Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-12-10

discharge; and at last, unable longer to
endure this useless slaughter, they broke
and fed down the bill. For mofseDt the
heart Of the behoder was filled with an
guisb as he saw them fastening 10 Wild con
fnsloD back across the field over which they |
had 30 gallantly advanced but he felt re- !
assured when he saw that the moment they |
had got beyond the fire Of musketry. and |
while still in full range Of the enemys can
non. they reformed their ranks and were
ready for another combat But their work
for the day was over.
rHr CRISIS.
And now came the great crisis Of the bat |
tie
The men who held in their hands the
destinles OF the army, had marked from
their position on Bald Knob the movement
Of the rebel legioDs toward the left. and in |
an instant perceived their advantage. 10 |
the face of three such leader, as Baird, |
Wood and Sheridan, Bragg was repeating
the old fatal error which lost the Allied !
armies Austcrlitz and sthe Union Chica-
mauga-he was weakening his center and
making flank movement in the presence |
OF his enemy.
10 an instant Granger aud Palmer hurled
Wood and Sheridan down the slope of the
ridge upon which they had been posted and
Baird across the lower ground TO the Left. i
Through the woods concealing the rebel rife
pits they charged, and burst like torrent
into and over the same, scattering the ter.
ri6ed rebels who occupied them like thistle
down or chaf.
THE SOLDIERS DI;oBEY ORDERS.
Here, according to original orders, our
lines should have halted; but the men were
no longer controllable. Baird had carried
the rife pits in front Of his position, and the
shout Of triumph rousing the blood to very
frenzy OF enthusiasm, rang all along the
line. Cheering each other forward, the
three divisions began TO climb the ridge,
A fiery mass
Of living vslsr rolling on the foe
Tho whole Ridge blazed with artillery
Direct, plunging and cross fire from Z hun.
dred pieces of cannon we're hurled upon that
glorious band Of heroes scaling the ridge.
and when they were half way up q storm of
musket balls was flung into their very txces
In reply to the rebel cannon upon the
Ridge. Fort Wood, Fort Negley, and all our
batteries that could De placed in position,
opened their sublime music.
TUhULT OF THE BATTLE.
supernatural power. and as each successive
volley burst fiom the cloud of smoke which
oyerspread the contending hosts, it seemed
that ten thousand mighty echoes wakened
from their slumbers, went groaning and
growing around the mountains, as if re.
solved to shake them from their bases. thsI
rolled awsy down the valleys, growing faint
er and fainter, until sxtinguished by echoes
| of succeeding yolleys, a. the distant roar OF
the cataract is drowned i'm the nearer tbun-
ders Of the cloud.
MISSION RIDGE sToRMED.
And still the Union troops pressed on,
scaling unwaveringly the sides of Mission
Ridge. The blood Of their comrades rsnd-
ers their footsteps slippery the toll of the
ascent almost takes away their breath the
rebel musketry and artillery NOW down their
thnnsd Tank,-but still they pres, on ! Not
once do they sren seem to rarer. The color,
far in advance of the troops; and at last,
U moment of supremest triumph, they
reach the crest, and rush like an avalanche
upon the astonished foe. Whole regiments
throw down their arms and surrender, the
rebel artillerists are bayoneted by their guns,
and the cannon which mad moment before
been laundering on the Union ranks, arc
;na nov .IIneu 5uou'i pIui'ns ueatr anu 'erIgr
fng;tiy.s Who are rusb;ns DIV, rho E,s,srn
.lons ~ the ridge
IouTsov AVN oo
'onN'oN AMI hooh
Almost spontaneously with this immor-
tai change; Hooker threw his forces through
gap In the ridge upon the kossville road,
and hurled them upon the LETT hank OF the
enemy. while johnson charged this portion
OF their line IN front. Already dsmoraIized
by the spectacle upon their right, thsy OF,
tered but feeble resistance, were captured
oy hundrsds, or ran away ike frightened
sheep.
THE ENEMY xNpYAvoR TO RESTORE rHHpAY
Ono s.-.. stfort -. mad. hv m. roh.,
l.'J.rs a. I 70 rstr;sv. Ga ,hs asu Tbs l"f, % 80
~ Esn r Tnrcb;nis hr;e,ds of R.;rd'.
S;vis;nn had taken possession of a small
uorl un, oons,rno,ad hv H. ansn'r on w ,h., or
,;on oF W;s.on R3ca na.riv onnn.;.. Nm ,H H.,
Wood w" u Rsfors hs coulJ ary.nsa I, h;s r.a;. rot
mon,s ;,.;d. m. rabaI. gotber;ny nm Eli
the yet unrouted fragments Of such force az
they had upon the center, charged Turchin
with determined fury excelling anything
they had displayed upon that part of the