VOLUME 1.
The New Rebellion.
The rumors of ? NortbAN astern Re
liellion which have lately been floating in
the air take a certain shape in a dispatch
from St. Louis, this morning printed, sum
marizing an account published in/ he
Missouri Democrat of yesterday. That
paper has heretofore intimated that it was
in possession of intelligence concerning
a movement for a North-Western Confede
racy, and must be presumed now to give
its information to the public in good faith
though the telegraph supplies no hint
whether the narrative is editorially indor
sed by The Democrat. Should it prove
• to be, the character of that journal cuti
tlcs it to respectful consideration.
It is alleged substantially that there is
an organiiation known as the ' Order of
• American Knights," whereof the mem
bers are confederated with the main ob
ject of cmbarra -ing the Government in
its prosecution of the war,, and with the
incidental or resulting object of setting
up a North-"Western Confederacy. It is
a conspiracy, however,multiform in char
acter and endowed with a remarkable flex
ibility. inasmuch as it comprehends the
members of a War party .in .New York,
enrolls the Peace faction in the west, and
marshals it-; hosts under the banner of a
Rebel leader. Sterling Price. Its rami
fications pursue their devious way even to
the Rebel capital, where the great \ allan
digham was installed commander
of the northern section, undertaking, ill
consideration of this dignity, 110 less a
task than to divide the hast lYoui the
West. Ilis long dalliance on the confines
of Canada was in furtherance of this
scheme, and be there sought the counsel
of certain gentlemen, who are described,
perhaps rather ambitiously, as "the lead
ing spirits in the North." Lest we should
be in doubt as to whose spirits do in fact
lead us, we are favored with the names of
Win. 15. lteed of Philadelphia, years since
politically deceased ; of Pendleton ami
l'ugh of Ohio, the former of whom was
known in the last Congress mainly as say
ing ditto to Mr. Cox, and the latter of
whom, like tilendowor, did indeed call
spirits from the vasty deep of Ohio De- I
nioeracy to the number of* 200.000 and
over, for the installation of a Governor ;
not then elected, but ucyer yet to our
knowledge became him ell' a spirit, much
less a leading one; tvribben of St. Louis,
and Story and Merrick of Chicago, names
to fortune anil to fame, and surely to
most of our readers, unknown.
Lest it should bosupposi»l this conspir
acy had no well-defined m#ms of accom
plishing its wide-reaching purpose, it is
further stated that at a consultation be
tween the supreme Commander —\ allan
digham, to wit—and his subordinate com
manders at Windsor in Canada, a "pro
gramme" was arranged for the election of
Mr. Vallandigham as delegate to the
Democratic Convention at Chicago, in or
der to mike that assembly the scene of
a private pronuneiamiento, to include a
full declaration of the objects of the Or
der of American Knights, and to secure
(the utterance ot' the considerate opinion
of \ r aUandj|»ham that the existing Ad
ministration is wielding a usurped power
aud ought to be expelled—wc suppose by
some p which would not be usurped.
For the Sale delivery ol this—wc hope
wo do no: uaracterize it irreverently—
stamp-speech, cacti Urand Commander
was to have fully armed and
(as the law directs?)# body guard (per
haps McClelland s) for the defense of Mr.
V. against the minions of the lawlessdes.
pot at Washington. At this point the.
plot was thicken. The atmosphere
grows suddenly and ominously Ijirid, an
o tor of burnt guup iwder steals upon"ike
senses ; and there comes a sound ol such
thunder as was never stolen from John
Dennis ouUauiel Webster. The appcar
«auceuf .Vrc V.'* bo ly guard, it was tho't,
would precipitate the people of the Free
States iuto an armed conflict—whether
between themselves or with the body guard
there is a mysterious uncertainty—which
was to be the signal for the Knights of the
American Order to kill or capture the
civil and military authorities!
We pause there. The imagination re
fuses to penetrate further into this dread
ful future. We already see the body
guard of Mr. Valfandigham seizing upon
the forts of New Vork harbor, canying
by storm the defenses of Washington,
from before which the veterans of Early
have just retired, burning the capital,
swarming in transports down the Potomac
in pursuit of the army of that ilk ; move
ing in serried columns up the Peninsula
—for being all MoClellan men tlicy would
take no other road leading to the neigh
borhood of Richmond ; and finally cross
ing the James on Gen. Grant's pontoons,
falling upon that unhappy commander in
the midst oi his army, and probably send
ing his head and Mr. Lincoln's and Gen.
