[205]
and on the other slope of the mountains, during a terrible rain which washed out his trail, moved by his left flank two miles over the rocks into the woods, leaving a picket to watch for the rebels.
He had not been hid more than an hour before the rebel column came along and followed the road toward Chattanooga, without discovering him. As soon as they had passed he struck across the mountains without guides or a road, but luckily came out on the Tracy City road at the point aimed at, and came down the mountain on an old road to Pelham, in the night, rocky enough to have been the Caucasus to which Prometheus was chained.
The troops slept a few ours at the foot of the mountain, their horses revelling in a wheat-field, and started early enough to just escape from Forrest, who, with ten regiments of cavalry, was waiting to intercept the force.
Wilder got back to Manchester at one o'clock P. M., and reported to General Rosecrans, who was just betting two thousand dollars with General Stanley that they would get back, which they did, without the loss of a single man; having marched one hundred and twenty-six miles in two days and a half, swam four streams, tore up three railroads, and got back safely — the tiredest set of mortals you ever saw.
General Rosecrans seemed delighted with the trip, and ordered the brigade here to feed and rest their horses preparatory to more of the same sort.
If it had not been for the incessant rains and consequent high water, we would as certainly have had Bragg's whole army as that we have Tullahoma now. As it is, he will escape across the Tennessee River, with the loss of nearly all his Tennessee troops, who are deserting in squads, coming in and taking the oath of allegiance, swearing that they are tired of the war and will die before they go into service again.
Bragg has lost more by evacuation than he would have done by defeat.
Wilder's command is now here, resting and feeding their horses, preparatory to another trip to the territories of King Jeff. **
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Van Nostrand. New York, New York. 1862.
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