Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/412

 406 Southern Historical Society Papers.

troops passed through this opening, they broke froni the Hne and fled precipitatelv. A considerable portion of Thomas's force on his left, where Liddell had been repulsed, may have retired in compara- tive order, but as his troops fell back from what was their original front they were attacked in flank by our men who had charged over the works, and with the victorious shouts of Longstreet's wing sounding in their ears from one side, answered by the prolonged yells of our wing on the other, the greater portion of the Federal army was soon broken into a disorganized and panic-stricken mass of fugitives. Such, at least, was their condition in front of the troops with which I passed over their field works. I have read ac- counts of this fight from the Federal side, and some from Confederate officers who were with our left wing, in which it was stated that Thomas withdrew his forces about dark. In our front they withdrew before the charge of our troops over the breastworks, and the quan- tity of small arms and accoutrements scattered in all directions, limber-chests, caissons, and pieces of artillery abandoned where they had been jammed in between trees and saplings in rapid flight, bore conclusive testimony to the character of their withdrawal.

Darkness and the near approach of the two wings of our army towards each other made it expedient to stop the pursuit of the fugi- tives.

Your correspondent magnifies the number of men in Bragg's arm3\ In one place he says Bragg lost "two-fifths of his 70,000 men." Further on he mentions his asking General Longstreet, " Why did Bragg bring on the battle of the 19th with only 55,000 men, when he knew that you were on your way to reinforce him and he would have 70,000 next day ? " So he states our force on the 19th as 55,000 men, and 70,000 on the 20th. I have heretofore stated the number engaged on our side on the 19th as less than 32,000, and General Longstreet could have informed him that our whole eff^ective force never exceeded 55,000 men, and deducting at least 6,000 lost in Saturday's fignt, we had only about 49,000 men in the engagement of the 20th of September. The official reports of the Federal com- manders show their force on that day to have been 53, 550 men. Take into consideration also the fact that this force was behind breast works; some of which were of a very formidable character, and it will be easily understood, by every one familiar with such matters, that we fought against great odds.

It is probable that Bragg's loss in killed and wounded was heavier