Bragg gave order for the battle
to be resumed at daylight on Sunday morning. His plan was to launch the
Confederate right against the Union left, with each division and brigade
to their left to take up the firing in order until the battle became
general throughout the field. Hill’s corps was on the right of the
Confederate line. Breckinridge commanded the extreme right division. The
latter had three brigades, commanded by Helm, Adams and Stovall.
Sunday morning came. The battle was not resumed at daylight. Sunrise
came, but still no battle. Bragg was waiting impatiently, listening and
wondering. His orders were not being carried out, even in part. Finally,
becoming nervous, he went in search of Polk, Hill and Breckinridge. He
was determined to find the cause for delay. It seems that everyone but
the right one had received their orders. Hill claimed he had no
knowledge of Bragg’s plan, although his division commanders had received
their orders. Some of the Confederates had not had their breakfast,
although it was considerably past the breakfast hour. None of the troops
were in position for battle as had been ordered. This necessitated a
great deal of rearrangement in the lines. It is a known fact that Hill
did not approve of Polk being in a higher command than himself. Hill
insisted that he was senior to Polk in his rank. Possibly this caused
the delay in resuming the battle. About 9:00 o’clock, the Confederate
right was thrown forward against the Union left. The logworks were too
strong for the Confederates. Time and again they charged, to be driven
back with severe losses. This fighting was at very close range. Helm’s
brigade was almost shattered, and while engaged in this desperate
struggle, the commander, Brig.-Gen. Ben Hardin Helm of Kentucky was
mortally wounded. Helm was a brother-in-law of President Lincoln’s wife.
However, fragments of his brigade, in addition to Adams and Stovall,
gained the left and rear of the Union left and entered the Kelley field.
Later they were repulsed. Gradually the battle rolled from right to left
along the Confederate line. Longstreet, near the Confederate center, was
opposite the Brotherton house. About 11:15 A. M., a gap was created in
the Union center when Wood’s division, through the misunderstanding of
an order issued by Rosecrans, withdrew from the line and marched to the
left and rear of Brannan.
[Illustration: View from Point Lookout overlooking Moccasin Bend
with Chattanooga in background.]
[Illustration: The famous Umbrella Rock, Lookout Mountain]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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