USA > Texas > The Confederate capital and Hood's Texas brigade > Part 16
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your righteous cause, worthy of your comrades, dead upon so many illustrious fieldls."
The men were eager for a fight, but General Meade declared "a fight would have resulted disastriously," as he testified before the Congressional Committee on Conduct of the War.
No impediment was, therefore, thrown in the way of General Lee's recrossing the Potomac, which he did on the 13th and 14th. General Ewell's corps forded the Potomac at Williamsport, while Longstreet and Hill, with their men, crossed on the bridge.
Wearily back came the Army of Northern Virginia, brave amid disaster, with love and confidence still in their leader undimin- ished-across the mountain fastnesses of the Blue Ridge, until they rested once more on the south bank of the Rappahannock -- the campaign ended with all its sacrifice and disappointment.
The Texas brigade had suffered terribly in the loss of officers and men in killed, wounded and captured, the wounded Hood, in an ambulance, following the retreating army, suffering for want of attention with his disabled arm, and chafing at the forced inactivity. The Texans did not suffer so badly the second day, not being so prominently engaged.
The people, so saddened by Jackson's death, had become quite exultant when the army had gone so far into the hostile country. but were intensely disappointed as the news of Lee's failure reached headquarters at the same time as that of the fall of Vicksburg, Miss., after a vigorous siege.
No decisive result had followed Lee's campaign. The Federals chose their position and fortified. The Confederates could not dislodge them, and retired for want of ammunition, with the most terrific loss.
From the best sources of information we learn that the whole strength of General Lee's army was 62,000. General Meade, before the war committee, reported "little under 100,000-about 95,000." General Meade's loss was 24, 000; General Lee's 19,000, which could not be replaced, while the Federals had the world as recruiting ground.
President Davis said: "The battle of Gettysburg was un- fortunate. As an affair of arms it was marked by mighty feats of valor, to which both contestants may point with military pride."
President Lincoln, when shown the steeps held so persistently by Northern soldiers, answered: "I am proud to be the country- man of the men who assailed these heights."
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AND HOOD'S TEXAS BRIGADE.
CHAPTER XVI.
Longstreet's Corps Detached from Lee's Army and Sent to Genera! Bragy -Battle of Chickamauga-Conduct of the Texans- Wounding of General Hood-Rosecrans Retreats to Chattanooga, Reorganizes His Army and Fortifies-Extracts from Private Letters of Soldiers of Hood's Brigade- Coarse Fare of the Men-They Prefer Serving With the Army of North- ern Virginia.
During the lull in the storm that followed the Gettysburg campaign, it was deemed best to detach Longstreet's corps from the Army of Northern Virginia ( General Lee consenting to re- main on the defensive) and send those troops to the relief of General Bragg, commanding the Tennessee army.
General Rosecrans, the Federal commander, was pressing on through East Tennessee, trying to force his way into the heart of the cotton States. "This military Hercules." said a Northern paper, "had of all others been selected to drive a wedge into the Confederacy." General Bragg had fallen back near Chattanooga, Tenn. Cumberland Gap, by a grave mistake, kad been sur- rendered without attempt at defense, "which disaster laid open East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia to hostile operations. As it was impossible to hold Chattanooga with Rosecrans advancing so rapidly," the Confederate forces took position on the road leading south of Chattanooga, frouting the east slope of Look- out Mountain.
Chattanooga, lying in the valley of the same name, in the midst of the Cumberland range, is the great gateway through the mountains to Georgia and Alabama. On one side rises the lofty palisade of rocks, Lookout Mountain, twenty-four hundred feet above sea level, from a steep, wooded base. On the other, the heights of Missionary Ridge. East of the latter is Chicka- mauga valley, following the course of Chickamauga creek.
The Confederates were concentrated along this stream. in com- munication with the railroad at Ringgold. Ga. To this place General Longstreet's men were hastened by rail, through North and South Carolina and Georgia, leaving General Lee about September 15, and reaching Ringgold in time to be moved rapidly forward to the Chickamauga, reinforcing General Bragg on the afternoon of September 18, in time for the expected conflict, . Rosecrans having massed his forces at Chattanooga, and an en- gagement being hourly expected.
