The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-12-25

.,'"NN 'h''h tht itHb VI lUe DGl0HUp.- -
: The men seemed eager for the fray
/ and could hardly be restl aimed an
t kept in their places. The slxirmish
ers found the rebel pickcts eatin
, their breakfasts, and unprcpared fo
an attack. Their fortiications nj
, faced towArd the base of the noun
|, tain, and, IL course, were WORTHLESS
| when we came in from the flank
They were, no doubt, surprised. A
we advanced around the point of tn
. mountain and ncared the first line O
: rebel earthworks that caused us t
, face them, the front line did not o,
, fast enough for our brigade, and tn
men, impatient to stop the rebel fire
charged over and through the lines II
our front, our regiment running owe
the 10th. y. Y, and entering tn,
lIfst inc of works nm the upper par
of the slope. and not far from tn,
l"White House" The men were no
content, once in the front, and moved
Immediately to attack the next line o
works, which were carried with bu'
little resistance. The Goth claim tho
honor ofentcring first the rebel works
and that in advance of their comrades
The officers from our county behaved
gallantly, and covered themselves
with glory, ms did their men. Cap
tain Bopc and Lieutenant Zay were
with the company. Lieutenant Rich
ards was detailed away from the reg
iment. He would have added further
evidence, if any could be needed, OF
his bravery and efficiency as an Off.
Ger, had he been allowed to be pres
ent. The wounded from onr county
were Peter Swisher, Co. ID; j. A. Bald
win, A. Newell, JAS. Morchead, Co.
G. Late in the evening our brigade
was relieved by brigade of Iowa
men, from General Osterhaus' divis-
ion. General Whitaker then ordered
our regiment to form near where he
was sitting on log, saying: "99th,
Eve fought You hard to-day, I'll let
You rest awhile" The men then
built up pile of logs, rs kind of
safeguard, and lay down to rest. Du-
ring the night the rebels skedaddled,
and early next morning the flag OF
the Sth Kentucky was unfurled OH the
highest point of old Lookout. On
the 25th we moved down from the
mountain into Chattanooga Valley.
and, bearing to the Eastward, reached
point near Rossville, and lay down,
there to await developments, in the
center of the line, where Generals
Wood, Baird, Sheridan and Others
were operating, and the extreme left,
under General Sh~rman with Ewing,
the commands l have mentioned, that
most of the Army of the Cumberland
was ALREADY in the line, and not, as
some papers have it, that "the skull
OF the rebellion was broken by Grant S
veterans on the 25th Of November"
This great feat of arms was engaged
in by tbs heroes of Gettysburg and
Charlottesville, joined with those of
Nicksburg, Helena and Iulia, with the
grand old Army OF the Cumberland,
what remained of it after the bloody
battles of Stone River and Chicka-
mauga; all these joined, and at near
three o'clock on the 25th Of Noyem-
her the signal was given by General
Grant to advance on the rebel works.
In n few minutes the entire line was
moving-mcving OH to victory. Up
the entire slope of Missionary Ridge
went those brave men, regiments vie.
ing with each other rs to who should
first reach the crest with its frownina
artillery. More than fifty flags were
seen waving as onward moved the vet
Grams of u dozen hard fought battles
The force then under command OF
General Hooker, comprising Geary
division of the 18th Corps, Custer
haus' division of the 18th Corps. and
Stanley's division Of the 4tl Corps
moved on the right flank of our charg-
ing column, and caused the rebels tC
fly in confusion over the mountain to
ward Chckamauga Station, whicl
they destroyed, with large lot o
stores. Our regiment was not ell
gagged nor was any part of our divis
ioii' AS w WV 'bENblNo Va Sc-Ne'.N
you know it all--more than fifty
pieces OF artillery and many thousand
prisoners. We res ed at night on tho
ridge, with dead and wounded rebels
all around our camp. met with on,
wounded boy while the battle was
raging--hewas rehel--he asked mC
to examine him and see if he was
mortally wounded. examined hin
and found him badly wounded in tho
back, his spine crushed 10y a ball, ant
his exit entities pNralyzed. Sad tho Is
must fill the mind of every one Al
they view such scenes as this, Here
was a youth OF seventeen, of fine form
and intelligent look; his clothing wa'
of the finest; his person neat anC
clean good education and refined
manner I told him he was very
badly wounded, he replied: "could
only see my mother once more"
turned from him to look at some o
our own wounded, near by. Mex
morning we moved on toward Ring
gold, Georgia. On reaching Ring
gold we found the rebels posted or
two ranges of hills conyerging to {
narrow gap. also held by the enemy
The divisions of Gcary and Custer
haus were engaged, and several inef
fectual efforts to reach the top OF TIN
I,.I Ia hA n