At the same time, Gen. Schofield, in command of the Department of Missouri, and Gen. Pope, in command of the Northwest Department, were ordered to send forward to the Tennessee line every available man in their departments; and the commanding officers in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, were ordered to make every possible exertion to secure Gen. Rosecrans's line of communications. Gen. Meade was also urged to attack Gen. Lee's army while in its present reduced condition, or, at least, to prevent him from sending off any more detachments. More troops were not sent into East Tennessee or Georgia, on account of the impossibility of supplying them in a country which -the enemy had nearly exhausted. Gen. Burnside's army was on short rations, and that of the Cumberland inadequately supplied.

On the 14th of September, the army of Gen. Rosecrans was occupying the passes of Lookout mountain, with the enemy concentrating his forces near Lafayette, to dispute his further advance. The threatened movements of Gen. Bragg to the right and left proved to be merely cavalry raids to cut Gen. Rosecrans's lines of supplies, and threaten his communication with Gen. Burnside. His main army was only awaiting the arrival of Gen. Longstreet's corps to give battle in the mountains of Georgia. It had already been reënforced by troops from Gen. Johnston in Mississippi, and by the prisoners captured at Vicksburg and Port Hudson, and released on parole, who had been declared by the Confederate authorities to be exchanged.

The line of Gen. Rosecrans's army extended at this time from Gordon's Mills to Alpines, a distance of some forty miles. By the 17th, they were brought within supporting distance, and on the morning of the 18th a concentration was begun toward Crawfish Springs.

The advance of Gen. Rosecrans's army can be traced in a few words. The Tennessee river, west of Chattanooga, in its general direction runs southwest. Skirting it is the Racoon range of mountains. Sand mountain, where the army passed over, is a part of this range. After marching over a plateau of twelve or fifteen miles in width, Sand mountain is descended, and the Lookout valley is gained. This valley is about two miles wide, and runs southwest. It is bounded on the east by the Lookout mountains, running parallel with the Racoon range. The right wing, under Gen. McCook, and the centre, under Gen. Thomas, had been in this valley two or three days when Chattanooga was evacuated. Early on Wednesday, the 9th, both corps were in motion to pass the Lookout range. They had only two passes by which to cross-one eight miles south of Trenton, and the other at Valley Head, more than twenty miles south of Trenton. At Valley Head the rugged mountain melts away into a wild scattering of hills, near which the road is abruptly turned through winding valleys, with a steep and stubborn spur before the summit is gained. After reaching the summit, a plateau gently

rolling, about twelve miles in width, is found. There are groves and fields, and smooth-flowing streams, where the imagination pictured crags and cascades. At Valley Head, Gen. McCook's corps passed over Lookout mountain, and reached Alpines, in the valley, called Broomtown valley, on the 10th. Gen. Thomas took the middle gap, and passed through without opposition. At the same time Gen. Crittenden moved south of Chattanooga toward Gordon's Mills, a distance of twelve miles. Bounding Broomtown valley, on the east, is another parallel ridge; known as Taylor's ridge. It is not a formidable barrier, and is crossed by a number of good roads toward Lafayette, where Gen. Bragg was. The first opposition to the present advance of the army took place at Alpines, on Wednesday, the 9th, when a cavalry division had a brisk fight with the enemy, which continued two hours, with the loss of four killed and twelve wounded. The enemy retired, leaving a few dead. When Gen. Thomas passed through the central gap, he found himself in McLemore's Cove or valley, a strip of country enclosed between Lookout mountain and Pigeon mountain, a spur of Lookout, striking northeast from it, and gradually melting away as it approaches the Chickamauga river. To reach the same valley in which Gen. McCook's corps was, Gen. Thomas was compelled to pass through one of the gaps of Pigeon mountain. He therefore, on the 12th, ordered Gen. Negley to feel his way through the central pass. In obeying the order he was suddenly attacked by the divisions of Gens. Witters and Stuart, of Gen. Bragg's army, upon his front and flanks, with such energy as compelled his hasty retreat, with a loss of some forty killed and wounded. The advance of Gen. Rosecrans's army thus far in pursuit of the enemy, had been made under the impression that, as Chattanooga had fallen without resistance, Gen. Bragg was weak, and the Confederate Government unable to reënforce him; there would, therefore, be no fight north of the Coosa river. This sudden show of strength against Gen. Negley, therefore, created alarm. The question now was, whether this demonstration of the enemy indicated a purpose of giving battle, or whether it was a movement to secure a safe retreat. Gen. Rosecrans decided it to be the former. The next day, Gen. McCook was moving back over the Lookout mountain, with orders to close on the centre, and Gen. Crittenden, at Gordon's Mills, put in a good defensive position.

