise have been attained. If Chatta-nooga had been captured, east Tennessee would have followed without astruggle. It would have been a victory to have got the army away fromChattanooga safely. It was manifold greater to defeat, and nearly destroy,the besieging army.
In this battle the Union army numbered in round figures about 60,000 men •we lost 752 killed, and 4713 wounded and 350 captured or missing. Therebel loss was much greater in the aggregate, as we captured, and sent Northto be rationed there, over 6100 prisoners. Forty pieces of artillery, overseven thousand stand of small-arms, and many caissons, artillery wagons,and baggage wagons fell into our hands. The probabilities are that our lossin killed was the heavier, as we were the attacking party. The enemy reportedhis loss in killed at 361; but as he reported his missing at 4146, while we heldover 6000 of them as prisoners, and there must have been hundreds, if notthousands, who deserted, but little reliance can be placed in this report.There was certainly great dissatisfaction with Bragg, J on the part of the sol-diers, for his harsh treatment of them, and a disposition to get away if theycould. Then, too, Chattanooga following in the same half-year with Gettys-burg in the East, and Vicksburg in the West, there was much the same feel-ing in the South at this time that there had been in the North the fall andwinter before. If the same license had been allowed the people and the pressin the South that was allowed in the North, Chattanooga would probablyhave been the last battle fought for the preservation of the Union.
Bragg’s army now being in full retreat, the relief of Burnside’s position atKnoxville was a matter for immediate consideration. Sherman marchedwith a portion of the Army of the Tennessee, and one corps of the Army ofthe Cumberland, toward Knoxville ; but his approach caused Longstreet toabandon the siege long before these troops reached their destination. Knox-ville was now relieved; the anxiety of the President was removed, and theloyal portion of the North rejoiced over the double victory: the raising of thesiege of Knoxville and the victory at Chattanooga.
4 General Bragg was succeeded "by GeneralHardee December 2d, 1863, and the latter byGeneral Polk December 23d. General Johnstonassumed command December 27th. On February24th, 1864, General Bragg, “under the directionof the President, was charged with the conduct of