The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-07-04

than the Confederate right II was in
position to swing. It's flank passed be
yond Breckenridge's line. Two or three
divisions had quietly stolen up TO within
gun-shot of that Generals lines without
his dreaming of their presence. A sud-
den rush upon him would have rolled
him over. McCook was not expected
to drive the Confederate left, but to hold
his ground and keep Hardee too busy to
reinforce Breckenridge.
When Rosecrans found his right be-
ing driven and the shadow of defeat
settling down upon him, he was no Ion
| ger R'secrans. He could scarcely be
Recognized by his aides. Nerve and
GOODNESS and contempt of personal dan.
i ger sent him into the thick of tFkfght.
1 He was here, there, every-wheFe. He
pushed ammunition trains out of the
way, hurried up batteries, spoke kindly
to the wounded going to the rear, en-
couraged those being rallied, and bv his
own heroic demesnor he no doubt pre-.
vented complete rout A dozen men
died beside him that day, a thousand
bullets whstled about his head, hun
dred shot and shell sought him out for
a victim, and yet he was preserved
through all.
ON THE PIKE
| AS the center was being rolled back
Rosecrans aud staff rode across the
whole front under a most terrific fire
and halted for few minutes on the
pike, near the brick house which was
SOM to be battered down The fight
here was just opening with bitter vim
dictiveness. A Confederate skirmisher,
now resident of Nashville, who had
been shot in the side a few minutes he
fore, and was now ly ing within the Fed
eral lines, says of this incident:
i "As the staff came up the horses of
one of the aides almost walked over me
ROsecraEs was at times so near me that
l could hear every word he said. The
fire began to grow hot as he came up,
and I fully expected to see every one of
them killed. Our folks must have been
sweeping this place with score Of guns,
and the sharpshooters kept the air full
of bullets. A round shot struck the
fence fifty feet awav and knocked out a
whole section, and saw big splinter
break both fore legs of a horse. The
shells came as fast as you could count.
A splinter from one which struck the
ground about fifty feet away whiNed
right through group with zur-r-r-r !!
and dug its way into the ground SO near
me that could have put my hand on
it. Rosecrans was speaking short and
quick to those around him, but be did
not even notice that he was in the hot.
test box General ever rode into and
got out of alive"
THE CHARGE IN THE CENTER
The last. assault on Rousseau in the
Center was like the movement OF a noun
tam across valley to strike another
Loomis', Guenther's and three other
batteries had full play on the advancing
lines of battle, and yet they could not
check them. Ten thousand muskets had
them at short range, and yet thev closed
up and pressed on. Before Rousseau
fell hack out of the cedars, Shoemaker's
Thirteenth Michigan cleared its front
three times in success sion, and then see-
ing Bradley leave Two guns for the want
of horses to draw them off, the regiment
dashed out, some with hxed bayonets
snd some with empty guns held for
blow Down they went at run, sweep
ing over tie guns which were being
dragged off and in a minute they had
them and sky or seventy pris ,nsrs be-
sides.
1t was the moment when the Confed.
crates had breasted up to within hum
dred feet of some parts Of the blue line,
and were wavering under the hot fire,
that the whole Federal center moved for
ward with cheers plainly heard at Bragg's
headquarters. The advance was led by
Rosecrans in person. His right had
been driven and his left rolled back. but
now the tides was turning Right into
the cloud of smnke-over the dead
over the dying-far ahead OF the lines,
rode Rosecrans, and that advance swept
every thing clear back to the woods,
this time to stay. Grant has had no
praise for some OF the brsvest fighters
OF the war-Rosecrans and Thomas
among the number. The verdict is not
with Grant, but with the country. What
Grant won by numbers Rosecrans won
by personal magnetism and the nerve
of a hero. What Grant gained by
wreckless slaughter Thomas won by
strategy.
sILL's SWORD AND BODY.
During this first days fight, when
Colonel Greusel, commanding Sill's brig
ade, was handling his regiments in a.
way to win praise from every quarter. a
bayonet charge by one Of them resulted
in the capture OF half hundred prison
ers. one of whom was carving a sword
captured from General Still in a minor
engagement in Kentucky several months
before. Poor Still! His lifeless body
was at that moment in the hands of the
Conrederates. l stated in a former
sketch that his body at once fell into
the hands OF the Confederates. Colonel
Greusel writes that he saw it Immediately
after death, and detailed men to carry i,
to the rear. He saw them pick il up
aud move awav, but in the excitement
Of the immediate advance by the Con-
federates they must have laid it down
and run away. II was then discovered
by the Confederates and taken to the
rear.
VICTORY IN DEFEAT.
Has single man who fought at Stone
River ever denied that the Federal army
was whipped in that first days fight?
II so, he took no part in it. II was
defeat, and yet in NO way rout Four
fifths of an army had been rolled hack
over fields and through woods, and yet
the nerve of commander had prevent
ed panic Not three brigades had
held their original ground, and yet at
night the position was impregnable.
Rosecrans had heen defeated, and yet in
that defeat he had preserved his plan of
| a II