Lafayette, the capital of Walker county, thirty-two miles from Chattanooga, and eighteen from Dalton, was supposed to be the place where the enemy were concentrating. In their front was the Pigeon mountain. This range was the highest at the southern extremity, where it is separated from the Lookout mountain by Doherty Gap, a long and heavy pass. Two miles north is a less elevated gap, called Rape; seven miles farther north is Blue Bird,

a rugged pass; three miles farther is Dug Gap, affording a good passage for an army. This was easily defended, and held by Gen. Bragg. Two and a half miles farther is Catlet's through which runs a mountain stream and a good road; this was also held by Gen. Bragg. Two miles farther is Worthing, a rough road over the mountain, and impassable for artillery. Wicker is a good wagon road, where the mountain has diminished to a hill; a mile and a half beyond, an undulating country commences. The country lying between Pigeon and Lookout mountains is called McLemore's Cove, as above stated, about twenty miles long and eight broad. West of Pigeon mountain is Chickamauga valley, which separates it from Missionary ridge, a mere range of hills, and west of which is another valley separating the latter from Lookout mountain. This last range runs up within two miles of Chattanooga, and terminates abruptly at the Tennessee river, with a bluff two thousand feet high.

At the time of the repulse of Gen. Negley was the most favorable moment for Gen. Bragg to attack Gen. Rosecrans. The corps of Gen. McCook was separated from Gen. Thomas by a march of nearly three days. Gen. Crittenden could not reënforce Gen. Thomas without exposing Chattanooga, and Gen. Thomas could not move to Gen. Crittenden's position without exposing Gen. McCook. Slow as Gen. Bragg was in collecting his forces and advancing, the great battle which followed was begun before Gen. Rosecrans had recovered from the results of the position of his forces. Gen. McCook joined Gen. Thomas on the 17th, with his weary troops, and as heavy clouds of dust were discovered on Pigeon mountain by the signal officers, his corps and the right of the centre were formed into line of battle, which was maintained all the afternoon in McLemore's Cove. As the morning of the 18th broke, gray and chilly, the troops were ordered on the march. Gen. Thomas's corps pressed on toward Gordon's Mills, and Gen. McCook's moved up directly in his rear. At Gordon's Mills, Gen. Ward was stationed with two brigades. During the forenoon of this day, Gen. Granger, situated on the left of Gen. Ward, made a reconnoissance across the Chickamauga at Reid's bridge, with two brigades, and ascertained beyond a doubt that Gen. Longstreet's corps had joined Gen. Bragg. Cols. Minty and Wilder were sent with their commands, the former to watch Ringgold road crossing, and the latter to resist any advance from Napier Gap. Early in the afternoon the enemy made an attack from the two roads. Heavy cannonading ensued, but Cols. Minty and Wilder held their ground gallantly until a body of the enemy's infantry, having crossed at one of the several fords in the river, was fast gaining their rear, when they were compelled to retire. This proved to be the extreme left of the enemy.

