History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

1863 CHmCKAMAUGA. 1033
pushed on over Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge into M'Lamore's Cove,
in the valley of the Chickamauga, Negley's Division moving rapidly out, towards
Lafayette. At Dug Gap, in Pigeon Mountain, the range which shuts in the
Chickamauga Valley on the east and separates it from the valley of the Peavine, the enemy was unexpectedly met, and the division soon found itself confronted by an overpowering force. The dispositions were quickly made to
check his advance. A detachment of the Seventy-eighth, of less than a hundred men, held, for over two hours, a massed force of the enemy, successfully
baffling every attempt to advance. Baird's Division finally came up, and
enabled it to withdraw in safety. During the night of September 11th the two
divisions retreated to the base of Lookout Mountain. The loss here was four,
killed and wounded.
It was now apparent to Rosecrans, that Bragg, instead of being intent upon
retreating, was determined to fight, and the unwelcome intelligence was borne
to him that his adversary had been reinforced by Walker, from Mississippi,
Buckner, from East Tennessee, and a powerful veteran corps under Longstreet
from the Army of Virginia. Quickly summoning in his scattered forces, be
prepared for the worst. The chief danger now was that Bragg would interpose, and cut off the way to Chattanooga. The general movement was accordingly to the left, while a bold front was kept towards the Chickamauga.
Until the morning of the 17th the regiment remained at the foot of the mourn
tain, when the corps of M'Cook having crossed the Lookout and Mission
Range, it moved up towards Rossville some six miles, and on the 18th was
deployed along the Chickamauga River, to prevent the crossing of the enemy
to intercept the movement of M'Cook to connect with Thomas. The night
was fearfully cold, and the movements were made in the darkness, through
an almost impenetrable jungle. Heavy firing on the morning of the 19th far
to the left, showed that the enemy had crossed the stream in force, and was
struggling with Thomas for the possession of the Bossville Road. In the
afternoon the regiment was withdrawn, and passing Crawfish Spring, and in
rear of General Jeff C. Davis' Division, which was hotly engaged, was pushed
to the front, and, after a sharp skirmish, held the ground until dark. The men
lay upon their arms on the field where they had fought, and early on the morning of the O2th the fight was renewed. Through the entire day the battle
raged with unceasing violence, the combatants manifesting a desperation rarely
paralleled. The right of the Union line was broken and driven in confusion.
But the left, where Thomas stood, though forced back from its original position,
remained firm. The division fell back to a position assigned to it at.tossville
Gap, where it remained until the night of the 21st, when the whole army retired to Chattanooga. On the following morning a battle line was formed in
front of the town, and the day was spent in momentary expectation of an attack. For several days succeeding the men worked day and night on the fortifications. The enemy contented himself with closely investing the town.
On the 10th of October the farewell order of General Negley, to his division, was received, and the regiment was soon after transferred to the Third
Brigade, General Starkweather, of the First Division, General, Richard M. Johnson, of the Fourteenth Corps, General John M. Palmer. The brigade was composed of the Seventy-eighth and Seventy-ninth Pennsylvania, Twenty-first and
Seventy-fourth Ohio, the First and Twenty-first Wisconsin, Thirty-seventh Indiana, and the Twenty-fourth Illinois. Colonel Sirwell resigned on the 17th of