V
t X
T
C'i' Kill ) " w
D. w. MOORE; ' Uir.
. fl. OOODLAKDEK,
PRINCIPLES, not WEN.
TERMS 81 25 per Annum, if paid in advance
VOL XXXIV.WIIOU- NO. 1778.
CLEAR FIELD, PA. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1GG3.
NKWSF.MKS VOL IV. NO. 16.
v (LA
i in ii n v ii ii
in
VV I A'AV VVAVA
BATTLE OF CHICK AM AUG A.
ENOAOEMEXTSON SATURDAY AND
SUNDAY.
CH4PHIC drncription ok
COXTKHT.
tiii:
PsoUl Corrmipondanc of the Cincinnati QassUt .
RsibOCiaTtRS AUKYOPTBB C'l'MlinLlND, )
MoHWAT.SopUJllt 1J. I
. lATl RDAT'i BATTI.C .
The shifting of Thomas' corps during
the night of Friday placed It on the loft
' litif iu the foliowiog order: Itrsnnon on
the extreme left,', Baird next and Rey
nolds next. Negloy wai assisting Wood
to bold the passage of Owen ford and
(he position of Gorden's Mill which hid
now become our extreme right, One di
vui.cri of Mc'Jook'ioorps, (Johnson'a)hav
ing come up to tho new line sooner than
he roil, reported toThomas for orders and
wai assigned a position on the left between
Huird and Reynolds. Two diviions of
Crittenden's corps held the renter of the
line. Palmer on the' right of Reynold
and Van Cleve next to Palmer. When
the battle begun, Davis and Sheridan, of
McCook'a corps were rapidly marching lo
waid the left, to complete tbelineand
take pot it ion on the right of Van Cleve.
Generally, thelinelook l Indirection ofthe
Chicksmduga, withdrawn upon the left so
uit) follow fora considerable distance
the course of the Lafayette road, which
runs directly north and south.
The rebels had been raancouveiing all
day on Friday about the position at Gor
don's Mill, and seeing its great strength
bad tnentced our left flank, doubtless
Atith the express purpose of compelling
Gen. Rosccrans to abondon it. As the
left must be protected at all hazardh, their
plun partially succeeded, and the im
menre tiansfcr of Thomas from right to
left Cli fi idny night, so inr suited t lie ir de-lit-ps.
But it rendered onriwn left so
trong thai it became impoible for the reb
els to turn it, as they had all along hoped
to do. The attempt on our part to hold
Gordon's Mid after this tramfer, perhaps
occasioned too great a leughthening of
our lines, end consequently too liltl sn
lidity. True; it seemed every way adap
ted to pievent the enemy from flunking
us upon thn right, t ut the simple w ith-1
drawal of our right wing to the Million
Ridge, allowing it to rest there, would
have fully secured that (lank, enabled us
t bid delinnco to the rebel in that direc
tion, really contracted our front and re
leased for immediate service on fcaterdiy
the splended divisions of Xegley and
Wood. The entire distance over which
Hi line extended wat 'little short of three
and a half miles.
It was between 10 and 11 when Cmton's
brigade, of Brannan's division, going down
to a forJ over tho creek, jut opposite
their position, encounteied tho enemy,
who was advancing in force, and, after a
onllnnt mmbnt. was driven back. Rein-
forcements immedisiely coming up from
tho remainder of Brannan's division, the
rebels wore in turn driven pell-mell
toward the ford. Another terrible charge !
by a largely increased force of the enemy,
pushed back the whole of Brannan'a di
vision, involving General Baird. who at
once became fiercely engaged. The Reg
ulars, out flunked, after the withdrawal of
Brannan's nicru fought liko tigers, but
were rolled back and over Kcribncr's brig
ade the right of which being rather too
far advanced, was crumpled up, and the
brigade literally surrounded, until, by un
paralleled gBiantry, it cut its way through.
The elorm rolling from left to right, fell
next upon Johnston, and almost simulta
neously upon Reynolds, who both fougut
with desperate valor, wavering at times
but again gaining their firmness, giving
.. . . . , ...ill
back a little but again uuvnncir.g, unin
the troops of Brannan and Baird rallied
by their able leaders, and by the personal
exertions of Thomas himself, whose cour
age was as conspicuous as his coolness,
came up once morn to the work.
