and noticed that every thing was marked with a star) asked if they were all brigadier-generals.  Of course they were not, but the star was their corps-badge, and every wagon, tent, hat, etc., had its star.  Then the Twelfth-Corps men inquired what corps he belonged to, and he answered, “The Fifteenth Corps.”  “What is your badge?” “Why,” said he (and he was an Irishman), suiting the action to the word, “forty rounds in the cartridge-box, and twenty in the pocket.”  At that time Blair commanded the corps; but Logan succeeded soon after, and, hearing the story, adopted the cartridge-box and forty rounds as the corps-badge.

The condition of the roads was such, and the bridge at Brown’s so frail, that it was not until the 23d that we got three of my divisions behind the hills near the point indicated above Chattanooga for crossing the river.  It was determined to begin the battle with these three divisions, aided by a division of Thomas’s army, commanded by General Jeff.  C. Davis, that was already near that point.  All the details of the battle of Chattanooga, so far as I was a witness, are so fully given in my official report herewith, that I need add nothing to it.  It was a magnificent battle in its conception, in its execution, and in its glorious results; hastened somewhat by the supposed danger of Burnside, at Knoxville, yet so completely successful, that nothing is left for cavil or fault-finding.  The first day was lowering and overcast, favoring us greatly, because we wanted to be concealed from Bragg, whose position on the mountain-tops completely overlooked us and our movements.  The second day was beautifully clear, and many a time, in the midst of its carnage and noise, I could not help stopping to look across that vast field of battle, to admire its sublimity.

The object of General Hooker’s and my attacks on the extreme flanks of Bragg’s position was, to disturb him to such an extent, that he would naturally detach from his centre as against us, so that Thomas’s army could break through his centre.  The whole plan succeeded admirably; but it was not until after dark that I learned the complete success at the centre, and received General Grant’s orders to pursue on the north side of Chickamauga Creek: 

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, Nov. 25, 1863

Major-General SHERMAN.

GENERAL:  No doubt you witnessed the handsome manner in which Thomas’s troops carried Missionary Ridge this afternoon, and can feel a just pride, too, in the part taken by the forces under your command in taking first so much of the same range of hills, and then in attracting the attention of so many of the enemy as to make Thomas’s part certain of success.  The neat thing now will be to relieve Burnside.  I have heard from him to the evening of the 23d.  At that time he had from ten to twelve days’ supplies, and spoke hopefully of being able to hold out that length of time.