Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-23

tered, as if on parade, dressed in their
best uniforms, with flags flying and
martial music filing the air with boast
full strains? The Confederate pickets
leaned on their muskets on Lookout
mountain and Missionary Ridge, and
smiled as they beheld the picturesque
display. But suddenly their smiles are
turned to looks Of alarm; for in a min
ute the Union line breaks into double
quick, and the gay review is changed
into a battle, and ere they can recover
their surprise, they are driven back, and
Orchard Knob is in the hands of Union
force.
The next day Hooker charged the for
tifications on Lookout mountain, and
drove them beyond its crest, winning
the famous ''battle above the clouds;
while twenty-four hours later he
charged their lines on Missionary
Ridge, with Sherman pounding on their
flank
Grant stood on Orchard Knob watch
ing the turns Of battle. With eagle eye
he saw that his enemy's weak spot lay
in his center, as he had to sacrifice its
strength to support his TANKS. On this
he determined to launch Thomas corps.
The signal of attack was arranged
six cannon shots, fred at intervals of
two seconds.
Then, in the words of B. F. Taylor,
the poet-soldier: 1.-THE moment arrived.
Strong and steady the order rang out:
Number one, fire! Number two, fire!
Number three, fire!' It seemed to me
like the tolling of the clock of destiny.
And, when at Number six, fre!' the
roar throbbed out with the flash, you
should have seen the dead line, that had
been lying behind the works all day,
came to resurrection in the twinkling of
an eye, and leap like a blade from its
scabbard!"
The order has been to take the rifle
pits at the foot of the hill, but the
Fighting Fourth and all those glorious
heroes with them forget to stop and
rally, and sweep with shouts of victory
up the steep ascent. All falls before
them. Grant catches the inspiration,
and orders a charge along the whole
line; and dashing with broken ranks
across rocks and chasms, following the
bullet-torn flags that lead them, they
still go onward needless of the tempest
hurled upon them. The battle is won.
That night the Union camp-fres glis-
tened along the heights about Chatta-
nooga, and Bragg's men were hurrying,
under cover of darkness, southwark.
For Sherman's brave fellows, who
seven days before had marched two
hundred miles on two days rations,
without a change of clothing, tent or
second blanket to any man from COM
mander to private, even now there was
no rest, for Grant ordered them, bleed
ing and barefoot as they were, to march
over terrible roads ninety miles, to the
relief of Burnside, when they drove
Longstreet's equally ragged and hungry
host in confusion after Bragg's retreat
ing thousands.
''And all this for love Of fatherland!"
Frank sighed, as from an eminence he
had watched the devoted line of patri-
OTIS winding their way down the valley
in the distance.
Thomas and his men reoccupied Chat
tanooga, and supplies began to pour
into the place, much to the qualification
of the men, who Of late had almost real
lied the solution of the problem Of how
little food was necessary to sustain
human life; but Frank Besant hailed
with more intense delight than any
amount of good living could give him,
batch of letters from Meltonburg. With
what Joy he retired to his quarters,
and, denying himself to all corners, set
tied to the delightful task of reading
them. There were two from Mr..
Brentwood, full of good advice; one
from Miss Ruth, short and chirpy, and
chiefly relating to damp socks and re-
cipes for sore threats; three dainty,
affectionate ones from Grace, all about
nothing, but very prettily worded, and.
which I am ashamed to say, the
foolish young fellow read and re-
read till they were frayed at the edges
by constant references; one from his
cousin, written simply with the design,
as it seemed to him, to induce him to
let Mark Henderson know, if he
CHANGED to meet him, what an uncom-
monty fine young man she thought him;
and four from his mother, long, earnest,
loving ones, full of interest from first to
last. One of these, of the latest date,
especially claimed his attention and
produced many CALCULATIONS of surprise.
''Your cousin Kate" she wrote, ''has
taken pity on my loneliness, and, as her
father has married again, has consent
ed to remain with me until your return.
Grace and she are bosom friends, whose
affectionate sympathies are more keen
~ pronounced because each Of them
iN 49, EWM