Butler's as peace-offerings t» Jefferson
Davis. After which we shall sit down
every man under his own vine and fig
tree with unlimited liberty to "larrup our
own niggers" forever and a day. " There
is the most convincing evidence of the
truthfulness of this statement."
» Inasmuch, however, as this delicate
strategem has been prematurely disclosed,
we suppose the actors in it, Vallandigham,
Reed. Pendleton, Pugh, and the half
million others, including especially the
200,000 McClellan minute men of New-
York. have been arrested and sent to Fort
Lafayette, or perhaps already tried by
military commission and hanged—or sent
to Canada. Rut on reading further we
find our mistake. This gigantic conspir
acy was not to be undemnincd in the dark
—no mysterious spiriting away of its lead
ing spirits—no cheating of just popular
vengeance by executions within prison
walls. It was vast in conception, formi
dable in numbers, and -belligerent in puv-
I pose. It could not be dealt lightly. The
Government at Washington, therofore,
with due sense of the immense peril
which the Republic has escaped at the
hands of these assassins, determined to—
expose them ! and it has been done.
The history would not be complete if
we omitted all reference to the celebrated
letter of Mr. W. Marshall Anderson,
lately exploited in the columns of The
Lomhot Times, whence it was transferred
from The Cohunbu* Crisis. It appears
that Mr. Anderson, like Mr. Vallandig
ham, is weary of this '• demiiition war,"
and even carries his disgust to the extent
of refusing an election to the very Chi
cago Convention, to attain which was the
darling object of Y's ambition. \\ .M.
A., in fact, does not like war in general
—much less ours in particular, lie de
clares : " T now 112 ully realize and compre
hend the meaning of the term 'horrida
he!ln.' Now that ' rampant war hasyoked
her red dragons to her iron car,' now that
all humanity, all magnanimity, is trampled
under feet, 1 feel its full force. Our Ge
nerals blush behind the buckler of Mars,
while the she devil Uellona.with blazing
torch, lights on onr arms to an ignomini
ous victory over women and children."
After which nobody will be surprised
that lie gets off to Hannibal and the Car
thaginians, whose example-bo commends
to his fellow-Democrats, dislikesthe Yan
kees, has a thousand daggers for the
"crowned villain," and says more foolish
things than we have space to quote, lie
is of consequence only as one other advo
cate of ahc North-Western Confederacy,
judged by The. Times, and especially by
the veracious New York correspondent of
that journal, worthy of European notice.
So lie may take his place with the rest.—
N. ) . Tribune.
A Report from Grant.
Senator Ramsey, from Minnesota, has
returned from a \isit to Petersburg. The
Chicago Journal says he gives a very en
couraging account of the situation and the
prospects. He visited our entire lines,
and without exception found the officers
and the men full of hope and confidence.
They feel sure that their present campaign
will result riot only in the capture of Pe
tersburg and Richmond, but, what is more
important, in the destruction of Lee's ar
my, which is the main object of present
operations. Everything appears satislac
tory in our position near Petersburg, and
the army is not idle. At present, sap
ping and mining is the order of the day,
•a In Vicksburg. .
Governor Ramsey had conversations
with Genera' Grant, who told him tore
quest the people of the North to " possess
tlfceirsouls in patience;" that all will come
out right; that his success is beyond doubt
that his grand plan has been successfully
carried out so far, and is certain to be suc
cessful in the end. General Grant has
never felt greater confidence of success
than he now feels. J!ut it is a stupendou
wtrk he has before him. and the people
must not be unreasonable in their antici
pations ; they must not expect that to be
done in a week which cannot be done in a
month ; for if they will but have patience,
they will indue time be fully repaid for
the exercise of that virtue, by the splen
did success that will crown the Army of
the Potomac to overwhelm the chief ar
my of the rebellion. The people, there
fore, can afford to wait, if that achieve
ment is likely to result from the present
apparent inactivity—for it is more appar
ent than real.
