Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/407

 Cliickamauga. 401

sand — a very heavy loss, taking into consideration the fact that the battle was a series of engagements by divisions coming up in succes- sion, and that none of the troops were under fire all day.

But at the close of the day our troops were in good spirits, and confident of success on the morrow.

Early on the morning of the 20th, Cheatham's division was in line ready for orders to advance and waiting for the battle to begin on the right. Every one was asking what caused the delay and all were impatient to move forward, well knowing from the sounds that had reached our ears during the night, that the Federal troops were fell- ing trees and fortifying, and thus every minute's delay was enabling them to strengthen their position. I was still in command of Scott's battery attached to Smith's brigade (now under Vaughan) and I well remember that for nearly two hours I sat on my horse in front of the battery with drivers mounted ready to move forward at a moment's notice. It was a bright, sunshiny morning, calculated to suggest to one's mind far pleasanter things than war and bloodshed. While waiting, the writer remembers that with the scenes of the terrible conflict of the previous day still fresh in mind he had far more time than he wished to contemplate the probability of a repetition of the same that day, and the possibility of a less fortunate termination for himself Who was to blame for this delay is a question that has never been definitely settled. General Bragg laid the blame on Gen eral Polk, and General Polk, I believe, claimed that the fault was partly General Bragg' s in failing to give proper orders, and partly due to the tardiness of General D. H. Hill, who, after making a late start from bivouac, waited to ration his men. Whoever was at fault, it was a grievous error, and one that cost many a man's life, but I know that the officers of Polk's corps were never willing to accept that view of the matter which laid the blame entirely upon General Polk. He was a grand old man. There were doubtless better gen- erals than he, but none more conscientious or less liable to the charge of permitting his own ease or convenience to interfere with duty. My recollection is that it was near ten o'clock before an advance was or- dered, and it was then discovered that Stewart's division had been extended too far to the right and was in front of Cheatham's line. This necessitated further delay here, Cheatham being halted where he stood, was held in reserve.

While waiting here, Captain Scott, who had left his sick bed at Lafayette, came up with an order from General Polk directing me to turn over the command of his battery to Captain Scott and to re-