The National tribune. [volume], March 10, 1898, Image 1

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See page 12 for the
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ESTABLISHED 1877-NEW SERIES.
WASHINGTON, D. 0., THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 189S.-WITH SUPPLEMENT.
VOL. XVll-NO. 22-WHOLE W. 865.
- t WW- r - -r
mw s.r- - -.- u. Tj IV --
LETTERS OF
GflAS. fl. Dflflfl.
Terse, Telling Reports to War
Department from the Front.
"THE BPHlGflS
- GOpfltlGT."
m m
Leading Incidents and Episodes
of the War of the Rebellion.
III.
AFTER CHICKAMAUGA.
Occupation of Chattanooga Begun.
Rosecrans's Men Coufident Bragg's
Portentous Display Union Leader
Determines to '-Fight it Out" Re
sponsibility for Chickamauga.
COPYRIGHT.
UK LAST WEEK'S Ds ST ALL-
ment of telegrams from Charles
A. Dana to the Secretary of War
ended with those sent from Chat
tanooga, on the afternoon of Sept. 21,
18G2, the day after the battle of Chicka
mauga had ended, and while Gen.
Thomas was still standing sternly at bay
at Rossville Gap, and offering the rebels
a renewal of the battle, which they de
clined to accept.
That night Gen. Thomas withdrew
into Chattanooga, and the real occupa
tion began. The next afternoon Dana
telegraphed the Secretary of War :
Chattanooga, Sept. 22 ; 3 p. m.
"Whole army wilhdiew into this place last
night without difficulty, leaving only neces
sary outposts and parties of observation.
The troops arrived here about midnight in
wonderful spirits, considering their excessive
falijiues and heavy losses. They have been
working all day improvising rifle-pits. Line
of defense is about three miles long, crossing
flie peninsula some two miles from its ex
tremity. It includes two redoubts erected by
rebels, and is pretty strong, though much
weakened by a blunder made by somebody
in pushing McCook's wing half mile forward
of line designed by Chief Engineer Morton.
Thi cannot be remedied to-day, but if possi
ble mistake repaired to-night.
McCeok holds the right, that noble old
he.o Thomas the center, the weakest-parrof !
the line, and Crittenden the left. The
enemy have been approaching all morning in
tbiee columns, resisted by our advance
parties, but the artillery firing ha3 now
drawn very near and battle may be fought
before dark. Kosecrans estimates our effect
ives at 30,000 besides cavalry, but I fear our
numbers are hardly 0 great as that.
There are provisions here for 15 days.
Mass of cavalry under Mitchell has been sent
across river to guard the road to Bridgeport
via Jasper, and to strengthen "Wilder, who is
watching fords above here. Mitchell will
there find forage for horses, of which none is
here.
Only cavalry remaining on this side are
Miuty's Brigade, in front toward Kossville
and Missionary ltidge.and AVatkins's Brigade,
left behind by Mitchell, and now making its
way over Lookout Mountain.
How large force enemy brings here, von
know as well as we. He was awfully
slaughtered on Sunday, but certainty out
numbers this army een if he has received no
reinforcements. Our losses on that awful
day are still uncertain. Four thousand
-wounded have aheady been sent hence to
Bridgeport.
Gen. Xing, commanding brigade of Ecni-
Jars, went into action with I, GOO, biought
ont only 430. He lo3t two battalions, taken
prisoners. Gen. B:ird, who commanded
.Rousseau's Division, estimates his loss in pris
oners at 2,000, though his line never flinched.
Tins army looks anxiously for reiuforce
nents. 2o signs of approach of Buruside.
As Dana says, the Army of the
Cumberland had no idea that it was
whipped. A small portion of it had
been cut off from the main bod', and
terribly handled, but the remainder had
successfully repulsed every one of the
enemy's most savage assaults, and
though they had suffeied very severely,
they felt confident they had punished
the enemy terribly. They were as full
of fight as ever, and quite confident of
the lesult should the rebels renew the
attack. From what Dana says in a
dispatch sent on the evening of the same
day, Gen. Rosecrans was not so confi
dent as were the men under him :
G p. m. Rosecrans is considering question
of ictreat fiom here. I judge that he thinks
that unless he can have assurance of ample
icinforeements within one week the attempt
to hold this place will be much more disas
trous tlian retreat. That part of the army
which was louted on Sunday is much de
moralized. If you have any adice to give
it should come to night.
