Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-02-18


Meanwhile there was rejoicing
among Bragg's men, who looked down
from the hills that surrounded the be.
leaguered city with the keen satisfaction
OF knowing that ere long Its hungry dc.
Tenders must give up their hopeless
struggle. jefferson Davis himself came
TO Rloat ON the prize 40 near his grasp,
and was 80 delighted with the prospect
that he withdrew longstreets corps
from the field. and sent him eighty
miles away to wrest Knoxville from
the clutch Of burnside.
but Grant and Hooker have come 10
tho RELIEF Of tho bclcaguercd force. and
Sherman bas trlmpcd by forced mar-h
two hundred miles from lnka To- share
In the gallant struggle for victory.
What lovely day was the Esd of No
vembcr! WHO. thnt was present, will
forget the Rlor ii, sun, that Rliutcd ON
Thomas division, nS his regiments mus
tered, Ms " on parade, Dir, sscd in their
best uniforms, with flags lying and
martial music filling the air with boast
fIil strains2 The Confederate piclcts
leaned on their muslscts ON lookout
mountain and Missionary Ridge, and
smiled rs they bchcld The picturesque
display. But suddenly their smiles are
turned 10 looks ~ alarm for Ia min.
uto the Union line hrcnts into double
quick, and the gay review Is changed
into battle, ond ere they can recover
their surprise, they are driven back, and
Orchard Knob /. in thc'hnnds Of II Union
force.
4. II 4. 4 G.,
tiAcations on Lookout mountain. md
drove them beyond its crest, winning
the famous battle above tho clouds;
while twcnty-fnur hours later hc
charged their Inca 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 cnemy's weak spot lay
in his center, as lac had 90 sacrifice It's
strength 10 support his flanlts. On this
he determined TO launch Thomas corps.
The signal Of attack was arranged
sly cannon shots, fired at intervals Of
two seconds.
Then, in the words Of u. +. Taylor,
the poet "Thc moment arrived.
Strong and steady the order rang out:
Number one, lire, Number two, fire!
Number three, fire" II seemed to mo
like the tolling OF the clock Of destiny.
And, when ut Number six, fire" the
roar throbbcd out with the fash, you
should have seen the dead line, that had
been lying behind the works all day,
came 10 resurrection In the twinkling OF
an eye, and leap like blade fpom its
scabbardg'
The order has been 10 take the rife.
pits at tho 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 charge along the whole
limo; and dashing with broken ranks
across rocks and chusms. 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-iircs glis.
tened along the heights about Chatta.
nooga, and liraggs men were hurrying,
under cover Of darkness southwark.
For Sherman's bravo fellows, who
seven days before had marched two
hundred miles ON two days rntionS
without "a change Of clothing, tent or
second blanket 20 any man from com
mander 90 private, even now thcre wa,
no rest, for Grant ordered them, bleed
ing and barefoot rs they were, TO march
over terrible roads ninety miles, TO the
relief OF Burnside, when they drov,
Longstrect's equally ragged and hungry
host In confusion after Bragg's retreV.
ing thousands.
And all this for lose Of fathcylandl'
Frank sighed, as f'om an emU.cnce n,
Ind watched the devoted linz OF patri
ots winding their way dowa the vale,
in the distance.
Thomas and hia men reoccupled Chat
tanooga, and supplies began TO pou
into the place, much Tn the gintiiicatio,
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 i.csant halle
with more intense delight than an
amount OF good living could give him,
batch Of letters from Mcltonburg. wit
what JOY he retired TO his quarters
and, denying himself to all corners, sci
tied to the delightful task Of rcadin
them. There were two from Nh
brentwood, full oi good advicop on
from Miss Ruth, short and chirpy, an