Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 12.djvu/231

 Chickamauga — A Reply to Majo7' Sykes. 221

To this General Palmer promptly responded :

" Headquarters Second Division,

TWENTV-FIRST ArMY CoRPS,

Gordon's Mill, September 19th, 1863 — 10 A. M.

Genera/, — Your note of 9 A. M. received. Colonel Grose is gone on reconnoissance on our flank. As soon as he returns will advance as you propose.

Very respectfully,

J. M. Palmer. Major-Ge7ieral Thomas, Fourteenth Army Corps. '^

On that day the great battle may be said to have commenced, and I quote the above for the purpose of showing that leading officers of the Federal forces entered on it in the full assurance of a great suc- cess and with a determination and expectation of "using up" the rebel army. In proportion to the confidence felt in their ability to win must have been the revulsion of feeling and demoralization on the night of the 20th, when they found that they had been beaten at all points and that they must leave the field in possession of those very rebels whom the sanguine Cruft had declared could be driven '^ ad infinitum,'" and Thomas believed could be easily " used up "

The question then arises why the fruits of so grand a victory were not gathered in on that night or on the succeeding day ?

General Bragg was in consultation with General Longstreet at early dawn of the morning of the 21st at the latter's bivouac. Gen- eral Longstreet urged a movement across the river in the rear of Rosecrans, to the pushing on to Nashville, and, after drawing Rose- crans out of Chattanooga, seek an opportunity to crush him ; but go on to Nashville and Louisville.

This General Bragg agreed to do, and it was understood that he gave his orders with such a purpose in view.

On parting from General Bragg General Longstreet directed his command to move at once. When the order was delivered to General Kershaw, who, as senior Brigadier, was in command of his own and Humphries' brigade of McLaws's division (the two Georgia brigades and General McLaws not having yet reached the field), the men were preparing to eat breakfast, and though they had laid down supperless, it was not ten minutes before they were on the move. Riding forward to report the fact to General Longstreet, I had proceeded but a short distance before I met that officer, who