Shortly after this Willich with his brigade was placed in position on commanding ground to the right of the ridge road, and assisted in covering the withdrawal of our troops.Turchin's brigade, having cleared the front, returned and took position on this road with Robinson and Willich.
Thomas having made this disposition of the troops, ordered Wood, Brannan, and Granger, to fall back from their positions.These troops were not molested, but Baird and Johnson as they were retiring were attacked.By the exercise of care and foresight they retired without confusion and with but slight loss.This attack was led by L.E.Polk's brigade, but the rebel lines had become so changed that they formed an acute angle and their troops were firing into each other in the dark.So quietly was the army withdrawn that it was not until after sunrise on the 21st that Bragg discovered that Thomas had retired.Having effected the withdrawal of his troops, General Thomas, accompanied by Granger and Garfield, proceeded to Rossville and placed the command in position at that place, ordering one brigade of Negley's division to hold the gap on the Ringgold road with the other two brigades posted on the top of the ridge to the right, joining on the brigades in the road, with Dan McCook's brigade in reserve.On the right of Negley Reynold's division took position, reaching to the Dry Valley road, with Brannan's division as a reserve in rear of Reynolds's right.On the right of the Dry Valley road, extending to the west, McCook's corps was placed, his right extending to Chattanooga Creek.Upon the high ground to the left of the Ringgold road the entire of Crittenden's corps was placed.As a reserve Steedman's division of Granger's corps was posted on his left, while Baird's division was also in reserve and in support of the brigade of Negley's division holding the gap.
Thrown out on the Ringgold road, a mile and a half in advance of the gap, Minty's brigade of cavalry held the road at that point during the night.Here the weary troops rested undisturbed the night after the heavy fighting and nothing was seen of the enemy until about nine o'clock of the 21st, when their advance appeared in heavy force of infantry and cavalry on Minty's front.Thomas, withdrawing Minty through the gap, posted his command on our left flank and directed him to throw out strong reconnoitering parties across the ridge, watching the enemy's movements on our left and front.There was no object in attempting to hold the position at Rossville Gap, beyond the gaining of a day to select the final position for the troops at Chattanooga on their retirement to that place, the location of the lines, and the preparation for throwing up earthworks.This was all accomplished on the 21st and preparations made to fall back.All wagons, ambulances, and surplus artillery-carriages were sent to the rear before night and the troops were held in readiness to move at a moment's notice.The orders to withdraw reached Thomas about six o'clock P.M., and the movement commenced about nine P.M.
Brannan's division was posted at six P.M.on the road about half way from Rossville to Chattanooga, covering the movement.Orders were sent by Thomas for each division commander to throw out a strong skirmish line, to be withdrawn at daylight, concealing the movement to the rear.This line was to be supported by Baird's division and Minty's brigade of cavalry, which was to retire after the skirmishers were withdrawn.During the night the movement was completed without the loss of a single man, and at seven o'clock on the morning of the 22d, the Army of the Cumberland, again united, was in position, holding the coveted prize, still strong enough to prevent the enemy from attempting further to dispute our possession of the town.The temporary works were strengthened from day to day until all apprehension of an attack from the enemy on the front was at an end.
Taking all the surroundings into consideration, the campaign from the western slopes of the Cumberland Mountains, ending in the battle of Chickamauga, was the most brilliant one of the war, made as it was, in the face of the strong column of the enemy, whose business it was to watch every movement, and as far as possible to retard and cripple the advance.Rosecrans, with his masterly manevering, in every instance deceived his opponent down to the withdrawal of Bragg from Chattanooga.While recognizing the genius of the military leader who could plan the campaign that was made from the time of the crossing of the Cumberland Mountains, Bragg regarded the obstacles to be overcome on such a campaign so stupendous that he was incredulous that any movement south of the Tennessee was contemplated by the Federal leader.Every preparation was made by Bragg to meet the crossing of our army over the Tennessee north of Chattanooga on the advance of Crittenden, he threw open the gateway for Rosecrans's advance.When the full scope of the movement dawned upon him, Bragg abandoned Chattanooga and gathered his troops wherever he could reach them from all quarters to concentrate for the destruction of our army.Bragg never intended his withdrawal from Chattanooga to be permanent; all the indications he left behind him pointed that way.None of the bridges were destroyed as he retired.All storehouses, hospitals, and other buildings used by his army were left standing, and Rosecrans's mistake was in construing Bragg's withdrawal to be a demoralized retreat and in ordering his army to pursue before this was definitely determined.However, all advices that Rosecrans had were to the effect that the rebels were in hasty flight and would not stop anywhere north of Dalton, and that their probable destination was Rome.This information was sent to him from Washington, and Bragg aided in confirming this belief by sending numbers of his soldiers as "deserters" into the Federal lines with the same report.
