Today in History:

884 Series I Volume XXX-I Serial 50 - Chickamauga Part I

Page 884 KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA.,AND N.GA. Chapter XLII.

and camped that night 9 miles short of Therman and rested until next morning.

September 15,5 a.m., line of march resumed by way of Therman, in Sequatchie Valley, and thence down the valley to Cheeksville, and there camped for the night.

September 16,5 a.m., line of march resumed for Jasper, which point, with my command, I reached at noon, and then went into camp, as ordered. The average distance of march each day was about 20 miles. The road was extremely dusty and in many places water was very scarce, and the troops and stock suffered considerably. No accidents or casualties occurred on this march worthy of note.

September 17, remained in camp all day and night.

September 18, at 10 a.m., received orders from Major General G. Granger to march my command to mouth of Battle Creek. The line of march was immediately taken up and mouth of Battle Creek reached at noon same day, and rested there that night; however, the transportation was all the time busily engaged in bringing in forage and supplies. During that night an order was received from Major General G. Granger directing me to march my command to Wauhatchie. Accordingly early on next morning I took up the line of march for that point.

September 19, marched on until night at or near Gardenhire's Old Ferry, near Running Water, and then halted to get something to eat, feed and rest the teams. At 11 o'clock that night orders were received from Major-General Granger to move my command directly on to Chattanooga.

September 20,1 a.m., line of march resumed for Chattanooga and Chattanooga reached with my infantry at noon same day. When near Chattanooga I received orders from Major General G. Granger to march my command to Rossville, Ga. My transportation was unable to get across the point of the mountain until night, the road having been al day so blockaded with other trains that it was difficult to get them along at all. At night I was ordered by Major-General Rosecrans to occupy with my force a position near the bridge across Chattanooga Creek, at the steam tannery, and to halt all officers and soldiers coming into Chattanooga below the rank of major-general, and to forward the wounded and transportation into Chattanooga. Accordingly I ordered Colonel Cooper, commanding Sixth [Tennessee] Regiment, with his command to take position at said bridge, and to halt all such persons as directed. Colonel Shelley, commanding Fifth [Tennessee] Regiment, with his command was located at the crooss-roads at the point of the mountain on the south side, and Colonel Cross with his command [Third Tennessee] was located at Gillespie's, on the Rossville road; the whole night was employed in executing said orders, and by next morning I had halted and encamped, of different corps and divisions, between 8,000 and 12,000 officers and soldiers, who were on next morning all thrown to the front again.

Thus my command rested until Monday evening at dusk, when I received orders to leave the First Middle Tennessee Battery [Captain Abbott] and one regiment in a commanding position at the cross-roads, and proceed with the other two regiments down the Chattanooga Valley road, and join Brigadier-General Mitchell, commanding cavalry [a distance of about 5 miles]. This I at once did, and informed General Mitchell of my arrival. Here my men rested until


Page 884 KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA.,AND N.GA. Chapter XLII.