During these and subsequent preliminary movements, the rebel position was as follows: Bragg’s main army occupied a strong position north of Duck river, with their cavalry on the right toward McMinnville, and their infantry extending from Shelbyville to Wantrace; on the left, toward Columbia and Spring Hill, Forrest was concentrating and threatening Franklin. Their main base of supplies was, of course, at Chattanooga; but their superior and efficient cavalry force had enabled them to command all the resources of Duck river valley, and the country toward the south. Tullahoma, the large intrenched camp of the rebels, was situated on the “barrens” at the intersection of the Nashville and Chattanooga railroad with the McMinnville branch, and was their main depot. The rebel infantry was well protected by a high range of rough and rocky hills; the principal routes passed southward from Murfreesboro’ toward Tullahoma, and the enemy’s line of communications. By the way of McMinnville, Tullahoma is distant seventy-five miles from Chattanooga; the Manchester pike passes the hills above referred to, goes through Hoover’s Gap, and ascends to the “barrens,” through a long and difficult cañon called Matt’s Hollow. The Wantrace road passes through Liberty Gap, and into a road which runs parallel with the railroad at Bellbuckle Gap. The Shelbyville road runs through a defile called Guy’s Gap. A road called the Middleton dirt road, is also situated near here; and the road along Versailles runs into the Shelbyville and Triune roads, neither of which have any passes, and but few defiles. The enemy held all these passes, his main position being in front of Shelbyville, and strengthened by a redan line which extended from Horse Mountain on the east, to Duck river on the west, and was covered by a line of abattis. It being still uncertain whether the enemy would advance to test the strength of the whole Union force, the following disposition of the latter was made for the 25th: Major-General Crittenden was ordered to advance on Lannon’s Stand, and from thence open communication with General Thomas, who was then to drive the rebels toward Fairfield, where the Fourteenth corps was stationed to receive them; and General McCook, with that portion of his corps under his own immediate command was to make a feint along the Wantrace road by the way of Liberty Gap. General Stanley, with the cavalry under his command, was to occupy the attention of the rebels at Fosterville; while General Granger with the infantry, was to support Stanley at Christiana. If General Thomas succeeded in his manœuvre, and found the rebels retreating towards Wartrace, he was to cover that road with a division, and thus move on to Manchester with the remainder of his command, while General McCook, moving in on Beech Grove, was to hold Liberty Gap with one division, and after a time to withdraw quietly, leaving a force sufficient to protect it, and move on to Manchester.