The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-09-23
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Orr Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
A Graphs Account; Of the splendid Fighting Done
b. FOrccs Brigade.


To THE EDITOR: The FIRST Brigade, Third
Division, seventeenth Corps, consisting of the
20lh, 3lth aud 3lst IN. and the 18th and 10th
Mis. commanded by Gen. NJ. J.. Force, took
position at shutdown on the both Of july IN the
woods about 500 yard, 10 the rear of Bald llill,
the Irit Jenter about opposite the summit oi the
hIl Parallel with our line ran small stream,
triiHsary 10 lutuurhnent Greek, which was
about goa yards distant and about half way 10
th summit Uf tie hlIi, where Cieburnes Di-
VISION WIS intrenched pa rtle-pits. They Also
had O smaii fort IN the line of works at the
Summit oi the hill near an old cotton gin, which
was opposite the center of our brigade Our
sk irn sh-ine rested just across the stream and
under cover of its hanks. The skirmishers
kept NJ a brisk FIRE which was as briskly re-
turned 10y the enemy, whose fire annoyed our
line OF batte very much. aud after we had
stacked arms and byouackod for the night the
FIRE became So annoying thai the division COM
mauacr, Gen. lcggett directed Gen. Force 10
make a reconnaissance aud, II practicable oc-
cupN The hill from whence The FIRE came.
Your correspondent was nj that time picket
officer ON the staff al ticn. Force / WIS d.
rertrG by him 10 take two companies from the
10Th Nis and execute Gen. Legg,tt's orders
The Reconnaissance developed the enemy 90 be
there .n force, and be being about III o'clock p.
M. il WHs decided that Il was not practicable
10 occupy the hill that night
Ga the next morning, the 2lst, our brigade
was formed for a charge, the 18th and 10Th
WIS. Occupying the front line ana the 2uth,
Both and 5ist III. the reserve line. Gen. Force
had directed that ] would have the >k rmish-
line acployed under cover oi the hanks Of the
stream, a. near the summit as possible,
reaCy % move forward when the front line was
RcJoss the stream. The Intervening space he
tween the skirmish-ine and the enemy's works
was am open field, gradual ascent aud distant
about 200 yards Al the signal the skirmish-
line
MOVED FORWARD on THE RUN.
The enemy fired, rs was expected. and before
they had Jime 90 reload the front line was
rushing on at trail arms like an irresistible
avalanche, not ALTERING or slackenng their
pace until they were climbing. over the works
aud Che enemy in flight This was the incest
charge J ever witnessed, though il was not
without loss Leut.-C0i. Reynolds, OF the 10th
Wis, was badly wounded. aud ol. Fairchld,
of the 10TH reopencd a previous wound in
climbing over the works, and many brave
fellow whose name cannot give tell TO rise no
more.
This did not end our days fighting The
enemy reformed his columns and made des-
perate effort 10 retal1e his works. Gen Gresh-
ans Division in command of Gen. Giles A.
Smith, on our right had been temporarily re-
pulsed in It's charge. which left our right flank
exposed 10 an cuhlading fire. In that locality
was heavy body Of timber which gave the
enemy shellorau covered his manuvere, which
he used 70 good advantage in his efforts TO dis
lodge Us. but were there TO stay.
The Both III. was placed on the left flank,
the l2th and 10Th Wis and 3lst ILL., held the
center and the both ILL., the more exposed place
on the right Faux, therefore suffered more Sc
verely than the other regiments. The
WHOLE DAY WAS SPENT UNDER FIRE,
nor did it cease until near midnight and then
only 20 he renewed on the next day with more
desperate energy. On the memorable 22d of
July, at early dawn, Gen. Force directed that
the skirmish-lne be moved forward as far as
possible. The center aud left front was in an
open held with gradual descent TO Intrench-
meni Greek, which was distant about 100 wards
The skirmish-line moved forward without op-
position, crossing an abandoned line of rifle
pits which the enemy had erected during the
night On reaching the line of timber which
skirted the creek we met determined resistance.
We were within musket range of the main forts
which protected Atlanta. Col. MunsOn, OF Gen
legpott's staff, ordered the skirmish-line TO be
intrenched at this point.
About noon new and startling Developments
appeared. We heard heavy firing 10 the rear
Then we discovered our brigade was changing
Go the other side of the works facing 10 the
rear and defending the same line of works
which they had taken by assault the day be-
fore. Hardee had struck us in the rear They
charged again and again and were repulsed In
one Charge Serg't W. H. Finley, of Co l. Both
Ill, shot a flag bearer just as he was planting
his dag on the works. The flag was captured
j think IL belonged 10 the Saith Ga. After the
enemy had been repulsed for a third time Capts
Nichols, Of Co. k, and Kesner, Of CO. I. 3Oth
ILL.,, understood the order TO move forward in
pursuit They moved their companies for
ward, but when they had gone only few rods
IN the thick woods they were confronted by
hardees Corps In line al very short range, and
they did not wait for orders TO retire. The
enemy again repeated his effort, with some
success. Striking our division on the left
hank he succeeded in rolling il back TO the
center Of our brigade at the old cotton gin.
where the fort stood which we had taken the
DAY previous. 1t became necessary 20 form a
new line running 70 the rear at right angle,
the Tort being the corner of the angle The
Both III. fell back 10 the fort IN the corner and
the Second Brigade, commanded by Col Scott
formed The new line at right angle TO the rear,
She front rank firing while the rear rank
erected little earthwork for protection.
During all this time the skirmish-line was
still OF it's position occupied early in the day,
20 or 100 rods in front, right under the forts Of
Atlanta. About O'Clock p. m. the forts gave
the Gkrmish line shell and canister i'm large
doses, and Immediately followed il up with q
line OF infantry which compelled our line TO
retire. Following up, they attacked our main
line - the rear, which was IN reality our front
compelling IL 10 fight first on one side then on
the other. Az this time first heard of the
DEATH OF GEN. MCPHERSON,
as had been on the skirmish-line since early
morning. ! started 10 hunt Gen. Force 20 in
form him Of the approach of the line of infan-
Try, and was informed that he was killed. i
afterwards ascertalned that he had been &C.
yerelr wounded. His Chief Of StaT, Capt.
Maikcr, was also severely wounded, having his
thigh broken ] then reported 10 Col Bryant,
OF the 18th Wis, he being the senior officer
and the command of the brigade would by req.
ulations fall 10 him.
Hardee made his last charge about DARK his
forces lying down against the outside walls of
our fort where they remained nearly all night
They kept mp continuous fire raising their
mhskets and brinR over into the fort
which was promptly returned by our bows
Frequent CALCULATIONS were passed back and
forth during the night, such as We're gwvne
10 come Overt" Come over; you'll find a
rough road TO travels would be the response
And 80 they would. never saw more de-
teTmined resistance. Every man had resolved
%
HOLD THE FORT OR DIE.
They sat and kneeed in solid phalanx with
bayonets liked presenting a solid wall OF brist-
ling steel. They did not come over but under
cover of darkness, Just before dav. retired
leaving behind their dead, which exceeded in
numbers by far anything which had before
witnessed, although had been in all of Graut's
campaigns from Belmont 20 Vicksburg.
have often heard Bald Till spoken of as the
Key 70 the position. Gen. Forces Brigade Ger