, 1863-09-26

ter, begun to return. Reynolds iuma adiate!y
sent the heroic Wilder to the assistance OF
Davis, and the celebrated brigade ofmoanted
tnfsntry at first scattered the enemy In terror
lying again, and charging IN fresh numbsra,
even Wilder began to fall slowly back. Gea.
Sheridan, who had been folio wing after D aFis,
now came up, and led Col. Brad1ey's brigade
Into the fight. It held It's own nobIy, until
the rebels, IN large force getting possession
upon It m entiladicg fire, which compelled
1t to giye way.
But cow new actors appeared upon the
6ce1e. Wood and Ntg1ey, who had CALAMITY
repelled the assaults Of the enemy at OTen's
Ford, {aeeaults intended as 4 fefnt to conceal
came up to the rescue: Their troops went to
work with will. The progress Of the enc
wy against Davis, Van C1ev6 and Sheridan
was speedily checked. Reynolds. returning
from the pursuit Of Longstrect, assisted il
xaliying the broken battalious Of Palmer.
ize6 Of their OWL accord. Baird, Bra9nan
ard Johnston resumed their places. A con-
eumiEg fire swept along our front. The reb-
c}e retired every where before It, and before
sunset our line was again in battle array up
on almost precleely the ground held that
morning. .-.: -:
Just before dusk the enemy, as If in spite
bse Of artillery and musketry upon these
same troopE, acd continued it until after
n:ghttall- But 1t was SO promptly returned
that ke sustained certainly as much injury as
he Inflicted, and about SIX o'clock drew off
entirely, leaving tho day clearly our own.
Du,ingg the light Of Saturday some change
WIGS made In the disposition OF our forces.
and the line Was 80 far withdrawn that it
rested sltug 4 cross road running northeast
ard sou*h1est. and connecting the Rossville
with the Lafayette road. By this arrange
ment our extreme right was made to rest on
Mission Ridge. as il should probably hare
done in the h1nt place. The new line that
formed was mile shorter than that Of the
day before. Gen. RosecranB' headquarters
were removed from the house belonging to
the widow Glenn, Fear the right OF the line
to point somewhat nearer the Lafayette
preparation WAS made that genius, science
and patriotism could make, to beat back the
ayAlaucles Of the enemy, should they venture
upon an attack the next day.
The changes in the order Of the different
divisions made the new line stand thus: One
treme right; then came johnson, then Baird,
then Palmer, then Reynolds, then Brannan,
then NegIey's other br'ga1es, then Van CleYe,
then Wood, md then Sheridan Wilder and
M{nty, with their mounted force, held the
extreme right. have given only, the gene
1a4 V3uEA VI Oal AGEs OtA4114u ]kl1u Ill llEfG
were really held somewhat In reserve. The
other divisions had reserves detailed from
their own regiments OF brigades.
The fight upon the extreme left commenced
By q desperate assault Of the enemy uponGeu.
John BeattJ's brigade Of Negley's division.
stood their ground nob1y; but being some
what isolated from the remainder OF the line,
finally retired It will be remembered that
the other b1igades Of Negley's division were
posted much farther to tho right. 4 desire
10 rcunite the two portions Of lis command,
10 take Gen. Negley's place In line until the
latter should effect the reunion OF Ills brig
adcs. Wood proceeded immediately to execute
the order, filing np the gap as Negley retlred:.
The rebels, understanding this movement Of
NeglcF's to b. n retreat, Immediately ad-
vanced their sklrmisbers, not only here, but
all aldng the left, aud the fighting ut once he
ca1ce terrific, US have described. The reb-
e!e, however, soon ceased to attack General
Woods front, and tor time appeared to de-:
vote their entire attention to Gen. Thomas. I
went down to the extreme left Of Gen. Woods
into some corn1elds, could see the des3erate
efforts Of the enemy to break the lines Of
Brannon and Reynolds. The soldiers Of
these two noble divisions wore lying behind
rude breastTo1ks Of logs and rails constructed
the night before; theif artillery In the rear
as II that long line Of defenses was some in
mense serpent, instinct with hideous life and
breathing continually from his huge rough
sides volumes OF smoke and lame. Col. Van
deryeer, 35th Ohio, of Braunon's division,
was tighting here With ~ brigade second to
is true hero, and tho coHkhaId aud COM
mandet are worthy of each other. Here also
was the brave and able Turchiu with byf-
gade composed principally Of Ohio troops,
who won for themselves aud the State that
cent them forth, Immortal honor during the
Again and agsin the rebel lines advancing
from the cover of the woods into the open
corn fields charged with fmpetuous fury and
terrific yells towards the breastwnrks Of logs
and 1uils, but.each time thu fiery blasts from
cur batteries and batta1ions swept orer aud
around them, nnd their ranks we're crumblcd
aud swept away as bank OF loose clay wash
ed by rushing flood. But as fast Us one line
fell off another appeared, ruehiog ste1nly on
over the dead AID bleedirg bodies Of their
.allen comrades. Longstseet's corps was Seek
ing to regain its lost laure!s Of yesterday. D.
