Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-01-15

1
battle he experiences no feeling of awe
and sometimes dread, is fslsifer, an idiot,
or mailman, but al this time | could not
have retired, even had | been so inclined.
My feet were rooted to the spot, nv
gaze was fascinated and fixed in the quar-.
ter where expected the enemy to appear,
and had On earthquake rent the earth be-
fore me, could not have moved from the
spot until | knew from the testimony of
my own eyesight whether or no the troops
upon which rested the last hope of the
Union were, like the rest, to be beaten end
overthrown.
1t was not in consequence of superior
| physical courage that | remained here.
but OF mental impossibility of doing other
wise. The flower of our troops were
ranged in order here, aud | had no fears
tor the result, unless one of these unec.
countable panics which sometimes rnin
even an army of veterans should seize
upon our yet unbroken battalions.
! I ct these were men not liable to panic.
men whose lofty courage and devotion to
their country's cause overcame and extin-
;. guished fear.
Col. LOOMS was there with his immor-
tai ist Michigan battery, and there was
Stokes with the noble battery furnished
by the Chicago Board of Trade. and Men
denhall and Quinther with their regular
artillery, and the troops led by Gen. Smith.
| comprising some of the finest in the SER
vice, and the three famous lrigades be-
longing to the old third division.
The 9th and 18th regulars which the
daring valor of Rosseau, assisted by the
nnfilnching courage of Col. Scribner OF the
18th Indiana, commanding the 9th brigade
and by the splendid abilities of Col. John
Beatty of the Sd Ohio, commanding the
18th brigade, had extricated from the
woods into which they had been sent to
check the progress of the enemy, in a
comparatively unbroken and undemoral-
lied conditional result which, to one who
knows something of the nature of that
fearful combat in the woods, seems little
short of miraculous.
Other lllustrlous corps were also there,
whose patriotism and courage | should be
glad, even at this early day, to celebrate.
if one individual could have known and
observed them ALL Their soul sacrifices
will yet be known ard appreciated by
grateful nation. With calm courage Gen.
Crittenden awaited the coming storm, and
conspicuous among all the rest, was the
we'll built form of the commanding Gen.
eral, his countenance unmoved by the tu
mutt around him, and his thoughtful and
animated features expressing a high and
patriotic hope, which acted like an in:pi-
ration upon every one that b ,held him.
As he cast his eye over the grand array
which he had mustered to repel the foe be
already felt himself master of the situa-
ton. At last tie long lines of the enemy
emerged from the woods, rank behind
rank, and with a demoniac yell, intended
so strike terror into the souls of the Yam
KEGS who stood before them, charged with
fearful energy almost to the very muzzle
OF the cannon, whose dark mouths yawned
upon them.
A dazzling sheet of flame burst from the
ranks OF the Union forces. An awful roar
shook the earth, crash rent the atmos-
phere, and the foremost line of the rebel
host were literally swept from the field,
and seemed to melt away like the snow
flakes before a flame, and then both armies
were developed in vast cloud of smoke,
which hid everything from the eye. 10
the still visible ground between the pike
and the railroad, the tumult redoubled
Not knowing what would be the result
of the strife which was raging under the
great canopy of smoke that concealed the
combatants, the flight of those in charge
OF wagons and ambulances became still
more rapid and disordered. Thousands of
fugltives from the broken right wing min.
gled with the teams, and frequently mass
of men, horses and wagons would be
crushed aud ground together.
Every conceivable form of deadly mis-
sile whizzed and whirled and burst amidst
the crowd, and terror and dismay reigned
uncomfortable. The whole disordered mass
rushed down as fast as possible towards
the river, into which it plunged, pushing
and struggling to the other side.
The combat under that great cloud of
smoke was somewhat similar to that in
the woods. No oHe knows exactly what
occurred. There was shout, a charge,
rush of fire, recoil, and then for times
disappeared.
For ten minutes, the thunder of battle
burst forth from the cloud. When our
battaions advanced, they found no rebels
between the woods and turnpike, except
the dead, dying and disabled There were
hundreds OF these, and their blood soa zed
and Redeemed the ground.
Since the humiliation Of the Old Guard
in their charge at Waterloo, there has
| probably not been an instance of so great
slaughter in SO short time ss during
the reEulse of the rebel left at Murfrees-
boro; and it will hereafter be celebrated
in history as much as is the fiery combat
which crushed forever the power and
prospects of Napoleon.
The rebel left was now thoroughly re
pulsed. and our troops, emboldened by
their success, pushed after them into the
woods, driving them back in turn over a
considerable portion of the ground which
we at first occupied.
THE BATTLE TO THE LEFT.
While the battle was raging on the
right, half dozen or more pieces of artil-
lery belonging to Pslmer's division kept
up continual fire on the rebel lines in
the direction of Murtreesboro, in order to
prevent an advance from that anarter
The division OF the rebel General Withers
happened to be just in range of these can.
non. Here he had been stationed by Har.
dee in readiness to charge upon Palmer's
division when that part of our line should
be sufficiently weakened Oy the withdraw
al OF reintorcelnents for McCook.
The position Was most uncomfortable
one, and at every discharge of artillery
some of Witbers' men biz the dust. Goad-
ed almost to madness by this slaughter O
his helpless men, the rebel leader ordered
a charge. His men advanced with grea
impetuosty, but their recklessness was O
no avail against the few proud regiments
that st Cd in their way. The sea NIGH