CHICKAMAUGA
Following soon after these scattered raids came the great battle of
Chickamauga, which is too well known to the world to need comment from
me.
Forrest’s cavalry virtually opened the battle of Chickamauga; and after
the field seemed won by the Confederates, General Forrest climbed a tree
and observed the confusion with which the Union lines were retiring.
Upon this knowledge, he boldly urged General Bragg to press on after the
foe, and pressed him so vehemently and so undiplomatically that, it is
said, General Bragg severely reprimanded him for what Bragg considered
an undue interference with matters under the authority of his superior.
The story further runs that General Forrest’s attitude, following the
incident, was such that a duel would have resulted had it not been for
General Bragg’s cool disregard of General Forrest’s desire to bring the
matter to a violent conclusion. It is a regrettable fact that this
breach between two of the South’s ablest and noblest sons was never
healed.
I believe that time and impartial history have proved that if General
Bragg had followed the advice of Forrest at Chickamauga, victory, so far
as human vision can tell, would have been with the Confederates.
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