Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 4.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[137] of Polk, he went in quest of the latter, but without any more success, and saw the day dawn without being informed of the duties assigned to him. In the mean time, his new chief was quietly spending the night on the right bank of the Chickamauga, and, instead of giving him the orders to attack, was transmitting them directly to his division commanders, Cleburne and Breckinridge. Hill, having joined his two lieutenants at the time when they were getting in motion in pursuance of orders sent out without his knowledge, halts them, alleging the necessity of making a distribution of rations before resuming the fight: it may be believed that, wounded in his feelings on account of the violation of the rules of precedence in rank, he seized upon this pretext to assert his authority, which was for the moment ignored. Walker and Cheatham, who were on the second line behind Hill, were holding themselves in readiness for the battle; but Polk has assumed to give them the signal, and, instead of coming personally to watch the execution of the plan of battle, he has remained on the other side of the river. In regard to Forrest, as his command was not incorporated with either of the two wings, he looks directly to Bragg for orders, but the latter has not yet transmitted instructions to him.

Time wears on, and the desultory shots which the sharpshooters exchange on the side of the Confederate right do not announce any movement. Longstreet has already inspected all the troops which were so suddenly placed under his orders; Bragg, mounted with all his staff since early dawn, vainly awaits, on the ground of his choice for the fight, the first cannon-shots which are to be the signal for the right wing to move. We may imagine what were his feelings of just irritation when he learned that Polk personally was still beyond the Chickamauga. While a sharp message calls Polk to his post on the battlefield, Bragg rushes to the right with a view of retrieving lost time. Hill receives orders to move forward the six brigades of his army corps on a single line of battle. This line extends right and left beyond that of the four Federal brigades posted behind the protection of felled trees facing eastward, but the denseness, of the woods prevents the assailants from reconnoitring at a distance these positions. It is already half-past 9 o'clock.