Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-11-16


around the neigh bOrhoOd, and the
fleeing men would leap with renewed
activity, as if heaven and earth were
clapping together and they were de-
termiDed not 10 witness it. While the
charge was at its full height, Col.
Thorn burgh became so excited that he
jun ped up at full length on the top OF
the house ,seiZy d theguu from the hands
of the sentinel stationed there and fired
at the TetreatiDg enemy, then turned
and ordered me to send up company
OF cavalry with which he would make
a counter>charge from the front and
draw the fire from tie men exposed
below.
Col. Thornburgh and Col. Pfosser
| both dashed out Of the gates with
these men, made a circle under per-
feet shower Of leaden balls and re-
turned. Sergeant James McFan, Of
the Second Cavalry, was instantly
| killed.
The next struggle, which followed
soon after, Was even more exciting,
while but few were really injured
The rebel battery which Cap. Beach
had fought and injured so badly, had
again rallied, and was ready tor an
attack on cur gunboats. One Of the
| lhGICA CGLlS w " Ii IilC llNCis DIG W as
armed with some short brass guns on
either side, while she had two steel
Parrot guns in trout. For precision
in aim the officers seemed to rely on
the latter. The rebel guns opened on
| her, sending a shot through the wheel
house, bat fortunately not crippling
her to any great extent. she returned
the fire from the eide guns as she ran
| down with great rapidity past the
rebel battery. At the same time Lieut..
J Murphy, of Beach's battery, again
! opened on the rebels from their old
position, just across the river. Pass
| ing under the hottest of this fire, the
| gunboat would turn around, front to
| The rebels, and fire with tie Parrots,
! then again turn in the river going
| down stream until the Parrots were
| loaded, then again wheel and fire. Ii
was grand 10 witness and exciting be
yOnd description, being triangular
| artillery engagement, over and across
the water. Tht guns in the boat were
aimed too high and many of
their shells exploded in the air.
General Granger, who had some
thing of a feminine voice, be-
came very much excited, ran down to
the waters edge and cried out, Lower
your pieces ~ just as il he could be
heard at the distance and in the roar
of the artillery, much to the anuse-
| ment OF many of cur men.
The GeXt was the bloodi8st and
| tiercest assault Of sill. Just in rear Of
the rebel battery, there was mound,
such as are generally called Indian
mounds. la support of their artillery
;hey mad dug trench from near the
hag. II ,eF h. 4 ii
Tectiy over this mound in which
command of infantry was placed.
The l4th United States COlOred In~
fantry was sent to charge on and cap
tuTe if possible the rebel guns, and ii
they could not be saved to spike them.
Unlike tbs 18th Michigan, they had to
approach Ia the open field. They
passed out III column, and when in
proper distance formed line Of bat
lie, advanced cautiously until within
rifle range, when they gave and re
celved VOiley, then with fixed bayo.
nets and a wild slogan they charged
Ii was the last charge for many OF
them. The COnf0der&tes saw they
were negroes, and would neither run
or surrender, bat laid i'll that ditch |
until the 14th charged right up on
them and bayOneJed them in the |
ditch. AT length they were compelled |
to give way, but only for moment |
until TeinfOrcement5 came to |
their aid, when they turned |
about and renewed the conflict, |
The l4Jh succeeded in s9iking |
their guns, then falling back under |
the bank Of the river along the |
waters edge. The rebels charged up
along the edge of The bank right over
I ln l,,If "a /
into them, killing and wounding q
great many. This whole affair did
not last over fifteen minutes, and yet
the IA b Loaf about eighty men, and |
not che of them captured. Yhey
brought few prisoners in with them.
L was on the ground the next day,
and that ditch across the mound was
literally dT6ucbed with blood, while
around the place where Capt Beach
had blown up their caiss0ns, pieces of
bones AID flesh from the siza Of ones
hand down TO the iuffnitesmal were
scattered over the ground. A hat Law
near burned almost to crisp, while
the inside was filled with brains,
blood and hair. the body Of one of
their men was found near The waters
edge, some fifteen feet from the
cals8ons, his clothes were so burned |
tnab the DraSS buttons could be pulled |
Oft his coat without trouble. IL had
been terrible destTuc ion of life, both
from Beach's combat early in the
morning, and The charge Of the Four
teenth.
That night passed away COM
paralively quiet. On the morn
log of the 18Th of October, being the
fourth day Of the fight, the
hict was renewed with vigor, aud con
ttnued until about 10 O'clock, when
the rebels Withdrew in the direction
of CORTLAND. They passed on and
crossed the river at Florence, then
in the direction Of Nashville,
and at Franklin met General Thomas.
1t always appeared to me that the at
tack on Decatur, and falling to take
the place, was one Of General Hoods
many mistakes. The first day of the
tight We were weak, and had Hoods
forces charged our WORKS, they would
certainly nave lost some men. but
they could have carried the place, and
We were not strong enough TO prevent
it. Then they would have had our
pOntO0ns already laid across the river,
and been al Franklin four days sooner,
while General Thomas would have
Oeen four days less prepared to meet
hem. But | am thankful the result
Vas as it was, except in regard to the
oss of life.
Order Of the Golden Cross.
LOWELL, Mass, Nov. 13.-The 6