Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-02-25

LEO oIBaniHou u kuhf0 hiuuSp WIN
torches and clubs, which invaded the
cln brake. and slew robins 10 our
hearts content.
Finally ct daylight. on the Goth of De-
cember, nearly two months after assum-
ing commend of the army, General
Rosecrans began his memorable advance
on Murfreesbore, where 1t Was nscf :.
tanned the Ubiquitous General Bragg had
turned up. The army had been formed
into three grand divisions: She center
commanded by General George Ell.
Thomas, the left wing by General
rbomas l.. CritteDden and the night
by General Alexander Mcdowell Nc
Cook.
The right ving was composed Of the
divisions, of Generals johnson, JEFF O.
Davis, and p Ell Sheridan
Our brigade, Colonel 2. Sidney post
commanding, belonged to Davis diyi-
sion, and consisted OF the ifty-ninth,
seventy. fourth, and sevanty-ftth, Hi.
nois and twenty second Indiana reei.
ments of infantry. and Pinney's fifth
Wisconsin battery. Notebooks corps
advanced by pike and dirt road via
Nolansville. After we hsd marched
shout Eve miles q heavy rain set in: the
men soon became drenched and the
roads muddy and heavy. The artillery
carriages uere drawn with difficulty as
the march continued. Shortly after
midday the rain ceased, our division
had the advance.
When in sight of Nolansyiile our
cavalry encountered and drove the
enemy's pickets. The pop. pop, pop, of
the enemy's carbines gave notice that
we would 500 hear music in the sir,
and we were not surprised when the
artillerey was ordered TO the front; our
battery advanced on a gallop, engaged
the enemy concealed in the woods west
of the town, and drove them south to-
ward their supports where they finally
made a stand In rear of the town.
Nolansviile ia half encircled OIL the
south by q high range of hills. The
turnpike from Noiansville to Triupe
goes ihSougha pass IN them called
Kuob Gap, about two miles southwest
OF the towp. At the highest point IN
the pass the rebels made a second de-
termined stand. The section of artillery
stationed there opened on US as soon as
we come within range.
Carlin's brigade [of Cur division of
infantry formed a line of battle on the
right OF tho pike, deployed skirm
ishers, and advanced steadily up the
slope toward the rebels guns. Posts
brigade advanced on the left of the pike
about the same time. In the meantime,
we were not idle. The distance WAS about
right and the ground favorable for our
artillery, and we made it warm for them.
The SECOND Minnesota battery, i think
openad fire ON them first and drew their
fire, but the contest wal too unequal,
and the rebel snnonee attempted to
timber up and r~esreat, they could not
stand tho cross fire we hurled upon them.
Then ORrlin ordered his infantry
to charge them. The fifteenth Wis.
consin infantry composed, entirely
OF Norwegians, led all the
rest, and reached the enemy in time to
captuEe one cannon, three prisoners. and
SIX horses. The retreating rebels shout
back in defiance, come on "you d--u
Yankees the Norwegians retort, "Rere's
your gun, come back and get your gun"
One interesting and amusing incident
Of this little shiTmish Was the appear
ancs OF q bold rider on q white horse,
who rode down to our left close to our
line and role the whole length OF the
Line in q defiant manner, and Captain
Hotchkiss, apparently thinking he was
going to capture our brigade, opened
tire on him With his battery. This ended
the Tight for the day IN our part. ur
pIckets advanced about half q mile be-
You'd the gap and our brigade encsmped
near py. Negley, Sheridan and JOHNSON
report to MoUook the ARRIVAL OF their re-
spectiye divisions at Noians vile.
During the early part of the night AN
almost Impenetrabie Jog settled down
upon us; the troops are ~bivouacked
around on the hlllsides andin the valley.
A~acsndiDg u of the highest hills after
DARK a magnificent panorama lay before
me; looking down into the BASIN formed
by b GORDON of hills, throngh the in
tense darkness of that cloudy night, ali
around the town, covering hundreds OF
acres, l saw the campiires of $4,000 men
blazing warm and bright through the
still air. Chow many of them, )" 1
thought, will return home at the close
of the wnr With health and strength IN
impaired? How many will fall on the
field OF honor 10 the expec ed, battle? Il
10 sad tc think OF this wholesale butohery
OF men. the dreadful manning tor lie
the rude swapping of heartstrings, the
scattering of families, the destruction of
homes and houses, and the ~desolating
presence of this frightiul war fend."
All night of the Goth, the rain poured
down INCREASINGLY, the morning broke
foggy and cold, Notwithstanding this Nc
Cooks corps advanced toward Triune,
J%ohnscn,s division leading, Sheridan's
following. Our lDavis's] division was
soon on the road bringing up the rear
Again We heard the roar OF cannon and
occasionally the rattle OF musketry DUR
ing the day, when our cavalry regiments
charged through the fog upon q confed.
crate battery and captured a portion OF
~. Again it began to rain, accompanied
by q cold wind from the north goon
completely chilling the soldiers. No
troops could march long in snch a rain
without making hundreds sick. The
commanders knew this; 80 efter having
marching about three miles and reached
within o mile of Triune, which ia half
way between Fran lin and Murfreesboro
we encamped in the dense cedars by the
roadside, pitched our tents, and built mp
hot fires to warm and dry by. The in
fantry had inspection Of srms and fred
oil their guns and cleaned them. We
were epcamped on o steep hill
side, and Conrade Winslow and another
member of orr battery whose name I
do not remember now. got to seufaing
near y OF the guns, lost their footing,
and rolled off down the hill to the
great amusement Of the soldiers. The sue
ceeding night wse clear and cold. The
2sth was Sunday and very pleasant. AS
Father Abraham had forbidden ali work
on Sunday that was not absolutely
necessary, we did not break camp, but