The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-12-09

: that the bin prevented them from seeing eac
E others movements They We're hence tiii
a6leto act in concerts fact which may hay
had something to do with the result Of tn
: attacks i9ss a's15 ,,.isT II tst-A lie III.
The first attack was made by the brigade
ofaGenerals j ohm w. .Corse and Col. Jones
t 4th Virginia. from the left of the line. j. Th
t movement began at eleven O'Clock in tn
morning, and the assault lasted d-oniy ten min
utes. No sooner had our men appearet
above the top.of the hill than they were re
ceived with tremendous volley. of musket
ry. But nevertheless they advanced rapidly
charging asiie pit of the enemy, and after
hand to hand conflict retired in some disorder
leaving their dead and wounded inside tn,
enemy's outer work. But ii must not be sup
i posed that our men fed to the foot of thu
hill. No sooner had they reached the pro-
tecting slope Of the hill which hid them from
I the view of The enemy than they reformec
in good style and laid down under the brow
of the hill to await an attack in return. Blu
the enemy did not dare to attack, but con
tented himself with the repulse he had sue
ceeded in at quite heavy cost to both parties
! The two brigades renamed quiet for some
time. At half-pa II Gen. Giles Smith
with his brigade, among which is the 57tl
Ohio Infantry, went TO the assistance of Gen
Seral Corse, and after short delay, the whole
proceeded to make .S ii'
|
This attack did not differ from the FIRST in
movement or result, but it was more despcr.
ate and was persisted in much longer the final
retirement of our men not taking place until
half past twelve, an hour having thus been
consumed in the assault There havo been
few more desperate encounters in the war,
than was this engagement of an hour. and i,
speaks volumes in praise of the men engag.
ed, that, at its end, though much broken.
they rallied at the slope of the hill and held
the position gained. The rebel fire was very
heavy. They brought several pieces of light
artillery to bear on our men, and poured into
them necessarily a stream of grape and cam
lister that did great execution. Gems .Corsc
an'. Giles: Smith were severely wounded in
this charge, and Col Walcot of the 46sb
Ohio. took command of the troops. In this
assault the 37th Ohio and 9th Iowa suffered
very severely, losing many valuable men and
officers eidE bo 5ss Is H
t. Whileithis was going on the left, force of
one brigade from the right of Gem Sherniahs
line advanced to- the attack ON the western
side of the hill They met with some de.
| cided opposition at the foot of the hill from a
force posted behind the railroal bank, but
dislodged them 10y an admirably executed
moyement They then began. to ascend the
hill, and marched up. under heavy fire, to a
point over half way to the summit, where an
abrupt ledge of rocks protected them. Here
they halted to rest. but they were not allowed
much of this, as the rebels began, not only
to IRE upon them, but, finding the ledge of
rocks too great a protection, they threw huge
stones down the hill, and thus upon the men.
About ten inmates past ore second brig
ade (MathiasD moved up the hin, and form. :.
ed Under a heavy fire. in the rear, and on the
left of the first brigade. Here this also halt
ed, bnt like the first, was not permitted to
rest Indeed, about this time the first brig
ade. Col. Loomis, unable to bear the attack OF
stones heaped upon them. rose fror, its posi-
ton and advanced, but to receive 4such a
heavy fire that : fter aAmomeht the line wa
vered and broke, falling back rapidly and in
considerable disorder. But no sooner had It
met, in descending the hill, the ascending
brigade, than the men rallied as iftby, magic
and moved up the hill again in admirable
good order, and upon a line with the other
troops. These also advanced, to the, protect,
ing ledge of rocks before mentioned, and here
the whole force laid down as before ~ -
twas nearly 2 O'Clock when it was tdiscov
cred that third brigade Rapne's--was moy-
ing up the hill to the assistaaee of the other.
troops. This brigade formed1on the left and
rear of the two others 1t was evidently in
tended, at first, to form line of battle, echezon
on the right, but the circumstances Of the fall
ing back of the first brigade, prevented the
carrying out of this intention This whole
force was soon in readiness and moved to the
attack. - r.. - -
Batlthe enemy had not been iileI Seeing
the heavy preparations making for the as
sault, he was forced to mass troops, upon his
right. It now appears that he marched them
down the west slope of the ridge, and formed
line Of battle at right angles to that of our
forces. It was at the very moment that our
troops, elated with the chances of success
now presented to them, Were moving forward
to the attack, and had reached to within
twenty five yards of the enemy's fort, that
this fianking force appeared around the spur.
of the hill, and began to pour in upon orr
right flank a most tremendous rfre.n Our for-i
ces attempted to change front, but it was too
late. After q short ard desperate, but inef-
fectual effort, the line wavcred, broke, and re-
treated in disorder, The enemy pursuing
some portions of our troops, who fed in the
direction in which lay the brigade which had
made the first assault, came upon that brigade,
and after few minutes fighting were re-
pulsed and pushed into their works. Gem
Sherman sent Col. Walcot Word to intrench
himself, and thus ended tie assaults BY Gen.
Sherman, sf5 .f,l5 s.,,5s,a.ia fi,gs7aa 3e. <,
THE ATTACK BY THE CENTER. E
In massing: on the right ooppose Sherman
the enemy had been compelled TO make the
error Of the day, and which was to ruin them.
Gen. Grant standing on Bald Knob, plainly.
sawgtheir movements to the right, and felt