Then the order was issued for the entire
line to advance, and nothing in history
exceeds in grandeur the charge of that
powerful corps. Longstreet' men from
Virginia were directly opposed to the
troops of Thomas, and although they
fought with stubborn determination, they
could not for an instant check tba slow
and stately march of our bsltslions. In
vain they rallied and re-rallied ; in vsin
doublo linfs. which fired
they formed doublo lints, which fired im
ultaneouslyj in vain they wheeled their
cannons in score of new positions. Thom
as moved resistlessly on. Much of our
artillery lost in the morning was recap
tured. Seven pieces were taken from the
enemy. They had been pushed already
three quarters of a mile, and Longstreet
was thteateoed with actual annihilation,
when a new dnngor caused Thomas to
hill.
WhiU our left waa so tetnorsftleialy Jrl
Ting tha rebels, folk and Hill ,cxl!enljn
their chosen legions, threw them with'
great impetuosity upon Palmer and Van
Cleve, in order to effect a diversion in fa
vor of Longstreet. An obstinate contert
ensued, but the overpowering numbers of
the enemy speedily broke to piecpj large
portions of our' two divisions, especially
Van Clevc's. In fact, the route of this
part of our lino was becoming us complete
as that ofthe enemy' right, when Davis,
who had been marching a rapidly as possi
ble lo'intersect with Van Clove's feft, ar
rived upon the ground, went in most gal
lantly, and, for a time, restored in that
locality the fWiuoM of the day. But the
enemy knowing tht all depended upon
his effecting a diversion in favor of the de
feated Longstreet, nuiised nearly tho
whole of his aviiluble forco, hurled it
upon Van Cleve, and Davis drove the for
mer to the left and Iho Utter to the right,
and entered boldly the opening thus
made. It was just at this juncture that
Thomas' troops, whose attention had been
called to the extreme danger of our cen
tre, bogsn to return. Reynolds immedi
ately sent the heroic. Wilder tojhe acMS'
tance of Davis, and the celebrated brigade ,
of mounted infantry at first scattered llie '
enemy in terror he lore litem, imi the
persevering rebels rallying again, and
charging in fresh numbers, even Wilder
began to fall slowly back. Gen. Sheri
dan, who had been following after Davis,
now came up, and led Col. Bradley's brig-
aJo into the fight. It held its own nobly,
until the rebels, in large force, getting
possession of a piece of timber near its
flank, opened upon it an enfilading fire,
which compelled It to give way.
But now new acton appoared upon the
scene. Wood and Negley, wdio had gal.
Isntly repelled the assaults of the enemy
at Owen's Ford, (assaults intended as a
feint to conceal the design ofthe rebels on
our left) came up to the rescue. Their
troops went to wot k with a will, lhe'ed almost iinposrible what were the re
progress ot the enemy against Uavts, an
Cleve and Sheridan was speedily checked. !
Reynolds, returning from Ue pursuit 0l
Longstreet. assisted ir. rallying the broken
battalions of rainier. Thousands of our j
cattfied trrops re-crganued almost of
their own accord. Baird, Branuan and , per than this solicitude for his own per-j,iay. 1). 11. Hill, at the Ijpjk! of IIjir6Ba viliU'ls mingled with the fJebris of ilid
iolinon resumed their places, A con- a0nal fortuneH must have been bin anxiety c.d corfM,
was leu. ling theni the asitauee rnantlctl and discoiuGlted battel ies. Frag-
suiiling lire swept all along our trout. The for the Republic ; for the destruction of nf r division, and Buokner's troops were .,,( 0f avis flyii g suuadron had alto
rebels retired everywhere before it, find ' l,is amy on the morrow would be a disas- throwing their weight into the scale. Imlge.J in this Held.