General Hood, who had been under medical treatment at
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Richmond, Va., for his wound, which had not necessitated am- putation of the arm, while still under the surgeon's care, de- termined to follow Longstreet's corps, and take command of his division when they passed through the city, although his arm was still in a sling.
After reaching Ringgold he was ordered to proceed at once to Reid's Ridge on the Chickamauga and assume command of the column advancing against the Federals. There he met his men for the first time since Gettysburg, who gave him a touching welcome.
During the first day's fighting he drove the enemy six or seven miles across the creek. Next day General Longstreet assigned to him the direction of the left wing of the army, placing five divisions under his command.
General Bragg's plan of battle was to commence the attack on the right, and gradually have it taken up to the left until all the troops were engaged. This was not effected so rapidly as ex- pected. General Rosecrans having massed his forces on the right, the left met with less resistance, and from 9 until 2:30 o'clock General Hood's men wrestled with the foe, who fought desperately.
On went Hood's division, the Texas brigade hotly engaged, when a body of Federals rushed down upon their immediate flank and rear, and they were suddenly forced to change front. General Hood, from a ridge several hundred feet distant, galloped down the slope in the midst of the men, who speedily corrected their alignment.
At this moment Kershaw's division was brought under Hood's direction, who ordered a change of front, when, with a shout, the men rushed forward all along his line, penetrated into the wood over and beyond the enemy's breastworks, which gave way along his whole front, crowning the day with success.
Just when victory was certain, General Hood was pierced by a minie-ball through his right leg, and fell from his horse into the arms of the men of his old brigade, which he had commanded upon so many fields of battle -- a singular coincidence while com- manding five divisions of troops.
Tenderly was he borne to a field hospital and one of the most difficult operations performed -- amputation of the limb at the thigh. The day after the battle he was removed on a litter fifteen miles to a pleasant family residence in Armuchee valley, where he remained a month, when General Bragg notified him of a contemplated raid to capture him, when he was moved to Atlanta, and thence to Richmond. Here he remained several months at a private residence, an honored guest, receiving the most flatter-
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AND HOOD'S TEXAS BRIGADE.
ing testimonials of regard from all classes of people, who did all in their power to mitigate his suffering.
On the day he was wounded General Longstreet telegraphed from the battle-field to the authorities of the Confederate govern- ment, urging his promotion to the rank of lieutenant-general, and at the same time sent the following letter:
"I respectfully recommend Major-General J. B. Hood for pio- motion to the rank of lieutenant-general for distinguished con- duet and ability in the battle of the 20th inst. General Hood handled his troops with the coolness and ability that I have rarely known by any officer on any field, and had the misfortune, after winning the battle, to lose one of his limbs.
"J. LONGSTREET, "Lieutenant-General."
This recommendation was signed by every superior officer, and made its way to the head of the government, but being obliged to pass through so much red tape, it was the following January before he secured the commission of lieutenant-general, and was placed in charge of the Tennessee army, after General Jolinston's removal, who had succeeded Bragg.
Upon the battle-field of Chickamauga was the last time he commanded his old brigade, after sharing so many hardships to- getber. So much did he prize their services and appreciate their warm affection will be understood from the tribute he paid them in his work, "Advance and Retreat:"
"In almost every battle in Virginia, it bore a conspicuous part. It acted as the advanced guard of Jackson, when he moved upon McClellan around Richmond; and almost without an exceptional instance, it was among the foremost of Longstreet's corps in an attack and pursuit of the enemy. It was also, as a rule, with the rear guard of the corps, whenever falling back before the adversary. If a ditch was to be leaped or a fortified position to be carried, General Lee knew no better troops upon which to rely. In truth, its signal achievements in the war of secession have never been surpassed in the history of nations."
Although Chickamauga was a splendid success, the men sleep- ing on the field so hotly contested, and Rosecrans withdrawing his forces within his lines at Chattanooga, yet the loss was im- miense-greater on the Federal side, but General Bragg made the appalling confession, that he had lost two-fifths of his troops, many of them field officers.
The Confederates engaged numbered officially 47,321; Feder- als 64, 392. Over 8000 prisoners were captured, 51 pieces of ar- tillery, 15,000 stand of small arms, and a large quantity of mili- tary stores.
