The National tribune., 1886-04-22
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
CHICKAMAUGA.
The Battle rs I Saw 1t.

the 10Th of Sept. 1863, that we formed IN line,
with the cecil, green woods and the reneln-
brance of the Raccoon Mountain march at our
backs The birds were singing, the butterflies
fiuttering about, and cow stood under a tree
to our right and lazily chewed her cud and
switched away the flies A shell from one of the
enemy's batteries dropped near her, causing
her to suddenly change her position and pay
mere attention to Der surroundings 1t was
Autumn. and the scene was so quiet and peaceful
that our eyes would have grown sleepy had we
not known that 10 minutes more were to
change it into raging hell In the woods
behind Us we could hear the tramp OF regi-
ments and brigades. In the forest across the
peaceful meadow large masses OF the enemy
were coming into position. One could have
crossed the open field and scarcely have noticed
any of the preparations for the bloody struggle
soon TO begin.
Now came that dreadful silence which
always falls upon an army just before the
fame of destruction is lighted. 1t is this silence
that makes men turn pale and tremble. If IT
lasts only five minutes it seems whole day.
There is no loud talk, no word of jest. The
most reckless man feels the weight of that
ominous silence If the line is to be dressed
the order is given In low voice, and the men
step softly. The cavalry horses feel the OPP
preston as well as the men. Some move UNI
easily about, others stand perfectly quiet, with
ears pointed forward and eyes searching the
woods beyond.
Gen. August Which, commanding the First
Brigade. Second Division, Twentieth Corps, gives
command to the S9th III. to unsling knapsacks
and fix bayonets With Lieut,-Col. W. ID. VIII
liams at their head the men plunge into the
woods and across tobacco-feld. Finding them
selves beyond the battle line they halt and
return to the edge of the open field, where they
lie down and lounge and chat as uncoGcernedly
as on the village play ground.
Crash Bangi Roar!
The opening of the battle comes as suddenly
as thunder-clap. Here fall the brave and
heroic Capts. Thomas Whiting, Co. q, and
John w Sphinx, Co. d; and ball passes
through the hat of Capt. Frank NJ Hobbs, of
Co. II. cutting hair from the top of his Uranium.
Though "a years have passed, the old white
hat is in a state Of good preservation. Capt.
W. b. Rice, of Co. A, falls pierced by ball
from a sharpshooters unerring aim. Then
shelter is sought, and the seclusion deters the
sharpshooters from further death-dealing to
our line officers
Later in the afternoon terrible rush, and
our brave boys are demoralized and stampeded.
The brave Gen. Which seizes the regimental
flag of the S9th and bids its members to dress
in line upon their General and they did. All
through the ups and downs, the charges ana
retreats of Sept. 20 they maintained their or
Csnization aud were the last regiment to quit
that memorable battlefield in order and with
full marching front, led by the brave Which
in person.
But the spell is broken in an instant, and
men and horses are anxious to move. The
SONGS of birds are replaced by the roar of guns;
the sleepy haze in the air gives way to cloud
Of smoke: the nurderous shells strike in solid
lines and scatter men, or fragments Of men,
over the grass and even among the limbs Of
the trees
We are ready again to move, but we stand as
If on parade. The brigade to the left swings
ri,,la+ ell ylxy n
by the smoke. Bullets are singing over our
heads and throwing up the dirt in front, but
we are held there until the curses of the men
become loud and deep.
Suddenly the roar is increased The enemy
has planted a battery on a hill to our left, and
is plunging shot and shell into the flank of all
the troops on our right. Down our front sweeps
an avalanche of destruction, clearing our own
lines and SCATTERING others beyond. Now we
move and change front to face the battery.
The line in front of us stalks grimly into the
smoke, and the line behind us makes its pres
ence known by a steady tramp! tramp tramp!
One cannot tell whether it is single regiment
or a whole brigade moving OF to charge the
battery, for the smoke has now drifted down
upon us until the tenth man TO the right or
left can barely be counted. We can hear no
order, but the line goes straight ahead until
clear of dip in the open field, and then it
suddenly springs forward. Men cheer, but in
heard 10 feet away. Men fall to the right and
left. The line stumbles over corpses as it hur-
ries on. There arc flashes in the smoke cloud,
terrible explosions in the air, and men are
stepped on or leaped over as they throw up
their arms aud fall upon the grass and scream
in the agony of mortal wounds.
1t is q harvest of death. The rank and file
hear no orders see no officers, and yet they
push on; the line now dressed asj on parade,
again bent like crawling serpent. Bayonets
are fixed, but we are right upon the guns be-
fore we see our enemy. No one has an order
TO give and no order could be heard. The line
moves ahead or falls back, as If IL were con-
troled by q lever, and yet no one can see how.
Each man acts for himself and yet all act to-
gether.
There isa struggle over the guns Men are
shot and bayoneted as they ram home the
charges The guns are discharged upon strug-
CLING masses. not ten feet from the muZzles
Now our lines retreat dozen or so are fight
ing over eldpioce-shooting. stabbng and
clubbing-but we fall back and reform. Half
of the guns are silent, but the others are pour
ing grape into us'across space not 300 feet
wide. No one seems to give any orders but
al at once our lines move forward again with
cheer. No one sees his right or left-hand
man. For the time each one is alone.
The line bends back, doubles up, straightens
out. surges ahead, falls back springs forward
and again we are among the feldpieces. Bay
onets and saberS clash, muskets are dubbed to
deal blows after bayonets are broken There
is terrible roar, thick smoke, constant
cheering, and the horrible nightmare forces a
single man to attack dozen.
All! what is this All at once there is q
luil. Men look around in astonisrnent Wounds
unfelt five inmates ago bring groans now.
What has happened? The smoke drifts away
and the explanation is at hand. We have can
tured the guns and routed the regiment of in
tantry in support. II was a bayonet charge.
resisted by bayonets, and we have WON There
are unnumbered acres covered with dead and
wounded, with knapsaeks, baversacks can
teens, muskets, and swords and yet it was only
single move on the chessboard Of Chicka-
mauga's battlefield.
The guns are turned on the enemy, our lines
reformed in rear, aud men ask if it really is
true that we stalked in the shadow OF death
Tor four long hours. 1t seemed like dream /;
II might be dream but for the awful sights
all around US, but for the awful cries coming
up from the wounded, as thirst and pain do
their work. Memory, however vivid faIters
when We attempt to particularze; but / see
the brave Lieutenant-ColOnc of the s9th Ill.,,
Duncan j. Hail. fall. pierced by rebel bullet
while commanding his regiment in support of
Brydges's Chicago battery, just at the close of
that memorable Sabbath evening. Sept. 20
Never was regiment commanded by q braver
or more heroic volunteer. K. Young, Ser
geant, Co. III, s9th Ill. e. Railroad Regiment y