before sunset our line was again in bailie ter to tho nation well nigh irreparable, ! Thomas fought only ilh his forces of Sal- While I stood guzing upon this scene
array upon almost precisely the ground ' while a decisive victory would di.-pt l ti e 1 1 urdny weakened by Saturday's heavy loss- f,.0,n tl0 summit of the ridge, somo rebel
held that morning. j last lingei iug fears of the patriot, and es. 'It was an unequal contest, and a pang skirmisher apeared in the skirts of the
Just before dark the enemy, as if in ; ,nHke all liberty loving hearts in nur own of agony shot through my heart as I saw woo.j8 opposite the gap I have mentioned,
spilo of his unsuccessful eflorts, opened a ' aJ all oilier lands to bound with ecstatic !our exhausted veterans b-gin to waver. flnj ronfe, j,ernn)g a dozen mus,ket balls
heavy fire of artillery and tuuskeiiy upon joy j To ivaver in the face of the charging, shou- ,n,0 ,he fiel(, inslnntiy Dlen; .Mim(lu(
theso tamo troops, and coiitmued U until j ling, thundering host which confronted ve,liclos became a mass or struggling,
sfler nightfall. But it was so p.otnptly si .vnu 's iiattlk. j them, was to lose all, and the next mo- uursi Bhouting lVIghtened life Every-
returned thai uo sustauieu ceriauoj .
much injury as he inflicted, ond about six ling musketry or rearing cannon, or burst- ..urging down to the bieastwork, dashing iielri!ong for the narrow gap, and men
o'clock drew off entirely leaving the day jng shell disturbed the penccfulness of U1.1(ily against and over the barrier, and t,orsPfli mule, ambulauohes. baggr-ge wag
clearly our own. ! that Sabbath uinrning. TbeSablr.t'h ! y es, ' g,ee.Iily swallowing up its defenders, with 0I)S, aI,mluniuon wagons, artillery car
During the night of Saturday some it was the blesed day of lest- rest given ftl tht!ir aninulnitjf)ll ,! HI((T(t(; Nt.ver rinses and caissons n-ere rolled and tum-
chango wis made m tho disposition ol our,
tor cos
and the lice was so far withdrawn
that it rusted along a cross-roud running
uorllieai ami souiuwesi, anu coiinccung
. , . ... i . . .
tho Rossville with the Lay fayelle toad.
By this arrangement Iho extreme right ,
was made to rest on Mission R.dge, as it
should probably have done in the uist
place. The new line that formed was a
mile shorter than that of the day befoie. .
lieu, uosecrans neampjaners were reuiov-
ed from a house belonging to widow Glei:n,
near the' right of the line, to a point
somewhat nearer the 1-ay layette road, and
in view of the center, and every prepara
liou was made that geniui, science and
patriotism could make, to heal back the
avalanches of the enemy, should they
venture upon in alUck the next day.
The changes iu the order of the dillor
' nl divisions made the new order aiand
I .k... 11.. k.i.m.1. .,f Vd.iliii''. rliviith.n
thus. One brigade of negley division
was near the extreme right ; then came
Johnsou, then Baird, then Palmer, then
Reynolds, then - Biaunau, then Negley 's
other brigades, then Vau Cleve, then
Wood, and then Sheridan. Wilder and
Minty, with their mounted force held the
extreme riiiht. I have ctven only the
general otder of our line. Brannan &nd
Van Cleve were really held somewnatin
reserve. The other divisions had, reserves
detailed from their own regional or bri
gades. If any one wisben to gel a general but
at the same time a clear idea of the nature
1 0f the battle-field of Sunday, let him imag
inetworoads.Vne Rossville and Layfayette,
gradually tpproacbing ech other as they
run norihwsrd, the average distance be
tween them over the space where the bat
tie was fought being about two mites. As
wo look southward, the low wooded range
of hills callsd Mission Ridge, is upoq out
right, and away to the left flows the Cbio
amauga. Between the ridge and the
creek, and especially botweon the two
roads, the sou d try is mostly level aud U
covered with dense foreste ofoak.aad
pine, interspersed here and there with
small cornfields. This is I lie general idea
of a battle-field destined to bo immortal
in the records of the historian.
