Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-10-08
Army correspondence.
CHArrGxooeA, TESs..
Sept. &c, 1868.

1 - C-aAa~a wv 49, 49,
well in a day after fighting fever. /
wrote you from Winston. Ala. some
ten days since. but owing to our mail
facilities being none Of the best l fear
It will be some time before 1t reaches
you; probably too late to be OF any val
ne whatever. The same remark will
apply to this letter; yet I shall endesv-
or to get It to you by private hands ct
the earliest possible moment. To at
tempt 10 give you a description oI
events that have trsnspired in this vi
einity the past 8 days is a matter Of i'm
possibility. lean only aim 10 give you
an outline leaving you to fll out the
details as to you may seem best. The
telegraph has informed you ere this oI
the terrible battle, lasting three days,
18th, 18th and goth, which has been
fought in this vicinity, and which re-
suited in the army of the Union fall
ing back upon Chattaaooga and there
by gaining a stro ger position. rendered
almost impregnable by sixty hours Of
liucesssnt digging. On Friday the 18th
the ball opened by heavy skirmishing
along the whole line which continued
through the entire day. Our line oI
battle was at this time Is miles South
Of Chattanooga and near Fayetteville,
Georgia. the right resting on the foot
Of Lookout mountain. 1t WAS apparent
to all that Bragg had been heavily re-
enforced, having been joined by all oI
Joe Johnston's Mississippi army; Hind
mans force from Arkansas and two
corps of Lees army, (Longstreet's and
Hhl's.) In plain English this heroic
army had confronting il the best troops
of the rebel army, numbering over
100, 900 men. On Saturday, the 18th,
the ball opened in earnest. The rebels
played their old game Of massing their
troops and hurting them FIRST on the
right, then on the centre and left
They came up eight and ten columns
deep in the face Of most CALLING fire
Of grape, canister and musketry.
which fairly moved them down. They
closed up and came ahead apparently
unmindlul OF the perfect storm Of fire
which greeted them. No troops could
stand up long against such a furious
onslaught Of overwhelming numbers.
Our lines gave way and fell back in ad-
mirable order. II was on this day that
Col. Jones Of the seth was killed. and
Major Adney wounded. not dangerous
Ily The whole line by dark had
been driven bsck and the enemy held
the battle field. Gen. Lytle was killed.
Col. Fearing. 99d o. V. |. wounded
slightly. Col. Carlton, 89tb o. V. l..
taken prisoner. Our loss was heavy
The fight on Sunday was but a repeti-
ton Of Saturdays 6ght, opened and
carried on through the day with re-
doubled fury. Msjor-Gen. Thomas,
towards evening, msssed his corps (uhe
I4lh. } and repulsed the enemy with ter
rible slaughter. They made repeated ef-
forts to break through Gen. Thomas
lines but "old stand fast" nobly held his
ground against great odds. A hurri-
cane could not have moved him an inch,
and to rush upon his iDvincible columns
was certain death. There he stood
immovable as the mountain which
frowned upon him until darkness
brought an end to this terrible con-
flict. The csnnonading was terrific
and the roar Of musketry was incesssnt
and continuous, greater probably than
in any battle Of the war. Our army
on Monday fell back upon Chattanooga,
and took up a new and stronger posi-
ton, rendering it doubly strong BY
throwing up Entertainments, and to-
day the entire rebel army could not
move us a peg. Our loss is heavy but
the proportion Of killed to wounded is
very small. Most OF the wounds are
flesh wounds 10 the arms, hands and
legs, most OF whom will be fit for duty
in two and three weeks. l shall not
pretend to give you the aggregate loss
sustained by the army OF the UGion as
it would be mere guess work. prefer
to wait until the official figures are
given. The rebel loss cannot be far
from $4,000 in killed and wounded
The prisoners are about set Off
anything, iu our favor. Prisoners from
Longstreet's corps saw they never had to
do such fighting in Eastern Virginia.
The truth is, the army Of the Cumber-
land is a band of heroes, from Gen.
Rosecrans down. They fought against
overwhelming numbers Of the picked
troops Of the Confederacy and although
overpowered and compelled 10 fall back,
they punished the enemy so severely
as to prevent him from taking auVsn-
tage Of his questionable success
Gen. Rosecrsns is entitled to the praise
of all loyal men for the heroic and sue
cessful defence be has made. The en-
emy, by force Of numbers. anticipated
aa easy conquest and the driving OF
RosecraDs out Of Tennessee; but they
have been foiled and beaten by superior
generalship and bull dog 6ghting.-l
Next to Gen. Rosecraps stands forth the
noble and brave Maj.-Gen. Geo. H.
Thomas. The old hero is invincibIe.
As q corps commander. as a fighting
soldier be has no superior and but few
equals. His corps and the army wor-
ship him. The hero Of Mill Spring has
added fresh lsurels TO his brow in this
one OF the 6ercest battles Of the war.
All honor to the brave Gen. Thomas.
May bis life long be spared to bis coun-
try. i