I loved General Gist,
and when I mention his name tears gather in my eyes. I think he was the
handsomest man I ever knew.
Our army was a long time crossing the railroad bridge across Chickamauga
river. Maney's brigade, of Cheatham's division, and General L. E. Polk's
brigade, of Cleburne's division, formed a sort of line of battle, and had
to wait until the stragglers had all passed. I remember looking at them,
and as they passed I could read the character of every soldier. Some
were mad, others cowed, and many were laughing. Some were cursing Bragg,
some the Yankees, and some were rejoicing at the defeat. I cannot
describe it. It was the first defeat our army had ever suffered, but the
prevailing sentiment was anathemas and denunciations hurled against Jeff
Davis for ordering Longstreet's corps to Knoxville, and sending off
Generals Wheeler's and Forrest's cavalry, while every private soldier in
the whole army knew that the enemy was concentrating at Chattanooga.
CHICKAMAUGA STATION
When we arrived at Chickamauga Station, our brigade and General Lucius
E. Polk's brigade, of Cleburne's division, were left to set fire to the
town and to burn up and destroy all those immense piles of army stores
and provisions which had been accumulated there to starve the Yankees out
of Chattanooga.
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