Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-09-28

and horde of traitors rushed up to ii
muzzles of the now harmless piece
Van Pelt, almost alone, stationed hin
self in front of them and drew his swort
" Scoundrels, ; said he, dare not t
touch these guns The miserable bal
barians, unable to appreciate true here
ism, brutally murdered him where
stood The history of the war furnishe
not an incident more touching and sui
lime than the death of Lieutenant Va
Pelt
All the guns of the battery, save one
fell into the enemy's hands.
Along the entire line of the left an,
| center there were similar instances O
| heroism, only two or three of which
have time to mention.
At one time the guns of the 4th Indi
ana battery, (Capt- Bush, we're all il
the hands of the enemy, but were re
taken subsequently, by a simultaneous
charge of the infantry and artillerymen
This battery is attached to Gen. Stark
weathers brigade.
During the fierce assault upon the Isl
division, the I'd Ohio, being in confusion
was rallied by Gen. Baird in person, ant
lad heel. - -fasSsisezviiarge
Major-General J. ]. Reynold, who
combines the chivalrous courage of an
elden knight, with the cool, calm ability
of Turenne. had time, not only to keen
his own division in effective order, but to
give his generous assistance to the forces
around him. A tremendous onslaught
of the enemy, broke Gen. Palmer's lines,
and scattered several of his regiments in
wild diSmay, toward the rear. Amongst
these was the 9th Ohio, which, in charge
of the fine spirited Anderson, had, up to
this moment, nobly maintained its
ground Gen. Reynolds perceiving the
danger, quick as lightning threw himself
amongst the brave but broken Guthries.
Boys! he shouted, "are you the sol
diers of the 6th Ohio, who fought with
me at Cheat Mountain? You never
turned your backs upon traitors in Vir-
ginia. VIII you do it here?"
" No! nor' they screamed almost fran
tically. LEAD US back! lead us backl"
From every quarter came rushing up
the scattered fragments of the regime ent;
with magic swiftness they reformed the
ranks; with General Reynolds at their
head they charged the insolent enemy,
and after a moments struggle every
rebel in front of them not killed or
wounded, was in confused retreat.
The example Of the 9th Ohio was com
municated to the flying fragments of
other regiments, and it is fact which
will long be memorable in the history of
this battle, that these rallied straggIers,
principally from Palmer's division, re-
formed ranks almost of their own accord,
and drove back the enemy who had been
victoriously pressing on.yl vsy.rrT
But l cannot linger to gather up these
scattered facts. Let me eudeavor to give
a brief and succinct view of the course
of events on Saturday, and then pass on
to the great drama of the succeeding
day. a--sa -.e ~
The shifting of Thomas corps during
the night of Friday placed it on the left
of the line in the following order: Bran
non on the extreme left, Baird next, and
Reynolds next. Negley was assisting
Wood to held the passage of Owens
SSns6d tE5d spd sbf faTrhf Pastqs6 qs6s & d f6 Hg@
line sooner than the rest, reported to
Thomas for orders, and was assigned to
a position upon the left between Baird
and Reynolds. Two divisions OF Crit
tenden's corps held the center OF the line,
Palmer on the right of Reynolds, and
Van Cleve next to Palmer. When the
battle began, Davis and Sheridan, OF Nc
Cooks corps, were rapidly marching to-
ward the left, to complete the line and
take position on thassight of Van Cieve.
Generally, the line took the direction Of
the Chiekamauga, withdrawn upon the
left so as to follow for a considerable dis
tance the course of the Lafayette road
which runs directly north and south.
The rebels had been maneuvering al
day on Friday about the position at Cor
don 5 Mill, and seeing It's great strength
had menaced our left flank doubtles
with the express purpose OF compelling
/ General Rosecrans to abandon 1t A
the left must be protected at all hazards
their plans partially succeeded, and tn
immense transfer Of Thomas from rlgh
to left on Friday night, SO far suite'
their designs. But it rendered our ow
left so strong that it became impossibl
for the rebels to turn it, as they had a
along hoped to do The attempt on OF
part to hold Gordon's Mill after th
transfer, perhaps oeeasioned too great
frightening of our lines, and consequel
ly too little solidity. True, it seemed e
ery way adopted to prevent the enen
, from fanking up upon the right wing
the Mission Ridge, allowing it to re
there. would have fully secured that tiaI
: enabled us to bid defiance to the rebe
: in that direction, greatly contracted o
| front and released for immediate sci
e ice on Saturday the splendid divisio
:. of Negley and Wood. The entire d
!. tance over which the line extended "
' a little short of three and half mil
b 1t was between ten and eleven VIII
II Cronton' S brigade, of Brannan diyislt
o. Going down to ford over the creek, j
o. opposite their position, encountered
ID enemy, who was advancing in force, a.
Is after gallant combat, was driven ba
il Re-enforcements Immediately coming
4 from the remainder of Brapnans d
he sion, l1o ISOOlo HOAS ~ NNNA /
re nell toward the ford. Another terri
,ir charge by the largely increased force
er, the enemy, pushed back the whole
to Brannan's division, involving Gem
mt Baird, who at once became fercely
en- gagged. The Regulars, outfianked, a
ch fhe withdrawal of Brannan's men, tor
fol- like tigers, but were rolled back and
red Scribners brigade-she night OF W
m, being rather too far advanced, was cl
ore pied up, and the brigade literally
rounded, until, by unparalleled gallal
rtal it cut its way through. The storm,
d ing from left to right, fell next
Ion. Johnston, and almost simultaneC
ard upon Reynolds, who both fought
we, desperate valor, wavering at times
had again regaining their tirmness, g
the back little but again advancing,
lem the troops of Brannan and Baird r.
1un- bv their able leaders, and by the per
tier exertions of Thomas himself, v
the courage was conspicuous as his coo
,om- came up once more to the work
Ihey Then the order was issued for tn
man tire line to advance, and nothing