The National tribune., 1897-12-09

Pollock reported this to him.
"Zollicoffers across the Cumberland,
he ?" said he I'VE shall make it yer.
difficult for him to get back again. rapi,
river is a very bad thing in the rear of beatel
army"
ne Union army began concentrating a
Somerset. II miles from Mill Springs. TIL
1st and I'd Tenn, made up of refugee Ten
nesseeans, and eager to meet their enemies
were pushed out half way toward Mill Springs
and there Joined by the 10th Ind, list Ky
Cav, 4th, 10th, and 18th Ky, I'd MINI.
and Standards and Kenny's batteries. Othel
regiments were toiling toward them through
the mud and the incessant rain. Every day
there were vicious little scrlmmages betweer
small parties somewhere in the 10 miles o.
country separating the two armies. These
were noisy and exciting preludes to the grand
crash which all saw was inevitable
81 tell yo', thar's a-g~ine T. be an awful
smashin an grindin' afore the moon changes
agin." said Web Brainard oracularly.
"Suthin's got t. bust, / tell yo'. The rebels
can't keep Oh comm ths-a-way and weuns
can't keep on gwine Hathaway without
kickin mp a tracas that IL shake the limbs
often the trees. Ill bet it'll take more'n a
10-acre lot T. bury the dead rebels alter we'uns
git through with en-"
|
drillin' and manuverin, " said Pollock 81
can make out jest the use of all the right
fanlin' and left flankin, an presentin' arms
and sich. Thar must be good deal o. use
in hit though, or the ole Gineral wouldn't
be so particular bout our larnin' hit Then,
we've seen the rebels larnin the same thing
| can't understand how hits gwine t. make
4 man font any better, but we'uns IL prob
ably see hit tried on iii this ere battle. Then
we II know more bout hit"
The morning of Jan. 10, 1862, Pollock and
his companions worn out by their incessant
labors, were lying asleep in comfort bic
| corn-crib, near Logan's Crossroads. They
were lucky in getting this shelter from the
cherries drizzle, and were sleeping more
soundly than for nights. Just about day
break came an angry rattle of musketry and
loud yells
That's out whar the 1st KY Cav is"
said Pollock rs he awakened. He listened a
moment The firing continued, growing
stronger hat means something serious, :"
he said, awakening the Others. Lets go
out and help em."
They picked up their guns and rushed out
on lite hllock, which commanded an ex-
tensive view. The whole country seemed
full of rebels. The outpost of cavalry was
! falling back, followed by line of rebel in
fantry, yelling and firing at them. Several
of our infantry companies were hurrying
into position TO help the cavalrymen. They
heard the drums beating the por,entous ''lOng
roll in the camps behind them.
Their first impulse was to join their friends
in the 1st and I'd Tenn, away to the left, and
they started in that direction But the bat
tie grew fierccr toward the center and right
They saw a rebel battery leave the road, and
gallop as fast as the horses could be forced
through the deep mud of the plowed field to
an eminence, where it unlimbered and the
whole six pieces fired volley which shook
the earth, directly at Union regiment COM
ing into line in the open ground.
The frightful crash, and the dread of what
it would do made Pollock shudder He ex-
pected to see the whole regiment blown out
Of existence. But to his amazement he saw
only few men fall and the officers were all
in their places, waving their swords, and
| encouraging their men to stand firm. OPP
poste Them at the base of the eminence on
which the battery stood, a rebel regiment had
formed, which now advanced with loud yells
and a scattering fire. More Union soldiers
dropped under this, but they stood, closed up
the gaps and stood firmer than ever, with
their guns on their shoulders and no sound
coming from them but the ringing voice of
the Colonel. The rebel line pkdded on
through the mud until it had gotten within
200 yards of the Union regiment Then Pol
lock heard the Colonel command, slowly and
distinctly:
Ready"
All the guns came down from the shoulders
at the same instant.
| LAIN"
A long line of bright steel was leveled at the
advancing enemy.
FIRE."
The hundreds of guns crashed together al
most as one. the rebel line seemed to shrivel
up and disappear before the awful blaze
The officers reeled out of their saddles and
fell into the mud. The wet soil was covered
with writing men, and those who escaped
turned and ran for their lives through the
lettering clay.
Instinctively Pollock and the others had
fred with the regiment.
They rapidly surveyed the field as they re-
loaded.
My God, but that's war;" said Pollock
admiringly. "No Injun fighting bout
that
As he spoke Union battery, which had
been hurried up on "a hill behind the reg
ment, opened with deafening roar on the
rebel battery. Horses and men went down
before its shells, and a timber blew up with a
crash. The survivors of the battery were
flying around franticaly to Withdraw it back
under the shelter of the HILL
. knowed the ole man." said Web
Branard, in joyous excitement and indicat-
ing the probable position of Gen. Thomas by
whirl Of his hand wuz STORM up trouble
for them felers. He hain't bin settin' I'D
nights thinllin' and plannin' for nothin An
he's only begun. This's only his fust nip at
em. Les git over nigh whar he is, an see
him git good bite"
They soon came to hill, upon which Gen.
Thomas was sitting on his horse receiving re-
ports, and directing movements as calmly as
if in his tent back at Camp Dick Robinson
Occasional shots from the rebel cannon would
plow up the ground around him, and some
times bullets would whistle by Regiments
were rushing up Colonies were shouting
commands, batteries and cavalrymen were
galloping hither and yon, excited officers
and orderlies were dashing up making re-
ports and asking for ORDERS and everywhere
the most intense excitement reigned But
tie expression of Gen. Thomas's face never
changed from that of grave composure, and
his tones never raised. His words were slow,
distinct and measured.
The TennesSeeans gazed at him for few
minutes in almost worshpful admiration
T" He seems t. be ridin' the whirlvind and