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ment, they earlier learned to husband and concentrate the means which were at their command.
On the 24th of June, Rosecrans finally started from Murfreesboro, with about seventy thousand effective men;1 Bragg was still in his front with an inferior force, and retreated before him. Rosecrans crossed the Tennessee at Stevenson, and marched south among the mountains, threatening to isolate Bragg, who was thus compelled to follow.
The Army of the Cumberland was absolutely thrust between Bragg and Georgia, and, unless intercepted, would have surrounded the rebel general, who had fallen back to Chattanooga.
In order to prevent this disaster, Bragg was obliged to give up the prize of the campaign, having been fairly outgeneralled.
Chattanooga was occupied by the national troops, on the 9th of September.
Bragg, however, meant that this occupation should be temporary only, and having been largely reenforced, determined to give battle to Rosecrans.
The rebel army was now at least sixty thousand strong;2 while that of Rosecrans was reduced to about forty-five thousand effective men.3 The Army of the Cumberland
1 Rosecrans's strength when he started for Chickamauga was probably seventy thousand men; but he was obliged to leave garrisons at the various towns he took, as well as to guard the railroads as he advanced. This speedily reduced his moving column.
2 On the 31st of August, 1863, Bragg's effective strength was officially reported as forty-five thousand and forty-one men. This did not include Longstreet's corps, which, on the 20th of October, was reported at fifteen thousand two hundred and twenty-one (effective), nor Buckner's, which numbered nine thousand two hundred and seven; both of these forces participated in the battle of Chickamauga, so that Bragg's active force in that battle must have been fully sixty thousand men.
3 No formal return of the troops engaged under Rosecrans in this battle was made to the adjutant-general's office. One was compiled for me, from other returns, to cover this date, according to which Rosecrans had over eighty-two thousand men present; deducting one-third, the usual allowance for sick, extra-duty men, etc., would leave about sixty thousand. This statement, however, must be inaccurate, as it conflicts with the returns of Thomas, made a month later, and with the positive recollection of various officers of rank, who would have been likely to know.
New York Appleton 1885.
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