Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-12-09

meet the onset which came with demonise-
al fury. The stakes were large, the game
desperate. Long, contin-
nous streams Of red fame belched forth |
from the infantry; flashes of artillery |
cast q lurid glow, meteor-like, sthwart the |
heavens, IS 1t hurled its minions Of death |
into the ranks of our brave fellows, who |
we're perceptibly giving way. Anxious
hearts grew doubly anxious. But the tide |
turned-the rebels faltered-that moment
decided their fate Our whole line charged,
drove them back over the lost ground back
60 the brink, down the mountain, in the
widest route; down over stones among
trees, fed men. Riderless horses leaped
over tue cliff, 10 death teams without
drivers, rushed hesdlong toward the valley,
TO be wrecked by the first obstscle,-pre-
senting a ssene, at daylight, deploraoie to
witness. Thus was Lookout wont
rHE FOURTH AND NINETEENTH CORPS TAKE
POSITION.
While Hooker was carrying the heights
Of Lookout, the Nineteenth Corps was ad-
Vancing in the direction of Mission Ridge.
Woods division in front drove the enemy,
who reluctantly yielded their first range Of
rihe-pits, and retired to the second. The
Fourth Corps pushed forward to the deser-
ted works, and bivouscked for the night
the Fourteenth Corps occupying q ridge to
the rear and left Of the Fourth.
sHERMAN's OPERATIONS.
Monday night Sherman had oonoentra-
ted his whole force at the White House,
four miles above Chattanooga, where
ponloon train was in waiting. After some
difficulty and delay owing TO the rapid rise
IN the river, and continuous RATS Of food
wood, he succeeded in getting the bridge
Town, and crossed the Fifteenth Corps be-
fore daylight, Tuesday morning, which ad-
vanced few hundred yards and threw up
temporary works. This movement was al
together unexpected by the enemy, conse-
quently no opposition was made to cross
/ ing, The artillery being all over, at
twelve n. Sherman deployed Ewings and
Smiths divisions, and cautiously moved
toward Mission Ridge, to the left Of that
point occupied by the rebels. Ewing's ad-
vance soon encountered a heavy sklrmish
line, which hastily retrested under cover
Of their artillery. Smith, in the meantime,
took possession Of the ridge at point six
hundred yards to the left of the rebel bat
teries. Along this range of hills, fOrmid-
able works were built Of timber, during
the night, aud artillery posted therein,
ready for the mOrroW's conflict.
sHERMAN's BATTLE WEDNESDAY,.
Wednesday, dawn broke beautiful. Not
q cloud bedimmed the deep azure sky, nor
8 breath Of wind rustled the leaves. all
nature was at rest, and the very sunlight
which threw its resplendent rays upon us,
seemed to mock the strife o. man. 1t was
gorgeous autumn morning. Between
eight and nine o'clock, 4. n, Hooker took
position on the Rossville road, in Chicks-
maugs Valley, forming our Fighti Thomas
in the center, Sherman on the left. About
10 o'clock, lsrge columns Of men wes Wis
ible, on Mission Ridge, marching toward
our right. Many officers audibly murmur
ed, " Hooker will be crushed" but Gen
eral Grant knew better. He saw through
dered ShurZ's and Won Steinwhir's divis-
ions of Hooker's corps to reinforce Sher-
man, who sent them to relieve EWing's
and Smiths divisions the latter pressing,
though stubbornly resisted, to the foot of
Mission Ridge, when halt was ordered.
The bstteries on the adjoining hills sud
denly ceased firing. The rebel columns Of
infantry were quickly and mysteriousIy
withdrawn. Our hearts futtered with joy
inexpressible, for we supposed their
stronghold was evacuated. COurser' s
brigade, Of Smiths division, commenced
the ascent. Not a shot was fired; not q
word uttered an awful stiffness prevail
ed, and thousands Of anxious souls impet-
uOusly waited, breathlessly watching the
result Of the perilous adventure. The de-
sired position was nearly reached, when
twenty cannon Vomited ont their winged
missiles Of destruction, in concert, jarring
the heavy mountains by their terrible roar.
InfsntFy thronged the hill by thousands,
delivering deadly Yolleys into the very
faces of our devoted little band, who, moth
ing daunted, consciously held their ground
till Ewing's division double quicked TO
their assistance. The rebels we're rein
forced with infantry and massed ten more
pieces Of artillery on q knoll two hundred
yards to the right and rear Of our assault
ing column. A momentsry lull succeeded
the hand to hand struggle, which enabled
Ewing to move up spiendidly; but hardly
had he entered the thoFny brushwoOd mid
way up the hill, before the enemy's newly
planted batteries on the night opened a
fearful enflading fire Of double-shotted
canister vt short range. Twenty pieces
more Immediately followed. THIS was a
signal to the rebels for q grand charge
Over the hill they came, three columns
deep. Uttering hideous yell, they rush
ed upon Ewing, but his gallant fellows
were immovable and unawed They cool
ly fixed bayOnets t. receive the foe, now
within e HUNDRED feet Of them, still com
ing, but rapidly melting away before a
withering FIRE.
By this time the roar Of artillery and
1usksfry was unosasinE, and had palpa-
bly, reached its ecme Masses Of sulpnu-
rious smoke enyeloped the contending
armies, when horrid rumbling crash oc.
CURED, that shook the earth, frightning
away our animals and congesling the
blood within us. Every eye was turned to
the quarter from whence the sound pro-
ceeded and to the utter dismsy Of all, a
rock Of immense proportions was percsp-
tibe, crushing over men, demolishing
trees, and grinding everything to dust that
opposed its sll-de-aststing course. The
rebels had undermined this rock Just for
this exingency, and they again sailed out
in the wake of this unwarhke missel, re-
in'orced by two divisions Of Folks corps
They fell upon our men who were partial
ly psralized by the shock, and unable 10
contend longer with the overwhelming
numbers brought against them, retreat
was ordered, which, alas turned into a
route and EwiDg's division returned to
their entertainments in shs utmost disor-
der. No further demonstration was made
bV Sherman that day. II this charge the
9th Pennsylvania and 9Th Missouri were
nearly annihilsted. The 62nd Ohio suf-