Ioskciuxs siirrri.vnD ur.
It would seem probable that some
I
hint of Rosecrans's discouragement got
cut, and that there was such an energet
ic protest from everybody against giving
up Chattanooga, that Rosecrans changed
his mind during the next three hours,
and decided to stay and fight it out,
though it seemed inevitable that the
rebels would lenew the battle at once.
Later in the evening Dana telegraphed :
0:30 p. ni. ORosecrans has determined to
light it out here at all hazard. The official
returns show the army to consist of 35.000
effectives. There arc here 10 days' full ra
tions, sufficient for 20 days in case of need.
Boides, it will be difficult for enemy to in
terfeitfewith our hauling from Bridgeport via
Jasper. Of ammunition there is enough here
for two days' hard fighting in field, and this
will last much longer behind rifle-pits.
The enemy wxll most probably attack in
morning.
A GRAND WATT.
Gen. Bragg made a grand " bluff" on
Sept. 23, to get our army to evacuate
Chattanooga, and put itself behind the
cover of the Tennessee River, lie
massed his superior forces in a very
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EAwliiTdr&af&iiato
The "Bummers" came into existence
there had been ' foraging parties," but they
which they executed and returned to camp.
the county-, which were sternly repressed and
the
iv-uui uuiuu-jKiieii-guaruiiig- poncy 01
Their successors were less rigoious. The
wiuuuy- -nncn onerman started liom Atlanta to Savannah, and it became part of his policy in that great raid.
jjui. iiiuu iignuiigwas aiuic-ipatea ac least in the inteiior. The greatest danger was that the army misdit be
starved. To prevent this Gen. Sherman outlined a "swath" throuirh the State. GO miles wide, from winch lie
proposed to draw supplies. Every morning details of men went out from each regiment to
tiring in all available food for man and beast. The crops had just been harvested, and were collected in barns and
cribs where they would be most available. Then the " Bu miner " developed in all his glory. The whole front; of
GO miles was covered with pquads of adventurous, dashing men, long inured to war, fearing nothing on the face of
the earthy and hungering equally for adventuie or anything ood to eat or drink.
The 'Bummers" usually started out on foot, but they speedily mounted themselves on as good horseflesh
as the country afforded. They staitcd "the cattle, sheep and hogs to where they would fall into Urn hands
of their comrades marching in the columns, the wagons came along behind and emptied the cribs and
threatening array, and demonstrated all
along the liue. The formation of the
ground was such as to enable him to
make a most portentous show of his
strength to the beleaguered Army of
the Cumberland, cooked up in its hurriedly-constructed
works on the banks of
the Tennessee. It was such a display as
would have frightened men of less iron
in their blood than those of the Armv of
Maj.-Ge.v. A. McD. McCook
was born in Ohio, and graduated from
West Point in lh.VJ. He was a Captain in
the 3d U. S. in 18G1, and became Colonel of
the 1st Ohio, which he commanded at IJuil
l?un, and received a brevet of Major in the
Kegular Army for gallantry mi that action.
Was promoted to Brigadier General Sept. .'J,
1S31; commanded a brigade at Mill Springs,
and a division at Shiloh, v. here he received
abievet as Colonel in the Regular Army.
He was promoted to Major-General, U. S. V.,
.Inly 17, KM52, and assigned to the command
of the Right Wing. Fourteenth Corps, which
he held in the b -tiles of Perry ville and Stone
River. His actions were r.ot satisfactory,
but he received the brevet of Brigadier
General. His command was subsequently
btylcd the Twentieth Corps, which he led
on the Chickamauga campa'gn. His con
duct was more unsatisfactory than ever,
and ho was relieved, and t,pent the next
year in Washington " waiting orders." He
resigned from ihu volunteers, Oct. 21, ISO'S,
and became Lieutenant-Colonel, 20th U. S.