Tiiat indeed was a night of awful sur
suspense which settled around us after tho
lant gun had been fired on Saturdey. It
was very chilly und cold, and much suffer
ing among the wounded was occasioned
tl'.eteby. Those who were still niive and
well, although they too were exposed to
the numbing cold, thought but little of
their physical oondition. True, no warm
fires kept the inlluence of the frost from
their limb?, for fires were strictly forbid
den. No blazing light helped to cheer
their mind nod disptd gloomy images
therefrom. Hut still as llipy t,anU dovr.
in the darkness upon the laid, cold
ground, they entirely forgot their bodily
,l.iiM'ii.ntiAnE nu ll.iv litrnvA I n iirwiirinA '
on ....7 e. ,
what mii.l.i 1, il.n pes. .It In themselves 1
what might be ho result to tlaen),eiTeS
the country and the cause, of the sirug-le I
which might ensue 0.1 the morrow. ,
tongue can ever tell the ,-e.r.ung. of
home and friends and
"c t " ' "".
that night
grasping ins musket, pen ror j.encn
can picture the emotions of his foul as he
thought of his mother, w ile or childien,
. .. , , .. , ,, .. ;
B.,u .n.eu.ru ...u.c.o vi iu-
morrow's sun thousands of such as he, and
he himself, perhaps, would havo passed trcati ill;lc,1iBtey R(jVnnced their f kirm- fea. rully battered. Each had but a hi.tid
beyond the possibility of evei again seeing iB,ler8 uot only ht,re, bul , along the ful left as it retired, toward nigLlfalt, ut.on
those dear ones on earth. And w ho can j lt,fti am, the fighting at once became tcr- the Rossville road, but tho men must
fancy the varied feelings of npprehcn.don, rifiCi as I nnVe descibed. The rebels, have done gallant ligiiting or tl;oy would
of agony or of hope which filled the patn-j however, soon ceased to attack General ,10l have come oil as well as they did. In
ot's micd as be thought thut the evening , Wood's front, and for a time appeared to ldet, wherever She. i.Un is, whether isola
of the coming day aiight see the banner tievote H.ir entire attention to Thomas. ; lcd or iu company, and whethei tho odds
of his country waving in the breezes of j Asi.it-and again the rebel lines ndvan-' against him bo one or many then, is cer
bcoificent victory or diaggled in tho niire vng from the cover of the woods into the tui i0 be a light
of disastrous defeat. And he, too, upon ' or,en COrntiehl charged with impetuous It was about half past twelve, when,
whom all the responsibility for success or fury und ten ilic yells toward the breast- 1,,.;, ijeuvy cannonade open uuon
failure rested, he who hud never yet lost
a battle, but was now confronted by tuch '
fe,wfu.oddsthatatrium!;l,nti5suo .,e,n -
ed almost nnposMble what were the re-
flections that eoutfeu through the cliani-
,Pri 0f (j is oul on the nicht !recedinn
tlsut eventful day whoso issue would con-
firm his title of one of tho greatest of liv-
;ntr eenerals. or write "failnre"in burn-'
character! upon his brow : And dee-
me nmrrow eume. nounu
, mercy ty kind Heaven to ungiaielul
n-jinun. Will the buttle be renewed to-day ? mined, bul nevor was attack prosecuted ftnd finally motionless mass, completely UliO rebel legions were soon gather
K' Ifso. it will be by the action of the enemy with more devilish perl;nacitv. blocking up the mouth of the gaps. j inf? lor the onset.
'fc' for Gen. Ros.-craiis does not willingly fight i ' Mcanliu.e, as Gen. Reynolds was so sore- 'e.,r!y all this booty subsequently fell in-' J""' before tho Storm broke, t'lO
ror i;,,,, Kiis.'crans does not winingiy ugiu
on t,0 .Sabbuth. The first hour uller sun-
ri.,e parsed. " Surely." said our olliceis
and soldiers, " there will be no figlit ; '-'.
if llje enemy had intended to attack us :.o
r..lb..t-,n , l,w usual luetics, have
iiviii'i, iwi iu . ."tj
fallen upon u at daybreak."
