management at Jackson, Miss., in the first attack; his almost unequaled march from Jackson to Bridgeport, and passage of Black River; his securing Walnut Hills on the 18th of May, and thus opening communications with our supplies, all attest his great merit as a soldier. The siege of Vicksburg and last capture of Jackson and dispersion of Johnston's army, entitle General Sherman to more credit than usually falls to the lot of one man to earn. The promotion of such men as Sherman always adds strength to our arms."

CHAPTER VI.

SHERMAN'S GREAT MARCH TO CHATTANOOGA, AND THE BATTLES OF MISSIONARY RIDGE AND LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN.

BRIEF REST OF SHERMAN'S COMMAND -STARTS FOR CHATTANOOGA-NARROW ESCAPE OF SHERMAN-THE FIGHT AT CANE CREEK-TAKES COMMAND OF THE ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE ARRIVES AT CHATTANOOGA -BATTLE BEFORE CHATTANOOGA- FIRST DAY'S BATTLE-SECOND DAY-BATTLE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, THIRD DAY-ACCOUNT OF AN EYE WITNESS OF THE BATTLE OF TUNNEL HILL-BATTLE OF MISSIONARY RIDGE-INCIDENTS.

After the occupation of Jackson by the Union army, Sherman and his men enjoyed a brief rest. The Fifteenth Corps during the month of September was in camp along the Big Black River, guarding the region east of Vicksburg. Sherman received a telegram from Grant on the 22d of September to immediately send a division to reënforce Rosecrans, who had just lost an important and severe battle with Bragg near Chattanooga. At four o'clock P. M. of the same day Osterhaus' division was on the road. On the 23d Sherman was summoned to follow with the remainder of his corps,

place. Fighting continued but a short time after the timely arrival of Sherman, though while it did the General took an active part among the men, and had much to do with keeping up their spirits. The troops reached Corinth on the night of the 12th, and Sherman immediately sent General Blair to Iuka with the First division, sending the troops as fast as they came up to Bear Creek, a few miles east of Iuka.

Sherman, foreseeing the difficulty in crossing the Tennessee, had written to Admiral Porter at Cairo to send up gun-boats as soon as the water would permit, and to General Allen at St. Louis to dispatch a ferry-boat to Eastport, which requests were promptly complied with. He continued, in accordance with orders, to work at the railroad, protecting his working parties from the enemy's attacks. He dispatched Blair with two divisions at the same time, to rout the enemy from Tuscumbia, where they were encamped, five thousand strong, under Stephen Lee. They succeeded in driving the rebels from their position, after a severe fight at Cane Creek; and occupied Tuscumbia on the 27th of October.

In the mean time General Grant had been placed in command of the three great armies of the Ohio, the Cumberland and the Tennessee, and he at once put Sherman in command of the latter, Grant's

former department. Iuka, and recognized his new command. He sent Ewing, on the day of the fight at Cane Creek, with a division to cross the Tennessee, and move as rapidly as possible to Eastport, which he did. A messenger from General Grant came down the Tennessee over the Muscle Shoals the same day, with an order to "drop all work on the railroad. east of Bear Creek," and push on to Bridgeport, which message exactly suited Sherman. This was at once executed, and the march resumed, all the columns bearing toward Eastport, the only practicable plan of crossing the Tennessee. Sherman himself crossed on the 1st of November, passed to the head of the column, leaving General Blair in charge of the rear, and marched to Rogersville and the Elk River. But he found the river impassable, and as there was no time for ferrying or building a bridge, there seemed no alternative but the long march to Fayetteville, and then to Bridgeport. This march accomplished, the route for each subcommand was prescribed, and General Sherman hurried in person to Bridgeport, and telegraphed to General Grant the position of his various divisions.

Sherman heard of this at

On the 15th of November the head of General Sherman's column arrived at Chattanooga, where they formed a junction with the forces under General Thomas, on the right of the main army.

and his troops, which were always in readiness, started instantly. He was on his way to Memphis on the 27th, followed by a fleet of boats transporting his two divisions. On account of the low water in the Mississippi, and the scarcity of fuel, the voyage was very slow, but with his usual energy, Sherman supplied the lack of fuel by frequently landing and gathering fence-rails, and hauling wood in wagons from the interior to the boats. They reached Memphis on the 2d, 3d and 4th of October, and Osterhaus' division was at that time in front of Corinth.

Sherman received orders from General Halleck at Memphis to transport his corps and all other available troops in his vicinity to Athens, Ala., to repair the railroad, and to depend on himself for supplies of all kinds. Although the men were immediately ordered to work day and night on the railroad, Sherman saw that his troops could move faster by road under escort, and accordingly moved his entire Fourth division by land.

The enemy were considerably alarmed by this eastward movement, and a body of rebel cavalry and infantry had concentrated at Salem and Tuscumbia, with the intention of thwarting it, and, if possible, put a stop to Sherman joining Rosecrans. A body of cavalry and infantry four thousand strong, besides a number of pieces of artillery,