He was promoted to Colonel in 1880; to
Brigadier-General in 1690: to Major-General
in IS!)!, and was retired m l8'J5. He repre
sentee the United States Army at the
coronation of the Czar.
the Cumberland. But these remembered
their successful defense of Snodgrasa
Hill, and stood with Prm countenances.
Bragg remembered it, too, and did not
1 ' i$M AW -1
3--f f?
and fame during Sherman's March to the Sea.
were regular, well-ordered expeditions, sent out
There had been private raids for snch provisions
severely punished when detected, in the early
jicuieiian anu uueil
army had been steadily growing up to the policy of "living off the
attack. It was a very anxious day at
and around Chattanooga. Dana tele
graphed early in the morning :
Chattanooga, Sept. 23; 7 a. m.
Your dispatch to me ye-tcrday was lost be
foie reaching me, while 1 was absent in the
field. Please repeat. .
10 a. in. All quiet yet. Enemy is in
front along our whole line. Tlie troops rested
well last night, and are greatly refrcjhed.
Everything leady.
lt::K) a. m. The net rcv.ilt of the cam
paign thus tar is that we hold Chattanooga
and the line of Tennessee Kiver. It is true
this result has been attended by a gieat
battle with heavy losses, but it is certain that
the enemy has 'suffered quite as severely :w
we have.
Tlie first great object of tho campaign,
the possession of Chattanooga and the
Tennessee line, still remains in our hands,
and can bo held by this army for from 1.1
to 20 days against all efforts of tho
enemy, unless he should recche reinforce
ments of overwhelming strength. But
to render our hold heic perfectly safe
no lime should be lost in pushing 20,000
to 2:5,000 efficient troops to Bridgeport. If
such leinforcemcnts can begot theie in sea
son everything is safe, and this place indis
pensable alike to the defense of Tennessee
and as the base of future operations in Geor
gia will remain ours.
By noon the prospects of attack were
yet imminent, but confidence was in
Creasing. Dana telegraphed:
1:30 p. m. Enemy still slowly advancing
three columns, but no attack yet. Our rifle
pits are now strong, and 'every preparation
complete as possible- considering shortuc-s of
time. Ammunition-train of 50 wagons fioni
Bridgeport has arrived, increasing our supply
materially.
Orders have been given to construct an in
terior line of defenses, so that 5,000 to 10,000
troops can hold the place and rest of army
move wherever needed. This will probably
be accomplished to-night.
Official report received fiom Burnside's
advance, which was at Athens night before
last. Mass of his forces far behind that
place. Rosecrans advises Bui aside to conic
heic by load on the north side Tenncasec
River.
thc iu:sroxsii5iLiTY ron chickamauga.
As noon passed without an attack, the
belief that one would be made diminished
rapidly, and an opportunity was given to
think of other things. Dana took ad
vantage of this to discuss the events of
the terrible days on the banks of the
Chickamauga :
2 p. m. After careful study of the disaster
to our right wing on Sunday, I am of opinion
that itaiose from thc following causes:
First, great numerical superiority of tho
enemy. Second, the too great extent and
consequent thinness of our line. Thiid, and
in its results thc most fatal of all, the dis
obedience of orders of Gen. McCook in placing
his corps from. one-third to one-half mile
fai ther to the right than he had been directed,
thus elongating thc line still farther.
it
THP RIIMIVtPD'; "
IIIC DUllllYICrK
A CautiousHalt. " They'rooiamies, sure.as yeroraboysry- ? .LTr
Previons to that lime
for a definite purpose,
as could be found in
years of the war, under
1 still more passionately
scour the cotmtrv and
and leccived the gieatcst
Fourth the attempt of Rosecrans to rein
force thc left wing' when Thomas reported it
had been forced to fall back. In this at
tempt he necessarily iilid to move troops from
the right, the whole reserve bsing already en
gaged. While tins movement was taking
place the enemy suddenly fell upon Davis as
he was marchiiu by thd left Hank. The at
tack was tremendous, and resulted in our
roiit. Sheridan, who joined Davis on the
hitter's right, and formed the right extremity
of our line, was alsocngaged in moving by
the flank at double-fiuick time and in line of
battle, when Davis bioke. Sheridan had not
time to halt, and attempted to convert his
movement into a charge, but it failed, of
course, and his meujbdcamc ioutcd also.