1 o nours moio unu ; """"
dropping musketry began to bo heard
! along tho various parts of our line l"'iJ
nally, at about 10 o'clock, there were sev -
cral fierce volleys, and the loud booming
..... . ......
of half a dozen pieces ot artillery announc-: allj rape Moving upon the double quick were collected the shsttered remnants of 01 lne ulttvo iuicibwuo uu
ed that the enemy iuiiagaiu.au 011 the ; t10 men POdeavored to keep their files in the powerful corps which had so lor.gt inS tnc ticmy tit bfty, to brir., li'S
day before, assaulter! our left. j orjcr i.ut Bg n,(lt pittiless storm of iron breasted tho fierce astaulis of ihe enemy i wurJs ol g'""" lr'"n ,L" u ;
And now that the battle has begun, let ; continued to by hurled iBaint them, the ' i the foienoon. Here was Johnson, who J' JJ scailorin
us glance one moment ut the contending rpiments begun to spread out like a fan, 1 seemed to have done belter work to-day '..,'. ,j ?,' nomil.ln wr.il.i
forces. On one side is our old army which
fought at Stone Uiver, re-inforced by two
divisions (Brantiai.'s and Reynolds') of
x - w .
Thomus' uoips, and Starkweather's bri
gade of Laird's division. Rut countei bal
ancing these to some extent.Post's brigade
of bav is' division and Wagner's of Wood's
were both absent. We might or might
not also rely for assistance upou Steed
man's division of Gen. Granger's corps.
Opposed to these was the old ermy of
the Tennessee, which Bragg bad so long
commanded ; LongHtreet's formidable
corps from Virginia ; one-half of John
son's army from Mississippi ; Buckner's
division from East Tennessee ; Dabny
Maury's division from Mobile ; Brigadier
General Lee's command from Atlunta.and
from twelve to fifteen thousand fresh
troops in the service of the State of Geor
gia in all amounting to at least seventy
five thousand men. The Union army
confronting them was certainly not wore
than fifty-five thousand strong.
The firing wbich had begun upon our
left swelled almost immediately into a
tremeudous roar, which filled even the
souls of the braveU jrith , awe. Xothing
that I have yet listened to since the brea
king out of the war, exceeding it in con
tinuily nnd volume of sound. It wn not
a tumult which now rages and new sub
sides ; but one which for two long hours,
rollod incessantly all along the line of
Thotr-a' seemingly devoted corns. So
loud was the crash of musketry, Hint the
discharges ef cannon following each other 0U's retiring from the work, toward, u!TIh,i T'' i?'". "i'l""
in ou ck succession mil.l .i;m,.,.i. ' ttieir gill lermg uiius fished back the sun-
I . ,,l(u;" lV the hills in anything liko tolerable order, light through the l.iiek clouds of dust,
be diHUnguudied.and seemed mlylika, A soon, however, as the corps had' Capt. Johnson ot Gen. Ncglcy'n staff,
more emphatic passages in the grsnd dis-; rcachl the foot of Mission Itidge it for-' wh 0,1 MnX 'ered Irouj his own dia
pason of thunderous herniony which, rued anew its broken ranks with an ah.c- J'"'1 i,"'(1',Hy reported ta Uon.
burst from the vast clouds of smoke and 1 ri,v and ran.ditv oi Iv less ,.,, kntl ,U,0nflH, ,0' l"'1 heady, at greal
; rl,J' rapioiiy, oi.iv less lemaikntle pcmonol ri-k, aoertKined thin th atUini-
Uus.1 enveloping tho contending hosts, than the obstinacy with which it so long cing battaliions were mfatiiiy, nvd c ..,
The fight upon the extreme left common- endured the assault of the enemy upon ,u'! uros. wa ii nur lavn o.- il
cd by a desperate assault of tho enemy j the level ground below. The great leader f"Jn' H; JJ,,I J ' -:
upon Gen. John Jieatty's brigade of Keg-, himself, Gon. Thoma,, assisted by liaird, ' XT- '
ley', division. The brigade, as well as its KeynolJ.,, Krunnan, Kcribner, Harker, ti e re i ani blue, with thewhi:c-c -n-.-u!
