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

It could be kindled, and no blanket
d could be obtained. But the grand che
If rus of victory was swelling throug
!, the camp. and hunger and thirst, fros
s and fatigue, were 10 great measur
:. forgotten, and exultation over our sue
cess was only clouded by the memor
d lof our fallen comrades. One-fourt
s were dead or wounded. This price "
r paid for victory.
q all that could be asked of a soldier
e General Brannsn performed, Will
;, Coils. Vsndeveer and Croxton Tough
i. as men seldom fight on any field.
: At the opening o! the battle on Sun
: day morning the troops were dispose'
] as follows: McCook, with Davis snC
3 Sherridan's Divisions, Crittenden will
e Woods and Van Cleve's occupied thu
b right; the Divisions then succeeded
r each other toward the left in the fol
lowing order: Negley. Brannsn snd
D Reynolds, of Thomas corps; johnson
e Of McCook's; Baird, of Thomas
: while Palmer, from Crittenden's occu.
; pied the extreme left Of the line, Cor
; don Granger, with Steadmsn's Divi.
sion OF the Reserve Corps was al
Rossville, some four miles in the
rear. --
The battle begsu by an attack on
our extreme left between 8 and 10
O'Clock, and repeated messages ar
rived from Gen. Palmer informing
General Thomas that the enemy was
in overwhelming force, and that with
out assistance he feared for the result.
Negley was Immediately ordered to
Palmer's support. but before bis di-
vision reached the ground Palmer had
by desperate fighting against heavy
odds, repulsed the enemy from his
front.
Meanwhile the attack swept steadily
toward the center, and was everywhere
staid until the opening, which Negley
had left on the right of Brannan, was
reached, and which the troops on the
right, by some unexplained blunder,
had failed to fill.
Into this vacant space the rebels
pushed their columns. and cut off the
four divisions on the right, and gained
the rear of Brsnnan's division. Two
OF the divisions thus cut off broke in
confusion; the other maintained their
organization, though forced to retire
and leave the field thus early in the
day.
The first and second brigades of
Branaan's division maintained their line
bravely, and had repulsed the attack
in their front, when the rebels appear
ing in their right and rear. threw them
into confusion, and forced Gen. Bran
nan TO retire his line to ridge some
FIVE hundred yards in his rear. This
position he occupied and held, with the
first and second brigades, until the
fight closed. at o'clock P. NJ; and
until the arrival of Steadman at 2
O'Clock, he formed the right of the
army then remaining in the field.
Previous to the withdrawal OF the
Sd brigade, Col. Vandeveer command
ing, had been ordered to the left to
support Baird, who was then heavily
engaged. The brigade moved rapidly
in two lines deployed; the ed Maine
on the right, and the 87th Indiana on
the left Of the front line, the 9th Ohie
on the right, and the 35th Ohio on the
left in the second line.
The brigade had just gained its po-
sition in rear Of Reynolds line, when,
without q moments warning, il re-
ceived CALLING fire directly in its flank
from what proved to be the rebel Gen
eral Breckenridge's division, which had
passed entirely around the left Of our
arms and was advancing at double
quick to turn Reynolds flank. This
movement had been concealed by a
thick growth of young pines. and the
rebels bad reached point only hun
dred yards from our flank, 10 good or
der, and with compact lines. The brig
ade had never faltered yet, it did not
waver now, but under this fierce fire
changed its front, faced the foe, poured
in a deadly fire from the front line,
which checked the advance, and then
the rear line, pressing on run to the
front, started off on charge, followed
by the front line. The 9Th Ohio on
the right led by Col. Kammerlung and
Adjt. Harris, the 35th Ohio on the
left, led by its commanding officers
all riding fifty yards in front Of their
men, dashed on, the troops in full
run. The rebels fed in wild confusion,
followed for full third of a mile by
the rush Of the famous charge. Across
a large cornfeld into the woods. three
hundred yards beyond the brigade,
drove the scattered rebels, charging up
to within hundred yards Of their bat
terry, planted in the middle Of the wide
open road, which the 35th covered with
its left wing, and along with it charged.
Here in these woods the rebels were
held at bay by the Sd brigade until it
fell back to allow a relief brigade to
come to front obliquely to attack the
rebel flank. Slowly that brigade came
back, line rising after line, and passing
those in rear, and lying down to load.
and wait its turn to FIRE again. Thus
under a sharp fire the lines withdrew;
the rebels mistaking the movement for
retreat. followed closely and poured in
deadly FIRE, but the relief brigade
having gained position, attacked and
the fight here was over. /