Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-10-01
From the Indiana Journal. |

On Saturday Col. John L. Wilder of
this State. commander of the celebrated
Mounted Infantry Brigade of the Army Of
the Cumberland, and one of the most
prominent and successful of the subordi-
nate officers in the late battles in Georgia,
passed through this city on his way home
TO recruit his health aud strength from a
prostrating illness which would have sent
aim to the rear long ago if the prospect OF
battle had not been stronger than the
disease. and kept him up. He left Chat
tanooga last Wednesday morning, and
brings later as well as more complete news
than the public has seen. He says that
the report Of the New York Herald's cor
respondent, telegraphed from Cincinnati,
is incorrect aud exaggerated; first, because
the correspondent did not know what dis
position bad been made OF portions OF the
two corps which he reports defeated and
scattered; and second, because he left the
field on Sunday evening. and could not
possibly have learned the full result of the
fight. Col Wil,ler's position was such
As to enable him to know not only the
movements of the troops preceding the
battle of Sunday. but to bring from the
field the very last news that could be gath
cred there. In Saturdays fight. he was
on the left or left center. That night the
greater portions of McCook's and Critten-
dea's corps moved past him to strengthen
Thomas on the extreme left, leaving him
on the extreme right. Between his brig.
ade and Thomas. in the center. instead Of
two corps as represented by the Herald
writer. there were but two divisions. Sher-
idan's and jeff. G.. Davis's of these corps.
Here the line was necessarily very weak,
and the rebels failing in the deserate attack
upon Thomas, and in fierce bnt not pei
sistent dash upon the right. took the OPP
portnnity of some movement in the center
to strike there. They massed column
six or eight deep against our thin line and
broke through it, scattering the divisions
more by main strength and pressure than
by their fire. into the hills ind hollows and
woods Of Mission Ridge behind them. where
the nature OF the ground made it difficult
to keep them together or rally them. This
was the only real reverse Of the day. II
embraced but two divisions, as already
stated, and OF these Sheridan and Davis,
who. Wilder says, did all that human dsr-
ing and GOODNESS conld, rallied consider
able number. and returned to the fght.--
Not many were killed or captured, as the
rebels were prevented from using their ad-
vantage by deadly thanking FIRE thrown
into them by Wilder's scven-sho citing RI
des and artillery as they passed him in pur'
suit He says they did not GO a half mile
beyond his line, and soon fell back. After
this he held his ground fire hours withou
medication. How Thomas held the left
or rather main body of the army, is known
to everybody. On both tanks the rebel.
were stopped and beaten back. In thu
center they broke up two divisions bu
with less fatal result than might have
been expected. This is the sum Of thu
matter. On Sunday night Wilder distrib
uted his brigade SO as to protect the road
from the right to Chattanooga. and OF
4 Monday joined the main body in good or
der and good spirits. entirely unconsciou
of any defeat. Thomas came in on Mon
/. day at his own pleasure with more that
two-thirds of the whole army. and an!
: thing but defeat to report. as the mos
ldispiritiug accounts show. Our line wa
hela. except At the right of the center. I'll
we chose to leave it. as Rosecrans woul'
have done before the fight. if the rebel
had let him. They fought to break hin
: up before he could get back to the imnyeg
nabls position at Chattanooga, and onl
, succeeded in breaking up two divisions
AS Wilder came in he gathered up an
, brought with him q very large amount .
stores and material, supposed by those ]
81 ChAttanoogs. end Of course BY The Hsral