Adam Badeau, Military history of Ulysses S. Grant from April 1861 to April 1865. Volume 1

[436] of the Tennessee became so bad, by reason of the fall rains, that it was impossible for the supply-trains from Bridgeport to cross the mountains. The whole command was put on half rations; three thousand wounded soldiers¹ lay in the camps and hospitals, suffering and dying from lack of proper sustenance; forage for the animals could not be procured, and ten thousand mules and horses died in and around Chattanooga. All officers were reduced to half an allowance of forage for a single horse; all the artillery-horses were sent back to Bridgeport, over the mountain, one-third dying on the road. Retreat itself thus became impossible, unless the artillery was abandoned. Every few days, between the rain-storms, an attempt would be made to get a supply-train through; but Bragg sent a cavalry expedition around, over Walden's ridge, north of Chattanooga, and cut off a train bringing medical supplies and stores for the wounded, and another with ordnance stores. The stock of ammunition, after this, was just large enough to supply each man for one more battle—not half the ordinary allowance for an army.

And here the Army of the Cumberland lay, in the hot sun and chilly nights of September, and under the heavy rains of autumn; without sufficient food, with few tents, half supplied with ammunition; the camp-streets filled with dead and dying animals; with few blankets, and no extra clothing, for when Rosecrans started on his campaign he expected it to