Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/105

 An Iiii/ini-inii/ I)i'*i>ntfli. 97

by which he withdrew his tones from the Kelley field line, to be fol- lowed with those from Snodgrass Hill, for the purpose of passsing them through McFarlan's Gap, in Missionary Ridge, around Bragg' s ritfht, and placing them in Rossvilk- < iap, between Bragg and Chat- tanooga, General Thomas says:

" I then proceeded to Rossville, accompanied by Generals Gar- field and Gordon Granger, and immediately prepared to place the troops in position at that point. One brigade of Negley's Division was posted in the gap on the Ringgold road, and two brigades on the top of the ridge to the right of the road, adjoining the brigade in the road; Reynold's Division on the right of Negley's, and reach- ing to the Dry Valley road; Brannon's Division in the rear of Rey- nolds' s right, as a reserve; McCook's Corps on the right of the Dry Valley road, and stretching toward the west, his right reaching nearly to Chattanooga creek; Crittenden's entire corps was posted on the heights to the left of Ringgold road, with Steadman's Division of Granger's Corps in reserve behind his left; Baird's Division in reserve and in supporting distance of the brigade in the gap; McCook's Brigade of Granger's Corps, was posted as a reserve to the brigade of Negley's on the top of the ridge, to the right of the road; Minty's cavalry was on the Ringgold road, about a mile and a half in advance of the gap."

NO CHANCE FOR BRAGG.

"With practically the entire Army of the Cumberland rested, and thus skilfully posted in a strong position, with sufficient rations and ammunition, and with its right guarded on front and flank by Wild- er's mounted infantry, and three brigades of cavalry, with Speer's Infantry Brigade as a support to these, and all, as General Thomas telegraphed, 'in high spirits,' it is not difficult to see what would have happened if Bragg, even with his seasoned and magnificent veterans, had followed Forrest's advice, to 'press forward as rapidly as possible.'

"That General Bragg was better informed than General Forrest, is sufficiently shown by the fact that at the very time Forrest was sending the dispatch quoted, General Bragg was telegraphing Adju- tant-General Cooper, at Richmond, as follows:

CHICKAMAUGA RIVER, September 21, 1863.

" 'General S. Cooper:

After two days hard fighting we have driven the enemy, after a

7