He also ordered McCook to adjust his right, as it was too far out on the crest, and to move Davis's division to the left, and close it up compactly.Crittenden was also directed to move his two divisions to the left and Palmer, on Thomas's line, was instructed to close up his front.On reaching the left Rosecrans was convinced that the first attack would be made on that flank, and returned at once to the right to hurry Negley over to Thomas.Arriving there he found that this division had not moved, and that McCook's troops were not ready to relieve him.Negley was then ordered to send his reserve brigade under John Beatty, and to follow with the other two when relieved from the front.Impatient at McCook's delay in relieving Negley, and anticipating momentarily the attack of the enemy on our left, Rosecrans ordered Crittenden to move Wood's division to the front, to fill the position occupied by Negley of which McCook was notified by Rosecrans in person.Rosecrans, when first at McCook's line, was greatly dissatisfied with McCook's position.He now called McCook's attention to the defects in his line, that it was too light, and that it was weakened by being too much strung out, and charged him to keep well closed up on the left at all hazards.Leaving McCook, Rosecrans then returned to Negley, and found to his surprise that the brigades in front had not yet been relieved and started to Thomas after his repeated orders, as Wood's division had only reached the position of Negley's reserve.Greatly irritated at this, Rosecrans gave preemptory orders and Wood's division was at once placed in front, closed up on the right of Brannan.
A heavy fog hung over the battlefield during the early morning.
Bragg, before daylight with his staff, took position immediately in the rear of the centre of his line, and waited for Polk to begin the attack, waiting until after sunrise with increasing anxiety and disappointment.Bragg then sent a staff officer to Polk to ascertain and report as to the cause of the delay, with orders urging him to a prompt and speedy attack.Polk was not found with his troops, and the staff officer learning that he had spent the night on the east side of Chickamauga Creek, rode over there and delivered his message.Bragg, impatient at the delay, proceeded in person to his right wing and there found the troops wholly unprepared for the movement.Messengers were sent for Polk in hot haste, and on his reporting he was urged to a prompt execution of his orders and to make a vigorous attack at once.
During the night our troops threw up temporary breastworks of logs and rails.Behind these Thomas's command awaited the attack.After Bragg had sent for Polk, he ordered a reconnoissance in his front on the extreme left of our line, and crossing the main road to Chattanooga developed the fact that this position so greatly desired by him was thus feebly held.At half past eight o'clock the rebel attack opened on our left with skirmish firing.Pushing forward with a heavy line of skirmishers to develop Baird's position, with Breckenridge's division on the right and Cleburne to his left, the rebels made, about an hour late, a tremendous assault.Beatty's brigade of Negley's division being now in line on Baird's left, received the full force of the blow from the brigades of Adams and Stovall on the right of Breckinridge's division, and was driven back in disorder.Helm's brigade and Cleburne's division, advancing on the front of Baird, encountered the troops behind their breastworks but were here met with a terrific fire of canister and musketry, and their advance checked so thoroughly that it was not regarded as safe to send the two brigades now overlapping Baird to attack his rear.These brigades, however, had reached and crossed the La Fayette road.Beatty in falling back was relieved by several regiments of Johnson's division, which were placed in position by Baird.These regiments were joined by Van Derveer's brigade of Brannan's division and a portion of Stanley's brigade of Negley's division, which had been hurried to the left and thrown into action.
These forces advancing checked the assault of the enemy and then drove him entirely from Baird's left and rear.Immediately following the attack on Baird, the enemy's assault, being taken up by the divisions on Breckinridge's left, pressed on and struck Johnson, then Palmer and Reynolds successively with equal fierceness, maintaining the attack for two hours, the enemy in repeated assaults bringing fresh troops constantly to the front was each time met and hurled back by the splendid fighting of our troops.Here Bragg exhausted his utmost energies to drive in the centre and to dislodge Thomas's right, and failing in this after repeated attacks fell back and occupied his old position.
