The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-11-05


ing, of the 22d Indiana, aud consisted Of
his own regiment, the 18th and 10Th Ilii-
nois, and Captain 0. f. Pinney's 9Th Wis
consin Battery Iorderod the posting of
his infantry, and then placed Captain
PinneY's Battery in position near the
crossroads and in a small skirt Of tim
Der TO the right. Gooding's attack, as
sisted by Pinney's Battery, drove back
the enemy and reoceupied the position Of
RusselFs house. Ia this attack, Colonel
GoOding's gallant brigade lost in killed
and wounded 499 men, almost one third
of his force. At this moment, Brieadier
General james Steadman reported to me
with his brigade OF Shmpif's division. II
had grown nearly dark. He posted his bat
terry on the right Of Pinney and opened
fire.
l conducted his brigade TO position
on the right and front of these batteries.
The two battalions Of the 10 regulars.
under Major Frederick Townsend, were
posted on commanding ridge in an open
field, the right resting on wood, the 9th
Ohio on the right of Townsend, the right
resting on field. The other regiments
of this brigade were in second line and
supporting the batteries. The line of
Stedman's brigade was about 200 yards
to the right and rear of Russelrs house.
| BY this time it was dark, and the firing
ceased on both sides. / remained in
front of Stedman's line until 8 ?. NJ,
when | rode to the left and found that
the line there had been retired by
General Rousseau. Believing that the
enemy would renew the attack at day
| light, ordered him 10 throw his line
back, with his left resting on the Max
vile and Perryville road, and the line
extending to the right on commanding
ground to the left of Stedman's brigade.
This movement was executed about II
o'clock at night.
When Gen. Terrill's brigade gave way,
a portion of his troops fell back with
him 20 the position occupied by Stones
and Bush's batteries, and at this point,
when in the act of rallying his broken
troops, at 4 o'clock p. NJ, he was struck
in the side by fragment of a shell,
carrying away portion OF his left lung.
He died at ii p NJ
When TcrriFs brigade gave way,
seven guns of Parsons 8-gun battery fell
into the hands of the enemy. At 6 p.
NJ, four of the guns of Harris's 10Th In
diana were also taken by the enemy.
The posting Of Starkweather's brigade,
Stones and Bush's Batteries saved my
left and secured TO US the Maxville road
upon which stood our entire ammunition
train and ambulances. The ground 20
the right of this road being rough and
rugged, prevented the train being taken
off the road and parked
/ previously stated that the firing on
! both sides ceased at dark. The enemy
posted their pickets about fifty yards
from ours, but the main body escaped
during the night, and with such preoipi-
tation that they left their dead and
wounded, and could not carry the guns
captured from the new batteries from the
field. The guns were all secured next
morning except two Napoleon guns Of
Parsons Battery, that were kindly ex-
changed by the enemy for two 6-pound
field guns.
The enemy retreated across Chaplin
River to the Harrodsburg turnpike, about
one-half mile distant from the battle
field, thence TO Harrodsburg.
The battle field was chosen one Of the
enemy. They marched from Harrods-
burg 10 give our army battle, at or near
Perryville. The ground upon which the
battle was fought was very much broken
by hills and deep ravines, which offered
every facility TO them to conceal their
troops. The bluffs and dry channels OF
Chaplain River and Doctors Fork, also
gave the enemy every advantage for con-
} cealing and massing large bodies o.
troops. | was assaulted by at least three
divisions. | have since been reliably in.
formed that General Bragg commanded
the enemy in person, and that Folks ans
Hardee's corps were present upon tn,
field.
Thus ends my account Of the part "a
|, ken by my corps in the battle of Chaplif
Hills, the bloodiest battle Of modern
} times, for the number Of troops engaged
on our side. Rousseau had present OF
J the field seven thousand men, jackson
five thousand five hundred The brigade
Of GoOding amounted 10 about iifteer
J hundred. The battle was principally
, fought by Rousseau's division, aud /
|, there are, or ever were, better soldier
| than the old troops engaged, l have Meth
er seen nor read of them. Great dis
; elimination must be exercised in maxim.
T a perfectly fair statement, respecting th
> conduct Of the new leyies. Exposed, a.
: some Of them were 10 terrific fire a
4 the onset Of the enemy, II would be eX
= traordinary to expeW of them the steadi
? ness aad composure Of veterans. 10 wa
{ also clearly perceptible that the resoln
Q tion and obstinate resistance displayed
$ by the old troops in the same brigade, %
e in close proximity, had a salutary eiiec
D in animating and encouraging the rev
5 troops. For instance, in The 9th brigade
8 where the I'd and SD Ohio 35th lndi
n ana, and 10Th Wisconsin fought 20 vel
G was proud 10 see the oath and 9Su
e Ohio vie with their brethren Ia deeds o
heroism.
il Commanders have found occasion 20
T. severe reflections on individuals, who's