The National tribune., 1896-04-23

Gen. Smith, In command of the Six.
, teenth Corps, in his report, says: The
! Twenty-third Corps was on my right, in
) the intrenchments thrown up by them
on the night before, and at nearly right
angles to my present line. Expecting
that corps to take the initiative, as they
were on the flank of the enemy, | held
the command in its present position,
keeping up a
SLOW ARTILLERY FIRE
at their line without eliciting any re-
sponse. About o'clock | received a
request from Schofeld, and few mo-
ments later an order from you Thomas
to send another division to his assistance,
he having retained the one sent at day
light that morning. Not having any
reserve, and my whole line being imme-
diately in front of the enemy, and being
liable to be attacked and broken at any
point wherever a brigade should be with
drawn, | sent therefore a staff officer to
him to state the condition of my COM
mand, and ascertain if he could get
along without the division.
"The officer reported to me that Gen.
Schofield's line was not engaged, and,
upon the condition being reported to
him, that he said he did not need the
additional force, consequently it was not
sent. About 3o'clock p. m, Gen. Nc
Arthur sent word that he could carry
the line on his right by assault. Maj
Gen. Thomas being present, the matter
was referred to him, and was requested
to delay the movement until he could
hear from Gen. Schofeld, to whom he
had sent.
"Gen. Macarthur not receiving any
reply, and fearing that if the attack should
be any longer delayed the enemy would
use the right to strengthen his works,
directed the First Brigade (Col. W. /.
McMillen, 95th Ohio, commanding to
storm the hill on which the left of the
enemy's line rested, and the Second and
Third Brigades of the division to attack
in front when the First should be half
way up the hill"
Gen. Hood recognized the effect of
Gen. McArthur's assault. He says in
his report of the battle of Nashville
"About $50 P. m. the Federals con-
centrated number of guns against a
portion of our line, which passed over
mound on the left of our center, and
which had been occupied during the
night. This point was favorable fer
massing troopsfor an assault under cover
of artillery. Accordingly, the enemy
availed himself Of the advantage pre-
sented, massedI body of men-appar-
emily one divisional the base of this
mound, and under fire of artillery, which
prevented our men from raising their
heads above the breastworks, made
SUDDEN AND GALLANT
charge up and over our intrenchmcnts.
Our line thus pierced gave way; soon
thereafter it broke at all points, and |
beheld, for the first and only time,
Confederate army abandon the field in
desperation" -.
In his report Gen. Hood makes no
reference to the cavalry, which gained
his rear and assaulted his line in reverse
in conjunction with the direct attack of
infantry in his front, but during the
morning of the 10th he sent this dispatch
to Gen. Chalmers:
For Gods sake drive the Yankee
cavalry from our left and rear or all is
lost"
This message was captured by Gen.
Wilson and sent to Gen. Thomas about
noon on the 18th inst One of the most
remarkable features of this battle was
the desperate and spirited charges of the
dismounted cavalry. Ofttimes they
would mount their horses, make circuit
of five to ten miles around the flank of
the enemy, dismount and form in line-of-
battle, and then with the Yankee yell
charge the enemy upon the ground
picked by them and heavily intrenched,
and drive them in confusion from their
works.
The large force of cavalry at Nash
vile, so skillfully handled, was one of
the conditions of a decisive victory, since
by the unprecedented cooperation of cav
airy and infantry the pivotal advantages
were gained. The infantry on our left
had no distinct help from the cavalry, but
on the right the turning movements
were made by Wilson, and by his Co
operation the strongest positions of the
enemy on that part of the line were car
ried. The achievements of Wilson's
Corps stands against all possible criti-
cism as the justification of all the efforts
that had been made to give it efficiency,
and fully compensated for the consequent
Of the action.
AS soon as the rebel lines were broken
and Hoods army in full retreat, notwith-
standing the lateness of the hour, Gen.
Wood, with the Fourth Corps, immedi- '
ately started in pursuit of Hoods main
force, who clung desperately to the
Franklin pike, but was unable to over
take the enemy. Gen. Wilson remounted
his cavalry and pursued the enemy
through the ram and darkness until II
,'clock n m. Ahmt four milns north