The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-08-08

(By Capt. F. A Mitchell. Late L. S. A. Copy
righted by American Press Association. All
rights reserved)
The Union commander sees them and
at glance discerns that without force
to drive them from it his army is lost.
There is no such force. Every man is
engaged and needed where he is The
generals brow is knit, and his square
mouth sets even more firmly than before.
'There is cloud of dust rising over
there to the north, general, and men
marching under it," said an aid. 81
wonder who they are"
It makes a great difference to the
bounded general whether they are
friends or enemies. He looks anxiously
in the direction pointed out by his aid
and orders him to reconnoiter the un-
certain column. The officer rides for
ward to point where he can get good
view, draws rein, dismounts, and climb
ing fence brings fieldglass to bear
on the advancing troops. They are far
from him. They are covered with dust,
and their flags are furled, so that he
cannot tell whether they are blue or
gray. If they are gray, that means de-
struction for the troops defending them
selves in the horseshoe. If they are blue,
they may serve as forlorn hope on the
ridge commanding the Union right.
The aid not only sees these troops,
but the troops see the aid. They, too,
wonder if he is blue or gray. Neither
can tell, but from his position they sus-
pect him to wear blue. At any rate,
they assume that he does.
Suddenly every flag is unfurled, dis
playing the stars and stripes.
Enough. Mounting his horse, the aid
rides over the ground between him and
the head of the advancing column.
"Who are these troops?"
''The first division of the reserve
corps"
Posted at the opening of the struggle
to guard a bridge across the Chickamau-
ga on the extreme north Of the battle
field, with orders to hold it at all haz-
ards, this division had for two days
listened to the sounds Of fighting with
out firing, shot. The Confederates had
made a crossing without using the
bridge watched, and the division was a
useless guard. On Sunday morning it's
commander, chatting at inaction, yet
dreading the consequences that might
occur, the blame attending disobedi-
ence of orders, determined to burn the
bridge and march to the relief of COM
rades whom he OWNED were being hard
pressed. Gathering his principal officers
in a church near by, he announced to
them what he proposed to do. The little
church, unused at that hour Of that holy
day to anything more vigorous than a
minister pounding the pulpit or the
strains Of "Old Hundred, rang with
the asserting aoclamations Of soldiers.
Marching through fields of yellow
corn, guided only by distant but con
tinuous roar, the division each moment
lessened the distance between it and the
army whose fate hung on its quick COM
ing. The direction taken led them to-
ward the north side Of the horseshoe
and the rear of the Confederates. First
q small body of Confederate cavalry,
guarding a hospital, were met. These
were easily scattered, and the column
moved on. Striking the Chattanooga
road, the division marched on down it.
There were heights to the east, and on
these were guns. It was plain to the
gunners that the advancing column was
a rescuing column. They opened fire to
delay it. The Union troops did not heed
them. There was a more important
enemy-a more important work farther
on.
But they were marching directly in
rear Of the Confederate line. Filing to
the right, through an orchard and open
fields beyond, they came to point where
the dim outline Of the troops engaged
could be seen through the overhanging
clouds of smoke The reserve halted in
field between the two bent flanks-
the two heels of the horseshoe.