famous lender, ttood their ground riolly j ,'egley, John Iieatly, Wood and Turchiii,'1 w"5 bailie ll.ig ol'G neial (iimii jer,
but beinc somewhat isolated from tho re-
-
l iuuii uu vi .i,u 4 1 1 j , . iiuniiv irii cu lb
mainour ot tlio line,
-,, 1 . , . .... ' " 6
llbe ratnemIjeret ,htlt ,be olh.r brig- head iigaiu.t the enemy.
aJe3 of ley's division were posted From this time MoCook disappeared
niucl, fthe,- to the right. A desire to from the general history of the battle as I
WH,i(e , ,w0 j0g of hi wmmnl indped lli(.alilic ,,imlf frolll hi ' , ';
t !) I iisfw 1 I at l((iito.nanii 1 1 tiAti ii (.an ri I
to take Uen. etiev s niacc in ine until
fltler filoud eiiecl ,j,t. rMjnion of his
brigades
WoihI iiri.r.4.(li.il immcuii.tHlv
.. . j
hi nuis inn uiu r, iiiniij: ..j. ma Snp us i
..... ... lt: . !......
" "i er ,
egley retired. The rebels understand-
,,,, nl0Vt,nK.nt 0f x0J!Cy' tn be a re-
, works of logs and rails, but ea';li time tho
fiPrv blasts from our batteries an I battal-
ion; 8Wept over and around them, und
their ranks were crumbled a:id fireut
nwiiy as a t,,, 0f ooso elay washed by n
r,l,;.., llnml Ui.t fust m mm line fell
. v.- b ww ....
ofV anot hot appeared, rushing on sternly
over the deud and bleeding bodies of their
r,.llr... .Ai,.r.i!. lnuirict's .-n.-nK was
seeking to regain Us lost I turels oi jester
ment wave alter wave ol tho rebel sea came
W!IS resistance more stubborn and deter
Mean lute, asucn. hcynolds was so sore-
fy ,,resjed, General Wood was ordered to
ulaich instanlly by the left flank, pass
Bronnan and go to his relief. Davis und
Sheridan were to shift over to the left, and
i . . ... i;.. ..-.
i:ius eiosu vy .no ... if. i..v w:.hbiu..
I was urgent, Gen. Wood drew in his skirtu-
, istiers witn considerable iihio, and me re-
ijp4 f,,r (l0 eecond time mistaking a with-
JlavTal for a flight, pressed forward in 0
1 torre, n,i poured into the flanks or Gen.
, Wno,j a s(01.m of nluet f,,,) Cnnnifter
I
j wider and wider until finally they were
! torn to flinders. This was eBpecially the
case with the brigade commanded by Col
Ruel. Thft i.rrliii.nloil Wond . will. Hul k
er'a briijado. comDiirativelv intact, rassnl
on to his destination. JThewholo were drawn up in a line forming t 0:iCO the bullets new tiiiCK ani iuC
Here was the great turning point in the a circular curve, fating the southnisl. A amongst us. ily coma tiion, the cor
battle. Here, indeed, Ihe battle was b-st, hill near the middle of tho curve was the respondent of U" ew lork. liorald,
UhvU. onmin0 on (ill ll. vaeanrv on-
1 I .
casioned by Wood's withdrawal, was cau't
upon the left flank by the fiery rebel tor -
rent now pouring through the opening,
and pushing off towards the right in utter
disorder, like a door which is swung back
upon its hinges, and shattered by the same
blow. Van Cleve, and what remained of
Palmer, were struck upon the other side,
and shivered as a sapling by a thunder
boll, Even the personal exertions of Rose
crans himself, who, with drawn sword, and
at the head of his devoted slat, endeavor
ed to check the rout, were inelleetual.
After that fatul break our line of battle
was not again reformed during the day.
