[
17]
The orders issued,
Generals Polk and
Breckenridge talked over the plans of the coming day for some time, and then threw themselves upon the ground for a short sleep.
During the same evening
Rosecrans assembled his corps commanders and gave them orders for the following day.
Thomas was to hold the position to which he had retired, about five hundred yards east of the
State road, his command to form in three lines, placing
Baird's division on the extreme Federal left, next to
Baird's, successively on the right the divisions of
Johnston,
Palmer and
Reynolds.
Brennan's division was to be posted in reserve to the right and rear of
Reynolds's.
Negley's division was to take post on the right of
Reynolds's; next on the right was
McCook, with the divisions of
Davis and
Sheridan.
Wilder's mounted infantry formed the extreme right.
This portion of the line was west of the
State road.
Crittenden, with his remaining two divisions,
VanCleve and
Wood, was to take position in the rear of
Thomas's and
McCook's Corps, so as to be able to support either.
These commanders, as soon as posted, commenced to throw up temporary breastworks.
It was understood the left of the line was to be held at all hazards, as the safety of the army depended upon it.
General Rosecrans states in substance that if necessary every command should be moved from the right to the left.
It will be noted from this arrangement of the
Federal line,
General Polk was correct in the views expressed to
General Bragg, which we have alluded to, that the bulk of the enemy's forces were massed under
Thomas, opposite the
Confederate right.
On September 20th the forces under
Rosecrans consisted of--
| McCook's Corps (Twentieth） | 110,640 |
| Thomas's Corps (Fourteenth） | 14,524 |
| Crittenden's Corps (Twenty-first） | 13,539 |
| Granger's Reserve (Steadman's Division) | 5,171 |
| Cavalry (Mitchel's Corps） | 9,676 |
| | |
| Forming a total of | 53,550 |
The Federal line had 170 pieces of artillery.
The disposition made by the
Confederate Generals were as follows:
Both wings were to occupy substantially the lines held at the close of
