Today in History:

208 Series I Volume XXXI-I Serial 54 - Knoxville and Lookout Mountain Part I

Page 208 KY.,SW.VA.,Tennessee,MISS.,N.ALA.,AND N.GA. Chapter XLIII.

far distant from the place selected by General Hooker for his headquarters, after the interview with Colonel Hecker. Some prisoners, captured by the Second Division, were brought in, when Major-General Butterfield, chief of General Hooker's staff, directed them to be sent to Chattanooga. The staff officer to whom the direction was given understood that a brigade was to go, and ordered Colonel Krzyzanowski to march his brigade with the prisoners to Chattanooga. The brigade started, but the staff officer soon ascertained that he had committed an error. The order was countermanded before the brigade had marched 50 yards, and it was brought back to its late position.

As soon as Colonel Krzyzanowski received the order to march to Chattanooga, he dispatched an aide to General Schurz to advise him of the order. This aide, Captain Orlemann, rode forward to General Schurz and reported to him that the Second Brigade had marched to Chattanooga by orders of General Hooker. This report was made to General Schurz soon after Major Howard had reported the situation of the Third Brigade. The fact that the orders to Colonel Krzyzanowski was a mistake and had been countermanded and rectified was not communicated to General Schurz.

After driving the enemy from Tyndale's Hill and putting the First Brigade in position on its summit and establishing a line of skirmishers in front, General Schurz reported in person to General Hooker. When General Hooker learned that General Geary had not been reenforced, and that his orders in that respect had not been obeyed, he expressed his disapprobation and displeasure to General Schurz in emphatic and decided terms. He repeated the order, and directed General Schurz to carry it into effect immediately.

General Schurz then ordered forward the two brigades. The Second Brigade was placed in the gap between the Smith and Tyndale Hills to hold it, and to protect the flanks of the column in march. The Third Brigade was marched to the foot of Tyndale's Hill where it was halted to await the return of some patrols that had been sent out, and for some re-enforcements from the Second Brigade. After being re-enforced by a regiment from the Second Brigade, Colonel Hecker continued his march toward Wauhatchie and joined General Geary at 5.30 a.m. of the 29th of October. At 7 a.m. Colonel Krzyzanowski reached General Geary with the balance of his brigade. At the time the troops of the Eleventh Corps commenced to march toward Wauhatchie there was sharp and rapid firing of artillery and musketry in the direction of General Geary, which from its suddenness, proximity, severity, and being in the night-time, might well be termed "terrific." This continued until the head of the column had nearly reached Tyndale's Hill, when it gradually died away and finally entirely ceased.

The evidence shows, and it may be regarded as proved, that General Hooker, by orders delivered in person, directed General Schurz to march his division to the relief of General Geary, and that by orders sent by one or more of his staff officers he directed General Schurz to push one brigade rapidly forward to re-enforce Geary, and with another to take and occupy Tyndale's Hill. These orders were obeyed only in part.

It is also clear and well established that General Hooker did not after issuing these orders countermand or in any way modify them, unless what was said by him to Colonel Hecker may be regarded a modification. It is evident that at the time he met Colonel Hecker, General Hooker understood that the Third Brigade was halted by


Page 208 KY.,SW.VA.,Tennessee,MISS.,N.ALA.,AND N.GA. Chapter XLIII.