The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-01-17
SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
What Scammon's Brigade, of Cox's Division
Did at that Fight.


| in the battle of South Mountain, in hopes
that / may bring out some of the old boys,
| who may be more able with the pen than
am.
After the second Bull Run "picnic," in
which our brigade had an invitation and
| attended in body, but were badly mis-
treated by the chivalry of the South, our
division (Coxs TO which our brigade (Scam-
| mop'sl belonged, had another invitation to
attend another picnic" which was supposed
to be held somewhere over in My Mary
land" nearer home. OF course, over We
went, had little waltz at MOnocacy Creek,
and a regular hoedown and shindig, which
ended in Dannybrook Fair knockd0wn and
dragout fight. This took place Oh OF near
the brow of what is called the Scared Mount
ain, spur of the Catoctin Range, denom-
mated South Mountain on the Typographical
maps of the country.
On Saturday morning, Sept. ID, 1862, our
advance came up with and drove out OF
Middletown the rebel rear-guaTd, and that
night came TO a halt some two miles beyond.
The next morning at very early hour
the onward movement was resumed, the
troops being in the best of spirits and eager
TO meet the enemy and wipe out the Bull
RIM humiliation. The rebels in our imme-
diaie front gradually receded as our troops
advanced, but their retreat was slow, logged,
and steady. as if they were determined to
dispute every foot of ground to which we
were putting in our claim.
All this time, until long past / o'clock,
the earth was shaken by the terrible thunder
Of artillery, The enemy firing with marked
precision and constancy, while our rihed
pieces sent their iron compliments through
the air with fury that was deaiening.
Covered by the thick foliage of impenetrable
woods, it was hard TO see the foe. Nothing
but the long lines of cleaning fire bursting
from a hundred cannon and the undulating
wrcaths of smoke which assembled high into
the air exposed the places occupied by our
sullen enemy. Wherever the flash of
cannon was seen, or the gray, misty smoke.
assembled, there our terrible artillery was
brought to play. The rain of shot and shell
was frightful; whistling and bowling through
the air, tearing and blowing up the earth,
these awful messengers of death and destruc-
ton fell like hail into the very midst Of the
rebel hosts. The carnage among them must
have been appalling. But they kept TO their
guns, and sent us almost as good as we gave
them.
The infantry now advanced with the ut
most precision and order. Every arm was
nerved for the fight and sword and bayonet
were cutched with a vigOr that was the
surest presage Of victory.
On and on went the long line Of blue, and
we caught glimpses of the rebs here and
there through the timber or brush as they
emerged into an open space. No thunder
of cannon or bursting OF shell could delay
them. Their mission was to force the enemy
from his cover and compel him to defend
himself or surrender
The enemy was soon discovered posted
strongly in the thickness of the woods. The
fire of the artillery was now resumed with
Increased vig0T, and along our whole line
was a continuous blaze of deathly fire. The
Commanding General mt once ordered Cox's
Division to the lett, supported by Willcox's
Division.
Gen. Scammon's Brigade, from West vir-
GINA, consisting of the 1ltb 18th, and Odd
Ohio, was the first TO come into the fight
AS soon as we approached the enemy, two
fine brigades of North Carolina troops adj
vanced steadily, and essayed to charge into
our ranks. But Scammon's veterans stood
their ground.
In the most grievous kind of uncertainty
the enemy halted. This was Gen. Scam
mons opportunity. With voice of thunder
he gave the order:
charge bayonets!" and with wild CRY
and an impetuous, irresistible dash the bri-
gade broke through the lines of the enemy
The rebels broke ranks in disorder and
scattered over the fields in every direction.
In this brilliant charge the rebel left was
completely turned and the glorious banner
Of the Republic once more VIGOROUSLY bap-
tised in blood. But at what cost!
Victory had crowned our every effort so
far with success, and in a short time new
reinforcements came up TO strengthen our
position and render our triumph more Sc
cure. The retreatng enemy was now sOrely
harassed, and had to order his artillery to
hastily fall back 10 avoid capture. The
nature Of the contest at o'clock in the
day was as bloody as it was ferocious.
The Ohio and North Carolina regiments
fought with degree of desperation such as
can scarcely be conceived. The 18th Ohio
was at one time engaged in a hand-to- hand |
fight with the 18th n. c., while the Odd |
Ohio was fighting as fuiiously with the 23d
NC.
1t was a carnival of death; hell itself
turned loose. The contest lasted for fully |
half an hour, but the brave Buckeyes carried |
everything before them, disc0mfiting and |
scattering their enemies, capturing inn |
mense number of prisoners, together with |
three battle-hags, a very large quantity of |
small-arms, and laying low Gen. Garland, |
the commander OF the rebel brigades.
For The time the contest lasted there was |
no more desperate battle during the whole |
campaign. During the day the ODD Ohio
lost nearly 200 men, of whom almost one
fourth were killed on the field. Only seven |
men were unaccOunted for at roll-call, Col. |
r. Il. Hayes being among the wounded.
The 18th Ohio lost 10 killed, 81 wounded, |
and eight missing. The 18th Ohio lost in |
the same aggregate. The 30h Ohio lost lS |
killed and 4S wounded. The Both Ohio also
lost in proportion. The above Ohio troops
made three separate bayonet charges during
the day, and were sent from West Virginia,
where they had been forming with other
troops OF Gen. j. ID. Cox's Division, intended
for reinforcement to Gen. Pope.
1t was in this fight that the gallant Gen.
Reno fell MORALLY wounded by a rifle-ball
his BRAIN He died while directing
his men to take no proper positions for the
defense of that flag lie loved so well.-SoL
II. SMITH, Co. l, 10Th Ohio, Lincoln, LII.
Abraham Lncoln's Stories.
all |