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The retreat to Chattanooga was disorderly. General Long- street, who had contributed so much to the fortunes of the day, wished to make a forward movement of the whole army, inter- cept and flank Rosecrans before his men were safe bebind Lis works at Chattanooga. He sent to entreat Bragg to advance, but the general-in-chief refused. So eager were the men for pur- suit that General Forrest shouted from a lofty perch in a tree, where he swept the whole surroundings with his field glass: "Tell General Bragg to advance the whole army; the enemy is ours."
General Bragg did not catch the inspiration, and said officially : "The darkness of the night, and the density of the forest ren- dered further movements uncertain and dangerous, and the army bivoucked on the ground it bad so gallantly won." He also reported that his supplies were greatly reduced, the rail- road constantly occupied transferring troops, prisoners and the wounded, and by cutting off the enemy's supplies, he hoped to force an evacuation of Chattanooga. Three days after the bat- tle. the whole army was ordered to move upon Chattanooga. It advanced up, and over Missionary Ridge, where it hatted and remained many weeks.
Rosecrans congratulated his men upon their retention of Chattanooga. He said: "You have accomplished the great work of the campaign; you hold the key of East Tennessee and Northern Georgia, and of the enemy's mines of coal and nitre."
He reorganized his army, and fortified his position, leaving Bragg no chance to dislodge him by direct attack-only by toil- some manenvers threatening his communication.
The men of the Texas brigade were the recipients of kind at- tention along the railroad route to Chickamauga. Ladies, old men and boys, crowded the stations, with baskets of provisions for the soldiers, when learning that Longstreet's corps was mov- ing into Tennessee, cheering the dusty warriors to renewed efforts of endurance.
A war incident from the pen of a member of the brigade at Waco, Texas, will here find an appropriate ;luce:
"During the hottest part of the fight at Chickamauga, as Hood's Texas Brigade was advancing and Triving the stubborn foe before them inch by inch, and at every step passing over the dead and wounded of the troops they had relieved, one poor Cou- federate soldier wounded to death and then almost at the list gasp, exclaimed: "Oh! Lord! What shall I do?" A tall un- gainly officer of the 4th Texas stopped in that storm of leaden hail and laying his hand on the head of the dying man, said: "My friend! place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ," and
.
C
BRIG .- GEN. JOHN GREGG.
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then passed on to his place in the ranks. The name of the sa !- dier was S. M. Riggs -- the officer was Captain J. Loughsides, both of Company I, 4th Regiment, from Corsicana. Texas."
Some extracts from private letters of an officer of Ho. I's B ::. gade may prove interesting .*
"CAMP NEAR CHATTANOOGA, "September 27, 1863. 1
"For three days and nights we have been in line of battle in front of the enemy; during the day, except an occasional boom of the cannon, we have been quiet, but every night we have skirmishing in front of our line, and the troops in readiness for action at any moment. To day, Sabbath as it is, our situation is unchanged. Officers are riding round, subordinates at i met are lying in the shade, some writing letters on paper takes from the Federals in the recent fight; the working parties, meanwhile. busily engaged in strengthening our position.
"On Friday last a party, of which I was one, obtained permis- sion to visit Lookout Mountain, and about noon, the day being beautiful, set out, and, in the course of an hour, had ascended as far as our horses could carry us, and dismounting, were clims- ing up its steep and rugged sides, when I disengaged myself frosi the balance of the party, and sat down upon a shelving rock. to contemplate the grandest scene my eyes ever beheld. Looking away to the northward, the Tennessee river could be seen wind- ing its way through the mountain range southward. anti! it seemed to empty itself into the foot of the mountain where I sat, it being so high and steep, as seemingly, to overhang and ex- clude from view the river sweeping its base. The town of Chat- tanooga. situated on the east side, some half mile from the river. is plainly seen, together with the large depot, and railroad creen- ing down the valley, while across a large horseshoe bend of the river, in which the town is located, may be traced the line of fortifications some time since evacuated by General Bragg, and within which Rosencrans has taken shelter since his defeat at Chickamauga. The enemy's encampment, along and within the heavy works, are plainly visible to the naked eye, and viewed through a glass, presented a scene of life and bustle, interesting to contemplate, especially when we consider them our mor:3. enemies. Their batteries are planted and frowning down upon us, their long lines of bayonets glistening in the sun, their sews of tents, the cloud of dust that is constantly ascending as they move to and fro, as officers dash along the lines, or their trains of wagons passing down to the pontoon bridge, and crossing the
* Major C. M. Winkler.
