The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-01-16

with terrible loss, but was making a fight
of desperation. Utmost vigilance was
necessary. 1t was altogether probable
the storm would soon break out afresh.
Our troops were soon disposed for a new
attack. 1t soon began to develope by
feints at various points on the line from
left to right. The rebel sharpshooters
were continually annoying us, and the
enemy's batteries rendered the field ex-
ceedingly uncomfortable. About O'Clock,
perhaps, strong demonstration was made
upon our left, then a fierce onslaught on
our right. Lieut.. Col. Garesche, Chief
of Staff and Lieut.. Kirby, were sent down
to Van Cleve, and got there in time to
urge forward the line. Both Garesche
and Kirby were in the thick of the fray.
The former was soon dismounted by a
sharpshooter, his horse being disabled.
Kirby invited Garesche to mount his
horse, and he walked back to the staff.
Garesche had mounted another horse,
and was galloping along side by side with
the general, when solid shot carried off
his head. His blood was spattered upon
the staff. \ moment later, Sergeant
Richmond, Of the 18th U. S. Cavalry, a gal
liant soldier, who had already been recon-
mended for promotion, was fatally hurt.
Soon after, Mimic ball struck Byron
Kirby in the left arm, and lifted him
clear out of his saddle. The bone was
shattered, Kirby disabled and he was
obliged to leave the field \ shell now
burst in the midst of the escort. A frag-
ment tore through Lieut.. Porter's cloth
ing, and cut open his haversack. Ben
tons, Hubbards, Porter's and Garesche's
horses had all been struck; two orderles
were killed; the Chief of Staff was dead;
Kirby wounded; but the General was
still unscathed. | need not tell you his
dauntless personal demeanOr inspired the
troops with enthusiasm. They yelled like
Sons of Mars whenever he appeared on
the lines.
At about two o'clock the enemy were
discovered right and left of the Murfrees-
boro Pike, advancing in heavy masses to
attack our left wing Such field of battle
is rarely witnessed. 1t was scene of ap-
palling grandeur. Every feature was
keenly cut and clearly defined. The day
was one of surprising beauty. The blazing
sun shone kindly through the canopy of
smoke which expanded over the dreadful
combat. The pomp of battalions, in mar
tial panoply, loomed up grandly in their
staunch array. The stars and stripes floated
magnifcently over the PROSTATE lines of
the regiments. The '@Banner of Beauty
and Glory never fioated more proudly.
Our troops lay prone upon their breasts,
hugging the soil closely to avoid the iron
storm which the foe hurled at them with
malicious fury. The surface of the plain
seemed ruled out in long blue parallels.
At regular intervals there were bold figures
of solitary horsemen standing out in sharp
relief, faithful guardians of our brave SOL
diers, and shining targets for the Internal
marksmen of the foe. Gallant officers de-
family invited the murderous skill of sharp
shooters ambushed behind every covert on
the plains Oh! vain, sad sacrifice! 1t
thrills the soul with anguish to scan the
bloody record of that CORY day. Behind
them, crOwning commanding crests, our
own fine batteries, distributed over the field
in unstudied picturesqueness, were clothed
in thunder and robed in sheets of smoke
and flame. Horses, frantic with the an
guish of wounds, and wild with the furious
tumult, were bounding in their leashes
with desperate energy, seeking to fly the
field. Dozens of them were torn to shreds
A single shell crashed through three noble
beasts, and piled them in dreadful cOnfl-
sion under shattered limber A solid
shot crashed against gun-carriage. One
battery lost twenty eight horses; another
thirty-two Hundreds of their carcasses
are strewn upon the field. Gen. McCook's
horse was killed under him; Major Caleb
Bates lost his, also. Gen. Negley's staff
lost three or four. Every staff suffered in
some degree.
The hostile army On the other side, i'm
parted an awful sublimity to the spectacle.
Great masses of rebel troops moved stead
lily over the field, careless of our battery
play, which tore open their ranks, and
scattered than bleeding upon the soil.
But they marched upthrough the destroy
ing storm dauntlessly. Their batteries
wheeled into position splendidly, and were
worked with telling effect There was a
point, however, beyond which their des-
peradoes could not be urged. The battle
ragged two hours with horrid slaughter, and
neither side receded until nearly five
O'Clock, when the almost exhausted armies
suspended operations for the night, ex-
cepting the play of a few batteries.
1t was most desperate contest and un-
decided. The advantage was with the en-
emy. He had driven our right almost up
on our left, compelling us to change front
under fire, and he occupied that part ofthe
field. He also held territory occupied that
morning by our pickets on the left, but we
had receded from that ground to draw
him out. No battle was ever more fierce
ly fought. Desperate valor had been dis
played on either side. Victory had been
promised to the foe, but the tenacity of
our General, the skill with which he turned
the tide of battle, his cheerfulness in the