Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/77
Autobiography of '/<//"/ /'<///// . I //</< /
of <fiicr.il 1) .114^ and rejoined the division in the neighborhood of
Cll.ltt IIU>. i^.l.
nmanded the division in the Md.emore's Cove expedition in September -tor which Hindman, who commanded the whole expe dition, has received much censure. He certainly missed capturing ciidit or ten thousand of the enemy, which would have left the bal- anre of Rosencranx's army at Braid's mercy. Soon after this, or rather while in McLemore's O>\e, Hindman was taken sick and tlv command of the division again devolved upon me.
On the night of the igth of September, after the division had crossed the Chickamauga creek and while it was getting in position tor next day's fight, Hindman resumed command and continued in comm.uul of the division till the close of the battle after dark on the night of the 2Oth. So I commanded my brigade in the battle of. Chickamauga.
In the advance on Missionary Ridge, began on the 2ist, I was in command of the division. Soon after reaching Missionary Ridge Hindman was placed in arrest by General Bragg and the command of the division devolved upon me. I commanded it at the battle of Missionary Ridge, but on that morning protested against the disposi- tion which had been made of the troops (see my official report), which was the worst I have ever seen. The line was in two ranks, the front rank at the foot of the hill and the rear rank on the top ! ! And the men were over three feet apart in line ! Thus the front rank was not strong enough to hold its position, nor could it retire to the top of the ridge so as to be of any service to the line there. The conse- quence was that the troops made no fight at all, but broke and ran a-> soon as the enemy's overwhelming columns advanced. About the last of December Hindman was released from arrest and assumed command of the corps as senior major-general, and I remained in com- mand of the division.
In February, 1864, Major-General Breckinridge having been trans- ferred to a command in Southwestern Division, I was on the Qth day of February appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate a major-general in the provisional army and assigned to the com- mand of Breckenridge's division in the Army of Tennessee. Before receiving these orders, however, I received a dispatch from the Presi- dent ordering me to Florida to assume command of that district. The Army of Tennessee was at this time at Dalton, Ga., under com- mand of General Joseph E. Johnston.