e. Hill, At the head OF ua1dee'a Old corps,
was lending them the assistance Of division,
and Duckner's troops Tera throwing their
weight into the scale. Thomas fought Only
with his forces Of Saturday weakened BY Sat-
urday's heavy lossess. 1t was m unequal con.
1cst, and q pang Of agony shot through my
gin to wayer. To wayer in the face Of tha
charging, shouting, tbundcribg host which
confronted them, was to 1oee all, aad the next
moment wave zfter wave Of the rebsl ssa
dakhlEg madly against and over the barrier,
| and gsCediiy swallowing up Its detcndera,
| with all their ammunition and nan!e7.iel. Nev-
er was resistance more stubborn and deter
mined, but never was stack prosecuted With
more deT1lisn per3naciS;, p.,so
eorely pressed, General Wood was ordered to
| march instantly by the left tiauk, pass Bran.
| nan, and 20 to his relief. Davis and Sheridan
were to shift over to the left, and thus close
mp the line. As the occasion was urgent,
Gen. Wood drew In lis administers with
second time installing q. withdrawal for q
fight, pressed forward like torrent and
| poured into the tlanss Of General Wood a
| storm OF 1nusket balls, canister and
g1are. Moving upon the double-qufck, the
! men endeavored for time to kesn thsie lilies
! in order, but as that pitt!ess storm Of lead
| and iron continued to be hurled against
1tep, the regiments began to spread out like
! fan, wider and wider, until finally they wers
| tern 10 flinders. Tnis Was especially the cas&
With the brigade commanded BY Col. B1ell.
| Tie uIdaunted Wood, with Hnrker's brigade
comparatively intact, passed On to his destt
nation.
battle. Here, indeed, the battle was lost.
| Davis coming up to fiji the vacancy occa
stoned By Wocd's withdrawal. mas caughl
| upon the left flank by the fiery rebel torfea
LON pouring. Though the opening, and push
Cd off towards the right In utter disorder
like Il door which is SWING back upon III
hinges. and shattered BY the same blow
were struck upon the other side, and shiVsr
ed as sapling BY thunderbolt. Even tht
| per<onal c1ertions Of Rosecraus himself who
with drawn sword, Ut the head Of his devoted
slaff, endeayosed to check the route, were IN
cf1ectua1.
After that fatal break our line Of battle wa
not again reformed during the day, TIL
Davis, Sheridan and Wilder, being throw!
of to the right, lCritteuden Except one bri
gudc Of Woods being broken in pieces, ] ant
Thomas, with his in1omitab1e corps, ani
Johuson's division Of McCook's, remainin.
alone upon the left. In the fierce TORNADO
Thomas had been much shaken, all his diVi
sIons fighting desperately, MI rallyiug at th
earliest practical moment, but only Genera
Reynolds retiring from the works toward th
hills in anything like tolerable order.
| As coon. howeyer: as the corps had reache' E,
broken ranks with an nlacrity and rapldity
only less remarkable than the obstinacy witt
which it go long endured the assaults Of th
enemy upon the level ground below. Th
great lender himself, Gen. Thomas, assiste
By Baird, Reynolds, Brannan, scribnei
Turchin, reofganized the brigades with WOE
derful cele1ity, and Immediately began max
irg head against the enemy.
From this time McCook disappeared frou
the general history Of the battle; as: Indeed
ext1icati1g himself from his demoralizad al
routed corps, he headed toward Chattanooga
and, at about one o'clock disappeared entiIt
IL from the field. His two divisions, Dayii
| and Sheldon's, forced off toward the right, ia
behind their original position, were assaile