St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-02-04
FROM THE FOURTH MINNESOra
REGIMENT. -

REGIMENT. -. 80 :"
From private sources ,<we atc able to
gather some Observation-Disclosures con-
corning this regiment, its ". .ercabouts
and deings. An officer Of the regiment
| writes from Bridgeport, Ala giving d
better account of the action of the
Fourth in the last great battle, than we
have seen elsewhere - .s'-' '..
Grants style Of Campa;gning.-Sl;m for
oge.-Recorde Of the Fourth.--Hs part IN
the battle Of CMekamuaga.-Su Successful ex-
: pedition undcr Lieut.. Col. Tourteliotls-
! The Foxrth ,,t re-enlisting.-Serious Illness Of
~ do not yet know where we shall pass
the winter. We have been in camp here
some two weenss, irecupera,ing from the
effects of our very long and hard march:
The men were sadly in need of clothes and
men and animals were for some days Who'll
ly without provisions, Grant does not
wait for clothes er, provisions, after he
starts on caInpaign. For 1--WE days, our
mules had almost nothing to eat except the
dry leavcs and the twigs of trees in the
woods. For two days fed my saddle
horses ON hard bread from our mess. But
for all our hard fare, do not think that
any one is sorry We came here. You know
wrote You from Memphis very differently.
Well, so I then felt, ,'but the credit of hav.
ing participated in one of the most elori-
Gus battles of this war, has overpaid US.
We have another name, by right, to be in
scrlbed on our old flag. We have again
Teen successful in arms. do think this
regiment has been remarkably fortunate.
lt.has been III quite a number Of pitched
battles; and in many skirnishes, and we
have never yet had the unpleasant feeling
of having been obliged 10 turn our backs
to tho enemy ID. AZ. ;,->h .'..
"You ask me abo;.t our last battle. I'll
tell you what Isaw Of the fight: IN the
first place, saw nearly a1l ;ocif it. On the
r2sd rh.;' standing on hi sh bluff, Crane
hili, saw long. line of troops advance
from Chattanooga-Thomas' army-toward
Missionary Ridge. They We're two miles
away, But could see them clearly and
it was just aoIgsAhd a sight sSs'a Is : han will
see il Ills whole lifetime could not see
the rebels, they were in the woods and in
their WORKS. Thomas got about half way
to the ridge that night Tie next day
(24th) he did nothing in his front. At
midnight of the oath, Sherman's old corps
crossed the Tennessee river, to the Chata-
nooga side, some two or three miles up the
river from thsposition held BY yhemas.-
We crossed quietly; nothing Vas heard cx-
cePt the sound of the oars; captured the
|'iebel grand guards without shot, and en-
lreriched o. rselves. While the troops, were
entrenchlns, our regiment :,7aas deplox.d sn
front to protect our division. We:e1psc.-
ed bloody opposition to our landing, but
we met none. The enemy did not know
of our position till after Light.
"Afternoon,, everything being ready; we
started forwards. Our division was order
ed to take; apd hold Middle Hip of Mis-
>sionary Ridge. Our regiment advanced
straight at it and,up IT, The boys felt iw1eell,
end. would have moved part of the hill if
1t t*had been necessary. The rebels were in
position on the crest. They marched, or
rather climbed, for the hill was very high
and steep, up just as regularly and steadi-
ly and promptly, as could have been asked
them. .Everybody-therc were. thousands
III sight, looking on-expected to see the
enemy just dash out and oyerwhelm US,
just swallow up our poor little regim ent,
toiling and firing up the hill. But for some
reason, they fell back before US and left
the 'Old 4th' sole possessors of the hill our
division was ordered to take. But we did
not think Of our orders, and can assure
YOU, nc. one has thought of blaming us for
it, and followedthe rebels down the other
ridge, through hollow to another hill,
when we met the enemy in position and in
force, and where, perhaps fortunately for
u.s.. we received orders to halt. We. re.
mained there, skirmishing till dark, When
we were relieved.
''The merit of the matter was its success,
as you will observe VIXEN tell you that We
had only one man severely wounded, since
died. Several men hit, but in no way
worthy Of mention. This was quite singu-
lar under SO long, and steady firing even
in skirmishing. The rebels continually
fred over us. .... .z....4# ~r5' e&' - -.
1.-THE next aaay;, ally; DIR brigade was, held as
a reserve and was not engaged and /, sat
on hill, and saw the fight for Tunnel HILL
!. could gee the moving, changing and ma
noevering, Of both armies. It was splen-
did spectacle, such as probably shall new
er see again. The rebels fell back and we
followed. We pursued them two days
when our division marched back to Chat
anooga." 55.s 5.fg .i,fsrgs.,f. ... = =. .r
The regiment has<since moved to
Huntsville, Ala, seventy miles from its
former location, and will probably win
tel: there. Lieut.. Col. Tourtellotte, in
command Of ,the regiment, in private
letter to, COL; Thomas speaks Of it as
zone Of the pretsiest places be has
! ), e.