It is a fact that our pcoplo do not ap
pear to appreciate, that the mere capture
of Petersburg aud Richmond would be
worth but little to us. unless Lee's army
bo at the same time either captured or de
stroyed, Gen. Grant could oapturo Peter-s
burg any day, if he should so elect; but
it would be at-a usoless and needless sacri
fice of life. The same is the fact as re
gards Richmond. By a heavy sacrifice of
I life, he could very soon get possession of'
" Let us have Faith that Right makes Might; and in that Faith let us, to the end,dare to do our duty as we understand it"— A - LINCOLN
BUTLER, BUTLER COUNTY, PA., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1864.
the rebel capital. . Hut that is not his ob
ject. Lee's army is what be is after, and
ho believes he will end its career as the
result of the present campaign. Let us
share his confidence, and patiently wait on
the progress of events.
The following extract from a let
ter to The Boston Journal will dispose
effectually of the reiterated calumny that
the negro troops encountered but slight
obstacles in their well-known assault on
the outer defenses of Petersburg:
A few days ago I satin the tent of Gen.
W. F. SmithjCommander of the 18tli Ar
my Corps, and heard his narration of the
manner in which Gen. 11 ink's division of
.colored troops stood the fire and charged
upon the Rebel works east of Petersburg
on the Kith of Juno. There were IK
guns pouring a constant fire of solid shot
and shells upon those troops, enflading the
line, cutting it lengthwise and crosswise.
" Vet they stood unmoved fort i.r hours
Not a man flinched. [These are the words
of the General.] 'lt was as severe a test
as T ever saw. But they stood it, an d
when my arrangements were completed for
charging the works, they moved with the
steadiness of veterans to the attack. I
expected that they would fall back, or be
cut to pieces, but when 1 saw them
move over the field, gain the works and
capture thaguns, I was a.-loundcd. They
lost between 500 and 000 men in doing
it. There is material in the negroes to
make the best troops in the world if they
are properly trained."
These are the words of one of the
ablest commanders and engineers in the
service. A graduate cf West point, who
earlier in the war, had the prejudices
which were held by many other men
against the negro, lie has changed his
views. •He is convinced, and honorably
follows his convictions,as do all men who
are not stone blind aud perversely wi
ful.
A MI TTO\ MILL. —A gentleman
traveling in New York, overtook a
farmer dragging a lean, wretch look
ing liui'ncd hi'i j> along the road.
{'Where arc you- going with that
miserable animal ? "
" I'm taking Jiiin to the mutton
mill to have him ground over, " said
the farmer.
"The mutton mill! 1 never heard
of'such a thing, I will go with you
and witness the pvoccss. '
They arrived at the mill—the poor
sheep was thrown alive into the hop
per and almost immediately disap
peared.—They descended into a lower
apartment, and in a few moments
there were ejected from a spout in
the ceiling four quarters of excel
lent mutton, two skins of morrocco
a fur hat of the first quality, a shceps
head handsomely dressed, an J two
elegantly carved powder-herns !
Bright, in a recent
speech, said that England was"the
most merciless of all Christian coun
tries." A prominent English jour
nal adrntts this saying to be true, antf
going back to the historical charac
ter of England in this respect adds ;
—"ln the roignc of the
">OO,OOO subjects and citizens of
England alone are computed to have
been executed for the mere offense of
vagrant Even in the
reign of Elizabeth an unemployed
peasant was liable to seizure and sla
very,. In the time of James the
Second, only one hundred and sev
enty-six years ngo, obnoxious citizens
were sentenced to transportation
wholesale, and sold by the court to
the courtiers; to be put np at auctions
as sluves in the plantations."
ONE YEAU REGIMENTS ACCKPTED.—
Ilarrifbury July -7.—Authority has
been granted to the State authorities by
the Secretary ot War to organize new reg
iments of volunteers for one year, under
the last call of President Lincoln for 500,
000 men. The Governor will issue his
proclamation to this effect as soon as or
ders and instructions are rccoivod from
Washington. Pull companies of volun
teers for one year will bo at once receiv
ed.
—The report that Gen. Crook has been
selected to command in the place of Gen.
Huntorwill be received with hearty sat
isfaction. It appears to be generally con
ceded that the Country is paying dearly for
Hunter'* blunders.
—lntelligence of the. death of flen.
McPherson was telegraphed to Gen. Grant
on Sunday. The war-worn hero, after
finishing the reading of the dispatch, re
tired to his tent weeping like a child,
and with tears streaming down his bron
zed cheeks, declared that tlio country had
lost its ablest soldier, and he his best
friend.
