The National tribune., 1892-08-04

right, Cheatham on the left; their right ana
left TANKS, interlocking like Parthian shields,
composing the center. Gen. Stephen ID. Lees
corps was held in reserve
"Cleburne's position was in the center, his
division formed in three battle-lines, and he
at its head. Thus arranged, Hoods line at
Franklin was nearly two miles long, advancing,
curved like Mussulman's cimeter, with the
blade to the foe.
"But let us follow Cleburne A courier
dashed up to Cleburne's presence, and soon the
word Attention = was given then Forward,
march and the column passed over hill and
through a little skirt of woods Soon they
emerged into an open field, and steadily they
passed on with proper cadence toward the
rampant of blood and death.
"The Federal batteries began to open. First
came solid shot, bounding over the earth and
crashing through the ranks; then the shrek
ing shells flew through the air on the wings of
destruction bursting under above, and around
the men, and at every explosion unbindipg more
evils than ever flew from Pandoras box.
Twilight was coming on. Forward, men! ,
was repeated ali along the line. living sheet
of fire was poured into their ranks But the
men pressed forward until the terrific roar ran
from center to flank and from wing to wing.
Night came, and the two armies fought like two
blind giants in despair. Cleburne's old war-cry
rang out above the din of arms. Once again,
division, and, indeed, all of Hoods army,
charged the breastworks..
"And once again, and again, seven times
were they repulsed. Every time they formed
and reformed under most CALLING fire. At one
time, just before dusk, Cleburne captured a
portion of the works, and turned the guns of
a Federal battery on their former owners, but
it was only for few Moments little silver rift
in the battle clouds that enveloped him in the
darkness. 1t was the hottest fire Cleburne had
ever met. 1t was but one stream of blazing
hell. Confederates were on one side OF the
breastworks and Federals on the other. Men
fell fat on their faces and fired from behind
the bodies of their dead comrades. Dead SOL
die-s filled the intrenchments. Blood made
the earth as slippery as an ice-pond.
THUS the firing was kept up until after mid
night, and gradually died out. But both
armies held their own. The Confederates
passed the night where they were, just outside
of the breastworks. The Federals, only few
feet away, held their cover until near daybreak.
when they quietly marched away and retreated
back to Nashville. But when the morrow's
Sun began to light up the sky, the surviving
soldiers looked out upon sad battlefield. The
dead were piled one on the top of the other In
awful heaps, and the wounded seemed thicker
than the uncounted stars. Horses, like men,
had died game upon the defenses. Cleburne's
body lay there on the top of the breastworks,
CHASTITY in the sleep of death, pierced with 40
bullets, through and though. His marc had
her forefeet on top of the works, dead in
that position. Not far from where Cleburne
lay was seen the dead body of Gen. Adams (;
his horse, its forefeet on one side of the works
aud his hindfeet on the other, dead. The GEN.
eral seems to have been caught SO that he was
held to his horses back, sitting bolt upright in
his saddle, as If living, riddled and torn with
bullets. Gen. Stahl lay by the roadside and
his horse by his side, both dead, and all his
staff. Gen. Gist, from South Carolina, was
lying with his sword reaching across the
brcastworks, still grasped in his hand, dead.
Gen. Cranberry, of Texas and his horse were
seen. horse aud rider, on top of the breast.
works, dead. All dead Four thousand FIVE
hundred soldiers, all lying side by side in
death. Thirteen Confederate Generals were
killed and wounded Six brothers Of a Missis-
sippi regiment were all dead.
This was the bloodiest picture in the book
of time"