Omaha daily bee., 1894-01-03
CHARCEAT MISSIONARY RIDGE
Orchard Knob, Whence the Battle Wa
Directed, Purchased bythe Government,
HOW sHfRlDAN'S MENaTooK THE RIDGE
The Field OF This Most Spectacular Battle
of the CivT War WIN Be known
as the Uhattanobea National
Park-war Rec6liections.

Orchard Knob, celebrated because
from there, exposing himself to the con-
federate guns, General Grant directed
the battle of Missionary Ridge, has been
purchased by the United States park
commissioners. Only a short time ago
the site of General Bragg's headquarters
at the time of the same battle vas
bought, and the commissioners are now
negotiating for the summit of Lookout
mountain. Thus the whole field of the
most spectacular battle of the civil wat
will become the property of the govern
ment, and be known as the Chattanooga
National park, says the Nebraska De-
fender. This is a purchase that will
commend itself to the Army of the
Tennessee, to students of history,
and to lovers of the beauti-
full in nature. The whole valley
of the Chattanooga is ar amphitheater
and today, as on the day of the battle,
there is no better point of vantage than
Orchard Knob. 1t is q rough, steep hill
at the head of the valley, u mile north
west of Missionary Ridge, with a wide
view that takes in the valley, the ridge
and Lookout mountain away to the south.
1t is 100 feet high, an6 is covered with Il
scrubby growth of timber. The taking
of this little hill was the overture to the
battle OF Missionary Ridge. hrom the
top of it General Grant sent signals and
messages to Sherman, Hooker, Sheridan
and Wood, fighting at points miles apart.
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon of Novem-
Der % he began to close the lines and
advance on the breastworks at the foot
of the ridge. Then with dismay We saw
a charge that equaled in daring the
famous one at Balaklava. Sheridan's
men had been ordered to take every
thing before them. Without awaiting
further orders they started up the ridge
between the fires of the enemy. Grant
turned and shouted angrily:
''Thomas, who ordered those men up
there?"
II did not" answered cold Pap" as
he anxiously watched the boys in blue
go to almost certain death.
A chief of staff was sent at once to
Wood and Sheridan, and the hero of
Winchester sent back word:
II didn't order themiup. But when
those boys get started al - can't stop
them" al 80
The whole command was ordered up
to snatch them from the jaws of death,
but by the time they got there at six
different points Sheridanis and Woods
divisions broke over !sthe crest and
Bragg's army was broken in two. a
great cheer echoed along the valley and
back from Noun Lookout. "Old Pap"
brushed a tear from his eye and swal-
lowed a sob, and General Granger rode
down to see the boys who had taken the
ridge. They lay there, eighty out of
every hundred wounded, but jubilant.
Boys" he said, lyon were told to
tolya thu hoca of tha ,,idra and Won tOplr
the top. If you ever. get well we're
going to have every TT one of you
court-mart.aied for disobeying orders"
lie indicating His Name.
War times and adventures were the
burden of the conversation among a
half-dozen veterans of the civil war in
a local barber shop the other day, says
the Bowling Green (Ky.) Democrat.
Wal stories are always entertaining,
and each one of this party was ready
with some recital of a deed of daring, a
clever piece of strategy, tough luck eX-
periences, or the grimly humorous side
OF some dangerous predicament.
II have read many stories," said one
of the old soldiers, ''of individual ex-
hibitions of bravery during the war, but
| witnessed a duel between two officers
of high rank that had | read it [ would
have believed it the product of magma
tion."
The veteran was n great story teller,
and the party into which the reporter
had intruded settled down prepared for
something interesting.
During the early days Of the war;"
said the old warrior, 1.-THE federals, who
had already driven the rebels from
southern Kentucky, were much troubled
down in Christian county by Colonel
Woodward, who, | believe. lived near
Lafayette, in that county. He was in the
habit of visiting his home with a small
party of skirmishers, and he always car
ried away with him a number of horses
and supplies. The raids were uniformly
successful because of their audacity, and
Wood ward was a thorn in the side
of the union forces of thai territory.
A number of northern officers. noted for
their sagacity and courage, We're in
trusted with the task of capturing or
killing Woodward, but he was too much
for them. The southern synpathizers,
of whom there were many in the vicin-
ity, greatly enjoyed these fruitless eff
forts to elld the career of the audacious
rebel, and the union officers were Y
perated by the ill-concealed amusement
of the neighborhood at their expense.
Finally a Major Brackett- i think he
was from northern Ohio-volunteered
to put IN end to the depredations
of Woodward. BY some means he
learned that the confederate, with a
small force, would visit Lafayette one
night, and an elaborate plan for his
capture was arranged. Soon enough
the raider put in ~ appearance, as had
been expected, and Major Bracket
thought his game was at last corraled,
Woodward was at last surrounded, as
Major Bracket ~thoushtoand the signal
was given to the union inen to close in.
They did so, but just asn'they thought
the game was up for the..Eebel they were
suddenly attacked from Several quarters
simultaneously and decentralization en-
sued. Major Brackett Bwore and fumed
and the whole force iiedi pell-meli, car
rying the commanding officer with them.
They went at a wild pacS through La
fayette, followed by the ieering taunts
OF the southern sympdtltiZors.
Though no n haGthetemcrity TO say
it to his face, Major Hraeiett felt that
lie was regarded as a coward, and he was
naturally eXaspcrated. J. 1t developed
later that Woodward.s force had been
greatly inferior, numerically, to that of
Brackets. Consequently ne had to
submit TO a deal Of chatting from his
brother officers, and, being OF a sensitive