Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 4.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[81] brings his division back on the western shore of the Chickamauga, while Negley's artillery opens fire upon Hindman, so as to detain him. The operation is at last happily accomplished toward one o'clock. The Federals occupy in force the approaches to Stevens' Gap, and when, finally, the two Southern columns make a forward movement, they recognize, on meeting at Davis' Cross-roads, that their prey has escaped them. Bragg should not have been astonished at it, for he had halted Negley in front of Dug Gap, instead of inviting him to penetrate into that defile, and had allowed Hindman to remain during more than thirty hours on his flank without attacking him. By letting this day pass he had lost at the same time the best chance of surprising Crittenden in the position, yet more dangerous than that of Negley, which Rosecrans had assigned him.

Palmer and Van Cleve not having been able to proceed beyond Pea-Vine Creek on the 10th, the commander of the Twenty-first corps went and placed himself at their head on the next day to lead them on to Ringgold. In the evening of the preceding day General Wood, it is true, had sent him a negro who related with precision and assurance that Bragg in person, and at least a part of his army, were at Gordon's Mills. The news was very important, but the commander would not believe it, and merely sent Harker's brigade to make, via Rossville, a reconnoissance in the vicinity of Gordon's Mills. Wood remained with the other brigade at the Red House Bridge. Forrest, who had hoped to see the whole Confederate army march upon that point to attack Crittenden, found himself, on the contrary, alone with his cavalry in front of Palmer and Van Cleve; these generals, having been rejoined by Hazen and Dick, had each three brigades: Wilder's brigade stood them instead of cavalry; Scott's brigade did its best in resisting Wilder. Dismounting in all favorable positions near to its flying batteries, it compelled several times the enemy's infantry to deploy, and thus delayed its advance. It could not, however, prevent Crittenden from occupying Ringgold in the afternoon. But Forrest, calling to him, from Dalton, Dibrell's brigade, and from his left Pegram's division, concentrated toward evening his entire corps on the heights of Tunnel Hill at the entrance to the Chattooga Mountain; and Wilder, at the sight of these troops supported