Four hundred yards south of the spring, on the road toward Alexander’s Bridge, lay the picket line of the 1st Georgia Cavalry. This unit, part of Brig. Gen. Henry Davidson’s cavalry brigade of Pegram’s Division, Forrest’s Corps, had scouted northward from the vicinity of Alexander’s Bridge before midnight, encountered Federal pickets south of Jay’s Mill, and formed a defensive line until daybreak. Now, at sunrise, Col. J. J. Morrison sent Sgt. J. B. Walker and six privates back toward Jay’s Mill. Arriving near the spring, they found a group of Federals congregated around a small fire. Walker fired into the unsuspecting group and was quickly joined by his companions. The Confederate fire was returned by the startled Federals and the fight was on. The 1st Georgia soon reinforced Sergeant Walker’s little band and began to push northward until encountering Dan McCook’s picket line. Brig. Gen. John Pegram now brought up the remainder of Davidson’s Brigade, along with Capt. Gustave Huwald’s Tennessee Battery. Aided by Huwald’s fire, Pegram and Davidson began to drive McCook’s skirmishers. Just as the firing was becoming heavy, McCook received an order from General Granger to withdraw to Rossville. McCook quickly put his brigade and Mitchell’s into motion, so rapidly that the skirmishers of the 86th Illinois were left behind. Davidson’s horsemen followed the retreating Federals for a short distance, then returned to the vicinity of Jay’s Mill. McCook meanwhile preceded his troops to the La Fayette Road where he found the leading elements of George Thomas’ XIV Corps. Seeking Thomas, who was resting amidst Brig. Gen. Absalom Baird’s First Division troops, McCook reported that he had destroyed Reed’s Bridge and that at least one Confederate brigade (McNair’s) was west of Chickamauga Creek. Following Granger’s orders, McCook then led his own command north to Rossville.4

Believing they had driven McCook from the field, Pegram and Forrest decided that prudence required further investigation of the wooded terrain to the west. Not only did they press forward themselves, but they also sent a staff officer with a detail into the trees. Seeing nothing unusual and hearing nothing but the chirping of birds, Capt. H. B. Clay returned to Jay’s Mill and lay down to rest. Meanwhile, Davidson’s cavalry brigade also returned to the vicinity of the mill. A diverse command, it consisted of two regiments, two battalions, Rucker’s Legion, and a battery. Someone, perhaps Davidson or possibly Col. John Hart of the 6th Georgia, sent the 6th North Carolina and 10th Confederate battalions westward into the forest as well. They had not gone far when shots rang out followed by a heavy, rolling volley of musketry. Soon, out of the forest, the Confederate horsemen came in wild retreat. Hatless, without guns, riding on desperately wounded horses, the disorganized battalions raced westward heedless of anything in their path. Crashing through the 6th Georgia, one of them shouted, “Git boys! The woods are full of Yankees.” Opening ranks to let the rabble through, the rest of Davidson’s command dismounted and advanced westward beyond the sawmill toward rising ground. There mill operations had denuded the ground of large trees for some distance, leaving behind a tangle of scrub second-growth vegetation. As Davidson’s men peered over this low barrier, Federal volleys soon began to emanate from the far edge of the scrub. Although not in the place he desired, Braxton Bragg had at last engaged the Army of the Cumberland. The Battle of Chickamauga had begun.5

The Federal troops encountered by Davidson’s men were the direct result of Dan McCook’s encounter with George Thomas. When McCook joined Thomas on the La Fayette Road, Absalom Baird’s First Division had already formed astride the road facing south in the vicinity of the small farm of Larkin Poe. Spreading north behind Baird’s men, Brig. Gen. John M. Brannan’s Third Division was just beginning to start fires to cook breakfast. McCook’s report placed Thomas in a quandary. He knew that the Army of the Cumberland was not yet concentrated and that Rosecrans did not desire to precipitate a major battle until that concentration was effected. On the other hand, if a Confederate brigade was trapped west of Chickamauga Creek, surely there would be little risk in pushing a division forward to destroy it. Besides, entering the woods east of the La Fayette Road would simply prolong the line that would form when the remainder of the XIV Corps appeared. Normally the epitome of caution, Thomas decided to act on McCook’s intelligence, believing that an exploratory advance would not violate his army commander’s intent. With Baird’s men already deployed facing south and Brannan’s troops not yet positioned, the corps commander gave Brannan the task of driving east through the forest in search of the Confederate brigade. Brannan’s mission was to capture or destroy any Confederate formations he found. With his division scattered across the farms of Elisha Kelly and John McDonald on the La Fayette Road, Brannan had several options for his proposed advance. He instructed Col. John Croxton’s Second Brigade to move directly east from the Kelly Field on a rough wood track toward Reed’s Bridge. Col. Ferdinand Van Derveer’s Third Brigade would advance on Croxton’s left along a road heading southeast from the McDonald Farm. Col. John Connell’s First Brigade would follow Van Derveer as the division reserve. With much complaining, Brannan’s men doused their fires, threw away their half-cooked bacon, formed battle line, and headed into the forest. The time was approximately 7:30 a.m.6

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