drew into the defenses of Chattanooga. Bragg made no pursuit, though the moonlight was very bright, and his of ficers urged him to press his routed enemy. They were assured by persons who had witnessed its retreat that Rosecrans's army was a mere mob, and that if it were only pressed upon it would be driven beyond the Tennessee.

Bragg, though he had thus won a victory and driven his enemy from the battle-field, had not succeeded in his object-he had not recovered Chattanooga. Rosecrans's loss was about 16,350, and 51 guns. Bragg's loss was about 18,000: he estimated it at two fifths of his whole army. On the 24th Bragg advanced on Chattanooga, but, encountering on Missionary Ridge a strong resistance, remained there for several weeks. In the mean time Rosecrans had fortified that place, and commenced making an intrenched camp. Bragg, being without suitable transportation and pontoons, was obliged to resort to a methodical investment, and so the autumn passed away.

but he besieges Rosecrans in Chattanooga.

So great was the dissatisfaction of the national government, that Rosecrans would have been relieved immediately after the battle had it not been for political considerations connected with an election in Ohio. On the 19th of October General Thomas was ordered to assume command in his stead.

CHAPTER LXVIII.

CONSOLIDATION OF THE NATIONAL POWER IN THE ALLEGHANIES. BATTLE OF CHATTANOOGA. RAISING OF THE SIEGE OF KNOXVILLE.

The Army of the Cumberland, driven by the Confederate army into Chattanooga, was reduced to the greatest extremity.

Grant, ordered to Chattanooga, carried into effect measures for its relief, which were successful.

Re-enforced by troops under Hooker from the Army of the Potomac, and by Sherman with the Army of the Tennessee, he prepared to wrest the Heights of Chattanooga from the Confederates.

THE BATTLE OF CHATTANOOGA,

The national flag was planted on the crest of the

Alleghanies, and the Confederates defeated.

The siege of Knoxville was raised.

A FEW days after the battle of Chickamauga, Rosecrans's army, as we have seen in the last chapter, was closely be leaguered by Bragg in Chattanooga.

Deplorable condi

army at Chattanoo

ga.

It had opened the campaign—such is the report of the quarter-master general-with a magnificent tion of the national train. The long rest at Murfreesborough had brought its animals into good condition. They had made their march into Georgia with very little injury, and had experienced little loss in the battle of Chickamauga.

But Bragg had now occupied the passes of Lookout Mountain; he had broken the line of communication along the south bank of the Tennessee with Bridgeport. The destruction of the bridge at that place had severed the railroad communication with Nashville, the base of supplies; this compelled the wagon-trains which fed Rosecrans's army to move by a circuitous route along the bottom-land of the Tennessee and Sequatchie Valleys for some distance, and then to ascend and descend the Waldron Ridge by very steep, narrow, and rough roads.

Bragg, therefore, not only commanded the railroads connecting Chattanooga with the North and West, but also the navigation of the Tennessee River, and the roads upon

its banks.

famine.

Rain commenced early in October. The roads became Its sufferings by almost impassable. The Confederate cavalry, crossing the Tennessee above Chattanooga, fell upon the trains entangled in the mud of the Sequatchie Valley and on the rocky western ascent of Waldron's Ridge. In one day they destroyed about 300 wagons, and killed or captured 1800 mules. Distress began to reign in the camps: the animals of the trains starved to death-the road-sides were lined with their bodies; the artillery-horses died at their picket-ropes.

It was doubtful whether the national army could hold Chattanooga much longer. Starvation had so destroyed the animals that there were not artillery horses enough to take a battery into action. The number of mules that per. ished was graphically indicated by one of the soldiers of the Army of the Tennessee, "The mud was so deep that we could not travel by the road, but we got along pretty well by stepping from mule to mule as they lay dead by the way."

its relief.

Under these circumstances, it was clear that something Grant is ordered to must be instantly done to extricate the army from its perils. The government determined to order General Grant to Chattanooga. He was, at the time, at New Orleans, confined by an injury he had received by a fall from his horse; as soon as he was able to move he went to Indianapolis, and there held an interview with the Secretary of War, Stanton, and both together proceeded thence to Louisville.

On the 16th of October Halleck directed Grant to go at Halleck gives instruc- once to Chattanooga. Four days subsequently he informed him by letter of the objects of Burnside's and Rosecrans's movements. From this we

tions by letter to him.

learn that Halleck had by no means risen to a just appre ciation of the military advantages to be derived from the occupation of that town; he considered its primary value to consist in its relations to East Tennessee. An exaggerated estimate of this mountain country was also entertained by the Cabinet; even Stanton declared that he would almost as soon lose Washington as lose East Tennessee. It was reserved for Sherman to recognize the decisive use that could be made of this portal to the political strong-holds of the Confederacy.

Grant assumes command of the three armies.

Deduct

Grant thus took command of the new military division of the Mississippi, comprising the three Departments and Armies of the Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee. At his request, the Department of the Cumberland was given to General Thomas, and that of the Tennessee to General Sherman. ing Burnside's force, which did not take a direct part in the operations before Chattanooga, but including Hooker's de tachment, Grant's total strength was about 80,000. The strength of the Confederates, under Bragg, was about 60,000.

Stanton sends two

The government had been filled with apprehensions that Rosecrans would abandon Chattanooga and corps, under Hook- attempt a retreat, which could only end diser, to Chattanooga. astrously. At a consultation, Lincoln seemed to be almost in despair. "I advise," said Stanton," that a powerful detachment should be sent from the Army of the Potomac to open the road." Lincoln smiled incredulously; Halleck considered such an attempt impracticable. "I do not," said the Secretary of War," offer you this opinion without having first thoroughly informed myself of all the details. I will undertake to move 20,000 men from the Army on the Rapidan, and place them on the Tennessee, near Chattanooga, within nine days." Not without reluctance did Lincoln give his consent that the 11th and 12th Corps should be so moved; his impression was that they were

not more than 15,000 or 16,000 strong, for, since the time of the peninsular campaign, it had been the habit of officers to under-estimate their strength. The measure once determined upon, the energetic secretary had every thing cleared off the roads, and soon an almost continuous line of cars was transporting the troops. They were fed as they went along; not a moment's delay was permitted.

In this surprising movement but a single man was lost. With so much celerity and accuracy was it conducted, that the Confederates knew nothing whatever of it until Hooker was in their front. Hooker's troops were kept along the railroad, that they might not aggravate the suffering at Chattanooga.

The strength of these two corps was 23,000, and thus, with their artillery-trains, baggage, and animals, they were transferred from the Rapidan in Virginia to Stevenson in Alabama in seven days, a distance of 1192 miles. They crossed the Ohio River twice.

Thomas holds the

Grant arrives,

The first thing to be done was to prevent the abandonment of Chattanooga. Grant therefore teleplace firmly until graphed to Thomas on the 19th to hold fast at all hazards. "I will do so till we starve," was the characteristic answer—and so accordingly he did. Grant reached Nashville on October 21st, and there had an interview with Rosecrans and Hooker. On the night of the 23d he reached Chattanooga, after lying out upon the mountains in a drenching rain, and receiving a severe bruise from his horse falling upon him.

and had already de

relief.

used.

He found that Rosecrans had suffered all the heights around his position to be occupied, so that vised a plan for its neither the river nor the railroad could be Not less than 10,000 animals had perished by famine. Unless the roads could be opened the army must retreat, and that would be certain destruction: the men must have carried their own supplies. But Thomas and his chief engineer, General William F. Smith,