Had McCook taken thc riht place in the
inoiniug his movement to the left, passing
over a shorter distance, would sooner have
been completed and Davis and " Sheridan
would not Have been taken in Hank and
routed. These tyo Generals, however, re
mained and rallied their men, as did Van
Clevc, who wasahuost as badly dissolved
as they; but MeCoik and Crittenden,
two corps commanders, made their way
hcie and slept here all night, and did not
Iok after their troops till Monday. True
tlnsy were tired, but so were those who re
mained and fought the glorious battle of
Sunday afternoon, in which Granger would
seem to have been right when he inonounced
the enemy defeated and urged Thomas to dis
regard Rosecrans's ontcnto retiicon the ground
that latter was
the facts.
at
Chattanooga
ignorant of
ukady for an attack.
If Bragg really intended to attack,
the golden momejit;for it was thc mo
ment that his army arrived before Chat
tanooga. Then it plight have had a
chance of success, i But he seems to
have hoped that ho could scare Rose
crans out of Chattaifooga, without light
ing. But every hour that he delayed
striking rendered his attempt more hope
less. The momenfcithat the Army of
the Cumberland made its commander
understand that it proposed to stay in
Chattanooga, it began to strain every
nerve to put itself in the best condition
for defense. It maxle such good use of
the two days that Bragi? allowed it, as
to make its v..rks so strong that it be- '
came eager forBru'jr to make an attack.
On the morning c?f Sept. 24, Dana
telegraphs: fj
Chattanooga, Sept. 2-1; 8 a. m.
Your telegrams of last night and this morn
ing received. Have do further doubt about
this place; it will hold out. Indeed, it has
now been made so strong that it can only be
taken by regular siege. The labors of this
army for last 48 hours have been herculean.
As soon as Hooker arrives and Sherman and
IFurlbut make their appearance in Tuscumbia
"Valley, it will be able to resume the offensive
irresistibly.
11 a. m. No attack yet. Division lebel
cavalry advanced from Stevens s Gap on
- ,r .
v -- ' -
barns, while the "Bummers "made sore that there wonld be no interference, hy savagely attacking and whipping
everything that made a show of fight, whether it wa3 Wheeler's cavalry, Gov. Joe Brown's militia, or Hardee's solid
infantry. It did not matter how many there were of the enemy, they would raise a yell and charge. The sound
would bring to their assistance all the other bummers within hearing, and the victory scarcely ever failed to be
theirs.
A thousand thrilling stories could be told of their reckless deviltry, their wild courage, their dashing battles.
They were passionately fond of well-filled smoke-houses, bee-hives, and cool stores of butter and sweet milk, but
fond of a stirring set-to with "all enemies and
to the Sea a triumphant success, and then gatheied into solid ranks again for assaulting the fortifications around
Savannah. Fortunately this was only necessary in the capture of Fort McAllister, which they took in "one-two-three"
order.
They deployed again for,the great march throngh the Carolina?. This was not as much of a picnic a3 the
march through Georgia, for it was now Winter, with its storms, its rains, its swollen rivers, and fathomless mud.
The country was much poorer, the enemy more numerous and stubborn. There was vastly more hardship, personal
discomfort and bitter fighting. But the "Bummer "shone ev?i more brilliantly than during the Indian Summer ex
cursion through Georgia. The country rang with the fame of his exploits, and when at last the combined armies
'inarched up Pennsylvania avenue, Washington, in the Grand JReview, the men who attracted the most attention
applause were Sherman's dauntless "Bummers."
Lookout Mountain yesterday ami compelled
a regiment Rosecrans had left at Summ-r-town,
on the head of mountain, to guard
signal station to retire. Another rebel col
umn on Missionary Ridge on east side Chat
tanooga Valley, and no doubt mas of their
infantry is in that valley in front of us.
