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

---

[86] Valley Head to Stevens' Gap. On the 16th, toward night, the three divisions were united on the La Fayette road, and on the 17th they were going down to McLemore's Cove. In another direction Lytle, leaving a brigade with the train in Little Valley at the foot of Winston's Gap, entered with the two other brigades the direct road which he had reconnoitred, and halted at the pass of Dougherty's Gap near to the source of the Chickamauga.

On the 13th the Twenty-first corps had found the enemy in great force opposite Gordon's Mills: it was evident that he was massing on the La Fayette and Chattanooga road with the view of crushing the left wing of the Federals. Rosecrans, fearing lest Thomas might not be able to arrive in season to support him, directed Crittenden to bring Palmer and Van Cleve to the strong positions on Missionary Ridge, and to leave at Gordon's Mills only Wood's division, with orders to fall back slowly if attacked. During this time Thomas was deploying his corps on the left, in the direction of Gordon's Mills. Baird and Negley remaining at the foot of Stevens' Gap, Reynolds went to Pond Springs on the Frick's Gap road, and Brannan connected him with these two generals. Henceforth the Fourteenth and Twenty-first corps would be in juxtaposition. On the 10th, in the morning, the Twenty-first corps went back to the banks of the Chickamauga on the right of Wood, while Van Cleve occupied Crawfish Springs, and Palmer, farther up stream, was posted at Owen's Ford. The latter's outposts immediately established connection with Reynolds' outposts. Rosecrans already had two corps under his control; that very day he was counting upon the arrival of a third corps, and, expecting every moment an attack, McCook's delay caused him the greatest uneasiness for forty-eight hours. At last McCook appeared on the 17th, in the morning, notwithstanding Wheeler's cavalry, which vainly sought to delay his progress. Sheridan and Davis established themselves on the La Fayette road between Davis' Cross-roads and Dug Gap, and Johnson at Pond Springs. Reynolds and Brannan, who had drawn near Johnson, formed not far from that point the right of the Fourteenth corps. Baird was in the centre; Negley, farther down on the Chickamauga River, had relieved Palmer's division at Owen's Ford. The latter, passing behind Van Cleve, came to take a