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river, lose themselves among the mountains to the right. the whole surrounded and surmounted by mountains grand and gloomy, and as I gazed in amazement at the scene, I thought of the exclamation of Bascomb at the falls of Niagara: 'Goio: grandeur, what a sight !- almost bewildered by the beauty spread out before me.
"Occasionally we have an incident in camp worth remembering. Last Thursday a man named Dearing, of the 4th Texas, set out, with ten others, on a scout down the river, when they came upon a Yankee ferry-boat propelled by horse-power. The scouts opened fire, fifteen jumped overboard, and all, but three. were supposed to be drowned. The balance of the crew surrendered. and the scouts marched into camp a lieutenant and twenty men, and a negro, turning them over to General Longstreet, and since I have been writing, Dearing has come in with another batch of prisoners. He is, without doubt, the best scout in the army.
"I do not believe it is the intention of our general to make an- other direct attack at present, but to cut off Rosecrans' supplies, and compel him to come out of his stronghold and give us a fair fight in an open field.
"We have greatly strengthened our position by throwing up earth-works, behind which we are safe from any shelling the enemy may honor us with. The opinion prevails that when our artillery opens upon the place, Chattanooga will become too warm for the cold blood of the North, but I have no confidence in shelling them out. I believe, unless we interrupt their com- munication, so as to compel them to withdraw. we will be com- pelled to storm their works to get at them. There is little likeli- hood that General Rosecrans will attack now that we are forti- fied. I fear we have been too tardy in our movements; we should have followed up the victory of the coth, before the enemy bad time to recover from the shock of defeat.
"October 5th .--- Lookout Mountain is to-day more grand than ever-the picture heightened just now by the smoke and Dame is- suing from our batteries, half way up its rugged side, and the peculiar reverberation among the mountains. I spent yesterday and last night with the pickets, close up to the Federal works; saw a great many. They were very friendly, and proposed an exchange of newspapers, but our orders prohibited all intercourse with them, except of a hostile nature.
"October 22 .-- While at breakfast this morning, our orderis came dashing up with orders to get under armis at once, and while the order was being put in execution, General Robertson rode up, 'harnessed for the fight.' and told us that information had been received the enemy was advancing. In less time than it
AND HOOD'S TEXAS BRIGADE.
takes to write it, Jenkins' S. C. brigade and ours were in posi- tion, ready for business. Presently a battery opened fire ani complimented us with a few shots which were entirely harmless. Our picket linc was visited and it was found to be a false alarm. Every one returned to his place, the enemy still treating us to ca occasional shell, but this only serves to remind us there is a large army in our immediate vicinity. Our connection with the array of Virginia, I fear, is at an end, but if we can better serve our country here, we ought to cheerfully submit, though the feeling is unanimous among those who have served under General Lee, in preferring that army to this. Next to going home, every one would prefer going back to the Old Dominion to remaining hete, or soldiering anywhere else in the Confederacy.
"During the time of high waters, last week, we were almiost without provisions for four days. The rains, however, have ceased, and we have our usual supply. Our principal article of bread-stuff is the coarsest kind of corn meal. Stuff it is, and no mistake. Occasionally we get flour, some rice, and, once in a while, can purchase Irish potatoes; but this is an exhausted. mountainous, poor country.
"November 2nd .- On the 28th our division, under Jenkins, of South Carolina, for the present, was ordered west of Lookout Mountain, but without any intimation as to the object of the movement. As we had to pass a point commanded by one of the enemy's batteries, we did not march until after dark, when we climbed the mountain, crossed Lookout creek, a stream ran- ning to the north, and emptying into the Tennessee river just below the town. In passing the mountain we had one of the grandest night views I have ever beheid. Looking to the north. the whole encampment of the enemy was plainly marked by the light of a thousand camp fires, while to the eastward, in a semi- circle form, an equal number of these primeval luminaries dis- closed the position of the greater portion of the Southern army, the whole covered with a cloud of smoke, as with a pall.
