Omaha daily bee., 1897-11-21

to the east, the movements of the gathering
corps in blue on the plains.
"Geary, of Hooker's command, will attack
from the south and west Osterhaus, with
his Kentuckians and Ohioans will attack
from the north and east"
This is what $4,000 waiting men said one
to the other. as from river and plain they
turned their eyes toward Lookout, after the
sun had passed the zenith and was hidden be-
hind black cloud banks. The men were right.
From our position we could see the western
men assigned to the assault moving toward
the mountain under the tattered battle flags
that few months before, had waved in the
van of our assaults on Vicksburg. From the
far distance we could hear Hooker's bugles
sounding the advance. A few minutes and
the mountain became laundering volcano,
from which burst fountains of flame and
geysers of dense white smoke.
The battle was on. We could hear defiant
yells and hoarse cheers as the opposing
forces came nearer, and although i kenw 1t
was fancy | felt sure / could distinguish AL
len Gordons voice, for something in the
waves of sound thrilled me, as | was thrilled
when we rushed side by side upon the guns
at Shiloh.
Bmck clouds rolled in from the west and
shaped about Lookout, as If to veil the scene
Of strife from the sight of heaven. Still the
rattle of musketry came to the plain, while
the mountain seemed to rock and sway under
the thunder of the cannon. As listened
| Thought of the children OF Israel watching
tho flaming clouds banging over Sinai, while
tho lender of the people talked to the Law
giver of all.
Night came down and Bragg's campfres
In half circle that seemed lifted into the
sky flashed along the embattled crest OF MIS-
sion Ridge, while here and there dancing col
ored lights could be seen and we knew the
confederate signal corps were anxious and
busy There was but little sleeping in either
camp that night One hundred and twenty
thousand men, friend and foe, were watching
Lookout. The encrcling cloud seemed to
throb to the blazing and booming OF the guns,
while like flights of giant fire flies the fash
ing of the rifles cut through the intense dark
ness. Higher and higher the sound OF the
figIting rose The cheers and yells could no
longer be heard and the roar OF the guns be-
came muffled. like the sound OF giant funeral
drums belting far up in the heavens. About
midnight the battle echoes ceased TO come
down from the mountain and an awful still
ness fell upon the plain. The men, who had
been talking In low tones became silent We
| could hear, not only the beating OF our own
hearts, but the painful throbblng OF the tenn
pies.
The drelry black hours crept by The mel
| were at liberty TO lie down nnd sleep, but
| they sat in groups and smoked In silence, all
wondering how II had gone with our comrades
Of Geary's and Osterhaus' divisions.
| WHAT THE DAWN REVEALED.
| At length after what seemed like al
eternity of waiting, light that did not com
from the dying camQhres of the enem
strained from the east and raised the din
outline of Mission ridge into a biilow
mirage that filled half the visible sky
The increasing light seemed but to lengthe
the minutes. Through the misty vel IN
campfres glowed In weird way, ahd IN
| soldiers, drinking their coffee, loomed u
like giant silhouettes. My own men, wit
| the forethought OF veterans who did not kno
/ when they might have chance 70 eat sgeii