The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-06-11

the Springfield pike. and after quarter | of an hour of hot work he ordered an ad- vance of his whole division. McCook's right swinging at the same time. At some points the Confederaies stood until bayoncts dashed. but the impetus ot the mighty wave swept held and wood and highway clear of Confederates. and as they began to give way the federals cheered along the whole front.
 This vas the first battle in which Fede- ral and Confederate regiments raised m Kentucky were placed opposite to each other. Both realized the fact. and they fought with bitterness other regiments could no, feel In the last advance. about dozen men belonging to an ohio re;ssi- mcnt pushed ahead so rapidly that they suddenly found themselves surrounded and taken prisoners. Before they could be sent to the rear. company of Federal Ken,uckians advanced to rescue them. and ai the same moment a company of Confederates raised in the same county rushed forward to hold the men. One of the Confedcratcs. now living n Franklin. Tenn. says of the struggle which took place:
 We did not stop to fire. but rushed for wafd with the bayonet. In moment we were all mixed up. Jabbing and proddng with bayonet. and striking each other with the butts of muskets. \ Federal. who had formerly lived within two miles ef my farm. made d push al me. and his bayone, passed between my right arm and side and went through my coat. Be fore he could withdraw II l hit him a I ,l t..lt lad on to him and held him down. although he bi, my thumb tn the bone. We were having il ho, and heavy when our folks fell back and Jeff me ,o be captured. In thos- few minutes l saw the bayonet used at least twenty times. and believe that fully thirty men were struck with muskets.'
 The Gonfederates were being pushed. bu, they were giving ground rather ssaaly. still hghYng. when unexpectedly certain brigadeYbegan 10 march ou, of the head and oyeered retreat to new line. -llaad- .sae atams upon Eragg. and an effort ~as made to hold RaTdef Fcsi7'7'ff7ysff's blc No matter with which officer the fauI, was. the Confcderatcs began falling back. and once the retreat was begun IL ended in a hel,er-skcltcr rush through the town. and in the rapid pursui, and ear- ,ure of many prisoners and considerable quantity of war material by the tcderals. \, night. against the protest of the dlvis- ion commanders. the Confcderates were withdrawn and the entire field left to the Union forces.
 Previous to this hght Bragg encouraged the idea that d Confederate army could easily clear Kentucky of any Federal force and keep il clear. He promulgated the doctrine among his troops that they had onlv to charge the Federal lines to scatter them. and his men were led to be- leye that they had only To ire few vol lcss to wln d battle. Indeed his plan was to whip the Federal army Tn about m hour and thcuto make d rapid march to join Kirby smith, who was held at bay elsewhere Polk had the same cotcmpt for the blue-coai,. and Hardee had often been sncercd at for asserting that north crn men would stand up in iine of battle. The results of Pcr1ville were bitter dose in several respects. The Contcder- ate soldier realized that he had been de- celved and defeated where he expected an easy victory. Bragg and Polk had thclr plans disorganikcd and the idea of hold ing Kentucky had to be abandoned.
 As Bull Run taught both armies in the east the fac. that war meant hght. and fight meant kill. so also did Perry vile furnish the western armies lesson written in blood. Future battles were 10 be fought with something more solid than a braggart's assertions. Both sides real ized that where numbers were reasonably equal the fight would be steady and furi- ous. and SO II proved through the long and bloody years that followed.