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

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[189] of Summertown. Unless the Federal army was still absolutely disorganized, it was easy for one of its divisions to go and occupy this point by crossing the Tennessee River a short distance below. Rosecrans did not move to occupy the point, and he has vainly sought to excuse himself about it. Bragg did not then understand any better than he the strategic value of Summertown. It was almost by chance that he took possession of it. Having recalled Wheeler, who had not proceeded beyond Trenton, so as to collect all his cavalry above Chattanooga and menace East Tennessee, he ordered him on the 24th to sweep on his way back the entire crest of Lookout Mountain. While the bulk of his cavalry was taking the direction of Chickamauga Station, Wheeler executed this order with two hundred men only, and at night captured Summertown, from which he dislodged the Federals. The positions so easily conquered were at last strongly occupied by Longstreet. The latter at once extended all along the Tennessee a strong line of skirmishers, who by their ceaseless firing prevented the Federals from passing on the direct road between Jasper and Chattanooga that runs along the right bank. The service of the steamboats was likewise interrupted by the field-batteries posted near the river, above as well as below. One channel only remained open to supply Rosecrans' army: it was the road that crossed the Tennessee through the bridges at Chattanooga and led by rough passes over the arid top of Walden's Ridge, thence came down by Anderson into the Sequatchie Valley, which it followed as far as Jasper. From this point it led on to Bridgeport along the right bank of the Tennessee. This road was about sixty-two miles long. The military authorities never had contemplated the possibility of feeding, so far from any railroad, the seventy thousand men that Rosecrans had to provide for. The repair to the railway having been finished only on the eve of the battle, the commissary of subsistence had no time to fill up the stores in Chattanooga.

The news of the defeat at Chickamauga had caused a deep sensation at Washington; but the general uneasiness became much greater when the situation of the Army of the Cumberland became known. It was evident that this army, unassisted, could not break away from Bragg's grasp. In order to release it,