Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-12-03

8
charge upon the rebel works; theirs tc
stand the defensive. It was apparent
that the conflict would no longer be de
layed. Ere the sun disappeared the
great struggle-not for Chattanooga
merely,-but East Tennessee, would be
decided. If the rebels could hold Their
position, Longsheet would be enabled
to crush Burnside with impunity.; if not,
their base of operations would be de.
stroyed, the armies separated, and all
their hopes of regaining East Tennessee
blasted. In proportion to the importance
of the stake, would be the stubbornness
of the struggle.
At 10 O. clock in the morning Sherman
made a feint upon Tunnel Hill, an i'm
portant position from which Missionary
Ridge could be raked, at any point with
in car non shot. To Courses brigade, cf
Sherman's division, this task was as
signed. and Loomis' brigade was sent to
his right, as support. The charge lasted
for an hour, in which q number-say
l50-were killed and wounded Gen.
Course fell dead fighting gallantly at the
head of his column, and Col. LOOMS re
ceived slight wound. Our forces then
fell back TO the rife pits
Believing this to be a real assault, the
rebels continued to mass their forces in
that direction; and to confirm their opin-
ions, large bodies of troops were moved,
from the camps at Chattanooga, through
an openinginto the Tennessee Valley, in
full view of Bragg's headquarters, as if
intended to reinforce Sherman, and then
having reached a thick grove of timber,
they were countermarched, and placed
in the woods, opposite the rebel centre.
At noon,ra second attack on Tunnel
Hill was ordered, and Matthias brigade
of Gen. Jno. E. Smiths division, charged
up the hill. Having nearly reached the
summit they were metby superior force
of the enemy, and fight of three quar-
ters of an hour ensued. The men had
seen one brigade srepulsed, as they sup
posed, and they determined to win a tri-
umph, not only over the enemy but over
their own friends, by capturing a place
FROM which they had been beaten.
AS soon as it was discovered that the
rebels were preparing for grand charge
outof their work, upon the assaulting
party, a retreat was ordered; but the
men, filed with ardor, refused to obey,
fought with bravery that has few par
allels in history. A flank movement on
the part of the rebels at length compell-
ed them to break, and instead of an Or
derly retreat, which would have been
practicable five minutes before, disor-
derly rout ensued. The rebels pushed
on with vigor, and captured 200 prison
ers, but they were afterward retaken1
The men rallied on the rife pits, and
there remained
After this movement, a laundering |
sound from the PARROTS and Rodmans of |
Fort Wood announced the commence |
ment of the sanguinary contest in the |
centre. Our columns, which had hith-
erto been concealed behind the under
brush which skirts the eastern side of |
the Chattanooga Valley, now pushed |
out, presenting bold and solid front to |
the enemy. This movement was desig-
mated to break the rebel centre, and the |
task was assigned to Gems. Baird, Wood,
Sheridan, and Johnston, whose divisions |
were posted from left to right, in the or
der named.
The right wing, commanded by Hook /
er, also moved toward the mountain, but |
as they extended far to the south of tho I
enemys lines, they had little opposition
to encounter They found one or two sec
tons of artillery and few men but |
these proved source of little annoyance,
the guns being readily captured. A por-
ton of these were made prisoners, while |
INC y i~--ainder fled down the hill in con-
fusion
,I,a
pieces of cannon, in eight commanding
positions, and it was made the duty of
one brigade to charge upon and capture
each battery. The interval of two hun
dred yards between the timber and the
front of the mountain was soon passed,
but the ascent was a matter of great dit
fculty. The sides of the hill were ex-
ceedingly steep and covered with loose
rocks, and in many places with briars and
underbrush; and, as consequence, one
could scarcely reach the summit unin
numbered. But our brave heroes neither
halted nor faltered, though exposed to
the fire of the whole line of infantry, on
the summit of the ridge, and all the bat
teries in front of them, and raking fire
from Tunnel Hill which did frighful ex-
ecution.
Steadily, however, they proceeded;
each brigade vieing with its rival in the
effort to be the first to place the old stan
dard upon the spots desecrated by the
rebel ensign They were half way up;
the deadly missiles thickened around
them; but onward they went; they nearly
reached the top; the artillery could no
longer be used against them; the bayo-
nets of the rebels were fixed, and hand
to hand struggle commenced.
At length a shout was heard, and all
eyes were turned to the spot; even in the
din and confusion of the strife, the foes
found time for momentary pause;
thrill of horror ran through the rebel
ranks; the heart of every loyal man now
beat high; the 10Th Indiana had plant
ed its banner upon the summit of the
ridgei
The strong arm of the assailants were
: nerved to renewed efforts; their bold
spirits incited to greater deeds of daring
Further suspense was but naomentary;
one long, loud, and hearty shout arose
and all is over. Missionary Ridge was
ours.
t The rebels attempted to take away a
portion of the artillery, and actually
dragged several pieces half way down
the eastern side; but here they were
= abandoned, the artillerists seeking safety
in flight .i
S At least 5000 prisoners fell into oul
:; hands; and l am confident that before
d the pursuit is over the number will b.
/ more than doubled. We captured from
It 40 to so cannon-all brass and l.
r Founders, and innumerable small arms
1t The retreat was Ia disorderly rout, an,
4 the decentralization of the enemy seemet
IS complete, except on their right, wher,
ID yet a. heavy force was massed unde
shelter of Tunnel Hill.
s 1t was now sundown, and this force
d, all that remained of Braggs grand army
le their broken fortunes. While our troop
of ,,,ara ras+inr, on +bair iaurals-and the