JOLLY ! —The rebels claim a victory
over Shi^^i^rt^^tlanta!
WIX-AHD WISDOM.
WHAT is that which destroys a town
and makes a martyr?— Canonization.
WIIY should Africa rightly be consid
ered to rank first of the continents ?—Re
cause it bears' the palm.
WHEN may a man bo said to do any
thing with an iron will ?—When he goes
" hammer aud tongs" into it.
JONES is a strong believer in guardia%
angels. "If it were not for tliciu," he
asks, " what would keep people from roll
ing out of bed when they are asleep ?"
BOARDERS will be interested to learn
that sawdust is considered the finest kind
of board. Recourse may be had to that
form of nutrition, if the price of provis
ions is much more inflated.
A MARRIED LADY lately consulted her
lawyer on the following question—viz:
"■As I wedded Mr. S. for his wealth, and
that wealth is now spe.it, am I a widow,
and at liberty to marry again ?"
THERE is a firm in Elgin, Illinois,
known as " Gay aud Lunt." Half the
letters come to them directed to " Lay and
Grunt." Natural but not complimenta
ry.
LADY YARMOUTH asked Garrick why
Love was represented as a child ? " Re
cause." said tlie great actor, " he never
reaches the years of wisdom and discre
tion."
POETS are never young, in one sense.
Their cars far-off whispers of eternity,
which coarser souls must tavel toward for
scores of years before their dull sense is
touched by them.
To CURIOSITY VENDORS.—Wanted, a
key to open a lock of hair; a pin to fas
ten the tie of friendship; a cement for
repairing broken vows ; and a lacquer for
brightening clouded prospects.
A MONO the quaint sayings charged to
Old Abe is one that " you cannot, to-day,
buy a poor horse in Pennsylvania." The
explanation is that all the bail horses have
been sflld to the government.
AN 1 R.L.-NATURED FEI.LOW says the
reason why women never stammer is be
cause they talk so fast a stammnier has
no chance to get-in. Wo once knew a
woman who did stammer —but she didn't
live long.
A MAN, wishing to sympathize with
his neighbor for the loss of his wife, said
—" I am sorry your poor lady has gone to
heaven." " Thank you,"replied the oth
er, " may it be long before you go."
• A MATTER-OF-FACT philosopher asserts
that " Love is to domestic life what but
ter is to bread—it possesses little nourish
jnent in itself, but. gives substantial a
grand relish, -without which they would
be hard to swallow."
THE SAME.—A French traveler in Eng
land, in writing of its peasantry says they
have the same superstitious notions as
those of France. " They believe," says
he. " in revenants, soreiers, loupsgarous,
and the devil."
" PAPA," said Mr. Brown's youngest
son the other day, " can't I goto the cir
cus ?"
"No; my pet," affectionately replied
Mr. 11., "if you are a good boy I will
take you to see your grandmother's grave
this afternoon.
A MAN working in an English garden,
lately, was pushed by the head gardener,
who saw that lie was half asleep. The
man was very indignant, and poisoned
himself the same night in order that his
ghost might haunt his pushing foe.
—The Albany Journal styles John
Cochrane ' a political keunty-jumper."
-r-Gen. Grant is clearing out his camp
hospital, and sending his sick and wound
ed to Washington. Several hundred ar
rived here to-day, and among them a num
ber of officers. This means business.
£-3" Skilled artisans and mechanics,
employed in government works, will not
be sent into the field if drafted, when the
proper officers certify that their services
aro neoded upon work for tho army.
—There is groat excitement reported at
Council Bluffs, lowa, and through the
southwestern portion of tho State gener
ally, arising from an apprehended invasion
by the guorrilla bandits who have infested
Northwestern Missouri for two weeks past.
A strong force of cavalry raiders could
easily penetrate to tho center of the State,
by the aid of spies from among the resi
dent Knights of the Golden Circle, Cnt
getting back would bo another trick.
BSf The"subscription to the new
popular loan yesterday, (its first day,)
in the city of New York, amounted
to over two and a half million of dol
lars. There is an excellent feeling
abroad in regard to It, and there is
no serious doubt of its complete and
early success.— N. Y. Times 28 th.
Correspondence of The Cincinnati Commercial.
Battle of Peacli-Tree Creek.
