Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1864-10-06

0IAitH, udu utfe1 peeu Will III UclOI
! the previousday, and was, comparatively
astranger to both officers and men,
] He did nobly, however, but every efor
! to stem that boiling, seething tide, seem
j ed unavailing, It was impossible to stan,
} such charge, made, as it then was
, from both front and rear. The Division
/ was driven from its works, part of tn,
! 10th Corps. sent as a support, hurled
back upon itself, the splendid I'd U. S
battery captured while changing position
/. without being able to fire more than one
! shot, and all our line Of works seemed to
be disappearing behind and within that
1 dreadful mass of gray backed demons -
On the right two divisions of the 18th
Corps had been forced back out OF their
defences, and the rebels seemed triumph
ant at every point Crowds of panic
stricken men rushed TO the rear, frantic
4 ly throwing away their arms and even
their acoutrements, havre-sacks and can
eeens to expidite their fight, filling the
air with cries Of Bulls rum" ''All is
lost. 2 Ia. "We're whipped. "All cut to
pieces" &c. and spreading confusion and
decentralization as they ran, while storms
Of bullets swept the terrified wretches
DOWN in masses. 1t seemed as if there
was no alternative but to surrender or
be annihilated. Although the Sd Divi-
sion still maintained it's position on the
hill, it was nearly surrounded by the
enemy, which, as the 10th Corps fell
back, to form new. lines, with which to
check the advance of the exultant foe,
and close up that unfortunate gap, con-
tinually concentrated ITSELF SO as to pre-
serve its advantage, and isolate those de-
voted men, whom they fondly calculated
would soon be oil their way to Atlanta
as prisoners Of war. Again and again
the rebels charged. Shell, grape and
canister from captured batteries turned
against us, and others rapidly moved up
into position, tore through the air, and
laid many Of our brave fellows low,
while, every moment, the circle of fire
manowed, and q concentrated around
them. Gen. Legget passed among his
troops, with words Of cheer and encour-
agement, assuring his subordinates that
the hill "must be held at all hazards"
the salvation of the army Of the Ten
nessce depending upon it. The broken
disorganized masses Of the 4th Division
was reformed behind the shelter of the
,3ds works, and moved up to their sup
port. Volleys Of musketry were poured
into, the advancing foe, and most des-
perate Resistance offered. Gathering
themselves for final effort, line
afterline-of battle rebels deployed
out of the woods, their brains on fire
with gunpowdered whiskey, and their
throats sore with yelling and cursing, in
perfect order, and unwavering steadness,
they moved TO the attack. It mattered
not that our works were one sheet of
flame, that perfect avalanche Of bullets
almost lifted their ranks from the ground
to dashed again struggling and dying, in
agony upon it. Closing up the fright
fnl gaps in their lines, with unfalteripg
tread they strobe over their dying comra-
des, returning shot for shot and yell for
yell, until right up to the ditch, exchang-
ing fire with our boys with only the
breastaoorks between them. Like a
mighty wave which has reached a rock
bound coast, and expends it's fury against
1T, hurting its spray clear over the bar
rier, SO with this wave Of human ferocity
1t had rolled in until it lad struck the
barrier, its spray Of eager souls had dash
ed over to fall bleeding inside, but the
aoave acas checked. thus far shalt thou
90 and no further" !" was as indelibly fix
ed for their destiny, as if. written speci-
ally for them by the finger Of fate itself.
Over those works they could not press.
Inside Of that angle they could not get,
the lines of glittering bayonets surmount-
ed by faces, breathing out V"ictory or
death in every lineament, was an OBJ
stacle they could not pass. the fire Of
those muskets, inextinguishable, and the
grand attempt of, the chosen braves Of
the Confederacy became failure. their
vengeance remained ungratiGed and their
boasted prowess was sullied by defeat,
where complete victory vas within their
grasp. 80 {. ~ ..' -
To add to their chargin and discom6-
ure, the 23d Corps came up at double
quick to the rescue, forming at right
angles to the 10th, and covered the rear
of our beleagucred army; upon which