The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-08-07
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
ATLANTA CAMPAIGN.
What One Brigade Did at JOnesborO, Ga.

What One Brigade Did ut Joneshnr0. WHs
EDTroR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: While the
boys are skiTmishing around among their remi-
niscences endeayoring TO find their several
positions and proper alignment in this sharp
aud fiery battle so meaCerly detailed 10y histo-
rians of the war, 1 wish to speak a word for
the living and the dead of my comrades who
helped 10 win the battle on that September
evening almost 26 years ago, and especially for
the men Of my own recimcnt-the 3Sth Ohio.
All day long we had been siubbornly crowding
Hoods army farther south, the Fourteenth
Corps keeping the general direction of the rail
road, and the Fifteenth ard Seventeenth Corps
swinging 10 the right with the evident inteu-
ton OF striking the Confederate flank or rear.
ia order 10 cut of his retreat in the direction
Of Macon. About o'clock in the afternoon
the forces in front met with considerable re-
sistance, and the heavy firing away 10 our right
indicated that Hood had been fought TO a
staBdstill, and meant 10 hold his ground until
darkness gave him better opportunity to con-
time his retreat.
About this time the Third Division, Four
teentR Corps commanded by Gen. Absalom
Baird, emerged from a dense woods through
which ID had been fighting its way most Of the
afternoon, into an open country of nearly
half mile IN extent, where the Confederate po-
stiou could be fairly outlined in front, although
partially masked by a belt of timber This
woods rs we afterwards learned at fearful cost.
was composed principally of post or jack-oaI
timber, with a heavy underground, that had
been slashed aud tangled IN every conceivable
shape making the ground in front of their
works-which were about 10 or - rods back
from the Open-almost impossible
The division was rapidly advanced across
this open country, the left resting on or near
the railroad, until il reached a depression in
the ground, sfording slight shelter, about 500
yards from the enemy's works. In the mean
time a terrific fusilade had been going on lit
tie 70 our right and front, in which rebel
battery was taking part, but did not seem TO
be doing much damage, Tor, as one of the boys
said, they did not elevate their guns low
enough However, lull soon occurred, and
the word went along the line that the Regular
Brigade had attempted 10 carry the works in
their front, but failed. The Third Brigade OF
Baird's Division, which was at that time
in reserve, IL my memory is not at fault
was now marched TO the right until they
reached about the same ground where
the fighting had occurred, ordered TO I'M
sling knapsacks, fix bayoncts, and be ready
for the order TO charge instructions were also
given to have every gun loaded, but TO reserve
their fire until the works were reached. This
brigade WIS composed Of the l4th and 3Sth
OHIO, 10th and 18th KY, and the 74th Ind.
Ny recollection is that the 3Sth and I4th Ohio
were IN the advance, aud the other regiments
IN close support II wrong in this, no doubt
VIII be amply corrected by the comrades Of
these regiments / know the 35th Ohio was
one Of the regiments composing the front line
At the command the brigade went forward on
the double-guick up slight grade, tho rebels
TeseTvlng their fire until tie front line Of the
charging column reached the edge of the tim
Der, and then delivered a vOlley straight into
our faces; but their aim being too high, il did
comparatively little execution, and the works
no doubt would have been reached before they
could reload II il had not been for the scraggy,
tangled brush the line here encountered. AS
IL was, before the advance had forced its way
more than half the distance through it re-
eeiFed whitening fire from the works that
ihinned the ranks irightfully, and staggered IL
for moment, buPthe second line soon came up
and Joined the remnant OF the first, aud to-
getheF they fought their way through 10 the
rebel works amid very hell Of carnage, the
battle-smOEe, in the meantime, having become
90 thick that one could scarcely see anything
but the fash Of the guns. The eoioT-bearer Of
the 3Sth Ohio was killed while elambering over
the brush, well IN advance Of the line: one Of
the guards picked up the flag, and he too went
down a moment later; then another took il,
only u leave the impress Of his death grasp
upon us stan and mO.sten its folds with his
warm lI(e-blood; then another and still an
other Of this dsuutless and devoted color-guard !
raised the old flag 10 lis place ia the hot breath
Of the battle front, aud the fifth man took il
onto the works and kept il there until the fight
was Won. This man was Charlie DOuze who Is
now crOwniug the uusullied record Of a soldier
with that Of q Jlameiess citizen at Lima, O.
There were two guns Of 4 rebel battery near
the right Of our regiment, with others still
farther TO tie right. and think il was near
tlIs That the Confederate line was first broken.
A portion Of our line then swinging 10 the left
took that Of tie COU!ederates in the flank and
rear, and by tins means they were about all
gObbled iu, tie smoke being 20 thick they could
uot sec that their line had been broken Well
70 their rght they we're found steadily firing
70 tic front, and looked somewhat disguised
when tie order 70 surrender was backed up by
q HeaFness aud TcaT-less Of Federal bayouets 4
LFcH alter they lad been picked out Of their /
works n TINS manner and gathered together /
one regiment would curse the other FOR allow
Ing the line 10 be broken, 50 much at a loss |
were they % know how and where il had oc- /
CURED. Especially were they indignant when /
they Eaw tie weakness 81 our own line. They /
comprised G0YaH's entire Brigade, one OF the |
best % lie Confederate army, aud greatly 1
outu1mbeTed our own after the battle as we |
had lost over One-third Of our number before 4
Wc reached the works.
Our regiment took only about 300 men into |
the fight, AID Of these I52 were either killed
o. wounded; 20 per cent OF more were buried /
on the fed, a. the records will show. Col. Wan |
q. Choate fell, MORALLY wounded, within ~ /
feet Ot tie TiGe-pits. 4 better Tegimental COM |
Hander and ono more beloved never led men |
into battle. Altogether il did not leave the |
18th one commissioned officer TO q company, |
my Own being commanded on the march 10 /
the sea by Orderly SeIgt J. ID. Gleason, now
Of Eryan, o.
hE 70 the comrades who claim the credit Of
capturing the rebel cannon, the boys who were
hrst over the works that day supposed they
would fall into good hands, and 80 swept on
down the line Of gray, caring little what regi-
ment would furnish the motive power 70 draw
those guns of the field.
This brigade comprised three Of the regiments
that lu tic beginning o. the war had formed
the nucleus Of Gen. IhUmas's command in
Kentucky; had marched aud fought under his
Waichiul eye and iatheTly care ever since: had
been part Of bic foTloTn hope at Chiclsa-
manga and ms cyclone a. Mission Ridge: aud
now, ~ this brilliant elimination Of q Summer
Of battles be issued a neat General order com
p.lmenung the troops engaged IN this action.
In which he stated II WAS the only instance
within Lie knowledge where a body Of troops
had charged superior force behind intreuch-
meuts and not only carried the works but cap
tured those defending them.
has Is no doubt what CJnrade Scott Of tho
10th I. s., ssW that September evening
a. Jonesboro, Ga, nearly 26 years agO.-LEE ii.
kUDIsiLLE, Co. II, 35th Ohio, White Oaks, n. M.
Somewhat Significant.
ELefr0u IFee yfessI