Daily Nashville union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-04-24


and fought like demons. An oyerwhelm- /
ing force Of the enemy attempted TO
break our extreme right, and partially
succeeded, although two fresh regiments
were brought up TO support us. They
were turning our flank. This we could
see by its slowly giving back At this
juncture General Nelson rode up. and
ordered the Sixth Ohio to advance. bv
changing front forward on first company,
and the evolution was executed, under
fire, with as much precision as though
we ha been on the parade ground. The
new movement brought our new line at
right angles with the old one, and fac
ing tNe right flank, where the firing had
been SO heavy. Again the enemy shifted
their entire force TO the front, and
brought us under an enflading fire. We
were then ordered to change front per-
pendicularly to the rear, and this we also
done with admirable precision, bringing
us on our old line, and facing the firing
Captain TirrelPs battery, one of the best
in the Regular Army, now opened on the
rebels, and we were ordered to support
it.
| cannot refrain from here paying a Just
tribute to this heroic ollicer-the bravest
of the brave. Captain Tirrell's antece-
dents are known 10 every officer in the
Regular Army. All of his relatives are
SecessiOnists. His father and three broth
crs hold hi III position in the rebel army,
and he has been disinherited and dis
owned by them for his loyalty to the
Union. The rebels will long remember
the NapOleons" which he handled so
effectively on the 7th of April, 1862 At
one time during the day they approached
within Hfty yards Of "a gun that ne was
commanding, and killed or wounded eve
ry man but one, and yet he loaded and
fired with his own hands, while the foe
fell back terror stricken. The piles Of
mangled bodies on this part of the field
speak for the efficiency of, his battery. l
saw him with one shell kill five horses,
dismOunt gun, and scatter the rebel
gunners in al directions. The brilliant
results of the fight on the left wing was
attributable mainly to hi skill and ne
roism, Here the most desl. crate fighting
of the day was done. While supporting
Tirrell we lay for three long hours under
| the heaviest fire / have ever seen. The
rife and musket balls aiong the entire
line appeared TO come in solid masses ;
and two batteries on the right and left
ilanks were pouring a cross fire of grape,
canister, and shell upon the center. Our
men saved their lives by falling upon
their faces and hugging the ground close
ly. Colonel Anderson, Major Christie
pher, and Adjutant Heron remained
composedly on their horses through all
the storm, and fortunately escaped. A
spent ball struck Anderson OIL the arm
bruising it considerably, but doing nc
further damage.
In front of the 9Th Ohio Regiment was
a company of artillery from New Orleans
commanded by one who is well known in
Cincinnati. Some years ago he left thai
city, the home Of his boyhood, after
swindling his creditors, and took up his
abode in New Orleans. refer to the
drunken profligate renegade, William
Miller Owen. Two of his pieces fell into
our hands. And many in our regiment
would have given an arm for his life
Had he been captured by his old COM
rades, the "Greys," they would have
hung him on the spot.
At IL o'clock victory seemed poised be-
tween the two parties. Time and time
again the lines were forced back, bu
eventually Tetook the ground. No one
for a moment thought of defeat We
knew that our fate was victory or ami
hilation. While the firing was heavies
General Nelson rode up and said, 'Colone
Anderson, l have conferred upon you
regiment the honor of defending this bat
tery-the best in the service. 70 must no
be taken." l could read those same wOrd
written ON the face of every man in tn,
line.
At 3 o'clock our regiment was draw
mp for a charge. General Nelson rode VI
and said, "SIXth ONO, / expect TO hea
from you now. Forwardw Along tn,
entire line a fierce cheer went up, and on
compact body dashed on. / think tina
then, for the first time, l felt the will
enthusiasm that knows no fear and reck
not Of life or death. We came to a fence
and it was swept away like chaff befor,
the wind Then we gained the opel
field on the other side of which stood thu
foe. Six hundred yards would bring u'
to them. But pshaw when we had iray
orsed two-thirds Of the space they brok,
and fed and our disappointed boys wer
ordered back This ended our share 0
the action.
The firing gradually died away alonj
the line, and by 4 o'clock had entirely
ceased. Captain Tirrell gave the foe
parting salute, his guns being served b.
9Th Ohio men. Our weary and hungrl
men were then marched into position, AM
rested on their arms for the night, an
ticipating renewal Of the battle on Tia
morrow; but the morning brought no foe