Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-08-01

1t was Fhortly after II, noon, when in
accordance with General Thomas de-
sign of closing up the gap / have spoken
OF, General Newton's division prepared
to advance from the bank OF the creek,
in order to relieve Hazen's brigade Of
Woods division, (which had been thrown
over previously and allow it to move off
to the left, as we'll as to take up posi-
ton, which, By materially shortening our
line, would tend still further to close up
/ the interval between Newton and Wood.
A strong skirmish line was sent out to
feel for the enemy who had rife pits in
advance of their principal works Col
Barrett, 44th Illinois, was put in COM
mand of the skirmishers, who comprised
six regiments, four from Brig Gen. Kim
balls brigade, and two from Col. Blake's
The latter officer is at present in COM
mand of General Wagner's brigade
The whole line advancing with rapidity
and enthusiasm, drove the rebels from
their rifle pits, and captured several,
with the loss of only two men. This
brought them within $50 yards of the
main rebel works.
Our line Of battle quickly followed up
this advance, and KimbalI and Blake
Immediately took up position on the
ridge. The men had merely halted, as
they (and their brigade commanders)
supposed for the purpose of eating their
humble dinner, and expected to move
on Immediately after swallowing the
same. But tue old war horse NAT Kim
ball, as his men familiarly call him,
was not to be caught mapping; and be-
/ fore his soldiers had broken a piece of
hard tack or drank drop of coffee, be
ordered them to commence constructing
line of barrieades. No order is more
cheerfully obeyed by our soldiers when
in the presence Of the enemy, than this
Their experience in meeting so often the
desperate onsets Of the rebel Iegions, has
taken away all the aversion to fortifying
which they manifested at the beginning
of the war In the majority Of cases
/ they are ready to construct bnlwarks
without any command from their officers
7 10 the present instance, although many
Of them thought tbe labor would be
thrown away, they acted with alscrity
| upon the first word or rather hint, from
/ 1NHs RAtbbAiAf AAAf dN kAH HHEHk saVHEr
qnently proved, saved thereby hundreds
Of their own lives, and perhaps prevent
ed the rout Of their division. Col Blake,
never slow TO following any good exam
pie, did not hesitate an instant in this
case; aud the clatter Of logs and rails
thrown together, with the ringing Of
picks, spades and shoyels, resoanded all
along his front
The enemy made repeated efforts,
from noon to halfpast two, TO ascertain
the position Of our forces and there was
heavy skiFmishing along Woods and
Stanleys fronts, as well as along the
skirmish line, which, stretching across
the great gap, connected the left Of
Newton with the right Of Wood Then
there was temporary lull along the
whole line
IL was about half-past three when the
enemy skirmishers, advancing as il TO
reeonnoiter, gave notice that something
was impending Our line had halted
longer than was expected, and was just
upon the point Of resuming the advance,
when this appearance of the rebels de-
termiDed Newton 90 remain behind his
hastily constructed works on the hill,
and Hooker to march his troops ut once
from the low ground in front Of him, so
| that he might connect with Newton's
| right The order to advance was scarce.
| iy giren, when from the high ground
north of the stream, all of Hsokers bat
teries and part of Howard's, broke forth
in simultaneous peal of thunder The
| rebel legions were pouring forth from
the woods beyond the open fields at the
top of the ridge, and pressing forward,
rank behind rank, in startling and mag
| nifcent array, seemed resolved to crush
at one blow whatever raight oppose them.
| This spectacle the artiIlerists on the
elevated ground, north of the creek,
| could plainly see, but the infantry,
climbing up the hill, on the south, could
not. A moment later, and savage yell
upon the left, followed by the clang and
clatter of ten thousand muskets, an
nouneed that Newtons division had
been assailed by the foe On Newton's
front the enemy did not wait to push
forward skirmish line, but charged at
onee in line of battle, two and three
deep, Our sIirmshers in front of our
hastily cons rneted works, we're driven
in with the velocity Of whirlwind, and
and as they rushed back in disordered
haste, came near throwing into confusion
the extreme right of Newton, and for a
moment caused it TO give way
Meantime Brig. Gen. Geary's Division
of Hooker's Corps, which was consdera-
| bly, in advance of both Williams Divis-
ION on the right and Ward (Butterfeld's)
on the left, was struck By the rushing
storm and temporarily shattered. Both
his right and his center brigades were
pushed from their positions, after short
aud desperate resistance, and hurled
down the hill nearly to the banks of the
creek. Gen. Wards Division was still
advancing up the hill side, when the
wary old Kentuekian who at present
leads it, saw, as he then supposed, both
Geary on his right and Newton on his
left oyerthrowu. He was about to de-
taeh three or four regiments to their as
sistanee, when, to his astonishment, the
whole scene was changed as il BY magic.
Newtons line became firm as rock,
and, without another sign of wavering,
continued to pour into the rebels a steady,
uninterrupted, and deadly FIRE Even
the stragglers from his skirmish line
were rallied and did excellent service in
a manner | shall mention presently. At