them," and some one standing near by said, "Amen." We did not expect it and it looked like a forlorn hope. The cannonade was terrific. Sometimes our men would halt for a few seconds until others came up, but none went back. The enthusiasm spread and our men kept advancing, inclining a little to the right, taking advantage of what cover there was or stopping to reload, though there was not much firing on their part. During the assault a caisson on the crest a little to the north of Gen. Bragg's headquarters was struck by a shell, probably from Fort Wood, and exploded with great effect, a column of smoke rising high in the air; and not long after another exploded further to the north in a similar manner. Just before our line of troops appeared on the crest I saw a group of men run a gun from the intrenchment to the top of the ridge, fire it to the south along the line of intrenchments and then turn it around and fire it at the fleeing enemy on the other side of the ridge. Capt. McMahon of the 41st Ohio writes: "His regiment was on the right of the first line of Gen. Hazen's brigade. The right company of the regiment captured a section of artillery on the crest, turned the guns, enfiladed the crest and drove the enemy in Gen. Sheridan's front into a precipitate retreat." In a few moments more the crest of the ridge was occupied all along the front of the army of the Cumberland and Gen. Bragg's center was routed. Gen. Hooker soon after swept the ridge northward from Rossville connecting with Gen. Johnson's right. Gen. Hardee's forces opposite Gen. Sherman alone maintained their position. From Gen. Bragg's own declaration and from the observation of those occupying elevated positions, there is no room to doubt that Gen. Thomas J. Wood's division first reached the summit. [1] Gen. Sheridan's and Gen. Baird's, on the right and left, very soon after gained the crest. Gen. Wood's troops enfiladed the enemy's line to the right and left as soon as they broke through it. Many isolated contests were conducted with spirit by the enemy but the fragments of his line were speedily brushed away.

About 6 p.m. I saw a signal flag on a hill in Chattanooga valley near the ridge calling my station, and answering the call received the following message which I forwarded to the Cameron Hill station.

The impulse to carry the summit of the ridge was seemingly spontaneous and from different points several brigades passed beyond the limit fixed by Gen. Grant's order before there was any concerted action toward a general assault. Gens. Bragg, Hardee, Breckenridge and others of inferior rank exerted themselves to prevent defeat, and Gen. Bragg was nearly surrounded before he entirely despaired and abandoned the field. Gen. Breckenridge resisted Gen. Hooker as he ascended the ridge at Rossville, availing himself of the intrenchments which had been constructed by the Union army after the battle of Chickamauga. His first resistance was quickly overcome by Grose's brigade. Gen. Cruft's division was then formed in four lines on the summit, and with the lateral division abreast moved rapidly forward, driving the enemy in turn from several positions. Many of his troops that fled east or west were captured by Osterhaus or Geary, and those who tried to escape northward fell into Johnson's hands. As soon as Gen. Hardee heard the noise of battle to his left he hastened to join his troops under Gen. Anderson on the right of their central line, but before he could cross the chasm corresponding to the interval between Gen. Sherman's right and Gen. Thomas' left, Anderson's command was thrown into a confused retreat. He then hurried Cheatham's division from the vicinity of the tunnel and formed it across the summit to resist Baird's division which had advanced northward after carrying its entire front in the assault. In a severe contest in which Col. Phelps, a brigade commander, fell, Gen. Baird pressed this fresh division northward from several knolls, but was finally compelled to abandon the conflict by the peculiar strength of a new position and the approach of darkness. The victory was gained too late in the day for a general pursuit. Gen. Sheridan's division and Willich's brigade of Wood's division pursued the enemy for a short distance down the eastern slope. Later Gen. Sheridan advanced and drove the enemy from a strong position, captured two pieces of artillery, numerous small arms and several wagons from a supply train. Darkness was now fast coming on and the pursuit could no longer be continued, so the troops bivouacked on the ridge for the night. Gen. Cleburne on Gen. Bragg's right had been able to hold the bridge over the Chickamauga on his right and when night fell Gen. Hardee withdrew his troops from the position which was so persistently held against Gen. Sherman, saving his arms and material.

Now that Gen. Bragg had been defeated, Gen. Grant, who had been very anxious about Gen. Burnside, gave attention equally to the pursuit of the routed enemy and the relief of Knoxville; and during the evening of the 25th gave orders to Gen. Thomas to recall the 4th corps to prepare for forced marches to Knoxville, and in conjunction with Gen. Sherman to pursue the enemy with his available troops. Accordingly Gen. Thomas ordered Wood's and Sheridan's divisions to return to Chattanooga and Gens. Hooker and Palmer, the latter with two divisions, to move in pursuit of the enemy. The generals moved on the morning of the 26th, Hooker leading. The troops were delayed at West Chickamauga and Peavine creek, where bridges had to be constructed. At 9 p.m. the enemy was overtaken near Graysville, and on being attacked by Stoughton's brigade fled in all directions. At 11 p.m. the enemy was again attacked and one gun and a number of prisoners taken.

On the following day the columns advanced to Ringgold, where a stand was made. Gen. Hooker was without artillery, but he determined to feel the enemy at once. The skirmish line was driven back upon the main line and the exact position of a battery was ascertained. The endeavor to pick off the gunners provoked the enemy to advance against Gen. C. R. Woods' line. His skirmishers fell back and the main line repulsed the enemy handsomely and followed them into a gorge. Cleburne's division was engaged and its dead and wounded were abandoned as it gave ground. The enemy having been developed in force in a strong position, troops were moved to support those who had been engaged and the action was arrested in waiting for the artillery. Between 12 and 1 p.m. the guns came upon the field and were put in position and the dispositions were made to renew the attack; but the enemy having succeeded in delaying pursuit withdrew, attempting to burn the bridges beyond the town. He was so closely followed, however, that the bridges were saved. Gen. Grant having reached the field gave orders to discontinue the pursuit, but in the afternoon Col. Grose was sent forward with his brigade to Tunnel Hill. Grose soon encountered the enemy's cavalry and drove them upon the infantry. Ascertaining that there was a strong column in a strong position, he returned to Ringgold. Gen. Hooker lost according to his report 65 killed and 377 wounded. Col. Creighton and several officers fell. The enemy left 130 dead on the field and 230 as prisoners; his wounded was not known.

Very early in the morning of Nov. 26 Gen. Davis was ordered by Gen. Sherman to cross his division on the pontoon bridge at the mouth of the Chickamauga and pursue the enemy, and Gen. Howard was ordered to repair a bridge two miles up the creek and follow. Davis in advance reached Chickamauga Station at 11