As soon as Sherman discovered that the enemy had left his front he directed his reserves, Davis’s division of the Army of the Cumberland, to push over the pontoon-bridge at the mouth of the Chickamauga, and to move forward to Chickamauga Station.  He ordered Howard to move up the stream some two miles to where there was an old bridge, repair it during the night, and follow Davis at four o’clock in the morning.  Morgan L. Smith was ordered to reconnoitre the tunnel to see if that was still held.  Nothing was found there but dead bodies of men of both armies.  The rest of Sherman’s command was directed to follow Howard at daylight in the morning to get on to the railroad towards Graysville.

Hooker, as stated, was detained at Chattanooga Creek by the destruction of the bridge at that point.  He got his troops over, with the exception of the artillery, by fording the stream at a little after three o’clock.  Leaving his artillery to follow when the bridge should be reconstructed, he pushed on with the remainder of his command.  At Rossville he came upon the flank of a division of the enemy, which soon commenced a retreat along the ridge.  This threw them on Palmer.  They could make but little resistance in the position they were caught in, and as many of them as could do so escaped.  Many, however, were captured.  Hooker’s position during the night of the 25th was near Rossville, extending east of the ridge.  Palmer was on his left, on the road to Graysville.

During the night I telegraphed to Willcox that Bragg had been defeated, and that immediate relief would be sent to Burnside if he could hold out; to Halleck I sent an announcement of our victory, and informed him that forces would be sent up the valley to relieve Burnside.

Before the battle of Chattanooga opened I had taken measures for the relief of Burnside the moment the way should be clear.  Thomas was directed to have the little steamer that had been built at Chattanooga loaded to its capacity with rations and ammunition.  Granger’s corps was to move by the south bank of the Tennessee River to the mouth of the Holston, and up that to Knoxville accompanied by the boat.  In addition to the supplies transported by boat, the men were to carry forty rounds of ammunition in their cartridge-boxes, and four days’ rations in haversacks.

In the battle of Chattanooga, troops from the Army of the Potomac, from the Army of the Tennessee, and from the Army of the Cumberland participated.  In fact, the accidents growing out of the heavy rains and the sudden rise in the Tennessee River so mingled the troops that the organizations were not kept together, under their respective commanders, during the battle.  Hooker, on the right, had Geary’s division of the 12th corps, Army of the Potomac; Osterhaus’s division of the 15th corps, Army of the Tennessee; and Cruft’s division of the Army of the Cumberland.  Sherman had three divisions of his own army, Howard’s