NEAR ATLANTA, July 23, 1804.
The bloody campaign of Sherman has
been marked by a signal proof of the un
quenchable valor of his men, of their rea
diness to give battle at any moment, of
their proof against surprise, and their
tendency to whip the enemy under all cir
cumstances aud against the most discour
aging odds. The Tremendptis attack on
our right, on the evening of the 20th, was
rtno of those rare instances in warfare
where the elaborate plans of a command
er ftr the destruction of his adversary
succeed in every preliminary, yet fail to
tally in the fruition.
Hood, whose reputation for doing des
perate things has elevated him over the
shoulder of a man beside whom lie is a
pigmy in nearly all the essentials of gen
eralship, was to assume the offeusive un
der the guidance of thedangerous Bragg.
It was evident from the tone of their
nevrspapers that something new was brew
ing. Our army was closing around At
lanta. practicing to some extent one of its
delicate flank movements. "Wc will se
duce the Yankee south of that difficult
little stream, Peach-Tree Creek," planned
the Rebel conclave, " in such a way that
his army will be divided. Of course he
will intrench—Jie always does. Rut on
the morning of the day we conclude to
fight, we tball make feints ou his left
wing, and induce him to send several di-
to meet the battle wo seem to of
fer. This done,of course, his right wing
advances to close the gap, aud to see if
there is any impediment to its entry into
Atlanta. His right shall advance about
a mile, capturing, some •prisoners, to in
firm them that we have no body of troops
within a mile aud a half. At the same
time, fcur-fifths of our army shall be mass
ed within a few hundred yards, cleverly
undercover. Wo shall pounce upon the
advancing and unprotected fraction of
Sherman,s Yankees, without a note of
warning, cut it oil from its bridges and
will roll it back upon the Chattahoochee.
Our only fear is, that the enemy will not
walk into the trap."
Singular to say, our army, etcpliy step,
fell into the Rebel toils without missing a
link. They crossed Peach Tree Creek at
points where the Rebels made a suspicious
ly feeble resistance. The whole army ef
fected the crossing without serious loss,
leaving a gap of threo miles, which the
Rebels refused to yield. When,on Wed
nesday morning, Hood made his feints
against our left, Wood's and Stanley's di
visions of the 4th Corps went to its sup
port. The troops on the right, consisting
of Hooker's and Palmer's corps, and New
ton's division of the 4th Corps, alouc re
mained on the right, and they were order
ed to advance. 0^
With what extreme nicety we involved
ourselves iu the Rebel snare! Newton
and Hooker advanced from their trenches,
captured some prisoners, aud listened to
their unanimous story that no considera
ble body of Rebels was within a mileand
a half. Could a bait be swallowed with
more than this mathematical exactness ?
The signal was given, and like a storm the
Rebel host rushed upon our lines to com
plete their plan—lujw was miscarriage
possible I They poured down in torrent
like columns upon our few devoted divis
ions on the right—and in three or four
hours were crushed, humiliated, and on
some parts of the line routed. Perhaps,
in perusiug the details of the fight, your
readers will ascertain without difficulty
where they made their grand miscalcula
tion.
Tlic attack, in that was unexpected,was
a surprise. But it did not find our troops
without muskets in their hands, or beyond
easy reach of their arms. I have not
seen the time during this campaign when
any portion of the army has not been in
complete battle trim. It is useless to de
ny that there was a vast deal of danger
in the tremendous attack. If.successful,
Shecman could no longer with his remain
ing forces carry on offensive operations
with vigor; and if the Rebel army under
Hood could force him for a moment tore
lax his hold on its throat, it would be the
highest victory they have dreamed of.
Your telegrams have fully described the
situation at the beginning of the fight.—
Briefly, MePhorsou's extreme lett lay
across the Augusta Railroad, Schofield's
and other forces joined him on (he right.
Then occurred au interval ot three miles,
covered by pickets from Newton's divis
ion, then the right wing, composed of
troops already enumerated, who sustained
the whole weightof the fight. The coun
try in their front was broken and rolling,
dense forests, fieldsof corn,barreu ridges,
marshy meadows and deep washed creeks
being well jumbled together in tho topo-.
graphy.