The army wus in fact cut iu two ; MoCook,
nith Davis Sheridan and Wilder, being
thrown off Id the right, Crittenden, (ex
cept one brigade of Wood's) being broken
in pieces, and Thotnos, with hie it.dbu.il-
able corps, and Johnson's division of Mc-
Cook's remaining alone upon tho left. In
the fierce- tornado which had swept over
his log breastworks. Thomas had been
much shaken, Ml his diviion fighting
desperately, all rallying at the earliest
praclicuble moment, but onlv Gen. Rev-
rcireanued lh., brigade will, wonderfol
i rkfii v. 1,1111 ill imi hipiv nur. 1 niuu nir
n.nsi. 1 1 .1 1. T . J 1 i ,
, waida Chullaiipogo, and, at about one o'
clock, ui'iippeared entirely from the Held.
wnnU f n.iiu.inn1.n .,i .i.,,,, ..,..!
II iu i u 1;.. ; ... l n '
tiu-inMviiiwiuir, ,IS UUU OJIt:. Ul.lll '
i , , .. . . .
'orce'J ull lowuiUstlie light, l.if beh-nil
- uic ngui, i.u uniam
tUfcir original position, were assailed by .
immense souad.ons of the en,..nv. and'
iile t;,,i. I ealloned over in that direc -
tion to see what it might menu A longi -
,U(lin!ll ..p i Mission Ridge, admits tKe
i......;.. rnn.t r .n..
lin(Ukirts alonu a lame cornfield at the.
at tho.
... ......
,1. f ,i.. i ..i,;.,.. ..,., ..,
mull , t ug UUUi I lit: hui uJ tuc
t.ornicld from the go, vou see thick
wooj8 Uj,on tlle other side. Tho cornfield
. ., . -j
here were numbers of all sorts of army
tli'm; antl everybody appeared to dash-
bled together in a confused, inextricable
v,i, 'i hniv t.,l.M0,.untl..
to the hands t.f the enemv Sickened and
disgusted by tho speclscle, I turned away
to watch the operations of General Thorn -
g' corps, upon which alone depended the1
.. ...
gaiety tu wie army.
Gen. Thomas had withdrawn hi men
almost entirely from the valley, and taken
p ft position on the fide of Mission Ridge,
His left still rested upon tho Lafayette
' riM,d, and his riyht upon tho ridge near
the cap I have already spoken of Here
r 1
and yesterday than' ever before. Here
was the unconipierable Wool, with liar -
ker's brigade, and here were also such
' .hi. .ri''i.!ii..l.iH'. .....n. n,,1ff I.,
IR L' Uf 1 9") .CI It P l'. UlUH,
induced to venture tinon another stand.
kev of the lusition. and Harker's bricaoe
I . --- 1 t ' - r:
' was appointed to defend the f-ame, Soon
J after the hill was occupied, a house upon
j its summit- was set on fire by the enemy's
j shells, and continued to burn for a long
time with great fury.
Not long was (he new line of battle per- left, and in the roar of the still amok,
mitted to remain idle. Calihon Lcllowed ing rains of tho house, Wft3 gathered
against it ; missiles of every kind wero a group whoso names aro destined to
hurled into it ; shells burst above it j rifle become historical Thomas, Whita
balls went tearing through it; but still it kcr Granger, Garfield, btcodman,
, e , Wood. Calm y they whatehed the
remamedfirm. J0 tJpcst peculated
It was certain, however, as truth itself, t juration an(J Ktrcugth, and
that unless assistnnoo should renrh it from ' (vist,(1 ,etl10ds to break its fury,
somo quarter, and. that right speedily, it -rilf! future annalist will delight to
must at length succsmb, for th rebel jwt.jj upon the characteristics and
leaders, emboldened by the rout of Me- uchicvinents of each member' of this
Cook and Critterden, weie gathering their group, und evert tho historian ofthe
bosta to hurl them in a last mighty effort present, hastening to tho completion
against the feeble band that confronted of his tae-k, is constrained id lauso a
them Whence should that succor come? moment if only to repeat tlievo name.
Suddenly a vast cloud of dust was sen
to ri-e above the trees, away to the left,
tt fo,v 'i'iute afterward long lines of
I f.T'f,"' V'T "noA' "!
tle Jjitayetli) road and began auvttiioing
toward us over tlie fields Their discipline
seemed very perfect, und it was an impo-
flne r",P',"'H l"ey came on. then-
M,a " ''""IV- e smv were twi ting les.
