Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-08-17
A MEMORY OF RESACA.


Shermau's army, the Grand Army Of ID,
West, consisting of the Armies OF tn
Tennessee, the Ohio aud the Cumberland
the Fourth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Six
teenth, Seventeenth, Twentieth ans
Twenty-third army corps-had com
menced its forward movement from
Chattanooga toward Atlanta. II haC
followed the crooked wlndingl
Of aptly named Snake oreel
and Snake-creek gap There haC
been heavy skirmishlng and some ho
! lighting during three days. Buzzards
| Roost, Rocky Fall Ridge, and other strong
| positions had been attacked, but had mo-
been carried. A flank movement brought
the federal army, on the 18th Of May, IL
front OF the enemy, strongly entrenchet
on q succession Of hills around the village
OF Resaca. Skirmishing continued during
the 18TH and l4th, and 1t was expected
that on the next day Sunday general
engagement would be brought about.
Foil well does the writer remember the
dawning OF that beautiful Sabbath morn.
Ing No sound Of church-going bell was
heard, but with the first streak of day.
light began the boom of cannon and the
brisk firing Of sklrmishers. The division
Of the Twentieth Army corps, TO which the
writer was attached, had not, as yet,
been engaged even in any of Che heavy
diminishing Of that campaign, and while
its men lay on their arms, as the day went
on, they saw division after
division being hurried to the front; and
they could tell by the increased
din OF small arms, and the almost inces-
SAINT roar OF the artillery, that fierce
battle was raging In front. Who can de-
scribe the suspense soldier feels while
thus listening to the noise of fierce con-
fiict, and awaiting the order to ego IMP"
At last, at about O'Clock in the alter
noon, the order was given, "Fall I'M"
a. id In moment the command was NOV
ing to the front. The writer recalls that
a. the division advanced, it was met by
large details from the ambulance CORPS,
bearing wounded men ON stretchers to
the rear. He recalls that, as one regi-
ment was passed by the roadside, ven
erable-looking white-bearded chaplain
was leading 1t in prayer, and that was the
only time In his army career that the
writer remembers feeling a strong desire
to attend prayer meeting.
After half-hour's march by the right
flank, the column was halted in rayine
near the brow of hill, and the men
knew instinctively that beyond the hill the
enemy was In force, aud that some fight
ing was to be done. The line was forme d,
aud "dressed as IL for inspection.
The corps commander, Gen. Joe Hooker,
with his staff, rode down in front, and as
the old fighter inspected the line, he
seemed to. look into every mans
eye TO see II there was wayering
there. Then came the order Unsling
knap-sacksl" They were unslung and
piled in the rear of regiments. "Fix
oayonetsl" and now every man knew
that bayonet-charge was to be made.
There was hurried whispering between
messmates; anxious eyes were turned to.
ward officers of the line; hasty messages
were intrusted by one comrade to an
other, as "lf fall and you survive, take
what you find in my knapsack to mother,r
10 wife or to sweetheart. Then lips were
set in determination, and there was an
interval of silence broken only by the ex.
animation Of guns, the tightening Of belts,
and the bringing forward of cartridge.
boxes, and all were anxious for the com
mand to advance.
Tne order came, and the division
marched as II on review over the brow
OF the hill. At this moment the enemy
saw the movement, and at once q heavy
artillery fire was concentrated upon the
advancing line. Descending the hill, for
distance OF about one hundred yards,
the advance was partially covered by a
forest OF scrub oaks and pines. At the
base OF the hill, however, there was a
cleared valley about two hundred feet in
width, down the center OF which ran A
small brook. Emerging from the cover
OF the wood into this valley, there was a
momentary halt for alignment.
which was effected under calling
fire, and then, at the COM
mand OF the colonies, forward with a
cheer dashed the boys in blue to take the
battery on the crest of the opposite hill.
As they charged at run across the little
plain, they encountered a murderous en-
lilading llre Of both artillery and mus
kerry, and scores OF brave soldiers
toppled from the ranks, which were i'm
mediately closed up. Across the
little valley, at the base of the
hill which held the rebel bat.
terry, a heavy sklrmish line
was encountered and driven in, and the
large seemed to grow even more i'm
petuous. A thick aoattls OF felled and
sharpened timber was penetrated, and in
announcer minute That portion of the line to
which the writer was attached was fight
Ing hand-to-hand with the brave Confed-
crate artillerymen who stood by their vet
smoking guns, the supporting infantry
having fled. In a few minutes the gun
ners were overcome, and the battery and
the position We're ours.
And now, while wounded men are be-
ing cared for, while prisoners are being
taken TO the rear, while there is great
lubilation and enthusiasm among the
yictors, occurs one of those awful, mex.
plicable errors, one OF those fearful mis-
takes, one of those real no rors OF war,
so calculated TO unnerve the bravest, and
TO demorallze for the time being the
oest-drilled and disciplined troops A
second federal line OF battle, advancing
to the support of the first, comes crash.
Ing through the brush In the rear. AZ the
same instant the Confederates, having
rallied and reformed In another line Of
works, pour deadly volley into the
ranks of the brave men who are cheering
over the guns they have captured. The
second line of the federals, partially en-
countering the rebel fire, deliver A
yolley, and the soldiers of
the first line, who had led the gallant