The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-09-29


as Negley retired. The rebels under
standing this movement of Negley's to
be q retreat, Immediately advanced their
administers, not only here, but all along
the left, and the fighting at once became
terrific, as l have described. The rebels,
however, soon ceased to attack General
Woods front, and for = time appe AIRED
to devote their entire attention to Gem
eral Thomas. went down 20 the
extreme left Of General Woods position
about this time, and looking thence
int some cornaelds, could see the des-
Perate efforts OF the enemy 70 break TIE
lines of Bcannan and Reynolds The
soldiers OF those two noble divisions
were lying behind rude breastworks Of
logs and rails constructed the night be.
fore their artillery in the rear fred over
their heads; and it really seemed as il
that long line of defences was SEINE i'm
mensc serpent, instinct with hideous life
and breathing continually from his huge
rough sides volumes Of smoke and flame.
Col Vanderveer, 35th Ohio, of Brannan's
division, was fighting here with brig
ade second to but few in the service The
CJlonel himself is true hero, and tho
command and commander are worthy of
each other. Here also was the brave and
able Turchin with brigade compose d
principally of Ohio troops, who won for
themselves and the State that sent them
forth immortal honor during the conflicts
of that day.
Again and again the rebel lines advan-
cling from the cover of the woods into the
open cOrntlelds, charged with impetuous
fury and terrific yells toward the breast
works of logs and rails, but each time
the fiery blasts from our batteries and
battalions swept over and around them,
and their ranks were crumbled and
swept away as bank of loose clay
washed by rushing food But as fast
as one line fell off another appeared,
rushing sternly on over the dead and
bleeding bodies of their fallen comrades.
Longstreets corps was seeking to regain
its lost laurels yesterday. d. Ii. Hin, AT
the head of Hardes's old corps, was
lending them the assistance of division,
and Buckner's troops were throwing their
weight into the scale. Thomas fought
only with his forces of Saturday weak
ened by Saturdays heavy losses. II
was an unequal contest, and a pang. of
agony shot through my heart as saw
our exhausted veterans begin TO waver
To wayer in the face OF the charging,
shouting, laundering host which con-
frOnted them, was TO lose all, aud the
next moment wave after wave of the rebel
sea came surging down toward the
breastworks, dashing mad y against and
oVer the barrier, and greedily swallowing
up its defenders, with all their ammuni-
ton and material. Never was resistance
more stubborn and determined, but new
err was attack prosecuted with more dew
ilish pertinAcity.
Meantime as General Reynolds was 80
sorely pressed, General Wood was order
ed to march instantly by the left flank,
pass Brannan, and go to his relief. Davis
aud Sheridan were 10 shift over to the
left, and thus close up the line. AS the
occasion was urgent, Gen. Wood drew in
his skirmishers with considerable haste,
aud the rebels for the second time mis-
taking a withdrawal for aflight, pressed
forward like q torrent aud poured into
the tanks of General Wood storm of
musket balls, canister and grape. Nov
ing upon the double quick, the men en-
deavored for time to keep their files in
order, but as that pitiless storm Of lead
and iron continued to be hurled against
them, the regiments began TO spread ont
likes fan, wider and wider, until finally
they were torn TO flinders. This was
especially The case with the brigade com
handed by Colonel Buell. The undaunt-
ed Wood. with Har ker's brigade, com
paratively intact, passed on to his desti
nation. t.
Here was the great turning point in the
battle. Here, indeed, the battle was
lost
Davis coming up to Gil the vacancy oc
casioned by Woods withdrawal, was
caught upon the left flank by the fiery
rebel torrent now pouring through the
opening, and pushed off toward the right
In utter disorder, like = door which is
swung back upon It's hinges, and shat.
tered by the same blow. Van CleVe and
what remained of Palmer were struck
upon the other side, and shivered as a
sapling bya thunderbolt Even the per-
sonal exertiOns of Rosecrans himself who,
with drawn sword, and At the head OF
his devoted staff, endeavored 10 check tue
rOul, were Intellectual.
After that fatal break our line Of bat
tie was not again reformed dufing the
day. The army was in fact cut in two F;
MoCook, with Davis, Sheridan aud Wild
err, being thrown off ~ the right fOrit
teuden Except one brigade of Wood's)
being broken In pieces and Thomas
with his indomitatle corps, aud John
sons division Of McCook's, remaining
alone upon the left. In the fierce lorna
do which had swept over his log breast
works, Thomas had been much shaken,
all his digisi ms fighting desperately, all
rallying at the earliest practicable moe
ment, but only General Reynolds rotIr-
ing from the works toward the hills IN
anything like iOlsrable order
AS soon, however, as the corps had
reached the foot of Mission Ridge, IL
formed anew its broken ranks with an
alacrity and rapidity, only less remark
able than the obstinacy with which IL 80
long endured the assaults OF the enemy
upon the level ground below The great
leader himself, Gen. Thomas, assisted by
Baird, Reynolds, BrannAn, Soribner,
Harker, Negley, John Beatty, Wood, and
Turchin, Tsorganizsd the brighdes with
wonderful celebrity, and Immediately be-
gan making head against the enemy.
From this time McOook disappeared
from the general history OF the battle
as, indeed, extricating himself from hil
demoralizsd and routed corps, he headeC
toward Chattanooga, and AZ about on,
o'clock disappeared entirely from lhI