On September 18, 1863, Confederate forces began a preliminary push against Reed's Bridge and Alexander's Bridge on the extreme left of the Federal position. Colonels Minty and Wilder, stationed at these bridges, had repeatedly warned General William Rosecrans of a Confederate buildup threatening those points, and by the end of the day Rosecrans realized he was in danger of being cut off from Chattanooga. General George Thomas was ordered to move the 14th Army Corps from McLemore's Cove to cover the Federal left. During a tiresome night march past Crittenden and below Lee and Gordon's Mills, Thomas moved toward the vicinity of the Widow Glenn's and the Rossville road to form the left of the Union army. The movement was hurried, the roads were bad and congested, some units from other commands refused to move, and Thomas's troops were badly exhausted by the effort to get into position. It was 10:30 p.m. when Thomas reached Crawfish Spring, where he moved Negley's division off the road to camp around the spring, knowing it would take most of the night to march the rest of his men to the right of the army and that they would be in poor condition for combat by morning. He sent advance parties north along the Dry Valley road, where they set fire to rail fences on either side to light and mark the way. Smoke from the fires mixed with rising dust to sting the soldiers' eyes and burn their throats as the column moved slowly with frequent halts, the men behind dropping into the dust or resting in place asleep on their feet whenever those in front stopped. After covering five miles through the night, the troops halted at dawn in the fields east of the Widow Glenn's farm. About daylight on September 19, the head of the 14th Army Corps, with Baird's division in front, reached Kelly's farm and took position at the forks of the road facing Reed's and Alexander's Bridges over the Chickamauga. Both armies were then in place to begin the Battle of Chickamauga.

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington

Photo: Dale K. Benington