The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-17

trade as ROsecrans. VT -
Knowing then at once where we
were the weakest, Bragg proceeded to
make himself the strongest. Accord
ingly leaving breckenridge division
to hold his works in our front, he
massed the balance of his army, in
Guiding artillery, on our right. Lieut..
COL Jones satisfying himself of~thez
true state of the case,. reported the
facts to Gen. johnson, who sent q
staff officer to McCook's headquarters
to notify him Of what was going on in
his front. McCook, who was always,
prompt to act when duty required it,
either went, or sent, a staff officer to
report the facts to Rosecrans. .~s
This report reached Rosecrans about
twelve o'clock at night and instead of
changing his entire line at once, or at
least reinforcing the right by Thomas
command, he did nothing but quietly
await the coming of the morning and
the dreadful onslaught Bragg had in
store for our right flank l. K ~ ;
At few moments before 6 o'clock
the attack was made against Johnson's
two brigades. What could they do
against such heavy odds! Bravely
did these men fight, but by force of
numbers they were compelled to fall
back, exposed to deadly fire which
caused many gallant men to bite the
dust. ~ ! ty&:%I. & 1 =
This was the time for our left to
have gone into Murfreesboro, but the
battle on our right had been so heavy
that Rosecrans probably thought it un-
wise to attempt to carry out his pre-
vious orders. The broken right fell
back and reformed near the Nashville
pike and halted the onward rush of
the rebels. Bragg at this stage of the
battle reinforced his right, intending to
attack Crittenden.
Every one at all acquainted with the
operations of this army will remem-
the great achievement of Rosecrans in
concentrating the fire of his entire ar
tillery upon Bragg's reinforced right
The history of this terrible artillery
fire is simply this :-Crittenden from
an eminence observed the rebel right
advancing and when it came within
artillery range, he turned to his chief
of artillery, Capt. John Mendenhal Of
the regular army, and said, by
heavens, Mendenhall, here is a good
place for your artillery Quick as
thought the gallant Mendenhall was
off and within few moments he had
his brazen-throated dogs of war belch-
ing forth fire, shot and shell upon
Bragg's advancing columns. This was
one of the most terrific artillery fires
of the war, and the press Of the coun-
try gave Rosecrans great credit for it,
but it is due to the truthfulness of his
tory to state that it was conceived by
Crittenden and carried into effect by
Mendenhall, both as modest as they
are brave, and each too modest to ever
claim the credit to which they were
entitled.
On the 4th of January Bragg evac-
uated Murfreesboro and the Union
army took possession. It was in this
battle that the army of the Cumber-
land first baptized it's name in blood.
Who that was there during that strug-
gle shall ever forget it! We were in
the midst of population more hostile
and unrelenting than that which sur
rounded Xenophon in his famed march
from the disastrous plains of Cunaxa.
or the Swedish Charles, when his
hitherto invincible legions were shat
tered by the Muscovite at Pultowa.
We fought a skillful and determined
enemy upon the field of his own choice
and, after desperate struggle, defeat
ed him, whilst he was yet flushed with
the excitement Of his supposed sue
cess and wrenched the garlands of vic.
tory, as it appeared, almost from the
very hands of fate itself. Who shall
ever tell the secrets of those cedar
Businesses, or unveil the tender threads
upon which the fortunes of that DIES.
! perate field revolved?
What is that merging from the
Cedars? It is q piece of artillery
drawn by hand. The horses have been
lost and Col. W. w. Berry, Capt. Hus
ton and a few others, unwilling that il
should fall into the hands of the
enemy, have fought their way through
the cedars and have brought the can
non with them. Berry belongs to the
Louisville Legion. "
There is always a spot in my hear
that warns up at the recollection Of
the gallantry and devotion Of tina
regiment. It is the sincere wish ant
desire of my heart that war and all it
train of dread concOmitants, may neve
again disturb the quietude and pros
perity of this land of ours, but SHOULD
stern justice or memorable need cal
again upon the loyal sons Of America
may it be my honor and privilege t
have under my command the gloriou
''Legion,' with Berry as it's Colonel.
l One of the duties of the organist Q
+ a church on the South side is to strik