OPPOSING FORCES IN THE CHATTANOOGA CAMPAIGN .

727

GENERAL BRAGG’S COMMENTS ON MISSIONARY RIDGE.

General Bragg made a brief report on tbe Chat-tanooga campaign on November 30th, 1863, andon the 2d of December was relieved of command.Of the battle of Missionary Ridge, the report says:

“ About 11 a. m. the enemy’s forces were being movedin heavy masses from Lookout and beyond to our front,while those in front extended to our right. They formedtheir lines with great deliberation just beyond the rangeof our guns and in plain view of our position. Thoughgreatly outnumbered, such was the strength of ourposition that no doubt was entertained of our abilityto hold it, and every disposition was made for that pur-pose. During this time they [the enemy] had madeseveral attempts on our extreme right, and had beenhandsomely repulsed with very heavy loss by Major-General Cleburne’s command, under the immediate di-rections of Lieutenant-General Hardee. . . . About8:30 i*. 3V1. the immense force in the front of our left andcenter advanced in three lines, preceded by heavy skir-mishers. Our batteries opened with fine effect, andmuch confusion was produced before they reachedmusket-range. In a short time the roar of musketrybecame very heavy, and it was soon apparent the enemyhad been repulsed in my immediate front. While ridingalong the crest congratulating the troops, intelligencereached me that our line was broken on my right, andthe enemy had crowned the ridge. Assistance waspromptly dispatched to that point under Brigadier-General Bate, who had so successfully maintained theground in my front, and I proceeded to the rear of thebroken line to rally our retiring troops and return themto the crest to drive the enemy back. General Batefound the disaster so great that his small force couldnot repair it. About this time I learned that our ex-treme left had also given way, and that my position wasalmost surrounded. Bate was immediately directed toform a second line in the rear, where, by the efforts ofmy staff, a nucleus of stragglers had been formed uponwhich to rally. Lieutenant-General Hardee, leavingMajor-General Cleburne in command on the extremeright, moved toward the left when he heard the heavyfiring in that direction. He reached the right of Ander-son’s division just in time to find it had nearly all fallen

hack, commencing on its left, where the enemy had firstcrowned the ridge. By a prompt and judicious move-ment, he threw a portion of Cheatham’s division directlyacross the ridge facing the enemy, who was now movinga strong force immediately on his left flank. By a de-cided stand here the enemy was entirely checked, andthat portion of our force to the right remained intact.All to the left, however, except a portion of Bate’s divi-sion, was entirely routed and in rapid flight. ... Apanic which I had never before witnessed seemed tohave seized upon officers and men, and each seemed tobe struggling for his personal safety, regardless of hisduty or his character. In this distressing and alarmingstate of affairs General Bate was ordered to hold hisposition covering the road for the retreat of Breckin-ridge’s command, and orders were immediately sentto Generals Hardee and Breckinridge to retire theirforces upon the depot at Chickamauga. . . . No satis-factory excuse can possibly be given for the shamefulconduct of our troops on the left in allowing their lineto be penetrated. Tbe position was one which ought tohave been held by a line of skirmishers against anyassaulting column, and wherever resistance was madethe enemy fled in disorder after suffering heavy loss.Those who reached the ridge did so in a condition ofexhaustion from the great physical exertion in climb-ing which rendered them powerless, and the slightesteffort would have destroyed them. Having securedmuch of our artillery, they soon availed themselves ofour panic, and turning our guns upon us enfiladed thelines, both right and left, rendering them entirely un-tenable. Had all parts of the line been maintained withequal gallantry and persistence, no enemy could everhave dislodged us, and but one possible reason presentsitself to my mind in explanation of this bad conduct inveteran troops who never before failed in any dutyassigned them, however difficult and hazardous: Theyhad for two days confronted the enemy, marshaling hisimmense forces in plain view, and exhibiting to theirsight such a superiority in numbers as may have intimi-dated weak-minded and untried soldiers. But our vet-erans had so often encountered similar hosts when thestrength of position was against us, and with perfectsuccess, that not a doubt crossed my mind.”

