Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-12-30
E'he Great Battle Bs.sarc NaSs,vilGe.--.A
Letter from the 35th sOw..--.Ttsid ases-
! esis,tiOn Of the Fighting. .~|-
tt'rola our own correspondent

~
Mr.. EDITOR The battle, which was
so glorious a success to our arms yester-
| day, opened this morning with increased
vigor, and the result Of to-day's work
| completely eclipsed thas Of yesterday
The blow struck to-day will rejoice the
heart of every loyal man of the North ,
though it may cast shade OF mourning
over the homes of the 6 fallen braves"
After being defeated yesterday, Hood
fell back during the night about mile,
and erected new works on high range
of hills, which he thought he could hold,
as the position was very commanding
one. His lines We're contracted into the
space of little over a mile, his forces
massed and told to hold their ground or
" dc is: their tgdcEs." Our lines We're
formed in the following manner: A. J.
Smiths corps, the 10th, held the center,
Steedman's corps, the 4th, held the left,
and Schotieid's corps, the 23d, held the
right, and were in reserve. The cavalry
were thrown around ON the extreme
right to worry their hanks, and if posi-
BILE, get in their rear. Skirmishing COM
| menced along the lines about daylight.
The rebel picket line was driven back
to their works close enough to allow our
batteries to advance and open on them.
All the batteries along the line opened
with terrible effect. SO continuous was
| their fire, we could not begin to distin-
guish the shots apart. 1t was far more
terrible than~tha of Vicksburg. This
continued until about two o'clock, when
we were ordered to carry the first line of
their works. This order was responded
to by a deafening cheer, and forward
!" double quick' we went over their
works. The rebels fled back in a hurry
to their last and strongest position,
where the final and decisive struggle
was to take place.
Our boys were halted and our lines
| reformed for the final charge, which
was ordered at half-past three o'clock
Cheer after cheer rang along the line as
| forward the column moved. Here we
were met by a perfect shower of rebel
bullets, together with shot, schrapnel
and shell. They caused our men for a
moment to falter, but only to increase
their excitement to madness, and with
renewed yells they again pressed for
ward, sending volley after volley into
the now wavering rebel columns. Soon
the old flag was planted on the parapets,
and the boys in blue" climbed over
| The rebels broke in confusion. Those
who could not escape threw down their
arms and surrendered themselves in a
manner pleasing to witness, by putting
their hats and blankets on their guns as
flag of truce" e. i-
Five thousand prisoners are taken and
over forty pieces of artillery fall into
our hands. Hood, instead Of spending
Christmas in Nashville, is fleeing back
into Rebeldom. sa .fs,is, ~.
/ Night closed the drama, and again all
is still save the shrieks and grOans OF
the wounded. And as the pale moon
shines down on the bloody field, it
showsto the spectator the ravages Of war.
The Thirty Fifth, during the fight,
were in front, on Smith, left, under the
fire of two rebel batteries. But they
stood their ground firmly, and when
the order was given they charged a bat
terry and took it with loss of only two
men wounded. Thus they have safely
passed through one of the hardest
fought battles and greatest Union victo-
ries of the war.
| NE-f., LATER.
| Dec. 17th.-Hood is still fleeing. Our
forces are following. Squads of prison
ers are being sent to the rear all the time.
Yours, &C., "DIcK," 35th Iowa.
| STILL LATER.
from private letter from Albert Sibley to his
/ .-; mother.l ..f
FRANKLIN, Tenn, Dec. IS.
Charlie and went through