II l.i .o l, I U I....I I . 1 c I '
strong aiviiiMi. i tiese were comiuivauve-
lr fresh troops True, they bud inarOied
mie weary miles over toads ankle deep
wilh dust- True, tl.ey hid liurned a.-.i;i
H1 to succor their c.mra les nnd i' -
,- .
t hrv ., i, i ,,i ; ... . .., i..,.. i
c;"-
1
the 1'iitt
le-icm red
e: lam iviu li
! hiil.
A a o f ' ,.nl
,i p "mi rnvii yt.iii
"M"
i:'.-
ed to Generil Tlion,:
t0 Oenel il I lion, lis
beta ly the latter to tvii,- .
rdiion train from the Rev
traiii had fallen into tin: hands ...
my, hut the march in renreli ' i' ' ... ,:
Siiiiuliuan at once into uont.ict vi '
rebels and u slepei ale csndlici iniin . -ly
ensued. It v. as now thai the bii.i....r
courage of Col. John G. Mitchell, c ni
inandiiig one of Gen. Sieadiiiau'it brigades
became conspicuous. Now General Vhlt
uker hail an ojij.nrtunily of baptising in
glory the star recently placed upon l is
shoulder ; und now the troops id' the Ke
hi'tve Corps, comparatively ununJ Ij bai
tlo, had an-opporiuiiity of testing their
mettle. Nobly did all nas tlirouli tho
1 ordeal, and iilthouith once Ihro.vn into
' confusion by tho concern ruled firo from
! l.'MXa!: K'j.
i i ... . .. i.;n ..i,;,,,..
as formidable us that which formed the
I key of General Thomas' portion. Tbo
, . . , ,
rebels ininte one desperate endeavor to re
take this position, but were bloouil) re
pulsed, and almost for the first lime sinco
the Unlit begun there was a lull in tho
luariul sioj ifc. -
An hour jiiissed by, and it became e 1.
dent that Bragg would not bo toiled in
his attempt to annihilate ourgalluut iiriny
without another effort, l'olk'a corps, as
sisted by tho Georgia State troops, by
Dabney Maury's division, and by various
detached flagmen's of llie rebel army
were to tiy their iiundi upju tho hernia
bund, us the forlorn hope of the army still
held the hill. Tho thinned Lallallions
were brought closer together. The d v.en
pieces of artillery -vore planted to sweep
all approaches to the hill ; and each uchi
looking at his neighbor vowed, some men
tally, and others audibly, to din right
there if it were necsary for (.heircounuy,
their freedom, and for mankind I
All nloii tho woods skirting tbo
cleared fields at tho southcastorn foot
of tho hill; in tho hollows and rnvinos
to tho right and awav tQ Vbo loft,
upon, and beyond tho Lafayctto ri 1
i brHV0 a"J "igl'-SOllIed Garfield, wan
' ,c,'cc,vcui "rrf
! l,ea,luarle.rs , e"' , f'
t-ic
.
iamhcm,
and in order to do so, hu i
rode nil tho way !roni Ulial'.nno a,
passinrr through a fiery crd:al iv';..
theroud. Hishorso was -Hlit Vri .i' ;
'him, and his orderly w us Jr. lied ly i.;
' fe, Still lie had came throve U
1 "onroo know bow, andhtro he v 1 Vj
! inspire iresli courage inW '.Uu In.-. :
j t L . 1 I." ...I. .- !
,rry liem forward to tboir rcliuf.
! At last a shell cam) ha'il.)
through tlio air, and burst V.itii a
h.ti.l nv.LlnuiAn nvni tl.n hill Thia
ll. v.l ivoiuii v..v ...... ......
loud cxi
was the signal for rebel attack, und
w8 hlru(;K "r"1 UJU. l.u 11
lded from his borse, and although him
and I thought the ehaueos wero bad
against our living to describe tho con
test, we felt that wo could not do
aii'Mit than watch it to its close.
Just upon the side ofthe lull to the