The National tribune., 1882-01-14

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and whose cartridges were expended the order
was given to club their muskets, but to hold the
ground. The Ninth Indiana now dashed across
the line of fire from battery in front to the left
to relieve the Forty-frst Ohio. Cannon-balls
tore through their ranks, but they were closed
without missing STEP and they took their place
in the front line, the Forty first retiring with
thinned ranks but in perfect order to refill their
| empty cartridge-boxes An ominOus silence sue
ceeded, soon followed by the charge of Donel-
sons fresh brigade and the remains of Chalmers's.
The time had been occupied in the REIMBURSEMENT
of Palmers line. The Twenty-fourth, COM
manded by the gallant Colonel Fred Jones,
and the Thirty-sixth Indiana, shorn of half its
strength in the previous assault, were sent to
| Hazens support. Parsons's battery was posted
on the left. The Third Kentucky, led by the
brave Mckee, dashed forward and took position
on the right of the Ninth Indiana across the
turnpike. The terrible slaughter in this regi-
ment attests its courage. General Hascall says:
"Before the regiment had been ten minutes in
action Colonel Mckee was killed. In less than
ten minues after the gallant Major d. R. Collier
received two severe wounds; AdJutant Bullltt
had his horse shot under him, but nothing could
induce either of them to leave the field" The
regiment, now reduced to less than half It's
original number, with ten out of its fourteen
officers killed or wounded, was still bravely
at work. The Sixth Kentucky, on the
right, under it's brave commander, Colonel
W. c.. Whitaker, had borne with heroic courage
the first assault in which Lieutenant-COl0nel
Cotton, whose conspicuous gallantry in the field
was exceeded only by his manly traits as an
officer and gentleman, was killed. From its po-
ston on the left of General Cruft it had furnished
solid support in the attack, which fell like an
avalanche upon that gallant brigade, and at the
close of the third assault fell back under Of
the railroad embankment and repenished their
ammunition. The repulSe of this assault has been
already related in the language of General Polk.
While Colonel HaZen was thus CALAMITY de-
Tending the left of the line from nine o'clock in
the morning until two in the afternoon the fight
ragged no less furiously on his immediate right.
Here line composed of two brigades of Palmers
division and one of Woods, filled out by the re-
mains of Sherdan's and Negley's divisions, who
after they had replenished their ammunition,
formed behind the railroad embankment at right
angles with Hazen's brigade, which alone re-
tanned its position upon the original line. Far
Their to the right was Rousseau, with Van Cleve
and Harker on his right l leave to more
graphic pens to describe the grand pyro-
technics of the battlefield at this supreme
moment when victory hung evenly balanced.
Past the crowd of fugitives from the Right
Wing the undaunted soldiers of the Left and
Centre had swept with the light Of battle in
their faces" and now in strong array they stood
like a rock-bound coast beating back the tide
which threatened to engulph the rear. Along
this line rode Rosecrans with face illuminated
by the light of exalted courage; Thomas, calm,
inhexible as a mighty Judge, from whose gaze
skulkers shrank abasted; Crittenden, cheerful
and full OF hope, complimeatSng his men as he
rode along the lines; Rousseau, whose fiery i'm
petuosity no disaster could quell; Palmer, with
stock of cool courage and presence Of mind
equal to any emergency; Wood, suffering from
wound in his heel, stayed in the saddle
but had lost the popularity which usually char
; acterized him. "Good-bye, General we will
all meet at the hatter's,' as one coon said to an
other when the dogs were after them, he said to
Crittenden early in the action, but at ten o'clock
mimic ball struck his boot and lacerated his
heel,-his good humor was gone for the day.
care we doing it about right now, General !? y
asked Morton, as he glanced along the blazing
line of muskets to where the Chicago battery
quivered with the rapidity of its discharges "All
right fire low" said the Chief, as he dashed by.
Col. Crosse, always in his place. had command of
the Ammen brigade, the glorious Tenth of Shi-
lob memory, with which, and, with Hazen's and
Cruft's brigades, the gallant and lamented Nelson
had swept, like an avenging Nemesis, upon the
right of Beauregard's victorious army, driving it
back to it's base at COrinth.
After the formation of this line at noon it never
receded; as has been stated, the right swung
around until, at two o'clock, about onehalf of the
lost ground had been retaken. The artillery,
more than fifty guns, was massed in the open
ground behind the angle in the line; twenty
eight guns had ben captured, when they poured
continuous torrent of iron missiles upon the
confederate line.
They could not fire amiss. The fire from Coxs
battery was directed upon Hanson's brigade
across the river where Cobb, with his Napoleons,
returned the compliment with zeal and precision.
Schaefer's brigade having received new stock
of cartridges, formed on Palmer's right, where
later the brave commander received his death
wound, the last of Sheridan's brigade COM
manders who had fallen during the day.
At four o'clock it became evident to the con-
federate commander that his only hope of sue
! low q oh Np;o loc1