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cause knew no bounds； and who rendered meand； in fact； at one time
or another； nearly every general officer in the Army of the
Cumberlandinvaluable service in the way of information about the
Confederate army。 My headquarters camp frequently received shots
from the point of Lookout Mountain also； but fortunately no
casualties resulted from this plunging fire； though； I am free to
confess； at first our nerves were often upset by the whirring of
twenty…pounder shells dropped inconsiderately into our camp at
untimely hours of the night。
In a few days rain began to fali； and the mountain roads by which our
supplies came were fast growing impracticable。 Each succeeding train
of wagons took longer to make the trip from Bridgeport； and the draft
mules were dying by the hundreds。 The artillery horses would soon go
too； and there was every prospect that later the troops would starve
unless something could be done。 Luckily for my division； a company
of the Second Kentucky Cavalry had attached itself to my
headquarters； and； though there without authority； had been left
undisturbed in view of a coming reorganization of the army incidental
to the removal of McCook and Crittenden from the command of their
respective corps； a measure that had been determined upon immediately
after the battle of Chickamauga。 Desiring to remain with me； Captain
Lowell H。 Thickstun； commanding this company； was ready for any duty
I might find； for him； so I ordered him into the Sequatchie Valley
for the purpose of collecting supplies for my troops； and sent my
scout； Card along to guide him to the best locations。 The company
hid itself away in a deep cove in the upper end of the valley； and by
keeping very quiet and paying for everything it took from the people；
in a few days was enabled to send me large quantities of corn for my
animals and food for the officers and men； which greatly supplemented
the scanty supplies we were getting from the sub…depot at Bridgeport。
In this way I carried men and animals through our beleaguerment in
pretty fair condition； and of the turkeys； chickens； ducks； and eggs
sent in for the messes of my officers we often had enough to divide
liberally among those at different headquarters。 Wheeler's cavalry
never discovered my detached company； yet the chances of its capture
were not small； sometimes giving much uneasiness； still； I concluded
it was better to run all risks than to let the horses die of
starvation in Chattanooga。 Later； after the battle of Missionary
Ridge； when I started to Knoxville； the company joined me in
excellent shape； bringing with it an abundance of food； including a
small herd of beef cattle。
The whole time my line remained near the iron…mills the shelling from
Lookout was kept up； the screeching shots inquisitively asking in
their well…known way； 〃Where are you？ Where are you？〃 but it is
strange to see how readily； soldiers can become accustomed to the
sound of dangerous missiles under circumstances of familiarity； and
this case was no exception to the rule。 Few casualties occurred； and
soon contempt took the place of nervousness； and as we could not
reply in kind on account of the elevation required for our guns； the
men responded by jeers and imprecations whenever a shell fell into
their camp。
Meantime； orders having been issued for the organization of the army；
additional troops were attached to my command； and it became the
Second Division of the Fourth Army Corps； to which Major…General
Gordon Granger was assigned as commander。 This necessitated a change
of position of the division； and I moved to ground behind our works；
with my right resting on Fort Negley and my left extending well over
toward Fort Wood； my front being parallel to Missionary Ridge。 My
division was now composed of twenty…five regiments； classified into
brigades and demi…brigades； the former commanded by Brigadier…General
G。 D。 Wagner； Colonel C。 G。 Harker； and Colonel F。 T。 Sherman； the
latter； by Colonels Laiboldt； Miller； Wood； Walworth； and Opdyke。
The demi…brigade was an awkward invention of Granger's； but at this
time it was necessitatedperhaps by the depleted condition of our
regiments； which compelled the massing of a great number of
regimental organizations into a division to give it weight and force。
On October 16； 1863； General Grant had been assigned to the command
of the 〃Military Division of the Mississippi；〃 a geographical area
which embraced the Departments of the Ohio； the Cumberland； and the
Tennessee； thus effecting a consolidation of divided commands which
might have been introduced most profitably at an earlier date。 The
same order that assigned General Grant relieved General Rosecrans；
and placed General Thomas in command of the Army of the Cumberland。
At the time of the reception of the order； Rosecrans was busy with
preparations for a movement to open the direct road to Bridgeport
having received in the interval； since we came back to Chattanooga；
considerable reinforcement by the arrival in his department of the
Eleventh and Twelfth corps； under General Hooker； from the Army of
the Potomac。 With this force Rosecrans had already strengthened
certain important points on the railroad between Nashville and
Stevenson； and given orders to Hooker to concentrate at Bridgeport
such portions of his command as were available； and to hold them in
readiness to advance toward Chattanooga。
On the 19th of October； after turning the command over to Thomas；
General Rosecrans quietly slipped away from the army。 He submitted _
uncomplainingly to his removal； and modestly left us without fuss or
demonstration； ever maintaining； though； that the battle of
Chickamauga was in effect a victory； as it had ensured us； he said；
the retention of Chattanooga。 When his departure became known deep
and almost universal regret was expressed； for he was
enthusiastically esteemed and loved by the Army of the Cumberland；
from the day he assumed command of it until he left it；
notwithstanding the censure poured upon him after the battle of
Chickamauga。
The new position to which my division had been moved； in consequence
of the reorganization； required little additional labor to strengthen
it； and the routine of fatigue duty and drills was continued as
before； its monotony occasionally broken by the excitement of an
expected attack； or by amusements of various kinds that were
calculated to keep the men in good spirits。 Toward this result much
was contributed by Mr。 James E。 Murdock； the actor； who came down
from the North to recover the body of his son； killed at Chickamauga；
and was quartered with me for the greater part of the time he was
obliged to await the successful conclusion of his sad mission。 He
spent days； and even weeks； going about through the division giving
recitations before the camp…fires； and in improvised chapels； which
the men had constructed from refuse lumber and canvas。 Suit