Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-10-28

a tumult which now RACES and now sub
sides; but one which for two long hours
rolled necessarily all along the line of
Thomas seemingly devoted corps So
loud was the crash Of musketry, that The
discharges eff cannon following each other
: in quick succession, could with difficulty
be distinguished and seemed cnly like
more emphatic passages in the grand dis
pason of thunderous harmony which
burst from the vast clouds of smoke and
dust enPeloping the contending hosts
The fight upon the extreme left common
ced by a desperate assault Of the enemy
upon Gen John Beatty's brigade of Neg
ley's division. The brigade, as well as its
famous leader, stood their ground nobly {;
but being somewhat Isolated from the re-
mander of the line, finally retired 1t
will be remembered that the other brig
AIDES of Negley's division were posted
much further TO the right. 4 desire TO
re-unite the two portions Of his command,
induced Gen. Rosecrans TO send Gen Wood
to take Gen. Negley's place in line until
the latter should effect the reunion of his
brigades. Wood proceeded Immediately
to execute the order, filling up the gap as
Negley retired The rebels understand
ing this movement of Negley's to be re-
treat, Immediately advanced their skirm-
ishers, not only here, but all along the
left, and tine fighting at once became ter
rife, as ! have described The rebels,
however, soon ceased to attack General
Woods front. and for time appeared TO
devote their entire attention to Thomas.
Agar and again the rebel lines advAn-
cling from the cover of the woods into the
open corntield charged with impetuous
fury cnd terrific yells toward the breast
works Of logs and rails, but each time the
Gery blasts from our batteries and battal-
- ions swept over and around them, and
b their ranks were crumbled and swept
away as a bank of loose clay washed by a
! rushing flood. But as fast as one line fell
off another appeared, rushing on sternly
over the dead and bleeding bodies OF then
= fallen comrades. Longstreets corps wa;
e seeking to regain its los. ,urels of yester
. day. ID. II. Hill. at the head of liardee 8
cid corps, was lending them the assistance
of division, and BuckneT's troops were
- throwing their weight into the scale
, Thomas fought only with his forces of Sat
urday weakened by Saturdays heavy loss
es. 1t was an unequal contest, and pans
! OF agony shot through my heart as saw
: our exhausted veterans begin to waYer.--
TO waver in the face of the charging, shou
ting, laundering host which confronted
them, was to lose all, and the next mo
: ment wave after wave Of the rebel sea came
= surging down TO the breastworks, dashinl
I madly against and over the barrier, anC
; greedily swallowing up its defenders, will
all their ammunition and material Neve
was resistance more stubborn and deter
? mined, but never was attack prosecuted
Y with more devilish uert'nacitv.
t Meantime, as Gen. Reynolds was so sore
r ly pressed, General Wood was ordered t.
5 march instantly by the left flank pas
7 Brannan and 60 10 his relief. Davis anC
g Sheridan were to shift over to the left anC
g thus close ur the line. As toe occasion
was urgent, Gen. Wood drew in his skirm
g ishers with considerable haste, and the re
II bells TOR the second time misiakinsa a with
+ drawal for a flight, pressed torH in
= torrent and poured into the fanks of Gen
Z Wood a storm of musket balls, canniste
: and grape. Moving upon the double quicl
e the men epdesvored to keep their files il
order. but as that pittiess storm of ror
~ continued to by hurled against them, Tia
Z regiments began 10 spread out like fan
h wider and wider until finally they wer
Q torn to flinders. This was especially tn
ol case with the brigade commanded by Col
/ Buel. The UT daun ted Wood, with HarR
J. er's brigade, comparatively intact, rasss
Ie on to his destination. .t
s Here was the great turning point in th
1T battle. Here, indeed, the battle was l"s
d Davis, coming up to fill the vacancy oC
casioned by Woods Withdrawal. was eau
Of upon the lett flank by the fiery rebel toI
y rent now pouring through the opening
lie and pushing OFT towards the right in utte
n disorder, like a door which is swung bac
g upon its hinges, and shattered by the sam
~ blow. Van Cleve, and what remained {
er Palmer, were struck upon the other side
ID and shivered as saping by a thurde
ID bolt, Eyon the personal exertions Of Ros,
r. Grams himself, who, with drawn sword, an
T. at the head of his devoted staff endeavo
" ed to check the rout, we're Intellectual.
re After that fatal break our line of battl
was not again reformed during the day
ar The army was in fact cut in two McCool
a with Davis; Sheridan and Wilder bein