, 1864-12-10

4 CHICAGO BOYS LETTER FROM A
GALLANT CHICAGO REGIMENT.
The 8Sth Ill. In the Battle Of Frank
lin---Thrilllug Description Of
the Fighting--The Stu
att0n,

lll---Thriflfug DESCRIPTION of
the EarhtinF..The Situ.
-. JEW
atAoA'
Especial Correspondence OF the Chicago Tribune ]
In TIE FHhD HKAR
NASHVILLE, Dec. 8 1851.
The newspaper reports Of the recent battle
Of Franklin are 80 various and conaictIne
there have haen ao many vretcbe, rort1.s,
stotemants ~ 49, oor-s,-a - 49, -. %u - -
oo,sr,,an =. ....s...auas 10 =! .uIs anu the
ee"aao'ce - OF thos patta1son' and IN tue absence
the affair is so indefinite and obscure, that I
thought would cndeayor to convey to VIM
q c,eorer s.t;r1s.a ~ ~ .t,, -, W -" y.
49, w. ~ A0.s al" conul
eone u'Hne ash' tnan your feaaefa can gain
from the doating rumors and reports, and at
the same time gladden. their hearts by recitfno
to You the honorable achievements ~ ~
Wi, ~. I.,a4.Nr ..
\, n .ne a!etoft y! tae successive eVacua-
uons OF Pulaskt and Columbia you are already
acquainted; will not, therefore. ston n
mention thcse evcant r. eov thot T., f ~
Ir31ne,,t ~ o~oont,on - ~ ~. saA' ~ ny poor
.rss N. .Ae cAeSus,on u .aese movements
WINS Hiost WrelcnedLy and hungliurly &C.
complisaed. Two capital errors seemed al-
ways to prevail fatal hes,tnnrv and do7,.- T.,
Determining mon +ba oxoo,+Ia, - ' -
-. sAes"aA"a VI move
IAeute nun Tue natuse OF tnlnss already i'm
pelata7e, anu crude prectpitancy in their de-
vc]opment when, the period of actfon cor}d
not longer he mt off r. oo.ooa.. ~
+hasa tt;.a, a.. ~0"so4uouse u
.uese llnnss 1ne ~hole army OF Hood was
close upon our heels. on the morning Of the
18th nit. our division received orders to
guard our CORDS trains to snr1np Hill md
thcra to cncarnn for +ha ,,.ht "N'1+
Onr rr;aix1a ~, 49, Ell. ,
~ tSaae nelu tne ooFance, Tue SSH
ations, Ia consolidated the 74th illinois, com
posing the rear OF the column. m;1c
before reach,nr 9nr,no m, nowa osn,o 49, =
E~.s.. :, f -, as"o e31to eaaa
Gof1ese, VINO nao crossed LUCK River during
the night, was moving upon the town. In
stantly, and not moment too soon. we were
put on the double quick: Reaching town
across the fields from the right in most gal-
liant and confident style. Without. ha1tin9
or uaslingfDg knapsacks tho s8th WAS moved
out Of column BY the right flank, and de-
ployed as sktrmfshers In Forests front. We
pushed back the enemy steadily md surely,
nish line for the night Meanwhile be had
massed heavily on the right Of the division.
making series Of desperate charges in front
OF the Ind and srl brigades, which suffered
xsome Temporary disaster Night closed In
~soon afterwards, and tho fighting ceased,
the other divisions Of our corps and the 23rd
corps coming up, By2 O'Clock q, n. Of tho
3Oth Inc last wagon yas on the rond la
franklin by 4 O'Clock the armEwas in mo-
tion. and 1t s O'Clock This regiment. which
was again designated for the post OF honor,
was in position as skirmlshers 1for.2c rear oi
the army. Hoods cavalry followed ns prct.
" closely. getting round On our ilank when.
eyer fhe wooded ,hills United ont snfIl.
c;cnt,r c,osc ~ Tho rnod - enoh1o
thnm In rirc ma 1nI,ov Va ind snve1ai
sharn ,ouFs w;th ttcm 3ry,ng the @ mnrch hni
kent ken item at a resnectf;,1 disi ance IL Nom nm
raoabd on5 F1aa1,En h;ah nr;s a,r;s,nn y;
-. r. ~ @ar hna ,naaS "n t n;slo y,
" sGe - o. S1lps aaa eIseadI htlencnea. tna
~ anu sn pIlsa9es VI our a1Ylslon Mele posteu
LII " ,. mne ~ uaeanes ~ - tue Mofhs, W soI
" ~ e4inun t VI i WIZ ufaeIS " Re-
~ se ~ % n ~ ie Stens rab, ~ 'ue ap
T;! H n tSte.
OF tour hundred yards IN rear OF the Wofks tor
the purpose Of rest and rctreshment. Thus
matters STOOD until about halt past o'clock,
"heh inc "a and 80 brlsaoes, oelng hanked
nY !arEely superior n,o numbers, retired upon the
man hne IN conslaefaoIe hasto and disorder.
- 49, $500 WV -e4"A tsAAts ~
were set IN motion, and Whcn our outposts
1eaenen tue WORKS me rcbcls were CLOSE PC
hlnd them, anu al things were mixed up ike
con'as1on worse confounded. As our forces
ciatnheEcd over tue breastworks they commu.
1icatea panic 70 thas poTti"n o. tae 20
Co.ls Nn!cn occupied tnat part o1 Inc "orSs,
aug tnen oeSSa1 scene "n1cn oesegaTs al 9e'
scrlption. oach"afas, ID a1rlgateo stampede,
caI1e yhen ana aftlIlefy; tue rebet yeas OF
triumph rang IN our ears, and We all knew
that unless, on our part, there was instant
nsht1ns as i9T'ons ana desperate as last nope
could make 1t, nothing but trrctr1eyable dis
aster could possibly result: In the twinklinsg
oi m eye, therefore, our brigade Was 9nder
arms. There was no time to form brigade
front: NC charged by regiments. TIC consoll-
dated 8sth leading and clearing the way. Col.
Or horseback; ttsss was indeed no time to
life I neTer saw, IN al my readings never
Colonel Smith, at the head of the charging
column, cap in hand. dashing hither and
tMtaer, enoee IN the white heat Of the fray,
nefSlnE tne ofaFe, shamine tne co"af4. an
UNCONSCIOUS M nero IN every men OF him: L., f5es" rs
sn nls w. noIse s ,snoa, ptesdniy sne hi4 ~.
|n!xi me AujutanIs eseapc0 oenF nv:
Ta,ta, e1sI na cav nana ~ ~ lhnh nsn.ins ps'ore'
,: su.ss eoiPoia1 Ne"na1, o! company v.
% stEss teHam s MGs a1 w. ,Is a. ~
M saw rebel eolor.bsarer knocked flat with the