Toward evening, Gen. McCook's corps pitched their tents at Lee's Mills, in McLemore's

Cove; but hardly was this done before an order from Gen. Rosecrans directed them to move northward to Pond Spring, seventeen miles south of Chattanooga. Wearied as were the men, they marched silently and without straggling. All night there was a constant rumbling of wagons, and a ceaseless tread of troops. Gen. Crittenden being ahead of Gen. Thomas, had thrown Gen. Van Cleve's division on the left of Gen. Wood at Gordon's Mills, and Gen. Palmer's on his right, Gen. Thomas pushed still farther to the left. Gen. Johnson's two brigades were given to Gen. Thomas, and posted on Gen. Van Cleve's left, while Gen. Negley, who was already in position at Owen's Gap, a short distance south of Crawfish Spring, thirteen miles from Chattanooga, was ordered to remain there, and temporarily attached to Gen. McCook's corps.

The operations of the Confederate army up to this time had been as follows: In consequence of the flank movement of Gen. Rosecrans on the right of Gen. Bragg, in the month of June, the latter retreated from Shelbyville and Tullahoma toward Chattanooga, which was occupied in the first week of July. The brigade of Gen. Anderson, of Gen. Polk's corps, was ordered to Bridgeport for purposes of observation. The remainder of the corps of Gen. Polk was retained in and around Chattanooga; and Gen. Hardee's corps was distributed along the line of the railroad to Knoxville, with Tyner's Station, nine miles from Chattanooga, as the centre. The headquarters of Gen. Bragg were at Chattanooga. On the 21st of August the corps of Gen. Crittenden succeeded in reaching the town with artillery, from the heights overlooking the Tennessee river and the town. This bombardment was regarded by the enemy as announcing that Gen. Rosecrans's plans were completed and about to be executed. The effect was to cause the removal of Gen. Bragg's headquarters beyond the range of fire, and the removal of stores to points of convenience on the railroad in the rear, and the withdrawal of Gen. Anderson from Bridgeport. In consequence of the advance of Gen. Burnside into East Tennessee, the Confederate Gen. Buckner was now ordered to evacuate Knoxville and occupy Loudon; and in consequence of a demonstration reported to have been made by Gen. Rosecrans at Blythe's Ferry, on the Tennessee river, opposite the mouth of the Hiawassee, he was further ordered to fall back from Loudon to Charleston, and, soon after, to the vicinity of Chattanooga. On the 1st of September, Gen. Bragg was informed of the crossing of Gen. Rosecrans at Caperton's Ferry for three days, and that he was moving across Sand mountain, in the direction of Wills's valley and Trenton. This report was regarded by him as incredible, but soon after confirmed by the occupation of Trenton by Federal cavalry and by its advance up the Wills's valley railroad in the direction of Chattanooga as far as Wauhatchee, within seven miles, as a covering

force to the advance of the infantry column at Trenton.

The following topographical view will assist in the comprehension of the subsequent movements: Chattanooga is situated on the Tennessee river, at the mouth of the Chattanooga valley-a valley following the course of the Chattanooga creek, and formed by Lookout mountain and Missionary ridge. East of Missionary ridge, and running parallel with it, is another valley-Chickamauga valley-following the course of Chickamauga creek, which, like the Chattanooga creek, discharges its waters into the Tennessee river-the first above, and the last below the town of Chattanooga, and has with it a common source in McLemore's Cove, the common head of both valleys, and formed by Lookout mountain on the west and Pigeon mountain to the east. Wills's valley is a narrow valley, lying to the west of Chattanooga, formed by Lookout mountain and Sand mountain, and traversed by a railroad, which takes its name from the valley, and which, branching from the Nashville and Chattanooga railroad, where the latter crosses the valley, has its present terminus at Trenton, and future at Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The distance of Bridgeport from Chattanooga is twenty-eight miles, of Caperton's Ferry about forty, and of Trenton something over twenty. Ringgold is eighteen miles from Chattanooga, on the Georgia State road, and Dalton some forty, at the point where the Georgia State road connects with the East Tennessee railroad. Rome is sixty-five miles southwest of Chattanooga, on the Coosa river, at the point of confluence of the Etowah and Oostenaula. The wagon road from Chattanooga to Rome, known as the Lafayette road, crosses Missionary ridge into Chickamauga valley at Rossville, and, proceeding in a southwesterly direction, crosses Chickamauga creek, eleven miles from Chattanooga, at Lee's and Gordon's Mills, and, passing to the east of Pigeon moun tain, goes through Lafayette, distant some twenty-two miles from Chattanooga, and Summerville, within twenty-five miles of Rome. From Caperton's Ferry there is a road leading over Sand mountain into Wills's valley at Trenton, and from Trenton to Lafayette and Dalton, over Lookout mountain, through Cooper's and Stevens's Gap into McLemore's Cove, and over Pigeon mountain by Plug Gap. The road from Trenton, following Wills's valley, exposed, by easy communications, Rome, and, through it, Western Georgia and Eastern Alabama, with easy access to the important central positions, Atlanta and Selma.

