Wood's Report from Chickamauga

I found General Wood's official report from Chickamauga in the Furman library's official government documents collection on Monday, Feb. 28. The report can be located on pages 625-642 of Volume 30, Part I of the "War of the Rebellion" series.

Wood's report is crucial to my project because it contains the exact text of Rosecrans' order given to Wood. The report also contains Wood's reaction to the order.

Wood notes that when he received the order, "the enemy was in considerable force in my immediate front." Upon realizing that there was no gap near Reynolds' line, Wood asked General Thomas if he [Thomas] could amend the order to merely move slightly to the left, in order to assist General Baird. Thomas did so. Wood soon realized that "when I moved my command to go to the support of General Reynolds, the gap thus made in our lines was not closed by the troops on my right, and that the enemy poured through it very soon in great force."

Wood also notes in his report that, at one point, he ordered his soldiers to cease fire because he thought they were firing on fellow Union soldiers. This is because the dirty and greasy Confederate uniforms were beginning to closely resemble those of the Union. Once the friendlies began advancing and firing on Wood's troops, he realized his mistake. Clearly, confusion abounded at Chickamauga.

It is also significant that, at the end of the report, Wood does not laud Rosecrans for his valor, ability, etc, despite the fact that he praises dozens of other commanders. In my estimation, Wood did not want to follow through with Rosecrans' order, but felt that it was his duty to do so. This is evidenced by the fact that he got General Thomas to modify it. Clearly, Rosecrans' subordinates recognized the grave error of the order as soon as it was issued.