The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-12-25

U
I their IRE and seem striving TO make
good the loss Of the two FIRST redoubts
and hurl back our advancing. columns
Shot and the fragments of shell FL the
air. The roar Of artillery, ike Naga-
ra's, is incessant, and the flashes Of ex
ploding shells quickly follow each oth-
er like the vivid flashes of lightning
An officer Of another brigade says to
me, those guns are more snnoy ing TO
our lines than any other rebel battery.
The guns must be silenced and the re-
doubt captured without delay.
Col Hill saw that It could only be
carried by direct assault in front, aud
Immediately ordered q charge The
boys welcome the order with a battle
cheer--ix bayonets, and under a
terrific fire Of shok minnie balls and
bursting shells with uniform step and
steady columns, they descend gentle
slope cross q ravine, aud on the dou-
bic quick move, in front OF the enemy s
fire, up the hill 20 their works. Ser
geants Clark and Grannis, of the l2Uh
Iowa, IN advance OF the charging hne,
FIRST plant the regimental banner and
the national colOrs upon ths rebel bats
dement's The brave Col. Hill, mounted
on horseback and gaHantiy leading his
brigade TO the assault, fell from his
horse, shot through the head, Just as
his troops were carrying the breasJwOrks
Of me enemy. The men rushed fOc-
ward to avenge the death of their la
mented commander. The enemy had
hastily Hmbered up the guns of the
fort, Withdrawn them to q redOubt, dis
tart about 3U0 yards, and again opened
with grape, canister, aud musketry
upon our men just as they entered the
first redoubt Continuing 10 advance,
without orders, the brigade charged
across the HillsbOro Pike, in the face Of
another torrent Of FIRE, up 70 the second
redoubt, captured It's guns, caissons,
horses, one headQuarter and thirteen
baggage wagons and 250 prisoners. The
wings of the brigade in stOrming the
redOubts, had wheeled in towards the
central point Of attack, THIS creating
some confusion.
Lieut-CoL Sdbbs, Of the 18th Iowa,
mounting a captured artillery horse,
quickly reformed the brigade in line of
battle and dispatched Sergeant Major
Burch forward to inform Col Marshall,
OF the 7th Minnesota, of the death OF
col Hill Col Marshall, not stOpping
to look after captured property, nor
even to receive the sword, presented to
him by rebel officers, and Adjutant
Reed, Of the 18th Iowa, with about 100
men from each Of their regiments, had
not stopped in the second redOubt but
pressed on after the flying fugitiveStO
a third redOubt in front Of the right OF
the 4th corps. Adjutant Reed entered
it from the rear with with a few men OF
the 7Jh and l2Jh, just as those Of the
4Jh come over It's works In front
At this point, Col Marshall first re-
ceiyed information of Col Hills death.
The command Of the brigade now de-
volVed on him, and the command OF the
7ih Minnesota upon the veteran Lieut.
Col Bradley
Col. Marshall returned 20 The brig
ade, obiiqued II 70 the rght and the
I'd division of Smith corps formed be-
tween MarshalIs brigade and the 4Jh
corps Gradually the sound Of artille-
~ died away on the left where Steed-
man and Wood had done good work,
an account of which has already been
published. Hence [ have not attempt
ed to narFate their deeds Of valor, nor
those of the cavalry on the extreme
right, which have also appeared IN
PRINT Camp fires are lighted and the
wearied warriors sleep upon their arms,
iu double line of battle, waiting Tor
the morning to renew their carnival OF
death
FRlDAY, DEC l6-The situation was
as follows: Smiths corps formed our
right, covering the Granny White Pike.
In his rear was Schoield's corps pre-
pared to move by Smiths corps and
attack the enemy in flank on his lsfs
Woods corps extended from the left
Of Smiths TO the Franklin Pike, and
Steedmau's across the MurfreesbOrO
Pike. Hatch's and Knipe's divisions
of cavalry had succeeded in passing
through the gaps on the HHlsborO Pike
preparatory 70 attacking the enemy in
his rear behind the Granny White Hills,
and if possible cutting of his retreat
During the night Hood had greatly
strengthened his position by contract
ing his lines and throwing up new
works. Lees corps formed his right,
Stewarts his centre and Cheathams
his lett. His left and centre occupied
the range Of high, steep and cone like
hills, many Of which are natural bss-
tlOus At four IN the morning our
troops commenced moving These evo-
lutious took Schofeld's corps out on
the HillsbOro Pike and into a position
70 attack the rebel left under Cheat.
ham; brought A. j. Smiths corps in
front of the rebel centre under Stew
art, and Steedman's corps against the
rebel right under Lee. The morning
opened clear and quiet At eight o
clock artillery gradually opened along
the lines Smiths corps gradually
10 the right, bringing McArth-
ars division within easy musket range
of the rebel Centre-the most advanced
portion Of their lines. About ten o.
clock this division formed a double |
line Of battle, McMillen's brigade on
the right and resting near the base of |
one OF the highest Of the cOnical hills (
Hu uobards 8 brigade in the centre and |
Marshalps brigade on the left, his right |
resting on the Granny White Pike, the /
18th Iowa and 9Th Minnesota in the front /
and the 33d Missouri and 3jth Iowa in I
the rear line Of battle From this time /
till afternoon a sharp fire Of mussetry
and artillery from different batteries
vas kept up along this line, while Scho-
field vas slowly getting into position
10 fall upon the rebel left Finally at
.hree O'Clock, Hatch charged the enc
ny's rear behind the hills, Schofeld
lis left Aank aud Smith MS centre.
rhe charges Of Hatcn and Schoheid
we're both vigorous, brilliant and sue
,essfaL
But when MoArthurs division Of
smiths corps moved against the ad
,afced and powerful Zines Of the enc
ny's centre, the artillery Vollied it,
huudsr5olts Of death and the musket-
" poured an avalanche Of leaden hail
nto our double lines Of battle Amidst
he thander Of batteries which shook
he earth for miles around aud the tre.
nendous roar Of musketry, such as
he veterans Of our hottest battles had
ieFer heard before, these three devoted
,rigades moved into the Jaws Of death;
ntO the mouth Of he'll 1t does
Gem that the division must recoil re-
rsat or sink 70 the earth beneath the
weight Of metal shot through is ranks
No, their columns neither fall back,
lor wager, nor 90 down, but on, on they