Gen. Bragg, believing that a flanking movement was the object of Gen. Rosecrans by his advance on the left, ordered Lieut.-Gen. Hill, on Monday, September 7th, to move with his corps toward Lafayette, Gen. Polk to Lee's and Gordon's Mills, and Maj.-Gen. Buckner, with the Army of East Tennessee, and Maj.-Gen. Walker, with his division from the Army of Mississippi, to concentrate at Lafayette, and

Brig.-Gen. Pegram to cover the railroad with his cavalry. These dispositions having been made of the Confederate forces, Maj.-Gen. Crittenden, commanding the left wing of the Federal army, which had not moved with the right and centre, but had been left in the Sequatchie valley, crossed the Tennessee river at the mouth of Battle creek, and moved upon Chattanooga. Maj.-Gen. McCook, commanding the right wing, was thrown forward to threaten Rome, and the corps of Maj.-Gen. Thomas was put in motion over Lookout mountain, in the direction of Lafayette.

A charge of incapacity was subsequently made against Gen. Bragg, because he did not at this time fall upon Gen. Thomas with such a force as would have crushed him; then turned down Chattanooga valley, throwing himself between the town and Gen. Crittenden, and crushed him; then passed back between Lookout mountain and the Tennessee river into Wills's valley, and cut off Gen. McCook's retreat to Bridgeport; thence moved along the Cumberland into the rear of Gen. Burnside, and defeated him. But Gen. Bragg now threw a force forward into McLemore's Cove, which resisted the advance of Gen. Thomas, as above stated. It was on such a limited scale as only to check this advance, and was thence withdrawn to Lafayette. Within thirty-six hours after this force retired, Gen. Rosecrans had recalled Gen. McCook, and concentrated him with Gen. Thomas in McLemore's Cove. Meantime, Gen. Crittenden, after occupying Chattanooga, did not stop to fortify it, but moved on toward Ringgold to cut off Gen. Buckner, who was understood to be moving to the support of Gen. Bragg. On reaching the point on the Georgia railroad at which Gen. Buckner crossed, and discovering that he was too late, he turned toward Lafayette to follow him. Moving up the Chickamauga, on the east side, he was confronted by a force of Confederate cavalry under Gens. Pegram and Armstrong, which retired before him until supported by a large body of infantry, when Gen. Crittenden, declining a battle, fell back on the Chickamauga, and crossed at Gordon's Mills. This brought the whole of Gen. Roseerans's force on the west side of the Chickamauga within easy supporting distance.

Gen. Bragg now moved his army by divisions, and crossed the Chickamauga at several fords and bridges north of Gordon's Mills, up to which he ordered the Virginia troops, which had crossed many miles below, and near to which he attempted to concentrate. At this time the right of Gen. Rosecrans really rested on Gordon's Mills. Gen. Thomas had moved on until his left division, under Gen. Brannan, covered the Rossville road. Gen. Baird was on Gen. Brannan's right, then followed successively Gens. Johnson's, Reynolds's, Palmer's, and Van Cleve's divisions. Gen. Wood covered Gordon's Mills ford. Gen. Negley, four miles farther south, held Owen's Gap. Gens. Davis