Peach-Tree Creek is a narrow, sluggish
stream, with sudden banks, fringed with
briar patches, and almost impassable uu
der-growth, and would be, without bridg
es, a fatal bar to the escape of a routed
and pursued army. Iu the rear of Pal
mer, Hooker, and Newton, there had been
built over ten rendering speedy
retreat feasible, provided access to the
bridges was not denied.
ASSAULT ON NKWTON'S DIVISION."
Newton's splendid division, which dur
ing the campaign has lost more heavily
than any other in the army, held the left
flank bf the corps advancing from the
north. The interval along which we had
no force was picketed by three or four
regiments of Newton's division, re
ducing his force in the trenches to less
tlian***men. The impression that an at
tack was impending on the left gave New
ton more territory to guard than ho had
troops to cover. His slender brigades,
eked out never so gingerly, did not fur
nish one line of men, though holding the
most delicate spot in our lines. Ilistroops
were shifted from light to left, from left to
right, from center to flanks and the re
verse, to suit the emergoucy for the mo
jncnt.
Repeatedly, during the morning, New
ton had received orders to advance to At
lanta, the impression seeming to prevail
iu high quarters that as the enemy was
evidently massing on our left to jleliver
battle, his lines in frout of our right must
be vulnerable. But the enemy had re-,
connoitcred our Tines with extreme nicety-
His movements to our left were :► feint;
he knew our weak point precisely, and
having determined on an attabk, he was
quite right in aiming the 112 ull force of his
formidable blow where it fell. Newton's
left covered the bridge across Peach-Tree
Creek, the road on which our trains were
gathered, and along which communica
tion was kept up with the heavy masses
of our troops on the left.
Newton crushed, our trains were open
to them, and the army was completely cut
in twain, one fragment facing Atlanta on
the north, and one on the east. Iu that
case the whole llobel army could be hurl
ed against either fraction, and with Napo
leonic vigor Sherman was to be whipped
in detail. That part of our army on the
north, consisting of Hooker's and Pal
mer's corps and Newton's division, was
to be driven into the river; thatdone.fhe
left, though too strong perhaps to be over
whelmed, could nevertheless be confront
ed and foiled.
Puring the morning, as 1 have already
said, Newton received repeated orders to
advance, but Hooker had not been able to
connect on Newton's right, and the latter
of course could not safely advance until
this was effected. About noon Putter
field's division, cammanded by Brigadier
Generat Ward came up and occupied a
ridge on Newton's right. Preparations to
advance were made- immediately. New
ton ordered five regiments to l»e deployed
as skirmishers, and about 2 p. m., the bu
gles sounded the forward. Then broke
out the allegro of a lively skirmish. A
thousand muskets sputtered, and woke
the primeval echoes "of the forests to the
siren song of battle.
Up the our men slowly forced
their way, driving at every step a waver
ing line of Rebel sharpshooters, turning
at hay determinedly one moment, hut
changing their minds the next, and stealth
ily gliding further to the rear. In half
an hour, our skirmishers had forced them
from the ridge entirely, with small loss to
themselves. With the ruling passion of
the campaign, as soon as Kimball's and
Wake's brigades occupied the ridge jtwt
carried the' men fell to building a barri
cade of rails and earth. A fresh lino cf
skirmishers was adjusted, and ordered for
ward to relieve the panting heroes who
had just taken a military fee simple of the
crest.
This advance gave Newton still more
teiritory to cover, which it was simply im
possible for him to .do, with his inadequate
forco. He, however, made the hasty dis
positions in his power to command it, and
repel an attack, which, if made, might
be disastrous, if not fatal. In taking ad
vantage of the ridges, Newton's lines as
sumed a singular shape—that of tho cap
ital letter 'I. Bradley's brigade was plac
ed in trenches along the main Atlanta
Road, forming the pcrpcndioular line of
tho letter, and facing to tho left; Wag
ner's brigade, commanded by Col. Blake,
of the 40th Indiana, was the left hall rf
the horizontal top line; Gen. Kimball's
brigade the right half facing outward. A
section of artillery was in position at the
bottom of the letter.
Blake's «ud Kimball's brigades were,
it will be remembered, building a rail bar
ricade ou tho crest just carriod—the men
witlikuapsacksuuslung, and manyof them
some distaucc from their arms, conveying
rails and logs to the rising parapet. The
fresh skirmish line wasjust going forward
when a growl cauae from the front. At
NUMBER 34
the same moment a cheer aroso—a wild,
tumultuous, shrill cry, from thousauds of
throats—falling on the ear like a sudden
and unsuspected clap of thunder. Our
skirmishers commenced firing aad falling
back at the sauio moment.