Rosecrans will make reconnoissance in force
to-day.
With our present defenses it is very desir
able they should attack U3.
THi: ULUNDEKS OF CHICK-UrAUGA.
By noon Dana had leisure to return
to the consideration of Chickamauga,
and dispatches:
12 m. "Words telegram 2lst you desire re
peated are: " With the electrical courage of
aNey." My cipher clerk, myself, shall be
mote careful.
In my report yesterday upon causes of
Sunday's disaster to our right wing I omitted
to mention, under my second head, that, be
fre the battle began, Rosecrans ' evidently
saw that his line was too long, aul then at
tempted to shorten it. To this end he with
diew Negley's Division from the place as
signed to it, between Reynolds and Bran
nan, and placed Neglev as a support, behind
Baird, on the extiemo left. The gap thus
made in the liuelie filled by moving Bran
nan, Johnson and" Wood to the left, leaving
a gap which he intended to fill by crowding
Davis and Sheridan likewise to the left, which
would have made the whole line shorter by
the extent of one division.
Hut before this operation could be com
pleted the battle became so hot that, instead
of filling this gap in the manner he had in
tended, lie had. to precipitate Van Cleve's
Division into ff, thus leaving himself no re
serves and no means of reinforcing the left
wing, except by withdrawing forces from his
right, and in the very act of this withdrawal
the enemy fell upon him.
It is plain that having committed an error
in too much extending his line originally, he
committed another and a more pregnant error
in the mode of contracting it which he
adopted.
The fatal consequences of theso errors might
have been escaped but for the act of that dan
gerous blunderhead McCook, who always
imperils everything.
During the day thc Army of the
Cumberland, not being attacked, took
up the offensive itself, and the result of
a reconnoissance infused the belief that
Bragg did not really intend to attack.
In the evening Dana telegraphs:
8:30 p. m. lieconnoissance in force to-day
shows enemy encamped on Chattanooga
Cieek along base Lookout Mountain. Prob
ably other camps east of Missionary IJidge
on Chickamauga. No other places near here
where an army can find water. No distinct
evidence rebels intend attack Chattauooga,
nor is it certain all Biagg's army is here, nor
are there any signs he is moving elsewhere.
TWO MORE QUIET DAYS.
The movements of thc next two days
confirmed this. The army began to
realize how powerful was the force
which attacked them, and which was
Published by Fords. Howard Ss
Hulbert, oC New York.
, ,
opposers whatsoever." They made the March
still in front of them, but which they
had fought to a standstill. Hopes were
still entertained that Burnside would
come up, and then they could resume
the offensive. Dana reports :
Chattanooga, Sopt. 25; 10:30 a. m.
No demonstration fiom enemy. A Captain
of our cavalry out on scouting expedition
with 35 men came in last night, making his
way through Bragg's camps on Chickamauga
ea-t of Missionary Ridge. Led by a shrewd
guide he came through by-ways in the woods,
and was not seen till he reached infantry
pickets at west base of ridge, and there he
dashed through, losing four men. He re-
Maj.-Gen. Thos. L. Crittenden
was bom in Kentucky, and the son of
Senator John J. Crittenden, of that State.
He was Ieu tenant-Colonel of the 3d Ivy.
in the Mexican war, and was appointed a
Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Sept. 27,
lSGf, and did line service in developing the
Union sentiment in Kentucky and raising
troops. He was promoted to Major-General
July 17, 1802, and commanded the Left
Wing of the Army of tho Cumberland at
Stono River, for which ho received a brevet
of Brigadier-General in thc Regular Army.
His command was afterward official I v
designatcd thc Twenty first Corps, and as
such he led it in tho Chattanooga cam
paign. He was relieved from command
after Chickamauga, and spent some months
in Washington waiting orders. He com
manded a division for a short time in the
Army of the Potomac. He was appointed
Colonel of the 32d U. S., and retired in 18Si.
He is dead.
ports the Chickamauga Valley full of rebels.
Evidently gross of rebel army is there.
McCook reports this morning from our
right that noise of wagons and artillery
moving was heard during the night. He
thinks rebel force discovered on Chattanooga
Creek by reconnoissance yesterday has been
(Continued on third pajfo)
III.
