The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-10-09

tla
10 O'Clock when bark! there began 10 be
heard the droppings OF musketry here and
there 10 our left, followed all Of q sudden by
fierce vol!eys of small-arms, accompanied by
the deep thunderings OF artillery, announcing
that the fight was on. without the preliml-
nary Of feeling his way into positition, the enc
my, as was his general rule of tactics, had, with
concentrated power. fallen with overwhelm-
fng weight on the left Of the Union line-thc
Fourteenth Corps. Breckenridge opened the
ball on ThOmas's extreme right IN an effort TO
turn the Federal left, while Cleburne with ms
grand division moved directly against our line
Of breastwOrks. Indeed, scarcely had the sound
OF the frst gun died away ere the din OF bat
fle became terrific. The sharp and inccssant
rattle Of the musketry, minglinR with the roar
of the artillery, gave intensity to the thunoers
of battle as they were echoed through the forest
1t is entirely unnecessary that should tell my
cpmraics who were there how IL sounded rs tine
opening OF that days battle fell upon their ears;
memory needs no quickening TO recall the
Sounds that were heard by them Rs the battle
opened in those Georgia forests- To them Its
remembrance will be ever vivid, never old, ont
for their families and mine, for their children
and mine let me give for record how il sound
ed TO me as stood there in the advance Of our
breastworks Of loose logs behind that tree
deeply impressed the while that 1 would DO
shot,-aud / caught il hot and will carry IL
with aches and pains 20 my grave,-my nina
taking in in cursOry retrospect OF lie as III
fently / gathered and noted carefully every
sound that presaged the coming oil that grand
hurricane Of destruction and death that was so
soon 10 be upon u.s. ! wss not as much alarmed
now As upon yesterday, no chills or streaks to
distract but with Quietness Of mind, firm
ness OF nerve, q fxedness OF purpose, con-
Eciousness Of the importance Of executing the
commands that had been given me, the while
possessed Of feeling as keenly alive TO all that
was occurring about me, to the changing
sounds of the approaching storm, that dehes
analysis even TO this day.
The approach Of the army Of Gen. Bragg on
that sunny Sabbath forenoon as / stood there
listening brought these two SMILES to my
mind at the time as aptly illustrating that
event If my readers can imagine q great
barn door of such dimensions the distance OF
fts width beyond their vision, its hinges on the
left as they stand at its point Of closing on the
Wight the door unseen, but heard, closing,
impeled By some unseen power, creating as ii
presses upon the threshold noise and din that
may be likened upon scale Of immensity to
Che going of Of continuous train ofmany thou
sands of frecrackers, which, having been
fgnited at the left, comes rapidly toward the
right with eveT-incTeasing force and din as the
. right is reached. In this you have q simile
that perfectly illustrated then, and illustrates
yet the sounds 70 my mind as they occurred
DC the time, finding their fitness in the manner
of the approach Of Breckinridge's Division, of
Hills Corps. which moved forward in splendid
style, 10 order as perfect IS If on dress-psrade.
Breckenridge was accompanied by
Cleburue who advanced oR his left aud more
howard the National center" As these first
lines OF the enemy approached our lines they
were received by whitening FIRE, literally
blaze Of death. Seemingly, itwas a continuous
and iHCessant fame, out OF which rushed vol
leys death dealing against the advancing foe;
while tie Confederates apPearingly courted
death rather than feared the dangers as on and
mp against this tempest Of lead and iron
WIFE DESPERATE vALoR THEY MOVED.
The second may be likened to q troop Of
school boys Just from school let loose who. with
sticks IA hand come IN contract with u line OF
pGiiing fence, pressing their sticks 10 the fence
away of 70 the left as they run, and as they
approach the right their speed is accelerated,
and they continue % press harder and harder,
making an iudescribable, irregular clatter
Clstter. din and racket. This simile was ap-
pArent rs line after line Of the enemy was
being moved down as they advanced, the tide,
trrepressble, still rolling on; broken heads of
columns reformed or replaced, As it appeared
20 u.s. from the inexhsHstible ranks in their
rear. Needless Of death, the grooming tide
rolled on &c might a car Of Juggernaut over
their dead aud dying comrades where mingled
wars rattle with the grOans Of the dying in
their enleavor 20 reach our line Of log works
&nd gEeICh that volcano OF fame with human
blood or choke il OF forever with living VIC
tiHE May God grant THAI you nor will ever
DE permitted 10 ses such sights or hear such
E0Gnds or anything like them in this fair land
of Durs n0F elsewhere.
or this part Of the battle Whitelaw Reid,
than a correspondent Of the Cincinnati Gazette
wrote a. follows: The fight on the extreme
left began with desperate assault
went down to the extreme left Of Gen. Woods
line, AID looking thence could sec the desperate
efoTts Of the enemy 70 break the lines OF Bran
EGn EDd Esynolds The soldiers Of those two
noble divisions were lying behind breastworks
flogs and rails constructed the night before.
Their artillery fred over their heads and il
really seemed al il that long line Of defense was
some immense serpent instinct with hideous
life, sEu tTeathing from its huge sides volumes
Of smoke and fame. Here also was
The brave old IurchIn, with brigade composed
principally Of Ohio troops, who won for them
selves aud tie State that sent them forth i'm
mcrtal acnor during the conflict Of that day"
Again aud again the rebel lines advancing
from the cover Of the woods charged with i'm
pstnous fury and terrific yells toward the frail
breastworEs Of logs and rails; but ON each as
Eault Tie bery blasts from our battaliGns swept
over aud around them, crumbling their ranks
es WOHld crumble banks Of mellow earth swept
by q raging food, or
Melted from the field as snow
When streams are swollen aud south winds blow. -
6b one line blbapibcaTG0 there appeared an
etbeE rushing desperately on and over the dead
hDd bleeding bodies Of their fallen cOmrades.
AS closer and denser grew the strife. the
very air quaked and shuddered with the angry
whistle " the balls and the hurting missiles
Ga Folry alter volley, sheet after sheet Of fame
flashed in their faces, while an avalanche Of
grape aud canister spherical-case and shrap-
mel tore, aud bombshcl and round shot from
IhuHdefBg cannon with heated throats greeted
Lbem a. Z had those who came before; still on
they pr a5eds though fast a. Tipened grain they
tellt esch stepping where his cOmrade stood the
bnstaUt si bis fall, many 10 the world unknown,
bE kngan but little soon forgot, while beside
Them !ay their nOblest and those known Il
fame; again their lines are made good as again
they close ia clouds Of smoke and dust To the
night, 20 the left, around and around death
%hlTled in its dance on the bloody ground
Tine pale destroyer held high carnival. whilt
Did Time with his sBifty-dealt sickle reaped
bnd gathered In the ripeninK sheayes.
No vulgar crop theirs bo reap
No stiHted harvest Tin and cheap"
a. portion Of those confronting us were O
fhOse who we're seeking 10 regain the laure
Ehey had left with US upon yesterday. The,
came up In solid columng flushed with blgl
hopes o. crushing the Western troops who hay
upon yesterday proved their more than match
By some of the boys 10 is st0utly ayerred that
sd they came they ezultingly shouted
"WE ARE Not CoHscRIPTs!"
To which our boys replied, You are no
fighting Eastern store clerks"