The National tribune., 1895-02-07

as skirmishers, covering the front of the di-
vision. formed as follows: Second Brigade
on the left, Third Brigade on the right, with
the First Brigade ami two batteries on the
road ready for any contingency.
ain this formation the enemy's cavalry
was received, checked, and repulsed, as ~
dashed forward, driving the 9th Ill. Mid
Inf. before it, and almost Mt the same mo-
ment the Goth I'LL without knapsacks,
rushed forward, driving the enemy like
sheen before them iii The direction OF Re
SAGA
mo further stand being made by the
enemy, the command moved forward with
the 9th Ill. MID Inf, .deployed in front
and on the flank, until within two miles OF
Resaca, when the Goth Ill. was again de-
ployed as skrmishers and the march con-
tinued.
"On arriving in the vicinity of Camp
Creek brigade of the enemy 400 strong was
encountered, whereupon the 81st Ohio was
thrown forward as support to the 66th Ill.
and the 50th and 57th ILL.,, of the Third
Brigade, were placed in line, the former on
the right and the latter on the left OF the
road, as reserve, with the First Brigade
and two batteries to the right and rear In
an open field.
"Thus formed, the command was given to
the Goth Ill. to advance upon the enemy,
which it did with such impetuosity as to
break their lines and drive the rebel brl-
gade opposed to them across the creek, thor
oughly routed and in confusion, taking ~
prisoners and following the enemy c7er
hill, compelling them to seek refuge In
their Notifications, and holding position
within musket range Of the same. The
Slst Ohio was now brought forward and de-
Moved, seven companies as skirmishers on
the right of the Goth Ohio, holding three
COMPANIES in reserve. The remainder of
the division was brought up and thrown In
line. y Thus at two o'clock p m.
the division occupied the first range of hills
awaiting patiently for orders to assault the
enemy's works. But at 5 o'clock p. M, in
stead thereof, orders were received for a
retrograde movement"
Now, Comrade Sumner, you see / was cor
rect about the 9th Ill. having the advance,
aud you are mistaken when You say am
certain the 9th III. was not in our front that
day. Col Phillips was wounded before the
Goth fired a shot, and that day the 9Th lost
much heavier than the Goth.
Comrade Sumner seems to know of no
| crossing of the Oostanaula at Lays Ferry,
except on the morning of the 18th OF May.
Now, will inform Comrade Sumner that
| "High Private" was thar" and a portion OF
the time of the crossing he heartily wished
| that he was not " thar"
Can't VIM. III. Chamberlain, now manager
| of the Associated Press at Cincinnati, was In
command of the force that crossed, and
| they went in the order stated In my former
letter, viz, Cos. B and c, 81st Ohio, and Co.
! | Capt Hays, 68th H., and crossed at the
mouth of Snake Creek, about a mile down
the river from Lays Ferry. After they had
crossed and driven the enemy from the river
bank, Cos. A, f, +, and II, S1st Ohio, two
companies of the Seth Ill, and one company
of the 18th III. were sent across, as stated.
The boats were set up about mile from the
river and carried to- the mouth of Snake
| Creek and launched. -
Wright, in "a Corporal's Story" page 101
mentions this of the first three boats to cross
"The pontoonier by whom l was standing
suddenly dropped his oar and sat still, and
the boat swung around, and began going
down the river. i said to him, Why don't
you Iow2' He looked up with an express
sion of pain in hisoface, and said, l can'i
row; Pm shot looked and saw that the
ball had struck bim.in the back and passed
entirely through his breast
! One oil cur boys VINO knew now W Ioh
laid down his gun, took the wounded mans
oar, righted the boat, and we landed shorl
distance below the others"
Quite number of prisoners were taken
and brought across in. the boats.
Now, if Comrade Sumner has access tc
the division report, he will find that when
we moved from Resaca on the 14th to neal
Lays Ferry -" a pontoon-train, with two bat
talions of an engineer regiment, under Col
Buell., arrived, when the pontoons were i'm
mediately unloaded and put together, and
/ the I'd and 7th Iowa detailed to carry
them to the mouth of Snake Greek,
one mile below the ferry, and at 4:15 o'clock
the pontoons had been launched and loaded
with six companies Of the 6lst Ohio and
one company of the Goth HI, Second Bri-
! gade."
Then follows quite graphic description
Of the crossing, and an account OF the report
1 of the enemy at Calhoun Ferry, saying:
st now being dark, and reports of bridges
being constructed by the eneD--twice con-
firmed-the troops which had crossed the
river were Withdrawn, and the pontoon-
train moved back on the road.
AT an early hour on the morning OF the
18th of May the First Brigade was ordered
to move down to the river to be ready to
cross; but before this could be