The National tribune., 1892-09-15


heretofore address myself 10 them
MT this time as a soldier @. the Union army
"mixed MP" in the carnage / am about TO
relate n,.,,r he memorable field of Peach lice
Greek iii the Georgia canta'gn
"Wednesday. July 20. 1868. found the lines OF
the Union army in front Of Peach Tree Creek
not evnr, ,ytere complete A gap of nearly
two miles WAS held by the sllirmish- lines OF
Neyton's Division, of the Fourth Corps, ana
Col. Banning. of the 121st Ohio Of Palmer S
(Tweuiietl h CORPS: but how well they cid III " e
shall nres, nilv see. The situation MAS 81 GAN
perous on-, aud Pap Thomas, with his accus-
TONED wisdom and prom:tncss, Immediately
commencri a series of movements Tor the puf-
nose of closing this gap and, as the sequel
shows. statements of rebel prisoners made alter
ward revealed the fact that The enemy were
syare of the existence Of this gap and were
actually hunting to find it "hea they made
their furi,g " assault upon the Union forces IN
the evening, but most rrovldenualiy they
failed TO find if. Shortly after leaving the
south branch of Peach Tree Creek The ground
begins 10 rise prolonged stretch OF hlEh
ground ext uds thus all along the creek to the
river, forming ridge, cut ROW and then win
deep rayilus In front o! where Tie SSth III.
Law was a s,it of broken tableland, and 10 The
left were wo considerable nils. On this range
of nights WAS the enemy prlAcilai liho OF
works Tie ground in front OF the o9th was
CenSplT
extreme left Here then were stationed three
corps-lIuwarl's Palmer's. anl Hooker's. In
front OF Hooker was 4 considerable space OF
open fields. beyond which, il the direction OF
Atlanta, were heavy forests. Immediately be-
hind these three corps ran Peach Tree Greek,
through cl,eu ground, with high ground open
still farther back and furnishing splendid po-
sitions fer Union batteries. which Zap ihomas
did not fail 10 avail himself OF.
About noon on the Goth Thomas's design of
dosing up this gap eliminated III an order to
Newtons Division to prepare 10 advance from
the bank of the creek, in order to relieve the
seth, OF Moods Division, which would tend
TO shorten he line between Newton and Wood.
The encaiy made repeated efforts from noon
till 2:30 o'clock to ascertain the position
of our forces There was heavy skirmishng all
along our front, as well as along the sklrmlsh-
line, which. stretching across the great gap,
connected the left of Newton with the right OF
Wood. Then came tnat memorable luli, which
was temporary and short. 1t was $50 when
the enemy's skirmishers, advancing as If TO
reconnniteT. gave unmistakaoie nollee that
something impending.
Our line had halted longer than was ex-
pected, and was just upon the point of resumlng
the advance when this appearance OF the rebels
determined Newton to remain behind his hast
ily-construcied works on the bill, and Hooker
to march his troops at once frorl the low ground
In front of him. SO that he might connect with
Newton's right.
The order to advance was scarcely given when
from the high ground north of the stream all
Hooker's batteries and part Of Howard's broke
forth in a Simultaneous peal OF thunder. 1he
rebel legions were pouring forth from the woods
beyond the open fields al the top OF the ridge
and pressing forward rank behind rank, III
startling ard magnificent array, seemed re-
solved TO crush At one blow whatever might
rpon the elevated ground north Of the creek
could plainly see, but the infantry climbing
ND the hill on the south side could not.
moment later and a savage yell upon the left
followed by the claDg aud ciaEter oil 10000 mus
kets annouuced that Newton'5 forces had been
assailed BY the foe. The enemy did not wait 10
push forward skirmish-line, but charged at
once In lines of battle two and three deep.
Our skirmisbers in the advance gave way like
whirlwlHd as they came rushing back, and
came very near throwing Newtons extreme
right into confusion that for the moment
caused it to give way. Here Geary's Division.
of Hooker's corps, considerably in advance of
both Williams aud Ward, was struck by this
rushing storm aud temporarily shattered. Both
these center divisions were pushed from their
positions after short and desperate resistance,
and were hurried down the hill nearly to the
banks OF the creek The wary old kentuckian
imagined that he saw both Newton and Geary
overthrow. He was about to send them as
eistance when to his sstonishment the whole
scene changed as if by magic. Newtons
line became firm as rock and, without another
sign OF wayerng continued to pour into the
rebel host a steady, uninterrupted, and deadly
fire.
At this time the s9th III, OF Woods Divis-
ion, under = whitening fire from the enemy,
while couple of his batteries were directing
fae;r pieces lall ST the right flank Of the enemy,
Il %t,~T~
with tornado of shot aud shell. The advanc-
ing Of the S9th Ill. and 32d Ind. caused an in
dentation in onr lines, which became a pit Of
death into which hundreds Of naddenee rebels
rushed only TO die or fall wounded and bleed
ing upon the sod. Not one inch did these gall
liant regiacAts give, but advanced slowly and
stubbofnly without doubt saving the day for the
Union forces. 1t was just Wood became con-
WINGED t!sat al was going well with Newton and
Geary hist lis OVID line reached the edge of the
tableland ] have described only to find itself
confronted at distance Of 80 PAGES with the
flower OF he rebel army. With the seth ILL.,
and the 32d Ind. in the advance the tumult
that at once burst forth was snch that no man
could tell which portion Of ii was the roar q:
musketry and which the fierce, indignant. de-
fant yell hat each host hurled at the other.
Both were surprised. My regiment (the S9th
ILL., ahd the balance Of the Third Division
scarcely knew that the enemy had emerged
from the opposite woods, when they found them
selves full in their presence. The rebels, dis
appointed elsewhere, supposed they had GER
fainly resched their long-looked-for gap, but
found instead line Of battle and sheet of
yindictive fire Both lines instantly charged
forward. pouring the leaden hail full into each
others bosOms. They stood like brave heroes
as both lines were-only - feet apart, and still
hurled death into each Others faces They
charged again, and the men intermingled and
fought baud to hand. In places tile lines
crossed each other and wheeled round, only
TO renew the combat the rebels facing Atlanta
and we o. the North facing Peach Tree Creek
When the storm broke upon Which Of
Woods Division, the e9th III. had advanced
upon its part Of the line, and the veterans
were struggling through dense forest ana
the old division, when suddenly the woods in
front OF them were filed with fierce yells and
spurts Of fire and whizzing missiles, as if each
tree had held
"a i.iril .risoned IN his breast
Which the first stroke OF coming strife
HAD startled into hideous life -
The incident deserves more notice even than
have given il. So intense was the interest
among our men 70 repel the rebels in our i'm
mediate front that they did not perceive a
small column had passed around entirely to
the left and had penetrated the right of that
long line Of weary skirmishers which | have
alluded 20, as alone holding the huge cap be-
tween Newton and Wood until they heard the
noise Of conflict Immediately in their rear.
Pap Thomas was overlooking the progress OF
the fefce hght. The moment he perceived the