Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 9.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

Of these the Confederates had lost some sixteen thousand, but the balance was redressed by the capture of more than five thousand Federal prisoners, fifty-one pieces of artillery and fifteen thousand muskets. The men reported missing in our ranks had been a little over one thousand.

But great as had been the price of victory, no Confederate soldier then felt that it had been too dearly bought. Any sacrifice was welcome if only the invader could be driven back.

Seizing the heights encircling Chattanooga, where as in an entrenched camp the enemy had taken refuge, and firmly grasping the railway at the point of Lookout Mountain, which would be Rosencrans's principal avenue of supply, General Bragg undertook to destroy his powerful adversary by a partial investment which was certainly not less promising than Caesar's partial investment of Pompey near Dyrrachium. But no crowning victory of Pharsalia was reserved for us.

By what blunders the advantages so dearly won at Chickamauga were thrown away, to what depths of humiliation that proud and triumphant army of Tennessee was soon to be subjected, it is not my province now to tell. Destiny had laid her heavy hand upon the Confederate cause. Valor, self-sacrifice, devotion, were to be vainly lavished in their noblest forms. All our most cherished aspirations were to be wrecked, and for a time hope, ambition, love of country seemed empty names. But, in the darkest moments of that reign of night, a bright gleam always