Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1864-12-22

6F ans @ saV7E 9
- eeeen1 Day's Fight,
nsueo - As ne.els.
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o,ooo Rr0soaers.
Co. COL
tQasuueepdtssv 4 ~ Cincinnati Gazette
-. KAsnvslGs, Dec. ~.
O. lin a battle to-day was simply Z
eooeineatioo u that a yesterday. Il con
sIsosd II pressing the advantage We had
esined upon the enemy's leit. Gen. VIII
n With The cavalry Was to push down
~ Hillsbeso turnpike, and II possible in
torcept he rebel trains. Sch0fisld was or
0ssed, % soon a he might deem it expe'
dent, 70 assail the rebel LEFT retired against
the hills; while Smith was TO break
through the rebel line 1t the point where
e 80 most advanced toward the city, and,
making partial wheel toward the left. was
% push on until he reached the franklin
turnpike. TO Wood. in conjunction with
0uVU0uSoseS ~ - eSssHssO1 sss~ se'o " ~ssssss q
with md driving back the enemy's right.
xAruRs OF THE GROUND.
The ground Vas mostly open in front Of
the 18th and 4th corps, and soon large corn
fields lay Just in front Of the principal line
ofrebcl works. Steedmam moving 10 the
right and left Of tho Murfreesbor0 pike,
feeling for the enemy's right with instruc
tons ultimately 10 connect with the 4th
corps, had 70 urge his way through . dis.
trict not very .thickly wooded, but still in
which the trees were numerous enough e
conceal ! good many rebel skirmishers.
:. sk1RMisuixG.
Thcso skirwislcrs Of the enemy had been
diatributsd very thickly Oh along their front,
and Il became necessary ~ our troops com.
mcnOed 70 advance IN the morning, to send
ont clouds Of opposing skirmishcrs, who
gradually but steadily pushed the enemy
Back for mile and half towards this prin.
cipa. position q the foot Of the bills.
suGLL1N0.
Our batteries were now brought to bear
upon the enemy with greater precision than
before. We had no lack either Of artillery
or ammunition, and we thundcred away
from perhaps = hundred pieces, simultane-
ously.
The rebel artillery replied evry feebly /;
partly because, having always been some
what weak in this arm, they were still more
% after their loss Of yesterday and partly
because they did not wish to discover to US
tho exact position Of their batteries until
the assault, which they deemed probable
should take place.
fLANElNG MOVEMENTS.
Schofield now marched down the Granny
White pike, and, carefully concealing his
strength, placed his corps directly their
LEFT flank AMI almost at right annlcs with
their line. Stccdman at the same time
worked his way forward, until he could at
any moment connect with Wood.
ENEMY STRENGTHENS HIS ADVANCE.
While these movements were taking
place, the enemy was observed to be
strengthening his advanced line, which |
have described as the third from tho city,
and the one weak in comparison with his
fourth line. Portions Of .Johnson's and
Stephcnson's division Of Lees corps occu-
pied this outline with foar pieces Of artil
lery.
ADVANCE LINE CARNiED.
The movements Of the rebels for strength.
ening this line determined Gen. Wood to
carry it without delay. To the lst division
Of his corps, the division commanded by
Brig. Gen. Nathan Kimball, vas assigned
thc duty Of taking these works, and the
task fell principally upon the two brigades
commanded respectively by Brig. Gems.
Whitaker and Crosse.
The rebel works could only be reached by
ascending . considerable slope, and passing
through wood from which all but the large
trees had been removed.
In splendid order the division moved on.
ward to charge, firing volley after yolley as
they rushed toward the rebel works. A
whitening fire Of musketry, and rapid dis
charges Of canister from the cnemy's artil
lery, made them waver more than once
But still they pressed on, until they were
within half pistol shot Of the works. Here
the Ere Of the enemy became so deadly, that
our men, in order to return it more eifectu-
ally, made halt. Longer, perhaps, than any
troops ever remained before in such . posi-.
ton, they stood there and fred fast and fur
iously at the enemy. But they could not re-
main there and live. A few gave way and
fired in disorder. The whole line staggered.
and had the rebels done nothing more than
keep up their deadly fire upon US W. should,
Ia Ill probability, have been driven back. But
they made some movement to shift their a..
tillcry, which our boys received a. an indi.
cation that they were about to abandon the
works and retire. This was the needed in.
centivc to their tagging spirits. Raising a
loud shout, they rushed pctuously forward
with fixed bayoncts. and swarminr over the
works, transtixed such Of the '.Jolsnuies'' as
did not ct once fly or surrender. The rebels
hal time to get off two Of their cannon the
other two remained with the yankees"
THOMAS REcoxNoirEns.
No sooner Vas this preliminary success
achieved, than Gen. Thomas, whom saw
severaltimes during the day in the very front
Of the battle, received word thai his wings
Were in proper position, and ready and eager
to assail tho foe. Riding along the lines. he
carefully reconnoitercd through hia glass
the positions held by the rebels; aud then.
q il satisfied With The result Of his obscrya.
tons, ordered . charge along tho whole
linei
OaAxD CHARGE ALoNd fnE WHOLE LIKE.
Schofield ct once moved upon tho left
flank Of the enemy. Before the veterans Of
ths esd corps everything gave way like frost
work. The assailed flank erumblSd n pieces
- they advsnced, and waespnea hlck uDon
that portion Of the line which jast nov was
attacked b A. ). Smith's troops vish :
weight and energy that nothing could with.
sand. AcMillcn's brigade, foremost n hat
~ = "a the previous day, rushed right 40
= She very teeta of thsss pewesfd rsbel