With lightning-like clerity heavy col
umns of Itcbels appeared in front of, or
rather tumbled out of, the forests, their
columns seemed to be endless, and carry
ing themselves with n certain indescriba
ble verve in the onset which made every
one who beheld it from our lines tremble.
'• How will that ho broken ?"
was the piercing fear that filled every bo
som, which was not to see our lines
in apparent confusion—the confusion of
men grasping their muskets, taking tho
touch of tho elbow and facing to the front.
Words cannot describe tho crushing sus
pense of the first five minutes of tho
charge,
Newton's lines were so thin tlioy look
ed, in some places, like skirmish deploy
ments. They opened, and the section of
artillery in position opened, but the mo
mentum of tho dust colored phalanxes was
hatefully steady. Their colors snapped
saucily and streamed on steadily. Soon
every musket in Newton's division was
blazing, for at the instant AValker's llcbel
division attacked Blake's and Kimball's
brigades, Bate's Rebel division appeared
on the flank and confronted • Bradley's
brigade, aiming for the bridgo on Peach-
Tree Creek. They seemed to spring from
the ground and to continue springing.
A stream of non-combatants commenc
ed flowing across tho bridge. Pack-mulcs,
imprudently taken close to our lines by
fortuitous darkies, came scampering back,
the latter turned tawny brown with fright,
and reeking with perspiration. Ambu
lances tumbled over the bridge iu demor
alized columns. A few armed stragglers
stalked sleepishly along, the consciousness
that everybody who met them would fath
om their meanness imprinted on their fac
es and in their movements. The curtain
of piikots guarding the interval in our
lines came rushing along, bedaubed with
mud bedraggled with water, having bare
ly escaped the Rebel rush with their lib
erty.
Orderlies dashed up tho road yelling for
ammunition trains, and teamsters climbed
tyes for lookouts, and reported that the
Johnnies were charging by the acre; that,
our troops were in confusion; and finally
summed up the first aspect of the situa
tion, announcing it as d—d scaly.
There arc some things happen in. bat
tles which goto show that Providenco
does not always favor the largest habita
tions. Napoleon's own military career
disproved his favorite inaxiui. It falls to
the lot of some men to do the lucky thing
at the lucky moment; and when Captain
Goodspeed, Newton's chief of artillery,
twenty minutes before the charge, prdered
ten guns from the north to the south bank
of Peach-Tree Creek, he probably littlo
thought that he was to contribute so much
toward crushing the Rebellion—to tho re
pulse of what many tliiuk the most reck
less charge the enemy has made during
tho war.
It was the work of a moment to hurl
the ten guns, already near their destina
tion, to the proper point on Newton's
flank, the work of another to unlimber.
As the enemy reached a point within 75
yards of our lines, these twelve guns open
ed. What exquisite music was in their
crash. How joyous was the whirl of tho
blue glamour from their throats. How
fiercely flew swab and rammer. How
cea-olgply tho lanyards were jerked.—
How hotly the cartridge-bearers shot back
and forth from their cassions; and how,
notwithstanding, tho looker-on felt liko
goading thera to efforts still more desper
ate. There wassometliing satisfying and
reassuring in the oar-splitting din.
We could ten from tho peculiar whis
tle that our gunners were firing canister,
and wc breathlessly waited for the snioko
to lift for a moment, that wo might see its
effect. The moment came. With a rag
ged front lino the Rebel column had halt
ed. and were firing wild bat tremendous
volleys. Colors disappeared and align
ments were lost. Colonels rallying their
men became tangled up with the swaying
and disordered lines, and melted out of
view like Edgar of Ravenswood. Rider
less horses plunged across the field with a
puzzled gallop, swaying from side to side,
snuffing the terror of tho moment and
screaming with fright.
Four guns of Smith's Ist Michigan
Battery went into aotion hastily on New
ton's right flank, and added theirs to tho
intermingling detonations. Portions of
the assaulting lines made shivering little
efforts to advance, and the next instant
fell to pieces. In twenty minutes—no
more—the Rebel columns wero routed
and flying back to the forests from which
they came forth, with an, almost complete
loss of organization. It last seen/
• C