The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-14

On the extreme right General Hardee was In
command The center and left were command
ed by General Breckinridge The Union orders
were for Sherman to carry the ridge up to the
railroad tunnel, when Thomas was to join him
and sweep the enemy from the ridge, Hooker to
come down into the valley and attack the ex-
treme left of the enemy at Rossville, Howard to
stay in reserve and support Thomas or Sher
man. according to circumstances. The stra
tegieal key of the rebel position was on their
extreme right The topography Of the
ground favored Hardee in resisting
Sherman. Early in the morning Sher-
man commenced cannonading continuing it
for some time. Then General Corses brigade
advanced down the hill, and commenced, under
CALLING fire, to ascend the one occupied by the
enemy. Corse attained an intermediate summit,
and made Judgment there, within short dis
lance of the rebel works, and held it firmly sup
ported by Loomiss and Bushbacks brigades.
and having two divisions of John E. Smiths as
a reserve. Morgan L. Smith, with his division,
attacked the enemy on the left of Corse, and
gradually gained ground. Corse advanced sew
eral times and was repulsed. The enemy tried
to dislodge him, and were beaten back.
Morgan Smith gained no permanent
lodgment in the enemy's works. How
ard was ordered to support Sherman,
and the attack was renewed. John E. Smiths
division was driven down the hill by some rebels
concealed in gorge. Baird's division was or
dered to reinforce Sherman who said he had
enough troops" 1t was not lack of men, but
the strong position of the enemy that prevented
him from dislodging the rebels. Hooker routed
them on the left and they retreated toward the
left OF their main position. Hooker formed his
troops across the ridge to sweep it toward the
north Osterhaus's division took the eastern
slope, Crafts the summit, and Gearys the west
ern slope. In this formation he moved along the
ridge and attacked the left flank of the enemy.
The day was drawing to close and Grant
ordered the four divisions Of the Army Of
T..~- Nh
sisted of the brigades of Carlin and King, of
Johnson's; Sherman, Harker and Wagner, of
Sheridans; Hazen, Which and Sam Beatty. Of
Woods; and Turchin. Vandeveer and Phelps, of
Balrds. The order was: "At the signal of six
guns fred in succession on the Orchard Knob,
move forward and try to reach and take the rifle
pits, or at least move as far as you can"
The signal was given and the double
line of the four divisions moved quickly
forward. The rebel bullets rained
troops, and in front of them. Men and officers
dropped, yet the line moved steadily unfinch-
ingly, accelerating theirspeed almost to double
quick. The rebels swarmed out of their rife
pits and began to climb the abrupt slopes to
their works on the summit The pits reached,
some of the brigades dropped into them for shell
ter. Others were urged by the officers to go on
Their color bearers leaped over the rife pits and
joined by the bravest and the most reckless
started up the steep slope The others, carried
ment ascending the ridge assumed an irregu-
lar column id the shape of wedge the
colors at the apex Some of the columns moved
right straight against the projecting points of
the summit, strongly fortified; others moved
around these points, and, climbing through deep
recesses, threatened the rear Of the enemy at
that point. Painting and silent without firing
shot, the columns neared the crest. The firing
of the enemy became wild; they could not de-
press their cannon sufficiently, while the bayo-
nets of the Union army were getting uncomfort
ably close. Panic-stricken, the rebels started to
run across the ridge
At six different points, about simultaneously,
six of the Union brigades reached the summit,
and were quickly followed by the whole line.
tremendous cheer rent the air along the ridge.
The struggle was over, except on the left, where
Bards division was Turchin's brigade, from
the right of the division. was the first that
reached the summit, though followed quickly by
Vandeveer's and Phelpss; yet for few minutes
it had to sustain fearful pressure from the
rebels under Anderson. Cbeatham's division,
led by Hardee himself, came to their rescue, and
they tried to make stand. But the whole of
Bard's division, being the summit, formed
across the ridge and pressed the rebels from
point to point
The struggle was closed by darkness. Har-
dee withdrew all his troops during the night OF
all men who looked on the assault, the most sur
prised and bewidered was Grant. His orders
did not imply the taking of the ridge; he never
thought it would be possible for the four divis-
ions to take it; hence the taking Of the ridge was
against orders, and therefore, fragrant case of
disobedience on grand scale but in that dsobe-
dience of orders and breach of discipline was
glory enough for the rank and file to last them
as long the Republic stood. Grant in this
battle displayed great generalship, but in the
magnificent assault on Missionary Ridge the rank
and file of the Army Of the Cumberland outgen-
eraled General Grant