OPPOSING FORCES IN THE CHATTANOOGA CAMPAIGN.

November 23d-27th, 1863.

For much of the information contained in this list and in similar lists to follow, the editors are indebted (in advance of thepublication of the “ Official Records”) to Brigadier-General Richard C. Drum, Adjutant-General of the Army . K stands(or killed ; w for wounded; m w for mortally wounded; m for captured or missing; c for captured.

THE UNION ARMY : Maj.-Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.

ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.—Maj.-Gen. George

II. Thomas.

General Headquarters: 1st Ohio Sharp-shooters, Capt.G M. Barber; 10th Ohio , Lieut.-Col. W. M. Ward.

FOURTH ARMY CORPS, Maj.-Gen. Gordon Granger.pinsT division, Brig.-Gen. Charles Cruft.liscorl: E, 92d Ill., Capt. Matthew Van Buskirk.Second Brigade , Brig.-Gen. Walter C. Whitaker: 96th

III. , Col. Thomas E. Champion, Maj. George Hicks; 35thInd. Col. Bernard F. Mullen; 8th Ky., Col. Sidney M.Barnes; 40th Ohio, Col. Jacob E. Taylor; 51st Ohio ,Lieut.-Col. Charles H. Wood; 99tli Ohio , Lieut.-Col.John E. Cummins. Brigade loss: k, 17; w, 63; m, 2 = 82.Third Brigade , Col. William Grose: B9th Ill., Maj. Clay-ton Hale; 75th Ill., Col. John E. Bennett; 84tli Ill., Col.Louis H. Waters; 9tli Ind., Col. Isaac C. B. Suman; 36thInd., Maj. Gilbert Trusler; 24th Ohio , Capt. George M.Bacon. Brigade loss: k, 4; w, 60 = 64.

second division, Maj.-Gen. Philiii H. Sheridan.

First Brigade, Col. Francis T. Sherman : 36th Ill., Col.Silas Miller, j Lieut.-Col. Porter C. Olson; 44th Ill., Col.Wallace W. Barrett; 73d Ill., Col. James F. Jaffues;

) Temporarily ill com

74th Ill., Col. Jason Marsh; 88tli Ill., Lieut.-Col. GeorgeW. Chandler; 22d Ind., Col. Michael Gooding; 2d Mo.,Col. Bernard Laiboldt, J Lieut.-Col. Arnold Beck; 15thMo., Col. Joseph Conrad (w), Capt. Samuel Rexiuger;24tli Wis., Maj. Carl von Baiunbach. Brigade loss: k, 30 ;w, 268; m, 3 = 301. Second Brigade , Brig.-Gen. GeorgeD. Wagner: 100th 111., Maj. Chas. M. Hammond; 15 'tliInd., Col. Gustavus A. Wood, ) Maj. Frank White (w),Capt. Benjamin F. Hegier; 40fk Ind., Lieut.-Col. EliasNeff; 07th Ind., Lieut.-Col. George W. Leonard; 58thInd., Lieut.-Col. Joseph Moore; 26t,h Ohio , Lieut.-Col.William I-I. Young; 97th Ohio , Lieut.-Col. Milton Barnes.Brigade loss; k, 70; w, 660=730. Third Brigade, Col.Charles G. Harker: 22d Ill., Lieut.-Col. Francis Swan-wick; 27th Ill., Col. Jonathan R. Miles; 42d Ill., Col.Nathan H. Walworth,) Capt. Edgar D. Swain; 51stIll., Maj. Charles W. Davis (w), Capt. Albert M. Til-ton; 79tli Ill., Col. Allen Buckner; 3d Ky., Col. HenryC. Dunlap; 64tli Ohio , Col. Alexander Melllvain; 65thOhio, Lieut.-Col. William A. Bullitt; 125th Ohio ,Col. Emerson Opdycke, J Capt. Edward P. Bates.Brigade loss: k, 28; w, 269 = 297. Artillery, Capt War-

and of a tlemi-brigade.