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

---

[254] of Chattanooga, attempting nothing, first to conquer this rich prey and then to release himself from a perilous position, he was no longer recognized as the leader who had so skilfully delayed for a year the progress of the Federals from Murfreesborough to the base of Lookout Mountain. It was soon known that grave dissensions had arisen between Bragg and several of his subalterns. The scenes which had marked the council of war held before the departure of Longstreet were related and no doubt exaggerated. The changes made by Bragg in the organization of his army also had, it is said, a deplorable effect: regiments that had always fought together were separated; the esprit de corps which animated them, which local patriotism stimulated in the brigades belonging to the same State, was destroyed. The arrival of two brigades and many detachments composed of Pemberton's old soldiers exerted an influence no less unfortunate. Those who had been vanquished at Vicksburg could not have the same confidence in success as the victors of Chickamauga.

This army, weakened in every way, was then so well chained within its works by the vain hope of keeping up the appearances of a siege that Grant could at his will choose the moment and the point to strike the enemy. He had thought at first of attacking the army simultaneously at both ends, Lookout Mountain on one side and the northern part of Missionary Ridge on the other. He hoped thus to compel Bragg either to divide his forces so as to defend his two wings, or bring one wing or the other to the rear—a very dangerous operation to execute in the midst of a fight. Even if the Southerners should succeed in concentrating on Missionary Ridge, the Federals were numerous enough to be able by manoeuvring to constrain them to retire at the end of a few days. However, after mature reflection Grant dismissed the thought of attacking Lookout Mountain, as this position must necessarily fall if the other was seriously menaced: he concluded to reserve all his forces to support the assault of Missionary Ridge. This long crest, with steep, bare, and uniform slopes, was bristling with artillery and bordered at the base with a line of breastworks, the salience of which could not be ascertained from a distance; the crest appeared, indeed, as if it ought to oppose a formidable barrier to the Federals: the remembrance of Fredericksburg was yet present