The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-07-25


ridge to ridge, thus leaving the greater
number in the open fields without pro-
lection of any sort
The general lay of the battle-ground
reminds one of that of Gaines Mill
Virginia. The ground is cut up with
creeks, dales, thickets, ridges, detached
bill and bits of swamp, and in moving
into position the Federals had to drag
some of their artillery by hand. There
has been no change of moment inthe
appearance of the ground, end as / rode
out upon the Camp Creek road there
were the rife pits and hreastworks and
forts, looking as If thrown up the day
before. All along both positions the
logs have rotted out of the hastily con,
structed breastworks, but one can folio v
them from river to river. The trees
show horrible scars, and there are hun
dreds of dead stumps OF sapllngs to fur,
ther attest the 6erceness of the artillery
j fire.
OPENING THE FIGHT.
At noon on the 14th. day of May tht
Army of the Ohio moved forward agains
Polk, striking into the woods at once
and finding the Confederate skirmisher.
within pistol shot. These we're slowl,
crowded back until the main line wa.
uncovered, and then the artillery opened
with such bitterness that portions of the
advancing line had to seek cover in tht
hollows. The Confederate line, on .
front of mile or more, was fully de.
veloped. Under cover of The wood:
Cox formed his three brigades for dast
upon the works in front Owing tosthe
nature of the ground his three batteries
we're of little use in tue forward move
ment They were turned loose for ter
minutes previous to the dash, hurting
shot and shell into the woods, but with,
out much damage to the well-covered
enemy
Perhaps one of the most curious in.
cidents OF wsr occurred at this moment
John N. ArLwrigbt,a Confederate sharp.
shooter, who died less than year ago
in Savannah, had stationed himself in a
tree on The north side of Carp Creek TO
get shot at some Federal officer One
OF the first shots fred by Cox's artillery
struck the tree about four feet below the
sharp-shooter. The tree, which was
about the size of telegraph pole, and
perhaps thirty feet high, was split square
open from the ground to where Art
wright sat-s distance OF twelve feet.
The man was thrown through the air for
thirty feet, and when he came down be
struck o skirmisher and so disabled him
that he was yet lying on the ground
when the Federals advanced. Artwright's
gun was caught in the split of the tree
and the barrel twisted oace around half
the trunk, and there it remained until
some relic-hunter came along after the
war and carried it away. The; sharp
shooter himself was able to limp INTO
the Confederate lines, hut bis left shoe
was gone, his belt missing, and one leg
of his trousers torn open TO the knee. A
dozen Coniederates witnessed the whole
TRANSACTION, and one OF them told me
that he was so occupied with the Incl
dent that the Federal skirmishers sent a
bullet through bis hat before be discov-
cred they we're pushing ahead.
CARRYING THE WORKS.
Once over the creek and the lines
straightened the Federal division ad-
yanced so last through the woods that
the skirmishers had to move on a run
to keep ahead. Some Confederate skir.
mshers who were down behind the rocks
and logs were walked over and captured
before they could under stand the situa
tion. The men were still advancing
when sudden crash OF musketiy and
artillery announced the location of Polk's
main lines The right and lett wings of
the division had crowded ahead of the
center, and we're at once checked and
pushed back by the FIRE. They had no
sooner rallied than Cox ordered rush,
and thousands of bIue-coats dashed
through the woods and over the cIearings
straight upon The breastworks. The de
fenses here. though hastily constructed, ),
were very strong the Confederate artil-
lery having complete cover and the in
fantry lying behind the bresstworks so
strong that artillery bad no effect upon
it. The works were well manned. and
for FIVE minutes the Confederates de-
Tended them with old-time desperation
The Federal lines pushed square up to
the breastworks and were not held there
above eight minutes before a Conieder-
ate regiment fell hack and left a gap
through which the Federal troops poured
and captured a hundred rods of the line
and thousand prisoners. onfederate
historians have spoken OF this occur
renee as unaccountable. Had they de-
scended to minor particulars thev would
have discovered that word hal run along
the lines that one corps Of Sherman's
army was at that moment moving past
Johnston's flank to gain his rear and
cut his lines of Communication. 1t was
this bitof information that opened the
gap, and il was only by the most per-
sistent efforts that the troops we're raj
lied on new line in the rear.
REPULsE ON THE RIGHT.
General Judah advanced bis three
-brigades at the same time with Cox. hut
further toward the Federal right. The
Confederate works were no stronger
here, but news of the flank movement
bad not reached this part of the line. 1t
was believed that Shermsn's entire force
was in front, AMI the advancing Feder-
ais were checked as they came within
mpsket range. Taking such cover as
they could secure, and bringing forward
a battery of two, the division made q
smart fightof 1t for quarter OF an honr
and we're then forced back. While a
part OF Cox's men had broken through
and held portion of the line, they
could make no further progress, as the
Confederate hinks kept up a hot and
copfinuotyo frps and rnft1sod 40 uioid a