Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/77

Rh of General Bragg and rejoined the division in the neighborhood of Chattanooga.

I commanded the division in the McLemore's Cove expedition in September—for which Hindman, who commanded the whole expedition, has received much censure. He certainly missed capturing eight or ten thousand of the enemy, which would have left the balance of Rosencranz's army at Bragg's mercy. Soon after this, or rather while in McLemore's Cove, Hindman was taken sick and the command of the division again devolved upon me.

On the night of the 19th of September, after the division had crossed the Chickamauga creek and while it was getting in position for next day's fight, Hindman resumed command and continued in command of the division till the close of the battle after dark on the night of the 20th. So I commanded my brigade in the battle of Chickamauga.

In the advance on Missionary Ridge, began on the 21st, I was in command of the division. Soon after reaching Missionary Ridge Hindman was placed in arrest by General Bragg and the command of the division devolved upon me. I commanded it at the battle of Missionary Ridge, but on that morning protested against the disposition which had been made of the troops (see my official report), which was the worst I have ever seen. The line was in two ranks, the front rank at the foot of the hill and the rear rank on the top!! And the men were over three feet apart in line! Thus the front rank was not strong enough to hold its position, nor could it retire to the top of the ridge so as to be of any service to the line there. The consequence was that the troops made no fight at all, but broke and ran as soon as the enemy's overwhelming columns advanced. About the last of December Hindman was released from arrest and assumed command of the corps as senior major-general, and I remained in command of the division.

In February, 1864, Major-General Breckinridge having been transferred to a command in Southwestern Division, I was on the 9th day of February appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate a major-general in the provisional army and assigned to the command of Breckenridge's division in the Army of Tennessee. Before receiving these orders, however, I received a dispatch from the President ordering me to Florida to assume command of that district. The Army of Tennessee was at this time at Dalton, Ga., under command of General Joseph E. Johnston.