The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-01-15

a ~ N"l ""o v"V W surprising Dcauly.
The blazing sun shone kindly through
the canopy Of smoke which expanded
over The dreadful combat The pomp Of
batialionE, in martial panoply, doomed
up grandly in their staunch array. The
stars ard stripes floatcd maeniiicently,
over the PROSTATE lines Of The regiment.
The fBauner Of Beauty and glory" never
iioaicd more proudly. Our troops lay
prone upon their breasts hnreiDg ihe soil
closely 70 avoid The iron storm which the
foe hurled 81 them with malicious farv
The surface Of the plain seemed ruled
Out in long blue parallels. AT regular in
tcrvals there were bold figures Of solita-
~ horsemfa Standing out in sharp relief,
faithful guardians OF our brave SOL
diere, and shining targets for the Internal
marksman of the Zoe Gallant officers.
deiiantly inviting Che murderous skin Of
sharpshooiers ambushed behind every
covert or the plains Oh vain. sad sac
rilicel ltthrills the soul with anguish
10 scan the foody record Of that CORY
day Behind them, browning command.
ing cresis, our own fine batteries distrib.
uted over the field in unstudied picmr-
esqneness were clothed in thunder and
robed IN sheets Of smoke and flame
Horses frantic with anguish of wounds,
and wild with the furious tumuli, were
bounding in their leeshes with desperate
energy, seeking 10 fly the field Dozens
of them were torn 10 shreds a single
shell crashed through three noble beasts
and piled them in dreadful confusion,
under . shaucrred Timber A solid shot
crashed against a carriage and
glanced Of The head Of another horse
One batievv lost twenty-eight horses, en-
other lnlfy-two. Hundreds of their
,arcasses aye sirewn upon the field
Genernl McCook's horse was killed under
him; MAJOR Caleb Bates lost his, also. -
kegley't siail lost three or four livery
taft suffered in some degree.
The bostile array on The other side
impaired an awful sublmity 10 the
spectacle Great masses of rebel troops
moved steadily over the field, careless of
our battery play, which tore upon their
ranks and scattered them bleeding np N
the soil. But they marched up through the
destroying storm daunllessly Tueir
batteries wheeled into position splenid-
ly and were worked with telling effect.
There was point, however beyond
which even tleir deSperadoes could not
be urged. Battle ragged two hours with
horrid slaughter, and neither siderece-
ded until nearly five o'clock. when the
almost exhausted armies suspended op-
erations FOR the night excepting the play
of few batteries,
II was most desperate contest and
undocfdod The advantage was with
the enemy. lie had driven our right al
most upon our left G, mpelling us TO
change front under fire, and he occupied
that part Of the field He also held ter
ritorv occupied that morning by our
pickets on the lelt, but we had rectded
from that ground TO draw him out No
battle was ever more liercely fought Des.
pearte valor had been displayed on either
side Victory had been promised 10 the
Zoe, 6ul She tcnacity of our General, the
skill with which he turned the tide of
battle, bis checrlulness IN the midst of
adversely; the steadncss of General
Thomas and Cruenden's corps, the
dauntltss courage Of Rousseau's aud
Negly's glorious divisions gave promise
of triumph in The end. The enemy still
evinCed determination 10 turn our right
aud cul Us of from Nashville
Wednesday night was not yery chccr-
rul. The General commanding, how
ever, was unmoved. lie inspired all
alb ut nm with his animating and
hopeful spirit lie was up all night long,
making dispositions for Thursday. In
format on confirmed the opinion, that the
enemy would renew the assault upon the
right They had extended their left
clear down TO Osterhaus Creek, and theil
cavalry had sorely harrasscd our trains
Communication with Nashville had been
put of several times. II was worth
mans life 10 gallop up the road a
strong force Of rebel cavalry made a dasl
behind us, within mile of the front
and estrOyed considerable amount OF
hospital stores. General McCook's am.
munition train was twice captured, anC
twice retaken by the It'll Regular Caval
nv and Col Minor Miliken's lst Obi,
Cavalry. twas finally brought into on
lines safely by Captain Thruston, of Gen
McCook's staff ThrustOn's address and
courage, in taking care of his train ex
cited the admiration of General Rose
Grams, who told McCOok that "thai youni
ordnance Captain Of yours shall be mad
Major, if can do IT, General d. 5
Stanley also made several sharp CHARGE
upon rebel cavalry, and rode them dow
pell mel.
Capt. OILS, commanding the 4th L. 5
Cavalry, however, made the most ellec
tive aud brilliant charge Of. the day
Wharton's rebel brigade had captureC
300 of our men and large supply train
The 4th had no sabres, but Otis deter
mined TO charge with pistols. lie ha
hut six companies. The enemy beinI
80 much more numerous, and having
some contempt for our cavalry, were no
careful TO get out Of the way, OH
charged them pistol in hand, literally
riding over them and putting them TO ut