JOHN BROWN.
(Continued.)
A Short-Lived Trinmph--Brown Slight
Have Escaped, but Lingered in Harp
er's Ferry Assailed by Federal and
State Troops The Trial Brown's
Defense.
COrVKIGUT.J
THE PASSENGER TRAIN
that sped eastward from Harp
er's Perry, bv Brown's permis
sion, in the early morning of
Monday, Oct. 17, left that place com
pletely in the military possession of
the insurrectionists. They held, without
dispute, the Arsenal, with its offices,
workshops, and grounds. Their senti
nels stood on guard at the bridges and
principal corners, and were seen walking
ud and down the streets.
Every workman who ighorantly ap
proached the Armory, as day dawned,
was seized and imprisoned, with all other
white males w" ed capable of mak
ing any troub eight o'clock, tho
number of prisoi .d been swelled to
60-odd, and the work was still pro
ceeding. But it was no longer entirely one
sided. The white Virginians, who had
arms, and who remained unmolested in
their houses, prepared to use them. Soon
after daybreak, as Brown's guards wero
bringing two citizens to a halt, they were
fired on by a man named Turner, and,
directly afterward, by a grocer named
Boerly, who was instantly killed by the
return fire.
Several Virginians soon obtained pes
session of a room overlooking the Ar
mory gates, and fired thence at the senti
nels who guarded them, one of whom fell
dead, and another Brown's son "Watson
wa3 mortally wounded. Still, through
out the forenoon, the liberators remained
masters of the town. There were shots
fired from one side or the other at inter
vals, but no more casualties reported.
The prisoners were by turns permitted
to visit their families under guard, to
give assurance that they still lived and
were kindly treated". Had Brown
chosen to fly to the mountains with his
few followers, he might still have dona
so, though with a much slenderer chance
of impunity than if he had, according
to his original plan, decamped at mid
night, with such arms and ammunition
as he could bear away.
Why he lingered, to brave inevitable
destruction, is not certain ; but it may
fairly be presumed that he had private
assurances that the negroes of the sur
rounding country would rise at the first
tidings of his movement, and
flocking to his standard ; and he c
to court the desperate chances ol
maining where arms and aminuni
for all could abundanty be had. T
he afterward said that he had a.
enough already, either on or about .
premises; but, if so, why seize Harper's
Eerry at all?
HIS DOOM SEALED.
At all events, if his doom was already
sealed, his delay at least hastened if.
Half an hour after noon, a militia force
100 strong, arrived from Charlestown,
the County-seat, and were rapidly dis
posed eo as to command every available
exit from the place. In taking the Shen
andoah bridge, they killed ono of the
insurgents, and captured William
Thompson, a neighbor of Brown at Elba,
unwounded.
The rifle works were next attacked,
and speedily carried, being defended by
five insurgents only. These attempted to
cross the river, and four of them suc
ceeded in reaching a rock in the middle
of it, whence they fought with 200 Vir
ginians, who lined either bank, until two
of them were dead, and a third mortally
wounded, when the fourth surrenderedi
Kagi, Brown's Secretary of War, wa3
one of the killed. William H. Leeman,
one of Brown's Captains, being pursued
by scores, plunged into the river, a Vir
ginian wading after him. Leeman turned
round, threw up his empty hands, and
cried, "Don't shoot!" The Virginian
fired his pistol directly in the youth's
face he was but 22 and shattered his
head into fragments.
SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES.
By this time, all the houses around the
Armory buildiugs were held by the Vir
giuians. Capt. Turner, who had fired the
first shot in the morning, was killed by
the sentinel at the Arsenal gate, as he
was raising his rifle to fire. Here
Dangerfield JNewby, a Virginia slave, and
Jim, one of Col. Washington's negroes,
with a free negro, who had lived on
Washington's estate, were shot dead ; and
Oliver Brown, another of the old man's
sons, being hit by a ball, came inside of
the gate, as his brother Watson had done,
ST"" j. "-swjfeSs-"'- v rm j. -
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