Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-12-24
Graphic War Picture by B. F. Taylor.
The Battle of Mission Ridge---Viyid Description
of Exciting Scenes and Startling Incidents.
From the Chicago Journal.
CHATTANOOGA, Nov. %.


flung northward out of sight, and southwark
beyond Lookout Imagine chain of noun
tains, crowned with batteries and manned
with rebel troops through a six-mile sweep,
set over against Us in plain sight, and you
have the two trOnts-the blue-the gray
Imagine the centre of our line pushed out a
mile and half towards Mission Ridgc-thc
boss, a full mile broad, of a mighty shield
and YOU nave the situation" as it was on
Wednesday morning, at sunrise.
The iron heart Of Sherman's column began
to be audible, like the fall of great trees in
the depth of the forest, as it beat beyond the
woods on the extreme left. Over roads in
describable, and conquering lions Of difficult
ties that met him all the way, he had at length
arrived with his command Of the army of he
Tennessee. Theroar of his guns was like the
striking ola great clock, and grew nearer and
louder, as the morning wore away. Along
the centre all was still. Our men lay, as they
had lain since Tuesday night, motionIess be-
hind the works. Generals Grant, Thomas,
Granger, Megs, Hunter Reynolds, were
grouped at Orchard Knob, here Bragg,
Breckenridge, Hardee, Stevens, CIeburn,
Bates and Walker, were waiting on Mission
Ridge, yonder And the northern clock toll
led on! At noon, a pair Of steamers, scream
ing in the river across the town, telling over,
in their own wild way, our mountain triumph
on the right, strangely pierced the hushcd
breadth OF air between two lines Of battle
with a note or two OF the music Of peaceful
life.
At one o'clock the signal at Fort Wood
was a..Autter. Scanning the horizon, another
flag, glancing Ike lady's handkerchief,
showed white across field lying high and
dry upon the ridge three miles to the north
east, and answered back The centre and
Sherman'5 corps had spoken. As the hour
went by, all sembance to falling tree and
tong clock had vanished it rafting
roar the ring OF Shernans iron knuckiGs
knocking ut the northern door. Moving near
or the river, | could see the breath of Shcr-
mans painting artillery, and the fiery gust
from the rebel guns on Tunnel Hill, the point
Of Mission Ridge The enemy had massed
there the corps Of IIardee and Buckner, as
upon i battement, utterly inaccessible, save
by one steep, narrow way, commanded by
their guns. 4 thousand men could hold it
against a host. And right in front Of this
bold abutment OF the Ridge, is a broad, clear
field, skrted b. woods. Across this trcmCn-
dous threshold up to deaths door, moved
Sherman'5 column. Twice it advanced and
twice | saw it swept back iii bleeding lines
before the furnace blast until that russell field
seemed some strange page ruled thick with
blue and red Bright yalor was in vain; they
lacked the ground to stand on; they wanted
like the giant OF the old story, a touch OF
earth to make them strong. 1t was the dew
il'8 own corner. Before them was Il lane,
whose upper end the rebel cannon swallowed
Moving by the right flank or the left flank,
nature opposed them with precipitous heights.
There WAS nothing for it but straight across
the fit / swept by IN cntiIading fire, and up
to the zane, down which drove the storm
They could unfold no broad front, and so the
losses we're less than 700, that must other
wise have swellcd to thousands. The 1nlis-
kerry fire was delivered with terrible cmpha-
SIS; two dwellings,, in one of which Federal
wounded were lying, set on fire by the rebels,
began to send up tall columns of smoke,
5treakcd red with fire the grand and the
terrible were blended.
If Sherman did not attain the height and
roll the enemy along the Ridge like carpet,
ut least he rendered splendid services, for he
held huge gang!ion of rebels us firmly on
their right rs If he had them III the vice OF
the :" lame Lcmnian' who forged the thunder
bolts. The men came CALAMITY up to the
work. Fairly blown out of the enemy's gums
and scorched with flame, they were swept
down the hill only to stand fast for 4 new as
sault Let no man dare to say they did not
acqult themselves, well and nohly. To living
and dead iii the commands OF Sherman and
Howard who struck a blow that dav-out of
my heart | utter it--hal and farewell And
as | think it all over-gancc again along that
grand heroic line Of the Federal Epic-I com
nit the story with child-lkc faith to History,
sure that when she gives her calm, clear
record of that days famous work, standing
la p,,tb II, Sol ri
feed the world, she will declare the grandest
staple of the Northwest is MEN!
The brief November afternoon was half
gone; it yet was laundering on the left :;
along the center all was still. At that very
hour, Whitaker and Crosse, under the inlme-
date command of Gen Crufts were making
? fierce assault upon the encmys left near
Rossvile four miles down towards the old
field Of Chickamauga. They carried the
Ridge; Mission Ridge seems everywhere
they strowed its summit with rebel dead
they hcltt It, And thus the tips Of the Fed
eral army's Widespread wings Tapped grand
ly. But it hau not Swoopcd; the gray quar-
~ yet pcrchcd upon Mission Ridge; the rcb-
bl army was terribly battered at the edges,
but there, full III our front, il grmiy waited
biding out its time. II the horns of the rcb-
el crescent could not be doubled crushngIv
together in shapcless mass possibly it might
be sundcred at its center, and tumbIed in
fragments over the other side of Mission
Ridge. Sherman was halted upon the left;
Hooker was holding hard in Chattanooga
Valley the Fourth Corps that rounded out
our center, grew impatient Of restraint; the
day was waning; but little time rculained to
complete the commanding Generals grand de-
sign; Gordon Granger's hour had come; his
work was full before him.
And what a work that was, to make weak
man taltcr and brave man think One and
half miles to traverse, with narrow fringes
Of woods, rough valleys, sweeps of open field,
rocky activities, to the base of the Ridge,
and no foot in AZ the breadth Withdrawn from
rebel sight; no foot that could not be PLAYED
upon by rebel cannon, like a pianos KEYS
under Thalbergs stormy fingers. The base
attained, what then? \ heavy rebel work,
packed with the enemy, trimming it like a
battlement That work carried, and what
then? / hill struggling up out OF the valley,
Tour hundred feet, rained on by bullets, swept
by Shot and shell another line of works and
then, up like Gothic roof rough with rocks,
a wreck with fallen trees, four hundred more;
another ring Of fire and iron, and then the
crest, and then the enemy. To dream of
such journey would be madness; to devise
1t thing incredible to do it deed impos-
sIble. But Grant was guilty Of them all, and
Granger was equal to the work The story
Of the Battle of Mission Ridge is struck with
immortality already; let the leader of the
Fourth Corps bear it company
That the centre yet lies along its silent line
is still true; in five minutes it will be the
widest fiction Let us take that little breath
Of grace for just one glance at the surround
ings, since we shall have neither heart nor
ewes for it again. Did ever battle have so