Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-12-19
BATTLE BEFORE NASHVILLE


NAsHFEgLE, Dec. ID.--Ihe army com
rnenced moving At daybreak to-day
with Stesdmsns corps on our left, the
an corps next, and shen A. J. Smiths /
corpz The cavalry force moved to the /
right, and the 25d corps was held in re-
serve.
Very little, except accommodating, was |
done till after meridian. bat a. half past |
twelse the order 20 advance was given, I
and the whole column moved onward
The rebels evidently exPeotsd thst
Thomas would attenpt 70 turn thstr /
right flank-alI Indications woald pre-
suppose ihis-and they bad offered M
merods indacenents FOR us to do 50,
/ aud bad carefully prepared their SORTS
10 receive our forces Il they sh0uid 81
tack them IN that quarter To keep up
the deception, Steedmeu eommeuced
rkirtnishiaK heavily On our left, and IA
I our force moved IN abe direction Of the
1 point Threatened, aud Ehila they were
m assing troops on their right, We were
concentrating THE f6th Add 23d corps
and General Wilson's cavalry on oar
right
I The results were that when the huRlss
| aoanded 40 advance, our right wing I'd.
vanced rapidly between the rebel left
and the Cumberland river, eomplsssly
doubling ap the rebel division which
the rebels bad posted 70 blockade she
/ river
A battery vas taken by our forces and
sent TO the rear.
The rebels bad By this time perceived
that our attack 90 their right was a
seint Hood soon attempted 10 atone
for his sirst faaz pas but twas too late.
Our right bad established themselves %
the main bank, and we're steadily sd-
vancing.
The whole Esd corps had taken posi-
ton on the extreme right aud ADD
Smith seorps was executing bali Wheel.
driving the columns Of rebels before
them eSsily aud rapidly The bill vas
taken with little loss The rebels pre-.
scented strong front, and our progress
was for the moment checked, atld q vas
nov visible that the contest vas. about
to commence IN another direction
Our left was made 70 march; our right
, 10 get into position and strengthen them
!. selves, so as 10 Ae ready for charge
Ia front Of the 4th corps, aud shoHt one
mile beyond Ackiin, the rebels had q
strong line Of works, defended By heavy
lines Of skumishcrs, aud Gen. Wood or.
dered a charge upon it. The word for
war;" was shouted BY brigade, division
0 and regiment commanders, and With
: pronptness and decision the men lssped
ovsr The hreastwarka and advanced. Ia
less tban twenty minutes our forces had
E possession of the rebel works, and the
Z banners Of the 4th corps we're planted
/ on them.
Our men, flushed with victory, With
ont orders pushed forward, and had near
ly reached the second line of rebe
= works, when they we're only recalled b
/ the most strenuous exertioDs, ard has
captured sixty prisoners Shich, viii
those taken II the rebel entrenehmsnts
amounted to over loo The second En'
Of rebel intrenehments were nov in sight
: located on q. range Of hills, one milk
= from the skirmish line, and had beer
) hnilt with great skill Some time elapseS
ere our men got into position. Our eas
airy had advanced, meanwhile, until Il
right rested on the hills SIX miles beyont
Nashville sd
: Moving from the river il had room Il
e maneavTe without officially. Instead 0
facing to the west it nov faced Direct,
!, south; the two corps OF Ssho6ela An,
Smith we're IN position directly parable
on the left. Skirmishers all along ID
lines having been sdvsucsd TO HiIis5orl
pike. sheltering themselves behind fence
. on the north side. while the Ash corp
? vas formed at right angles in iropt Q
: the division lying directly across Hills
> boro pike, the remainder being 20 ID
= left of thai Wile these movemeae
were going on, and orr lines were beinj
= formed, batteries placed, &e, the rebel
could be distinctly seen moving to Il
Ief, flank, toward HilIsbOss pike, ~ith
a view1to pEeSeut oar tErning their lei
= Esnk. As far as eoald be ascsrtaized =
observation, their entire reserve va
!, thrown in front of oGr right and centre
i Tnthe meantime our commanders seq
:. reiuforeements eqpally strong to ca
/. posts menacsd BY the rebels, . confrOu
y them --s.--s y.
4 At half-past three all vas ready "a
4. The charge on the second Ene OF re5e
4, works The position was strong one
r 20 reach which cur forces bad 70 ascsns
bills TO an elevation Of fifteen degree
. without any protection Our lines yer
= four colamns deep, with ample reserves
- Our forces wsre masse3 against the reb
Ell lines, and the veteran columns yer
= hurled against the rebels With irresisd
= Ole force, and at ten minutes before nv
: IN, the charge Commenced 7n9
, The Ist and ID divisions OF the ri
corps, we're massed to the vest, aud III
50 division at right angles with Il, NOV
: sng- soatk,I Or the right Essths corp
q Of A5Js Smith- The Iss Aad 2nd Divi
{. sions, had she hardest task to psEforga
= eslEs ia nSrs EXPOSED position. an