CHAPTER XX.

THE GRAND MOVEMENT BEGUN.

SHERMAN MARCHES.-THOMAS'S ADVANCE.-SHERMAN CROSSES AND TAKES POSITION.HOOKER CO-OPERATES.-ALL READY ALONG THE LINE. THE CONFEDERATES.— WAITING FOR HOOKER.-STORMING OF THE RIDGE. HOOKER ATTACKS.-THE FIGHT ENDED AND PURSUIT BEGUN.-PURSUIT DISCONTINUED.-COMMENTS.

HAVING anticipated, in order to indicate the principal features of the programme, let us now observe with what singular order and exactitude it was carried out.

Sherman's troops marched from Bridgeport by way of Whitesides, crossed the river at Brown's Ferry, moved up the north bank, and were kept concealed from the enemy, and thus reached a point not far from the mouth of the South Chickamauga. One hundred and sixteen ponton-boats had been carried by a concealed road to the mouth of the North Chickamauga. The bridge site had been selected just below the South Chickamauga, where the terrain in front formed a good natural tête-de-pont, and where the artillery could be advantageously posted. Sherman's force, which had arrived on the 23d of November, now consisted of the Fifteenth Corps and one division of the Sixteenth, all under the command of General Blair; but at the crossing of Brown's Ferry, the division of Osterhaus, having been detained by the breaking of the ponton-bridge, was directed to report to Hooker, and was with that general in the subsequent movements.