Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-09-30
1NEsDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER 30 1863 NUMBER 26

muCh-uno you nhNc III yOuI HIuN ~
the heroic corps which saved the whole
army. Aud imagine the black lines OF a
powerful enemy marching upon 1t flank
aud front, and all the time pressing Il
closely 10 front and flank. Aud then i'm
aRine at Rossville two great corps of strag
glers-men who had lost NO time in pros
ecuting and establishing their claims &c
the title OF cowards-huddled together IL
surly groups by the bayOnets Of Waggonel
and you will recognize how glorious
was the victory of that little corps which
thus beset, saved the army and itself. II
was this fragment which had brought to a
stand the entire army of which only pOr-
Iion had defeated two entire corps. The
position was o good one-ou Q semi 'circu'
lar ridge, the Key of which was on the
left centre and held by Colonel Harkerie
brigade.
pusr az ran DIsTAN6E-HOPRs AND YEARS.
General Thomas, near the centre Of the
army, was engaged, about one o'clock, sit
ting on his horse in the hollow of ridge
in an open field behind Harker's brigade,
busy watching heavy cloud of dust in bis
rear, iu such ~ direction that 1t might be
General Granger with reinforcements, or 1t
might be the enemy. II cast q cloud over
his spirits which was plainly visible to one
who observed him, as confess did that
day, with ever increasing admiration. The
truth is that General Thomas at one o'clock
p. NJ. on the last day of this battle had no
disposition to fight any more, aud feared
the result Of the next rebel attack. And so
he watched with natural anxiety the de-
veIopment OF the cloud of dust, which was
then no more than a mile distant. II il
dissolved to reveal friends, then they would
be welcome for at this hour fresh friends
were all that WAS needed. II it disclosed
the enemy, then the day was lost. and 1t
became the duty Of those who formed the
".ast square" on this battle field to throw
into the teeth of the victorious enemy q
defiance as grandly contemptuous as that
of fCambronne, and die. There was no es-
cape if the troops moving were, as it was
feared, the cavalry of the enemy.
"Take my glass, some one of you whose
horse stands steady. Tell me what You
see."
Iu the dust that emerged, thick as the
clouds that preCede the storm, nothing
could be distinguished but moving mass
of men. But it was seen that they were
infantry. This information made Thomas
breathe more freely. II infantry, it was
much more likely to be Granger than the
y
the yellow straps of captain OF infantry
presented himself TO General Thomas.
General" he said, al am cut off from
General NeIgey, and cannot fnd him.
beg leave to report to you for duty, sir, of
any character"
Captain Johnson" said the General to
the speaker (Captaiu Johnson, Second In.
diana cavalry, Inspector General on Gen.
Segley's staff "ride over there, and report
to me who aud what tbat GOrOS is."
In an instant Johnston was gone-gone
upon mission which proved itself to be
more dangerous one than any OF Us sup
posed. As he emerged slowly from dense
foliage of willows growing about narrow
stream in the rear, we heard the report OF
several rifles and saw him halt for sec.
ond, and then, dashiug spurs to his horse,
disappear in a thick wood 10 the direction
Of the coming mRss OF troops still envel-
oped in clouds of dust. In u few minutes
he again emerged from this timber, and
following him came the red, white and
blue crescent shaped battle flag of Gordon
Granger. We had wished for night, and
II was Blucher who had come to us. Alta
quarter past one, Steadman first, and Cor
don Granger afterwards, had wrunR the
hand of the statute Thomas, who had gone
all through the terrible scenes Of the last
two days battle to be melted and moved
at this hour. As Granger came up felt
that from the face Of the heavens great
cloud had passed, and the sun was shining
once more upon us as with the same be-
nignant rays of foImer victories.
GonpcS GRANGER rAKEs THE OFFENSIVE.
1t was understood thnt the ammunition
train of General Baird was just beyond
the centre of our lines in hollow between
the two ridges occupied by the enemy and
ourselves, aud General Thomas, who now
WAS painfully short of ammunition, order.
ed Granger to push Mitchell and Whittak-
er, of Steadman's division, forward on the
centre, In the hopes of retakingit. Gran.
ger, at the same time, suggested that a
battery which he had, placed to enEilade
the line of the enemy, now plainly visible
on a ridge on our front. This battery was
brought up and placed on the left of Hark.
er, with orders to dislodge battery which
was throwing shell and grape most vicious
ly.
ton, and the others notified as to his pur.
pose, Thomas, with all the assurance OF
power and strength, assumed the offensive,
and, while the enemy were actually NOV.
him, positively made an attack, aud, in q
fight of ten minutes of desperate encount.
er, knocked the centre out Of their line
and dislodged them ftom the position
which they had held. This little fight ia
a glorious episode in the story OF the bloody
battle, and when time shall serve it will
be a pleasing duty to detail 1t; but it IL
prohibited me to enter upon 1t now. Stea.
dy Steadman, who dates from Mill Spring
through Shiloh, Corinth and Stone river
to the last glorious hour of the sunse,
fight on the Chick Rmauga, will be better
contented to find that story written at lei
sure by one who is not forced to make hil
knee desk and the last eighth of lead
pencil his pen. 1t is enough for Granger
that say he was there when his adiutant
died, Eve minutes after his arrival; that h'
went about the field with she'll torn anC
tattered hat, and enough for those who