The National tribune., 1881-09-03

away. Along the centre all was still Our men
Law, as they had lain since Tuesday night, notion
less behind the works Generals Grant, Thomas,
Granger. Meigs, Hunter Reynolds, were grouped
at Orchard Knob, here; Bragg, Breckenridge,
Hardee. Stevens, Cleburn, Bates, Walker, were
waiting on Mission Ridge, yonder. And Sher-
mans Northern clock tolled on! At noon, a pair
of steamers, screaming in the river across the
town, telling over in their own mild way, our
mountain triumph on the right, strangely
PIERCED THE HUsHED BREATH OF AIR
between the two lines of battle with a note or
two of the music of peaceful life.
At one o'clock the signal-fag at Fort Wood
was a-fiutter. Scanning the horizon, another flag
glancng like lady's handkerchief, showed white
across a field lying high and dry upon the ridge
three miles to the northeast and answered back
The centre and Shermans corps had spoken. AS
the hour went by, all semblance to falling tree
and tollng clock had vanished; it was rattling
rOar-the ring of Sherman's iron knuckles knock
ing at the northern door of Mission Ridge for
entrance. Moving nearer the river, | could see
the breath OF Sherman,s painting artillery and
the fiery gust of the enemys guns on Tunnel
Hill, the point of Mission Ridge. They had
massed there the corps Of Hardee and Buckner
as upon a battlement. utterly inaccessible save
by one steep, narrow way, commanded by their
guns. 4 thousand men could hold it against a
host. And right in front of this bold abutment
of the Ridge is that broad clear field skirted by
woods Across this tremendous threshold up to
deaths door moved Sherman's column Twice it
advanced, and twice saw it swept back in bleed
ing lines before the flrnace-blast until that
russet field seemed some strange page ruled thick
with blue and red. Bright valor was in vain;
they lacked the ground to stand on: they wanted.
like the giant of old story, touch of earth to
make them strong. 1t was the devils own
ner. Before them lane whose upper end
the Rebel cannon swallowed. Moving by the
right flank or the left flank, nature opposed them
with preclpitOus heights. There was nothing for
it but straight across the field swept by an emf
lading fire, and up to the lane down which drove
the storm. They could unfold no broad front
and SO the losses were less than seven hundred,
that must otherwise have swelIed to thousands.
The musketry fire was delivered with terrible
emphasis: two dwellings, in one of which Fed
eral wounded were lying. set Oh fire by the
enemy, began TO send up tall columns Of smoke,
streaked red with flame:
THE GRAND AND THE TERRIBLE WERE BLENDED.
If Sherman did not roll the enemy along the
Ridge like carpet. least he rendered splendid
service for he held Il huge gan%lion Of the foe as
firmly on their right as if he had them in the
vice of the Lame Lemnian" "ho forged the
General Cor>e'S. Colonel ,jones's,
and Colonel Loomiss brigades led the way and
were drenched with blood Here Colonel OAIeara.
OF the Ninetieth Illinois fell: here its Lieutenant
Colonel. Stuart. received a fearful wound: here
its brave Young captains knelt at the crimson
shrine. and never rose from wOTshipping: here
one hundred and sixty of its three hundred and
seventy heroes were beaten with the bloody rain.
The brigadeS Of Generals Matthias and Smith
came gallantly up to the work Fairly blown
out OF the enemy's guns. and scCrched with flame,
they were swept down the hill only to stand fast
for new assault. Let no man dare to say they
did not acquit themselves well and nobly To
living and dead in the commands Of Sherman
and Howard who struck blow that day--out of
my heart | utter it-hail and farewell. And as
think it all over. glancng again along that
grand heroic line of the Federal Epic, commit
the story with chidIike faith to History. sure
that when she gives her clear calm record of that
days famous work standing like Ruth among
the reapers in the field that fed the world she
will declare the grandest staple OF the Northwest
is MAN,
The brief November afternoon half gone:
it was vet laundering on the left: along the
centre all was still At that very hour, Whitaker
and Grose. under the immediate command of
General Crutt. were making 4 fierce assault upon
the enemy'S left near Rossviile, four miles down
towards the old field OF Chicamauga. They car
red the Ridge-AIission Ridge seems every
where: they streWed its summit with the dead:
they held it. the Fitty-firSt Ohio Lieutenant
Colonel Wood, playing part OF which the Old
Guard in the little Corsicans palmy days might
well be proud. And thus the tips Of the Federal
Army's widespread wings tapped grandly. But
it had not sw0oped the gray quarry yet perched
upon Mission Ridge: the hostile army was
terribly battered at the edges but there fall in
front it grimly waited. bidng out its time. If
the horns OF the crescent could not be doubled
or !shn@ly together i'll shapeless mass possibly
il might be Sundered at its centre and tumbled
in fragments over the other side OF Mission Ridge
Sherman was hammering upon the left; Hooker
was holding hard in Chattanooga Valley; the
Fourth Corps, that rounded out our centre grew
impatient of restraint; the day waning; but
little time remained 10 complete the commanding
generals grand design: his hour had come:
HIS WORK WAS Full. BEFORE HIM.
And what work that was to make weak