Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 3.

[134] nearly two-thirds of the Confederates had crossed over, and held all the fords of the Chickamauga, from Lee and Gordon's Mill, far toward the Missionaries' Ridge.

Bragg was now ready for battle, on the general plan pursued by him at Stone's River, namely, crushing, by superior weight, a flank of his foe, and gaining his rear and his communications. Bragg formed his army into two corps, the right commanded by General Polk, and the left by General Longstreet Hood taking the place of the latter until the arrival of his chief. Arrangements were made for crossing the Chickamauga at different points simultaneously,

Lee and Gordon's Mill.1

from Lee and Gordon's Mill northward, in heavy force so as to fall heavily on the National left, while the front should be hard pressed, and the passes of Pigeon Mountain well guarded by Wheeler's cavalry, to prevent a flank attack from that direction. But the wise movements of the Nationals during the night disconcerted Bragg's well-laid plans, and, instead of finding Rosecrans comparatively weak on his left, he found him positively strong. By a continuous night-march up the Dry Valley road, Thomas, with his heavy corps, followed by a part of McCook's corps,

Thomas's position near Kelley's Farm.2

had reached an assigned position on a southern spur of Missionaries' Ridge, near Kelley's Farm, on the Lafayette and Rossville road, facing Reed and Alexander's burnt bridges; and there, a mile or two to the left of Crittenden's corps, early on the morning of the 19th,

Sept., 1863.

he proceeded to strike without waiting to be struck. He was informed by Colonel D. McCook, who, with his brigade of reserves, had been holding the front