Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1895-09-26

the battles in this vicinity, Missionary
Ridge, Lookout Mountain, etc. The
land, being mountainous, is almost
useless for farming purposes, and
therefore cheap.
Ohio alone has fifty-six monuments
on this field, and appropriated over
800 600 for their erection. The posi-
ton OF the l25th regiment, Ohio
Volunteers, under Colonel Emerson
Opdyke (afterward GeneraD is par
ticularly marked. 1t was here that
they obtained the sobriquet of the
"Ohio Tigers" The head of a tiger
is on the face of the monument.
is Commander Henry II. Adams of
Lafayette Post, No. 40, of New York,
and Major Whiteside. This was a
part of Harker's famous brigade.
and 1t held it's position on Horse
shoe Ridge where the hottest duel
of the war occurred. For five hours.
with scanty ammunition. the brave
boys OF this regiment held their
ground, and inspired by the personal
presence of General Thomas repeat
edly drove back the Confederate
forces.
General Granger i'm his report says:
although not in my command, !
cannot refrain from testifying to the
heroic bravery and unfiinchingst stead
iness of the troops that held the
Horseshoe Ridge under the hottest
fire." The trees on this section OF
the field We're nearly all shattered
and torn by the fierce storm of shot
and shell. but have since grown and
healed with time, and pieces of shell
and canister may still he seen par
TALLY embedded i'm the hard wood.
On the afternoon of September Is,
1868, the battle of Chickamauga
actually began. The Federalcavalry
was sent out under. General Wilder
to ascertain the whereabouts OF the
Confederate lines, and while crossing
Reeds Bridge over the Chickamauga
. Greek were fired upon by Confederate
, i'm the underbsalsh- on the bank. Al
that day Bragg, who had beer
; fianked out of Chattanooga, hat
/ been endeavoring to get his arm,
: between Rosecrans and the city O
/ Chattanooga; and Roescrans, wht
2 had sent his army south in pursui
: of Bragg, having discovered Bragg
: design, was making an equally des
I. perate effort to concentrate his di
! vision between Bragg and the city.
5 At that time the country wa
a wild, the underbrush was az dens
!. as that of the famous Wilderness
e and it was impossible to discove
e anything 100 yards ahead. An
r while thus cropping on the mornin
;. of Saturday, September 10, the con
e batants came face to face, and b
l. 7:3O i'm the morning the battle wa
t raging in full fury. The losses wer
l. appalling, and the records show
:. larger percentage than in any othe
a battle of the war. At the end {
t, two days both armies were reexhauste
:. and withdrawn, leaving Gener,
g. Rosecrans in possession of Chatt,
d nooga, which was the eobjectivepoiI
le of the campaign.
is This was the result of the despera'
Of and stubborn fighting Of gener'
,e Thomas, who well earned on thol
is two terrible days the title of Il
o Rock of Chickamauga." 1t is r
el corded of General Bragg that aft,
"a the battle. when speaking of Thoma
he said: 81 feel proud of my o
n lieutenant. even though I could n,
e, whip him."
H. The forces engaged on the side
e. the Federals were 80 brigades
i'd infantry and 33 batteries of artiller
rs making a total Of about "a, ,l6Q. Ge
1r eral Bragg had 30 brigades of infa
Of try. 10 calvalry and 40 batteris
ce aggregating about $4,000 men.
In the forces actually engaged we
he about equal. The percentage
ly losses for the number engaged al
&. the length Of time Is far above tn
at of any other battle of the war, al
N has not. perhaps an equal in mode
warfare.