The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-12-24
Gen. ThOma Great, Bsttie %
Friday.

Gen. Thomas Great, Battle -
! Friday.
| CINcINNArr, Dec. I9.--The Gazette pup,
fishes vivid description of the ba'tie o.
| the 18th:
There was dense fog at an early hour.
but this soon cleared away, and at . CioCA
we were able to determine the enemy
position. During the night Of the lotn
l Hood withdrew both his wings from tns
river, contracted his lines everywhere, an0
was holding . strong position along tne
Granny White Hills, his centre protecte0
BY two lines of entrenchments. Our OWL
troops were disposed in the following or.
der: on Wilson's right, Schoheld's 20
Corps, consisting Of Couch's and Cox's d.
visions, ut first held in reserve, but before
the main battle opened had taken posi-
ton ON the left Of the cavalry thus FORM
ing the right of our infantry line: a. >.
Smiths 10th Corps. consisting OF the divi-
sions of Macarthur, Garrard and Moore,
came next. On the LETT Of the 4th Corps,
ktmbalL. Elliott and Sam Beattie, was
formed in close order Of battle and par
TALLY massed. Steadman with Croft's Oh
vision and two brigades Of coiored troops
held the extreme left.
Our plan Of battle was q continuation OF
that OF the 18th in pressing the advantage
gained on the enemy's left. At about half
past s O'Clock our batteries opened from q
hundred pieces simultaneously along the
entire lines. The rebel artillery replied
feebiy. Schotield marching down the
GIanny White pike, carefully concealing
lis strength, placed his corps directly upon.
the enemy's left flank. Steadman at the
same time worked his way forward. The
enemy Ia the meantime strengthened his
advanced line. This determined Wood to
carry this line without delay. In splendid
order Kimball's first division moved for
ward to charge, firing v0lley after vOlley
as they rushed toward the rebel works. A
whitening Hire of musketry aud canister
made them waver more than once, but
still they pressed on until within half pis-
tol shot, when the eoemy's fire became so
deadly that our men in order to return It
more edectually came 10 halt, longer
perhaps than any troops ever remained in
such position. They stood and fired fast
and furiously at the enemy, but they could
not remain there and live. A few gave
way and fed in disorder, the whole line
staggered, and had the rebels done moth
ing more than keep up their deadly fire,
We should have been driven back, bur they
made movement to shift their artillery,
which our men took as an indication that
they were about to abandon theirlline and
retire. Raising loud shout, the division
with fixed bayonets rushed impetuously
forward and swarming over the works,
captured such rebels as had not fed. They
had time to get away two guys, but the
rest fell into cur hands.
As soon as this preliminary success WIS
achieved, Gen. Thomas, who was seen dur
ing the day in the very front line of battle,
ordered q charge along the entire line
Schofeld moved upon the left flank Of the
enemy, and before his veterans, the reb-
els gave way like frost work. The as
sailed hank crumbled TO pieces as Scho-
field advanced, and was rolled back UPON
that portion Of the line which JUST now " as
attacked by General A. J. Smiths troops,
with . weight and energy that nothing
could withstand. McMillen's brigade was
day rushed right up in the very teeth of
the powerful batteries and carried them at
the point OF the bayone:. In few mo.
ments their works were everywhere carri-
cd, their forces utterly routed, their SOL
diers captured by thousands and every
piece of their artillery in our hands. Such
as escaped death or capture fled towards
the Franklin pike and took refuge behind
$. D. Lees corps which held the gap Ia the
bills.
Wood and Steadnlan on the lef. had now
united and prepared to assault the rebel
right, which was still unbroken. Under
cover Of q tremendous fire froM our guns. |
Col. Posts brigade moved forward. Col. |
Straight's brigade, Of Beattie's division, !
formed on his left, in support immediate.
" on Posts left Thompson's colored brig
AIDE was drawn up, and Morgan's co.ored |
brigade was next on the left. a7
The enemy reserved their fire until Post |
brigade commenced to climb the hill, when !
2 perfect hurricane of shot. shell and cam |
sster tore through his ranks. In the face Of
this tire our men steadily advanced, the |
colored troops vieing with tie whites in |
the persistent energy with which they |
forced their way up the bill.
ThoMpsOn'S men, in endeayorinR to pass |
around 70 the lett, met a terrible flank fire |
which confused their ranks.
The troops on the right, torn in pieces by |
this iuncture the brave Col. Post was NOR |
tally wounded. In a moment ali order was |
lost, and our men, whose conduct had i'm
them, rushed back, bleeding, to |
the line fron:whsnce they started.
Wood soon reformed his broken battai- |
lion and Issued orders for a renewal Of the |
assault, while Post sveteransagain assailed |
cans moved on the rebel right. Elliotts |
and kirnbails Divisions were buried like |
a thunGeybOlt against the rebel left. Wood /
himself, accompanied by all his staff, fol |
lowed and directed the charge. The rebel |
fire blazed forth anew, but our soldiers |
without Hesitation or pause carried the en-
tire works with all their guns. and drove |
the rebels in dismay from the field. This |
was the last stand the rebels made, aud
their whole army was now fleeing in rout t
and panic. Had not night interviewed, the |
army would have been destroyed.
The appearance OF the battle-tielC was |
horrible III the extreme. The rain was
failing rapidly and the ground was thickly |
covered with dead and dying. while camp |
eGuirage trodden in the mud was mingled |
with scattered y heels and fragments or ex- |
piGded ca;ssons.
The correspondent says: ! pushed for
wsra to the slope Of the bill. It was almost |
dark. The rain was pouring steadily down |
ard standing there amidst the dead and |
dying, l caught the last giimpses Of our |
lines Of battle and heard the last triumph |
ant shouts of our soldiers as even through \