The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-19

to be just: Gen. Negley's command
occupied that ridge a short time since.
and why he has abandoned It | do not
know. Possibly he may have received
an order from Gen. RoSecrans. The enemy
are now posting a battery there and will
shortly enfilade our position with the fire
Of its guns.
AT that very instant the fash of the
guns referred tosaud the rattle OF canister
against the dry leaves under which the
two were halted gave confirmation Of ths
fear expressed. His voice being for an
instant drowned the general concluded:
There. there Gen. Steedmau you can see
their exact position now! You must take
that ridge" "
Steedman. with the regimental flag in
his hand. led the attack. Within twenty
minutes from the beginning Of the charge
tho ridge had been carried. Twice the
ConfederateS massed a force to Tetake the
ridge. for il was their last chance 20 get
in the rear OF Thomas before night closed
down.
When Longstreets troops passed
through the fatal gap between Thorn
and the right wing Of the army, Rose
Grams was with that portion OF the right
thus cut OF from Thomas battlefield. He
attempted to reach Thomas By going
around his rear through Rossyille. At
Rassvilie word reached him that Thomas
had been defeated, and. believing that the
whole army was in rout. ne decided 10
go 20 Chattanooga himself, so as to rally
the troops on their arrival there and
make stand 70 keep Bragg from SELLING
the prize. The other corps commanders.
McCook and Crittenden. also went 10
Chattanooga. leaving Thomas in command
OF all the troops IN contact With the enc
my Later in the day. when Rosecrans
learned that Thomas was holding on i'm
his original position ne sent word 10 him
"a fall back 20 Rossville This the firm
old hero. who had never retreated and
never been defeated IN battle declined to
do. He believed that the safety OF the
army lay in fighting 70 the bitter end be-
fore yielding the ground
The best estimates place the army of
Rosecrans at 81. 6sa. that Of Bragg ar \ 80
Rosecrans lost between II on and J. eOo kill
eei and wounded and Bragg between IS al
and is.oa- Rrsgg's army was stronger in
point Fl numbers a the end of the battle
than RoseCrans' had bean az the begin
ming. but that last struggle upon Horse
shoe ridge taught the Confederate leader
thar p.ling up superior numbers against
Thomas could not shake aim. lie did
not renew the attack
George Henry Thomas was as much
Fireiniau and e SOU heruer as Robert T.
lee He was born IN Southampton
county. Va. on July 81 ISs His father
Was Of Welsh ances ~. and his mother
vas descended from a Hugusus family
whiCh found an asylum ln America in
the seventeenth cen. airy. Thomas 5n-
herited che traditions an1 the prestige 81
Cavalier ana HuEueno. As hoy be xts
siudious ard thoughtful. wIth very prac-
teal turn Of mind Nnfls z Young nan
ne served as deputy county clerk and a
student Ot law- In ais twentieth year che
congressman Of hls dls.~icf appointed him
cadet at West Point and when re handed
TIE boy warrant which WIS eagerly ARK
c~pte1- said No cadet from my district
ever graduated from the military academy.
IL you don't never Mani 20 see your face
again"
Thomas graduated IN Is&3 twelfth ir a
class % forly-fve among whom was VIII
lam Tecumseh Sherman. tie served IN
the Florida war and vas afterxsrd sta-
tioDe6 az Charlest3n snd Baltimore
Honors woa in the aeid IN Florida gave
him personal distinction. and be was a
most dlEuiaed ard courteous gentleman
in fac. a second Wasaing.0n ~ look ard
manners.