Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-12-17

two other companies In an almost hand 70 hand
night with the enemy. The ether companies, OF
which mine was one, were brought up almost At
the same moment, by Lieut.. Gel Griffin. Burss
command aHung around to the right and VAS thus
thrown directly in Grifln's 'front.' We could not
! tor the moment fire, Col Burt ard his men being
directly between rs and the eneny.-f called 70
my men as his instant, standing In the edge Of ea
ly terrific shower Of bullets swept over orr heSdE
killing Sergeant DER, and Wsundfng private J. z
1 Lewis severely IN the head. We Loaf nothing
after this. In an instant Col. Burt's horse came
dashing furiousiy, without q rider, through cur
lines. There was snmsthing akin 70 q shock mani
Tested among the meA, and said, STEADY men
steady 2, Then csmeanethsr v5lley OF muskstry
and the artillery, right in front. bslehed Its fiery
missiles OF death, distant from rs l50 stsps. The
men were firm. 100000
While this was going on, the rear Of our (lslh)
regiment was getting into line, and Colonel Feth-
erston was rapidly bringing the l7th into position
In less than three minutes the Whee line Of battle
was complete. The Virgins 18th On the left, the
lIth Mississippi in the circle and the 18th on the
right. Col. Burt, At this instant was borne from
the field MORALLY wounded. He passed through
my company, and fearing the effect On the men, I
said, There gees cur Colonel, let Us ayenze his
WroRgsr The boys replied, Eve Win sir1 and the
Colonel, game TO the Iast, said. SQo onniy brave
fellows, dOn't mind me; you can whip themr'
bad formed my company on the extreme lsft Of
the 18th. FeatheratOn, being senior Colonel, and
General Evans NOT being personally present, took
the command. bis speech, IN ordhring rs forward,
ought to immertslizs him.
he said Soldiers, TIE Yankees are before you.
You must drive them Seross the Potomac or into
eternity-F0rWnd, march y At the word march,
the whsle line stepped OF as if il bad been on par
sde. Advancing few steps, the order was given,
ready, aim, fire. when the whole Brigade pour
ed voIey into the woods in front, from which the
enemy had been firing. Il was returned By random
shooting, and il became apparent the Yankees were
falling back. Again the order was, forward,
march, and the whole line IN the same good order,
moved up-Feaching the point where the enemy
stood. When We reached the field We found they
had moved back perhaps one hundred yards
their line through the woods presenting an uneYsa
zg.zag appearance. Ne Sgain poured in q terrific
vOlley and pressed on. The enemy ned and AFTER
this the shots on our side were Rimed at such Of
of them IS our men CHANGED to see as they fad
through the woods, or s. they attempted to rally
IN broken squads. We pressed on % the high bluh
eyerhanging the river, just As the terrOrstrickea
Yankees were leaping pellmell down the deep de-
clivity, and again sur swhols line poured forth 3
hurricane Of shots.
Night was nov gathering in, aad in the dense
forest on the brink Of the river, it pitch
dark. A scene of terrible confusion, messursbly
hidden from oar view by the darkness, WAS being
enacted IN the little vale st the waters edge. The
Yankees, driven like so many frightened sheep.
we're huddeG together. Hundreds CFOWding the
light transports, sunk or upset them. Other hun
dreds, frantic with fright, plunged hesdlODg into
the river to find only Eatery grave Some doubt
less made their way in safety 70 the Island shore
bat we know that many hundreds persisted. How
many were killed or drowned viii never be
known. A thousand, am satisfied, viii not cover
the list. In Ave minute we should have slaughter
ed i've hundred more, if they had not begged for
quarters. As it was our officers had great difficult
" in restraining the men ! hsd myself to threaten
some Of my OWE men with death before / could
stop them from firing.
The field, after the battle, presented fearful
pictu-e-s picture Of EAr--of civil war. All slong
our line of march lay the dead aud the dying; and
IS we Feturnedi the bodies Of the slain lay like
swine in a slaughter pen, While the gToans Of the
wounded pierced the air, ard made Eight hideous.
Lt was strange 20 contemplate the tWinkliD2 stars
md clear, bright moon riding IA the Heavens At
hat hour, and wonder If they were net mockIng
he distress Of these poor victims Of sad bat
wicked delusicn. --.--a
/ hEVs said nothing, you VIII observe, to indicate
% whom think the greatest credit s due for this
EOst signal and remarkable victory. have not,
because all did their duty, and al had ts DO il to
naks success certain and signal. IL is due 20 the
70 say they made one bold and Desperate
charge after We reached tbs field. What they ID
before that casnOt say The 18th cane Up 10 their
work Ike veterans. They cOald not have besn
better commanded, and no troops sFsr behaved
better. Of the 18th il hardly becomes 70 speak,
md yet feel that suosy might exhSuss itself and
hardly do It justice. ia -
Burt viii i've in history a. kiasissippis hrst
yreat martyr 70 Southern liberty. Alter he fell
Lieut.. Colonel GrIf1a commanded with intre-
Didity and GOODNESS that at once marked bin - =
soldier willis Hsjor Henry vas always IN the rig
place &C the right time. The eaPtains and t4sl-
Ulcers behaved as bscAms AiEsissiPpisns. II I
mention one or two by name no unfriendly infer
ence is to be drawn IS to the rest. Capt Jayne
vas with Col Burt when he fell, and beng the
senior officer in that part OF the field for the mo-
nent, took the command he fought ike tiger,
and led his men from the field literally dripping
with blood. Capt. HsrneT fought with equal c0urs
lge Captains Hill, Kearney, Lust-zH OF them, in
deed, plunged into the fight, regardless Of
Danger. apparently resolved 10 conquer or
lie. For myself shall be sbandsntly satisfied IL
t be the judgment Of my eOuntryInen that did ny
iHty.
My company has the credis of killing twelve Yam
zees at one fire, aud Of having at every fire done
more or less execution. How al this may be ! will
lot pretend to say. But this know; ali along the
Inc Of our march the ground was well streER
with dead bodies. We walked over rifsd cannon,
1ut do not pretend that we took it. That honor
belongs the entire brigade. Il lay in the line Of
,ur march and we were the first TO lay hands on
C. We deserve that much credit, and no more.
am conscious Of having given you . very inn
perfect sketch of very brilliant battle Ny object
las been truthful and fair, and not to mislead By
)Ver eol0ring at point and not eOlOring enough
It another. If you get other than correct ideas
rom my letter, my regret viii be less that have
,een unable to giTs yoV every incident both Of
public and private nature calculated 70 enlighssn
,ou in regard 70 the Eight and those Of every grade
Engaged in it.