The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1885-10-28
A TERRIBLE ORDEAL.
"REMINISCENCES OF MAJ. GEN. Gle.
BURNE, OF THE C. S. A.
The Absolute Control He Held over Ris
BTon-A Federal ColoneIa Trying
Experience Mortal Dread
''Now, Men, Firor'
LCinclnnatl Enquirer.

Cincinnati Enquirerl
But there was one part Of the COnfed.
crate line which did not share In the tu.
multi aud fierce resistance which was
everywhere else apparent This was the
portion held by the division Of Mai Gan.
Cleburne, or. as al the southern people
know him, Pat Cleburne It has been
said of Cleburne that he was the only
man IN the Confederate army who could
absolutely control his men aud make
them hold their fire until he was ready
for it to be delivered On the day Of this
battle when the Federal advance began,
it Is stated that he said 70 bis troops that
he would shoot any man who would dare
to fire a gun until ne gave the word
This was the explanation Of the Ominous
silence all along that portion Of the breast
works held by his force. Probably the
effect Of this can best be shown by re-
peating the words of a Federal colonel
who was captured In this battle, and who
described It the next day:
Said he:
1T was the most severe ordeal which
my nervous system has ever undergone.
When we began the advance we naturally
expected that the artillery would open
upon us as soon as we got within range;
and that, having swept forward until we
were in reach Of the fire Of musketry,
that would begin to open upon us also.
i had been through so much Of this
that had ceased to fear It, and always
relied on the excitement of the occasion
carrying me forward; but here we ran for
some 200 yards or more, and there was not
a cannon shot Another 100 yards and
still no explosion of bombshell or any
thing Of the kind! ! now began to feel q
little strange. Another 100 yard and
still no sign of life, and my nervousness
began to give place to a desire to halt
Another 100 yards and we were certainly
within range of musketry: but still there
was not one sign of life In the intrenCh-
ments in front of us nothing to give
cause for apprehension, apparently, eX-
Cept the waving of the Confederate flags
above the works, as a light wind blew.
Now, over me began to omo a NOR
tai feeling of dread; q feeling which l
never before and which / can scarcely
describe l would have turned and fled
but for the fear of disgrace, which was
stronger even than the horror of death.
But l knew what was coming, and deter
mined by my example to inspire my men
TO brave H. no matter how terrible it was
At length we were within scarcely
more than twenty yards Of the intrenCh-
ments, when from all along the line pro.
truded forth, beneath the head-logs
] scores anu uuuQttub OF luubheLS. 1 COulQ
see them as | gave a quick glance down
/ the Whole front, and those Immediately
before me, particularly, seemed slightly
waving from side to side There was no
mistaking It, l knew that every holder
| of a muskct was picking out his man.
This continued for but a few moments,
when above all other sounds, distinct and
clear. heard the command given, Now,
men, fire.
Instantly, from along the entire line
there seemed like a lightning flash, to
burst forth a sheet of flame and smoke /
was struck, and fell senseless for an in.
stant, but when / recovered myself and
turned to look there seemed TO be scarcely
seven men in my entire regiment on their
feet
Then the fury of the combat arose
above other sight OF sound. The whole
forest and mountain seemed to be on fire
There was no army in the world that
could have stood before It.
AS an evidence Of the correctness of
this description, It may be stated, that
after the battle the Confederates picked
up In front of Cleburne's line 1909 dead
and wounded Federals.