"After crossing the creek I met General Robertson, and ven- tured to ask him the object of the expedition. He enlightened me by saying a party of Federals had crossed the river belew. and were then near us, and the intention was to surprise them, and by cutting off their retreat, capture them. The stillness of night was here interrupted by the keen crack of the rifle ca member of Jenkins' brigade; soon the volley was more prolonged, and the echoes were awakened by the boom of the enemy's can- non. Presently a full rebel cheer indicated that a charge was being made by our boys, followed by another and another. the cannon roaring and the musketry rattling away. Farther to the
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right another fire of musketry burst upon the ears. Laws' bri- gade was engaged and our brigade was supporting them. One regiment after another of the Texas brigade was detached and placed at different points, to be ready in case of need, and the 4th was left alone, and for awhile were lookers on, or rather lis- teners to the fight. We, too, were soon called for. Law's bri- gade was being pressed, and the 4th regiment moved forward and took position on the right. We had just reached the top of a steep ridge, when the troops to the left gave way precipitately down the hill, and the 4th, left alone, in imminent danger of being surrounded, retired with the best grace possible. Soon the firing ceased, and we were ordered to return, so the whole thing was a failure. The Federals were more numerous than was supposed, and had they known our situation, could have cut us off, and, perhaps, have captured most of us, while we were attempting the same with them. Jenkins lost some three hun- dred men in killed and wounded and missing, Law but few, the 4th, two wounded; the other Texas regiments were not engaged. The remainder of the night, and all day, we guarded the west side of the mountain, and this morning we recrossed to our old position. In this tremendous battle, so far as noise was con- cerned, your correspondent escaped without further injury than caused by one scant meal a day, for four consecutive days."
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CHAPTER XVII.
General Grant Succeeds Rosecrans at Chattanooga-Grant Attacks Bragg at Missionary Ridge-Longstreet's Corps Sent off on Au Expedition Against Knoxville-Extracts From Private letters-Longstreet's Commu- nication with Bragg Severed -- Siege of Knoxvill -Opens Communication with Bristol to Virginia, Subsisting His Men on the Country of East Tens nessee-Suffering of the Men from Want of Food, Cold, and Want of Shoes-General Rodertson Protests Against Marching Barefooted Men Through the Snow-He is Relieved of His Command and Court-martiale 1 -- Brilliant Affair at Sabine Pass, Texas, Inspiring News-General John Gregg Placed in Command of Texas Brigade-General Robertson Repri- manded by His Court-martial, and Transferred to Trans-Mississippi De- partment-Stories of Returne 1 Prisoners-A Military Execution-Major- General Field in Command of Division-Probability of General Longstreet Returning to Virginia-Army Movements in that Direction-Satisfaction of the Men, and Martial Spirit Still Undiminished-Lincoln's "Peace Proclamation"-Negro Troops in the Federal Army -- New Conscription Laws Passed by the Confederate Congress-Efforts to Exchange Prisoners -Female Spies in Richmond-Dahlgren's Raid, His Repulse, and Death .
General Rosecrans' failure at Chickamauga cost him dear, as, despite his efforts to qualify his misfortune, he was relieved of his commaud, and General Grant, who had successfully con- ducted the siege of Vicksburg and been appointed military com- mander of the division of Mississippi, proceeded at once to Chat- tanooga.
General Bragg was there, holding the Federal army at the point of starvation, everything was cheering for Confederate suc- cess, and hopes were entertained of retrieving the fortunes of the West after President Davis made a personal inspection of Gen- eral Bragg's lines.
A strange policy was now inaugurated, which changed the aspect of the situation so materially as to cause Grant to make an attack upon Bragg at Missionary Ridge, and by a victory opened the way for his extended plan of operations through the South, which culminated in Sberman's famous "march to the sea."
As we are only proposing to follow the action of armies where Hood's Texas Brigade was engaged. we therefore leave this part of the narrative for the industrious reader to pursue for himself.
The damaging policy was General Bragg's detaching Long- street's corps while confronting the enemy, and sending him off on an expedition against Knoxville, in East Tennessee, against Burnside.
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It was conceded that the presence of this corps had assured the victory of Chickamauga, hence the strangeness of the ar- rangement at this critical moment, dispatching them away, with poor transportation and no subsistence whatever, to engage in an ill-advised undertaking.
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