, 1863-11-17
TEE BATTLE OF TAU.
HATCH1E.


l. Correspondence Of t!.o New York Times.}
| CAMf OF ep DIVISION, 1erH CoRrs, i
kEILI's FERRY. Tenn., Nor. I, 1863
tn. bistory ct this rar shows TO more e3
trao1ul1 AT s1cccss tlnn that gaiusc oYer tn.
CoIttnt ta1es by Gen. John ". Ge.ry's con-
Mand. On the night Of Oct, IS, at Wauustcuit.
near Kelly i Ferry, in Lookout Valley. The
scene OF the encounter is almost 1den,ica
with that OF Gen. Andrew Jacksoa'a victory
which prior to the Last Indian war, held ali
the country ia this vicinity south Of tbs
Tennessee River as their homestead and
huntiugground.
Gen. Geary had marched down the yat1,7
| from Bridgeport, Ala. With about 1,SOO men,
forming = poEtien Of Gen. Ho:ker's COM
1nand, whose m1odion Was tie re opening OF
laiircad and 1iycr Communication betTeen
Chattanooga and its base Of supplies.
Four guns. Of Knapp's Pennsylyania bat
1ely we're placed in position, and at short
1a1gc tk1eI "spht1icM case " into the dense
columns Ct the Confederate division, as it
1b9veo 10 thc attack across al open feld.
1ho c1Mmsnd advanced to within eight
mlles Of Chattanooga, aud enca.oped about
1Ve miles In rear Of the Eleventh corps, and
almost Immediately under the guns of the
eEexoy On Lookout Mcuntai1. Expecting Al
Easy victory. the enemy, consisting OF three
b1igades Of books division, Lougstreet's
p g fsolsted ca1np, at about II p. m, With
fhe evident design Of annihtlstfug the small
command. Bnt the men who had witustood
the battle storms at Ceoaz ID Mouutain; Autic--
sam, ,Ctsancellorsville and Gettysburg, we're
rot found unequal to the fearful ordeal,
though outuumbered four to one.
Gen. Gea1y's men quickly formed behind
the embaEEuent Of the railroad, snd, using
1t as b1tastwcrR, poured from beliiud il
such astorm OF bullets as eoon taught the
Toe that they were vide awake. and rot At all
disposed to be caught napping ia the neigh
The rsbel General, true to his well known
e,stem OF warfare, attacked our centre with
great T1goI. and with his whole apparent:
strength. Finding 1t impracticsble to force
forces upon the feeble left Of our thin linz,
ED succeeded In a funk movement which.
from his superiority in numbers, completely
envcloped our rear, takiug in the train Of
wagons, with almost the whole camp. The
emergency WIS great. md but two Companies
assault npon the rear, which had already cost
us thirty animals. >
THIS small ioree succeeded In driving ont
tte 1anktng party with great daughter. The
conflict ragged with great fury for four hours.
oce BY one the men and animals Of the bat
tefy were killed. until scarce force sufficient
10 york tie guns were left. Capt. Atneu
sn6 Lieut.: GearE-son Of the General-nere
killed at th. lr post. The rebels seemed to d.
rect theis efforts to the capture of the guns
TO protect which tho meD were determined, If
necefsary, to die. The fight ragged even to
the tents Of the General Commanding Above
the roar Of musket1Y could be heard the yells
OF the Toe as they Intellectually stormed our
position. Gtn. Greene was wounded while
Cheering On his men. The stalwart form Of
Gen. Geary was every where the fight ragged
the tercest, and bis atentorian voice reBound-
cd along the lines in tones Of exhortatIon to
do 1uty. Adore all, the moon poured down |
CHASTITY light, revealing the battle horrors in |
~ their dread proportions. For four hours |
the battle raged.
When the last round Of ammunition had |
been expended, and the troops had resolved |
TO use the bsyonet, the enemy precip1tately |
tled the field, leaving its groaoing burden Of |
wounded and the dead to fall into our hauds, |!
Over 40 Of the latter we're buried Gen,
Geary's loss was but 81 killed ard Ito |
wounded.
This achievement Ct Gen Gcary's will rank
amorg the prnudest of the war. HAD hc been
surprised, and his command defeated, the |
TO the Army OF the Cumberland |
+ 1oulc have betn fearful TO contemplate. Bat ]
tho re.establlsLlnent Of Communication is /
aow q liked 1act, and is alone due to the |
heroic conduct Of q handful Of men from the /
Potomac army, who were determined 10 show
heir brethren OF the West their worthtncss
% fight side by side with the heroes ofShi1oh
IT'D Stone River. ]. G.