The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-11-20
From the 09ih.

From the Goth.
Camp 09th Regiment q. VT.
Chattanooga, Tenn, Oct. both, '63.I
Ed. JEFF:-Thc battle of Chicka.
mauga, which took place ON 10Th.
10th and 2lst days Of September. was.
taking altogether, wonderful con
iIict ofarms. The country over which
we fought is but thinly settled and
imperiecuy improved. 1t resembles
in this respect, everything else in the
South. Whether you look at man
farm. or city, in this boasted land
OF chiyalry, you will bc-or at least |
am-strongly impressed with the idea
that there is something still wanting.
that the original design was never
carried out in either case.
This country is comparatively old.
having been inhabited while our beau
| tiful Ohio was vast wilderness. 1t
is true. portions of it are rough and
poor, but the border part, and partic-
ularly the valleys, which are numcr-
ous and fertile, are unsurpassed by
anything | have ever seen Just think
OF neat valley nesting in the arm OF
the everlasting mountains, with rocky
peaks rising on every hand the base
Of the mountain decked and adorned
with springs of purcst water Then
tell me why this country is 50 far he
hind in common schools, churches
and institutions of learning =? WHY
so deficient in all the elements oI
financial, social intellectual and NOR
nj progrcssI The whole truth of theii
misfortune lies in this sia..le, black,
wicked word-Slavery. The countr,
embraced in the battlefield is rollins
but fertile. The Chickamauga wo,IlC
afford the finest mill and factory priv.
ilcgcs, while near hy is the largest
and most beautiful spring | ever saw
for which the stupid Inhabitants coult
! find no more poetic name than "Craw
fish Spring II il belonged TO me,
would call it"Crystal Fountain" and
bad luck TO the man who should haze
thc impudcncc 30 say "Crawllsh.' auN
where in that neck of woods. u,
would find himself in n bad box, aud
might thank his stars If he escaped q
duckng,which, il il did not purify hi,
mind and manners would, at least rem
der his physical person cleaner than
most of the tattcrdcmalious foun,
hcrcabuuts.
The country looks ragged the farms
small, fcrccs poor. buildings general
|ly ofan inferior quality, and the road.
ottcn so narrow that two wagons can
not convenientlypass. Itlsnot there
,torc,a favorable locality for manouylr
ing a large army, rs it was difficult tC
change infantry, and next to impossi
bic to shift artillery rs rapidly as Tn,
icXigenclCs Of battle often require
But Notwithstanding these ditlicultlc
our army fought manfully, hcroical
ly--desperatcly. As your readers
have seen general descriptions of tht
battle, ! shall conline myself to th,
Operations Of the 09th, with but sucl
illusions to other portions of the ar
my rs may be necessary to cnahlc IA,
TO bring out the facts and incidents
deem worthy Of record.
The Goth became engaged in Tho
fight on thcmorning ofthe 18th, about
ia. NJ, Fourregiment7 Of our brig
ade were three miles in advance o
the main line Of the army, on pickc
duty. The r"hols mnssnd cOnSidpra
bile force in front OF MS, aud began {,
amnse themselves by throwing shell,
into our camp.
We made up our minds very soon
that if it were fun for them, it NIGH
he death for us, unless something wa.
done by which the inpudent rascal,
could infer that they were engaged IN
a game at which too parties might ad
yantagionsly work. The rapidmove
ments OF the men, the clattering O
arms, the adjustment OF accoutrc
ments, the hurried sadlling aud noun
ing of horses by the officers, all wcrC
significant; and significant too, of {
high degree OF military education, II,
we'll rs the ability to render theil
knowledge practical and powerful
that showed clearly that the partci,
pants in the existing excitement wer,
not only soldiers in the ordinary sense
but veterans. In few moments tn,
regiments were formed and marchin-
IN splendid style from the left Of th,
woods where We had been edcamped
to a cornlield, whore n liue OF battl
was formed, and there awaited fIlrthe
developments.
| Lieut., Col. Cummins, who was OF
dcer of the day, so judiciously form
ed and managed his men in front, a
to furnish the rebels with all the wor
and music of whizzing balls that thci
|appetite for blood demanded, so tia
aside from the shelling in camp ther
was no fighting that day, except o
the picket line on our part OF the lielJ