The National tribune., 1890-10-02

staCcaIlc rattle OF the small arms, uevOuty par
ticpating in the devotion, many poor fellow
for the last time on earth; after which W.
moved on TO the woods where was to be fought
on that and the succeeding day, certainly, on'
OF the most stubbornly- contested, sanguinary
and in some respects remarkable battles in the
annals Of history. There seems deep ant
poetic significance in the name Of the stream
along whose banks was fought this great battle
and from which it took its name-Chicka
mauga, which in the Indian tongue means
"RTvER OF DEATH"
making its peculiarly-remarkable name one
literally true in its extraordinary baptism IN
the lifes blood Of scores of thousands Of brave
and noble men on either side full century OF
more after receiving its name from the Chero-
kee Nation that then dwelt along its borders.
The battle had already begun and was pro-
crossing vigorously on some parts OF the field
| prior TO our arrival. Our corps, division and
brigade formations were soon accomplished
facts. From our brigade the S9th Ohio had
been detached and sent to Tracy City TO guard
that point and destroy the eBemys "saltpeter
| works " at NickajacI Cave. While en- route
to rejoin us IL was temporarily attached TO
| Changers Corps, with it actively participating
| In the battle, calamity maintaining the posi-
| ton assigned il until the evening of the Goth,
when it was, with several other regiments, sur
rounded by vastly-superiOr numbers and capt
! ured. In the absence of the Sgtb the lIth and
| the 92d Ohio, the 18th Ky. and 2ist Ind. bat
! terry were assigned positions on the front line
/ This line proximating Alexander's Bridge,
one OF the rebel points of crossing, was not
! long kept in waiting. The Seth Ohio was left
! as q reserve not far from the tannery, near tho
road that passes from Chattanooga through the
| gap in Mission Ridge at RoSsvlle and but
short remove from where the road defects to
the south toward Lafayette. The regiment
however, changed positions TO the left several
times, in order to be near at hand aud in readi-
ness to support or relieve its compatriots at the
front This it was called upon to do about mid
afternoon. BY this time the battle was raging
fearfully; the indescribable noise of the con-
tending hosts rs they swayed TO and fro like
the surging billows Of old ocean the contna-
Ous sharp roll and rattle of the musketry; the
deep bass, desfening boom of the artillery
the whirring, sbrieking, bursting shells; the
short sharp, shrill piercing hiss Of shrapnel,
grape and canister, together with the torn,
mangled and bleeding wounded that were borne
or wore painfully dragging themselves to the
rear in continuous streams told fearful and
bloody tale of the horrors that were being
enacted on our front The conflict commenced
on the left, rolled thence TO the right, falling
upon Johnson's Division and almost stimuli
taneOuSly upon our (Reynolds's) division, who
with desperate valor maintained their lines,
wavering at times, It's true, but again regain
ing frmness and again advancing. Baird and
BTannan's Divisions In position, the order was
given for the entire Fourteenth Corps to adj
vance. "And nothing in history exceeds in
grandeur the charge of that powerful corps
Longstreets men from Virginia were directly
opposed TO the troops of Thomas Although
they fought with stubborn determination, they
could not for an instant check the slow aud
stately march Of our battalions. In vain they
rallied and rerailied in vain they wheeled
their cannon into score Of new positions.
Thomas moved resistlessly on. Much Of our
artillery lost in the morning was recaptured.
Seven pieces were taken from the enemy"
or this part of the battle, Pollard, in South
ern History OF the War" Vol. 3, p. I24, says
For two hours the fight ragged with sublime
fury. Thomas commanded the Yankees left.
Heavy reinforcements being sent from the
enemy's right to him. he was enabled TO regain
portion Of the ground he had lost Never
did Yankees fight better than just here. They
drove back Cleburne's magnificent tdivision, and
1t appeared at one time as IL our right and CEN
ter were giving way before Thomas's extraor-
dinary attack"
Bragg's columns, massed MS they were, and
confident Withal that their efforts 10 place
themselves between Rosecrans and Chattanooga
would be game Of walk-oyer.n were not a
little surprised on confronting Thomas in po.
slilon on the extreme left OF the Union line
hence, seemingly, FROM the bitterness of their
tie with such savage fereeuess on the left and
the continual odging away during the two
days battle in that direction. Bragg brought
mp column after column and hurled them in
rapid succession and with much reckless des-
peration upon the Yankees extreme LETT
IT WAS CHATTANOOGA on DEsTRUCTIoH.
IL must have been near noon that the Con-
Tolerate commander hurled d very heavy
massed column upon Thomas's right striking
our lReynoldss) division in full force following
this up by successive attacks along our front
until the battle ragged along the entire line. Up
70 the time OF the active participation by tho
Both Ohio in the forefront Of the battle, the bri
gsde had accomplished splendid execution. Not
Withsiandlng the regiment had kept pretty
well closed up on its brigade at the front, the
held OF our vision OF comrades in action was
very limited, owing 10 the growth OF pines
small oaks and underground that covered tho
Held. Many OF the rife-balis Of the enemy
reached u.s. Over and among Us they few,
the arpeggio of their music qUickening
our hearts' pnlsations, while amidst their
whing-g-g, ping-g-g,z ,zip-zit-ts many prayer was
murmuredi not q few breathing a prayer aud |
the benediction, God be with you, children
and wife," that were waited, as by white |
winged spirits, away out Of that din Of battle |
where rolls the thickening bIackeneCis clouds |
Oi war that, sulphur ladened hang dark DER
the golden skies; away from where tumultuous
ciang and clamoT fills the air; away from
: where footstep careless might go spIashing
down IN blood away over hall and dale and |
river over meadow and brooklet TO the homes
and the loved ones with whom at that moment
their thoughts and hearts were but with |
whom In the flesh they ne'er should be egain |
as they listened. intently listened TO the rat
Ting OF " the wild grim dice OF the iron game"
Alasl What links Of love that morn
Has wars rude hand asunder torni
For ne 'er WAS Geld so steruly fought
And nc'er was conquest deaTer bought,
hers piled IN common alaughte sleep
Those whom anectoH long shall weep,
Thou canst not name one tender tie
But here dissolved its reliets lie.
Along in the afternoon, after 2 or perhaps
B o'clock, while the battle was raging with
sublime fury" the line 10 the right and front
OF our then front was being pushed back with
impending liability to digintegration. The
18th Ohio. with its brigade was moved rapidIy
by the right flank through the timber Co re.
IieYe our line iii possible gap and confront
the enemy. The regiment had doube-auicked
but short distance when IL was halted faced
70 the 'front.' aligned and ordered TO lie down.
In coming into line here 10 formed across a dry
water-course and st acute angles with It, The |
banks OF this dry rivulet descended gently |
from both sides-its right and left banks-tho |
bank on the west side the highest. Our line |
faced almost TO the southeast; its course (south
by southeast), by right oblique into the enemy's
lines. The descent In front Of us was a semi |
cleared spaced that could be swept by the 21st |
Ind. battery, that was posted on little wooded
elevation a little 10 the west nf snuth NJ ,ha