Extract from forthcoming memoir of General Polk.
In tracing the part taken by
General Polk in the
battle of Chickamauga, and which of necessity embraces a survey of the battle itself, we are deprived of an official report of the part taken by his corps, as he was transferred to a distant command soon afterward, and unable to secure reports from subordinate commanders.
The material left by him, however, with what we have been enabled to procure, will do, as we trust, entire justice to his memory.
It has been already mentioned in the preceding chapter that in consequence of a flank movement on the right, and the threatened danger to its communications towards the last of June, the Army of Tennessee was put in retreat from
Shelbyville and
Tullahoma on or toward
Chattanooga.
The retreat was effected with slight or inconsiderable loss in men and transportation, and
Chattanooga was occupied during the days of the first week of July.
Polk's corps, except
Anderson's brigade of
Withers's division, which was ordered to
Bridgeport, where the Nashville and Chattanooga railroad crosses the
Tennessee river, for purposes of observation, was retained in and around
Chattanooga, and
Hardee's corps was distributed along the line of the Knoxville railroad, with
Tyner's station as its centre,
General Bragg establishing the army headquarters at
Chattanooga.
The work of fortifying was begun and prosecuted for some weeks, during which the army seemed to await the development of the enemy's plans.
Beyond reconnoissances in some force at
Bridgeport, and at the mouth of
Battle creek, the enemy made no demonstration until the 21st of August, when he succeeded in covering the town of
Chattanooga with his artillery from the heights overlooking the
Tennessee river and the town.
This bombardment of our position, which was intended as a demoralizing
coup de main, had the more pregnant significance of an announcement that the enemy's plans were completed, and were about being put in active operation.
The effect of the bombardment was the official evacuation of the place to points beyond range outside, and the withdrawal of stores to points of convenience on the railroad to the rear, and the withdrawal of
Anderson's brigade from
Bridgeport.
On the 26th, or 27th of August, or some five or six days after the surprise of
Chattanooga,
Burnside's advance into
East Tennessee was announced by the presence of his cavalry in the vicinity of
Knoxville, and
Major-General Buckner received orders to evacuate
Knoxville, and occupy
Loudon.
In consequence of a demonstration, it is said, by
