The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-01-16

into the causes of the disaster on the
right, but obviously there was something
wrong.
Meantime, while this losing battle was
going on, the General commanding gal
loped into the field, followed by his staff
escort. He had sent reply to McCook' 5
application for aid: "Tell Gen. McCook
l will help him. In an instant he gal
loped to the left and sent forward Beatty 5
brigade. Moving down to the extreme
left, he was discovered by the enemy. and
full battery opened upon INN. Solid
shot and shell stormed about Us ilriOusly
The General himself was unmoved by it,
but his staff generally were more sensitive
The inclination to dodge was irresistible.
Directly one poor fellow Of the escort was
dismounted, and his horse galloped franti-
cally over the fields. The General direct
ed Col. Barnett, his Chief Of Artillery, to
post q battery TO shell tie enemy, waiting
to see it done. The Colonel galloped for
ward cooly, under fire, and soon had
CoX's 10th Indiana battery numbering to-
ward Z commanding point. The officer
in command wheeled into position at &
point apparently unfavorable for sharp
work. The General shoute1 "On the
crest; on the crest OF the hill On tie
crest it went, and in five minutes the rebels
closed their music Beatty's brigade was
now double-quicking under ire oJliquely
from left to right, IS coolly rs if on parade.
lnquiring who held the extreme left, the
General was answered Co N-aGner's brig
ale. Tell Wagner to hold his position
at all hazards Soon AFTER Colonel Wag-
neE replied, laconically, Say to the
General ~M." Down at the toll-gate,
on the Pike, we got another ''blzzard,' ;
with an interlude of Minnies which
whistled about with al admonitory
sit. The shifting scene Of battle now car
ried the General back to the centre of the
field. The enemy were streaming through
the woods a few hundred yards in front
The forest was populOus with them. Our
batteries We're dashing across the plan with
trighttnl yehemence, wheeling into position
and firing with terrific rapidly. The rebel
artillery played Oh Us remorselessly, tear
ing men and horses to pieces. The sharp
shooters were still more vicious. 4 flight
OF bulletts passed through the STAFF.
heard an insinuating Mud! and ] saw a
poor orderly within Saber distance topple
from his saddle, and tumble headlong to
mother earth. One convulsive shudder,
and he was no more. His bridle-hand
had clutched the reins in death \ COM
rade loosened his grasp, and his faithful
grey stood quietly by the corpse. Another
bullet went through the jaw of Lieutenant
Benton's beautiful chestnut. Smarting with
pain, he struck violently with his hoofs at
the invisible tormentor. Benton dis
mounted and awaited the anticipated ca
tastrophe-bu he rode his horse again, al
through that fiery day. One or two other
horses were hit, and the cavalcade rushed
from that line of fire to another, Just in
time to be splashed with mud from the spat
OF siX-pOund shot. 1t seemed that there
was not square yard on the field free
from fire. The rattle of lnusketry and
roar of artillery was deafenlng. Still the
General charged through it as if it had
been harmless rain. 1t was wonderful that
he escaped-fortunate that his uniform was
covered by an overcoat Galloping down
again to the extreme front, an officer in
range with the General was suddenly dis
mounted. A round-shot struck his horse
squarely on the thigh, knocking him arod,
tumbling the rider in a heap over the soil.
Pushing out to the cedar forest, where
Negley's gallant division was struggling
against great odds, trusty Sheridan was
met, bringing out his tried division in su-
perb order. 1Negley was still fighting des-
perately against odds. Johnson, too, ap-
peared soon after; but his command was
temporarily shattered.
The day was going against us. 1t wasa
most critical period. The left could not
be swung into Murfreesboro, or behind
Hardee, because we had no right. Sweep
ing rapidly across the front, fight of
Mimic balls struck in the midst of the cav
alcade. One Of them struck Col. Gar
esche's charger fairly in the nostril, and
punctured it as clearly as any ringed. nose
Durham bull you ever saw at fair. The
fiery animal flung his fine head at the sting,
scattering his blood upon his master
"Ah! hit, Garesche?" quoth the General.
''My horse, was the laconic response, and
the gallant rider, whose airiness had ex-
cited the admiration of the army, pushed
swiftly onward.
During all this period, Negley's two gal
liant brigades, under valiant old Stanley
(of the 18th Ohio) and brave John F. Mil
Ter, were holding their line against awful
odds. When the right broke, Negley had
pushed in clean ahead of the left or right
wing, and was driving the enemy. The
18th Pennsylvania, 39th Indiana, 21st,
74th, 18th and 6Sth Ohio, the famous 10th
Illinois, and 18th Michigan, with Knell's,
Marshall's, Schultz and Bush's batteries,
sustained one of the fiercest assaults of the
day, and the enemy was dreadfully pun
ished. Still they came on like famished
wolves, in columns, by divisions, sweeping
over skirmishers, disregarding them utter
ly. The 10Th Illinois, under gallant young
Scott. and the 11th MICHIGAN. led hy brave