His supplies came over the railroad from Atlanta and Dalton. His heaviest force was in the valley (Chattanooga) between Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, and on that slope of Lookout Mountain, thus placing it very nearly on his centre. The ridge itself was heavily posted with artillery.

"In this condition of things, the plan of attack was as follows: A division of Sherman's troops was to be sent to Trenton, threatening the enemy's left flank. Under cover of this movement, Sherman's main body was to march up by Hooker's lines, crossing the Brown's Ferry bridge mostly at night, thence into a concealed camp on the north side of the river, opposite South Chickamauga Creek. One division was directed to encamp on the North Chickamauga; about 120 pontoons were to be taken, under cover of hills and woods, and launched into the North Chickamauga; these were to be filled with men, to be floated out into the Tennessee and down it until opposite the South Chickamauga (about three miles below); to effect a landing on that bank, throw up works; cross the remainder of the command in the same boats, or a portion of them; to bridge the Tennessee and South Chickamauga; and then cross the artillery and move at once to seize a foot-hold on the ridge, taking up a line facing the enemy's right flank near the tunnel. Howard's corps, of Hooker's command, was to cross into the town by the two bridges, and fill the gap between Sherman's proposed position and the main body of Thomas' army. Hooker,

with the remainder of his force and the division sent to Trenton, which should return, was to carry the point of Lookout, and then threaten the enemy's left, which would thus be thrown back, being forced to evacuate the mountain and take position on the ridge, and then our troops being on both flanks, and upon one flank threatening the enemy's communications, to advance the whole line, or turn the other flank, as the chances might dictate. Then to follow as far as possible with a part of our force, while Sherman destroyed the railroad from Cleveland to Dalton, and then pushed on to relieve Knoxville, and capture, disperse, or drive off Longstreet from before it. Such were the main points of the plan proposed, matured, and rounded into definite form by General Grant and his coadjutors.

"General Smith, chief engineer, took personal charge of the preliminaries necessary for the move on our left flank. The pontoons were put in the Chickamauga; the men encamped; the bridge trains ready to debouch at the proper point; and so completely was everything arranged, that no confusion whatever occurred. Artillery was posted on our side of the river to cross-fire in front of the point of landing, and force the same, if necessary.

"On Monday, November 24, an armed reconnoissance was made by General Thomas on his left, which developed the enemy's lines and gave to us a line of battle in advance of our picket lines, at the same time allowing the eleventh corps (Howard's) to come into the posi

tion assigned it. At midnight the men entered the pontoons, floated down, and effected a landing. At daylight the pontoniers were at work, and at noon the Tennessee River was bridged by a pontoon bridge 1,400 feet long, and the rest of Sherman's troops crossed and his artillery was over. He then pushed out to the ridge and took up his position, and Howard communicated with him, his force having marched there. Hooker's forces formed a line of battle running up and down the side of the mountain and swept around the point, and at night the same day (the 24th) held what he had gained, and communicated with Thomas' right. That night the enemy evacuated Lookout Mountain top and fell back from his front to the ridge. Thus, on Tuesday night, Bragg was threatened on both flanks, and with heavy line of battle in his front. It was difficult for him to determine what our move would be. His railroad must be held at all hazards from Sherman. The amount of Hooker's force he could distinctly see. He reinforced his right very heavily, leaving enough to hold his left and front, as he supposed. On the 25th, Wednesday, Sherman commenced to move. Two hills were taken. From the third he was several times repulsed, and he moved around more force, as if to get in rear of Bragg's line, and the latter then commenced massing against him. The critical moment had now arrived. Hooker moved his columns along the Rossville road toward Bragg's left, and this drew still more force from the latter's centre.

"General Grant now ordered General Thomas to advance and take the riflepits at the base of the mountain. The Army of the Cumberland, remembering Chickamauga, and impatient by reason of remaining spectators of the operations of Generals Sherman and Hooker for two days, went forward with a will; drove the enemy in disorder from his lower works; and went on, heedless of the beavy artillery and musketry hurled against them from the crest of the ridge. Half way up they seemed to falter, but it was only for breath. Without returning a shot they kept on, crowned the ridge, captured thirty-five out of the forty-four pieces of artillery on the hill, turned some of them against the masses in Sherman's front, and the routed line fell back, while the rest of Bragg's army, including Bragg and Hardee, fled, routed and broken, toward Ringgold. Thousands of prisoners and small-arms and quantities of munitions of war fell into our hands. Hooker took our hands. Hooker took up the pursuit, and that night Missionary Ridge blazed resplendent with our own camp fires. The next day Hooker pushed the enemy to Ringgold, where he made a show of stubborn resistance, but was forced to retire. Sherman and Howard pushed for the above-mentioned railroad, which they smashed completely. Thus Bragg was badly whipped, and also cut off from Longstreet. We captured in all about 60 pieces of artillery and 10,000 prisoners, etc., etc. Bragg lost heavily by deserters, who, coming from Kentucky and Tennessee originally, were tired of the war, and not wishing to be sent

back as exchanged prisoners of war, kept away from our lines and got home as best they could.

The Army of the Cumberland fell back to its old camp, maintaining, of course, sufficient force in front to keep Bragg's crippled army from returning. We could not follow him, because we had been so long at the starving point, that animals enough could not be found in the department to haul our artillery, to say nothing of supplies." The Confederates were greatly vexed by their defeat, and vented their rage upon the unfortunate general who commanded their army.

Despondency and gloom," wrote the editor of the Richmond Enquirer, November 27, "are fast settling down upon the people, who see their cause sacrificed by incompetent officers, without even the hope of any change. The President, we know, esteems General Bragg, and reposes confidence in his military capacity; but, unfortunately, the people do not; and unless they can see some prospect of a speedy change, they may despair of the cause, and the mountain region of East Tennessee, Western North Carolina, Northern Georgia, and Northern Alabama submit to the despotism that incompetency has brought upon them. For the sake of encouraging popular hope, reanimating the popular heart, and keeping alive the fire of

patriotism, we again implore the President to yield to the well-ascertained public desire, now demonstrated by another disaster, to be properly founded, and dismiss incompetency from all commands.

"General Bragg knows and feels the complaints that are public against him, and this fact causes him to be over-cautious-the responsibility oppresses his military capacity, and no man, weighed down as he is, can have that command of all his faculties so necessary in the trying ordeal of battle. We feel for him the greatest sympathy, we know him to be patriotic, and earnestly struggling to do his best; but circumstances, which perhaps he could not control, have operated to impair his usefulness. Why further compromise the cause and endanger the Gulf States by retaining him in command? By consulting the public wish, now almost an open outcry, the President will start the struggle for liberty with new impetus, and every man, as one relieved from an oppressive burden, will start fresh and buoyant in the contest that is yet before us."

Jefferson Davis was forced at last by public clamor to sacrifice his favorite officer to the popular cry for a victim. General Bragg was accordingly relieved of the command of the "Army of the Tennessee," and General Joe Johnston appointed his successor.