CHAPTER XVI.
SOUTH CAROLINIANS AT CHICKAMAUGA—ORGANIZATION OF THE ARMIES—SOUTH CAROLINIANS ENGAGED—THEIR HEROIC SERVICE AND SACRIFICES.
The armies of Generals Bragg and Rosecrans, which were to fight the battle of Chickamauga on the 19th and 20th of September, 1863, were widely separated in the early part of August, Bragg at Chattanooga and Rosecrans beyond the Cumberland mountains, with the Tennessee river rolling between them.
About the middle of August, the Federal general broke up his encampments and moved his army across the mountains to the Tennessee. Crittenden's corps threatened Chattanooga through the gaps in Walden's ridge, while Thomas' corps and McCook's moved to Stevenson, Bridgeport and the vicinity. Rosecrans established his depot at Stevenson and passed his army over the river on pontoons, rafts and boats, and boldly crossed Sand mountain to Trenton. He was on the flank of General Bragg by the 8th of September, and by the 12th had crossed Lookout mountain.
Bragg, having left Chattanooga on the 8th, Rosecrans sent Crittenden's corps to occupy that place and move on the railroad as far as Ringgold, while Thomas and McCook took position in McLemore's cove and down as far as Alpine. Rosecrans' corps was widely separated and his wings were by road, 50 miles or more apart! Meanwhile Bragg was on the line of Chickamauga creek, with his left at Lafayette and his headquarters at Lee & Gordon's mills. General Gist's South Carolina brigade, with Ferguson's battery, was guarding his extreme left at Rome and supporting the cavalry in that quarter. Crittenden's corps at Ringgold and vicinity was at General Bragg's mercy. He was only 10 miles from Bragg's headquarters, with the Chickamauga between himself and Thomas, and by road at least 20 miles from that general's support. McCook was fully as far from Thomas on the other flank. "It was therefore a matter of life and death (says Rosecrans in his report) to effect the concentration of the army."
Crittenden marched across Bragg's right, passed the Chickamauga and moved down toward Thomas, and McCook marched up from Alpine toward that general's position in McLemore's cove. Pigeon mountain range covered McCook and Thomas; but Crittenden's march was open to attack. His corps should have been beaten and driven off toward Chattanooga. General Bragg clearly saw this and endeavored to strike Crittenden at the proper moment, giving explicit orders to that effect. These orders were not executed, the opportunity passed, and Rosecrans united his corps on the west side of the Chickamauga, while Bragg confronted him on the east. The great battles of the 19th and 20th of September were now imminent. We give the organization of the two armies as they were engaged in that memorable conflict, omitting those troops which were not in the battle; as, for instance, the brigades of Hood's and McLaws' divisions, and the artillery of those commands. Longstreet had only three brigades in battle on the 19th and five on the 20th, the artillery and other commands of his corps not having arrived. Among his absent brigades was that of Gen. Micah Jenkins, composed of South Carolina regiments.
BRAGG'S ARMY.
RIGHT WING, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL POLK COMMANDING.
Hill's corps, Lieut.-Gen. D. H. Hill: Cheatham's division, 5 brigades, 5 batteries; Cleburne's division, 3 brigades, 3 batteries; Breckinridge's division, 3 brigades, 4 batteries.
Walker's corps, Maj.-Gen. W. H. T. Walker: Walker's division, 3 brigades, 2 batteries; Liddell's division, 2 brigades, 2 batteries.
Total of wing, 5 divisions, 16 brigades, 16 batteries.