Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-10-15

tion Of Col. Vsndeveer, who with b
staff, displayed such coolness and eoul
age as cannot be too highly spoken o
while the officers and men Of ever
regiment engaged. maintained the rey
utation they had won in the battle {
the day before.
The brigade then returned to the pc
sition from which it began the charg,
Here It rested for about an hour. ez
posed meanwhile to sharp FIRE OF she
and canister from two batteries, on
of which was overshooting another ppr
ton of our line, and the other On
planted on Reynolds right.
From this point the Sd brigsde-nRFe,
half a mile to the right and repofte,
to General Thomas, who still held th
position General Bowman had occupied
when his line first withdrew. Just a
this juncture Gen. Steadman also ar
rived, and together these troops moved
up to the crest Of the hill. which The
rebels were attempting to carry by as
ssult. With defiant cheer these new
ly arrived troops rushed to the crest
and the conflict wss renewed with ter.
rible esrnestness. The whole army,
from Steadman on the right to the ex.
treme left, was now engaged, and the
roar Of the conflict was such as never
before had resounded in the ears oi
those whostood along that line.
And this whole line was held against
tremendous odds until night had ended
the fight, and the rebels had retired.
This is strictly true, and on its truth
we base our claims to success. The
Army of the Cumberland had fought
the Southern Confederacy for two days,
the sole object and aim of the enemy
being to cut us off from Chattanooga,
and then oyerwhelm US in the noun
tains. At the close of the second day
we held the field, and had open COM
with Chattanooga, with our
army SO disposed as to secure the road.
It was necessary 10 take advantage of
he success to reach the river, and that
hight the army withdrew to Rossville,
md there held the enemy at bay for an
'ther day, and the second night reached
Chattanooga in good order, and by the
evening OF the third day it stood be-
lind its breastworks, the same defiant
)ody it had been on the field.
The fighting, as we have said, at
hree O'Clock in the afternoon, was in
furious along the entire
inc; still the writer cannot speak with
of the whole battle, but
to describe in detail the strug-
lie, or rather the series of struggles, I
or the mastery Of the hill on which
Thomas had immovably fixed his right,
nd which was key to the position
The writer saw all this, and was an &C.
or through it all.
When the First and Second brigades
{ Gen. Brannan's troops were attacked
D the rear after Negley on their right
ad Withdrawn, they were rallied,
nough in an unorganized form on the
i'll in their rear, the portions not re-
orting there having been seized and
rdered of by Neglev. who seemed to
e impressing every regiment and bat
cry he could discover to take the place
{ those who had left his own command.
| portion Of Neg,ey's forces however.
-, nf,,ea1 tota hod hoan roll.
ed by Gen. Brannan on the hill. with
ne remainder Negley had retired on
.ossville, and these various fragments
'ere organized as well as the circum-
Lances would allow, and with the val
able assistance Of Smiths Battery. bad
cen enabled, though hard pressed, to
old the bill against great odds, until
he arrival Of Col. Vsndeveer with his
rigsde thoroughly organized, though
eak. fresh from his late charge. and
f Granger with Steadmsn's division
om Rossville. The occupation Of the
rest by those troops about 2 T. NJ.
as already been referred to.
The rebels had begun fresh assault
5 those troops took position, and for
D hour one sheet of fame crowned the
rest of the ridge. yet toward it, line
fter line of rebels rushed in quick
accession, only to melt away and dis
ppear before that witheripg fire.
hen silence came once more, silence ;
lat denoted not quiet, but desperate
reparation. Quickly our troops, ta-
ing advantage Of the lull, built a low
reastwork Of rails and logs, and lay
own behind it, to await the shock.
And speedily it came. Those troops
ad passed through terrible ordeals
uring the two days fight, but no such
ring as this had met their ear. Old
oldiers there spoke of it as far heavier
nd more rapid than anything within
heir experience.
Close up to those in line. came the
yelling tide Of rebels. and as one went
own, another stepped quickly into
heir places, only to share a similar
ate.
Sheltered by a slight ravine, one
olumn bad nearly pierced our line;
ut rebels never stood in more pre-.
arious position. for the 9th Ohio was
onfronting and watching them; and
ehind that slight shield Of logs, every
IAN was feeling for his bayonet, and
hating for the spring. "Charge!
Ias sounded along the line of the 9th.
t was the knell Of that rebel mass, for
ushing with unshaken courage, and
aith in their own strong arms, they