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

| OF arIilfcTYs as assault aIter ASSAULT was Hlau0
upon us; but came they fast or came they slow,
persistent they certainly were, or come as they
| might, all drafts made upon us as regiment
or brigade were honored in full and on sight,
and whenever the enemy's temerity permitted
him, as IL did at times, TO surge up TO our
works, il was only TO DO met with crashing
roars of artillery that seemed TO shake the
earth 70 its very foundations, and trehly thun-
dering swelled the gale as 1t mingled with the
rattle or piercing wall of the small arms, lend
ing to the scene an appalling grandeur and
sublimity as We from out the clouds of fire
and smoke, that at times obscured the sun,
producing q blackened magnifcence that no
language can highten, sent them "whirling" j"
back to the forests from whence they came.
Maize Alex. F. Stewart, who much of
and at this time confronted our (Reynoldss)
division, in his report as published by the Con-
federate States Government says, in speaking
! of the fight on our front at this time: For
several hundred yards both lines pressed on
| under the most terrible fire it has ever been my
fortune TO Witness"
| Brig. Gen s. A. M. Wood, In his report says !:
AT few minutes before 10 the brigade on my
right moved forward and moved with it.
The fire of the enemy at this point was
most destructive, and though this movement
| was supported by Browns and Clayton's and
Bates Brigades, it was not long before all had
TO return, and were again assembled and formed
at the position from which they last ad'
| yanced."
Brig Gen. H. D. Clayton, of Gen. Stewart's
| Division, in his report says: Early in the
morning of the Goth the brigade was moved to
the right and in n position about 300 yards
from and parallel TO the Chattanooga road.
Here it remained until about IL o'clock.
About IL o'clock Gen. Brown being in front
and Gen. Bate on my right, the whole division
| advanced under most terrible fire OF grape aud
canister from the enemys artillery, before
| which several most gallant officers fell leading
their men. . Notwithstanding this, tho bri-
gade pressed forward, when two other
| batteTies-one in frontand ono upon the right
| assisted by small-arms, began most murdcrous
fire. before which all were compelled to retire."
| Brighten. J. c. Browns report reads: AT
| about IL o'clock moved in line to the front,
preceded by my skirmishers, who, driving in
the enemy's skrmishers rallied upon the com
mand. We moved at double-Quick nearly 800
yards through an open wood, the enemy retir-
ing before US, when the brigade on my right
broke in confusion. My line still advanced so
or 20 yards, and TO within 80 yards of the enc
my's battery and line Of defenses, when the
right, wholly unsupported and receiving most
terrible cross-fre of musketry and artillery on
its Aanks,
BROKE AND RETIRED IN DISORDER
TO our temporary defenses. l found all efforts
to rally the 18th and 45th Tenn. short of the
| deienses in vain, and indeed impracticable,
under the storm Of grape and canister which
prevailed upon every part of the field over
| which these two regiments passed"
In citing the above, give them to show the
| enemys view Of the situation along the front
Of Reynolds's line, and in support OF the reports
that have come TO me from comrades, and my
own observations on the Federal side Of the
battle at that time portion, at least, of which
occurrences were participated in by Turchn's
Brigade, Of which the 36th Ohio was n part.
A gun in an angle of the works near Co. +
| of the Seth Ohio set Oh fire the breastworks of
logs and rails, SO that they were imminently
threatened with destruction. During partial
luil in the battle, Lieut. Isaac C. Phillips
climbed over 10 their front and deliberately
poured water on the fire from cautoens passed
| TO him by the men from their rear. A staff
officer rode up aud demonstrated with him for
thus exposing himself, assuring him that he
was assuming an exceeding great risk of his
life. Looking up at his interlocutor. he
| swered quietly, " 1t is necessary" and con-
| tinued all unmindful Of self his selfimpos-
cd labor Of danger until the FIRE was extn-
guished, saving tho breastworks for a time,
which in turn probably saved the lives of many
| of his comrades and not improbably had much
TODD in saving the day; for those defenses were
Of inostimable value ere they burned still later
| III the day. The deed was n most noble and he
| Toic one, deliberate, voluntary Offering Of his
| llte, II necessary, TO try 10 save those of his
| lcomrades,-perhaps tho fate Of the army. For
! little things, the casting of horse shoe, the
lOosening Of q saddle girth, the reopening of
| wound-as in the case OF Gen. Hancock at
| Frederieksbnrg-hBv changed the tide Of bat
| tie or the destines OF nations; be those thingE,
! "a they were In this case, the act devoid of
| excitement 10 It's prompting and unimportant
| and devoid Of greatness as il may have seemed
in the doing at the time, ii was none the less
| a heroic one, and should have won for him on
I "a ffatd at aGf tara IE~u at la
now All honored citizen Of Caldwell, o.
| / believe the staff officer who addressed
| Lieut.. Phillips was Capt. J. ID. Barker Of Gen.
| Ihoma stat, the officer who with consummate
skill and bravery had succeeded about p. III.
in pushing through to the rear Of tho regiment
with fresh supply Of ammunition of which
81 that time there was great need.
Up 70 1870 p. IN. oil that bloody Sabbath Of
Sept 20, from the afternoon of the 18TH the
left OF the Army Of the Cumberland had con-
frOnted the enemy and maintained It's position
On the Sabbath, the divisions Of Baird, John
son, Palmer and Reynolds, Of the Fourteenth
Corps from left TO right respectively, under
command Of Pap Thomas" who ere the day
closed, proved himself Tho redoubtable Rock
Of ChleEamauga" confronted the enemy right
under LOngstrect, under, respectively, from
their left 10 right BreckinFidgc, Ceburne
Cbeatham and Stewart. Lieut. Gen. Hill, in
the Century for April 1884, p. 16l says OF our
4 IOs.L4gA DI tue odbDabns LDsEGrau5 IN person
made a careful alignment Of his whole line in
the morning, arranging them so as to cover the
ROssgiAe Chattanooga and the Dry Valley
roads. Ii began 400 yards east Of the Rossville
road on a crest which was occupied by Baird's
Division ('Hbomas's Corps. JohnsOn's Division
(AcCoOk'sJ, Palmer's Division (CrltleHden's), j,
and Roynoldss Division tThOmass Corps).
These four divisions became isolated during
the day, and the interest of the battle centers
largely in them. They lay behind substantial" /"
this is a mistake) " breastworks Of logs in a
line running due south aud bending back to-
ward the road at each wing" Next TO the
right Of Keynolds's Division was Brannan.
next 10 him Hegley. BY readers Of history it
will be remembered that LOngstreet, upon en-
tering the gap made by the change of Wood 3
Division, had swept tho forces on Reynolds's
immediate right out Of position. Up to this
hour from RcynOlds's right 10 Baird's left all
attempts to move our lines had met with terri
bic losses 10 the enemy. But by persistent ef-
forts Oh the part Of the COnfederatcs all 10 the
right OF Rcynoldss Division was forced back
through the corniield and beyond the main State
. road leading 10 Rossyille Gap and Chattanooga
At about l:50 p. IL. Reynolds's Division occu-
pied the extreme right Of the first battle-line
formed by the Federals that morning: Tur-
ehin's Brigade the right Of Reyn0lds's Divis-
. ion; the Both Ohio, the right Of Turchins Bri.
gade, all troops 10 the right having given way
! thus were We on the extreme right Of the bat,
, tle-line, our flank exposed.
! Gen. Bragg says of this position in his re.
port: About z p. III. passing along the line ID