The National tribune., 1898-12-29


the fugitives cluster around their battle
flags, with tear streaming eyes, fondly
caressing the banner they were now help
| less to defend.
Here-and there a gallant Color Sergeant
would halt and raise alOft the ensign Of
liberty, shouting out to the men not to
abandon their colorS--not To give up the
flag; to remember Stone River, and not TO
yield, for our troops would yea be vlctorl-
Gus, as they had been on many hotiy-
contested field. Here and there an officer
pleaded frantically with the flying men-
now using words Of hope and encourage
ment, or orders and menaceS. as either
were demanded by different characters
calling upon them TO remember the ir
country and her honor, to reflect that they
were Americans, and must fight to save
their banners.
They could not resist the appeal, and
| three times they rallied and waited de-
tarminediy for the enemy each time in
| better order and determination, standing
ever in well formed ranks until ordered to
take UP new position. Nobly did those
Color Ser9eants di 5chirge their duty thu t
day, not one OF whom yielded his banner
till he had first fallen beneath it.
| Capt. Johnson, now Colonel OF the 18th
| Ind. Cav, contributed much toward rally
| ing the men; as did also Capt. Rockhold,
of the 18th Pa. Cav, and many other
officers both Of the staff and line, whose
names / do not now remember The last
| man | recollect seeing on the field-and !
was one of the last to leave twas Maj
Gen. McCook, riding even into the thick
| est of the enemy's fire, and it indeed
| appears miraculous that he escaped with
| his life.
While this was happening on the right,
| the thunder OF battle still reached us from
| the left What befell the fugitives now
| ing d wrong road, left them, and going
| Immediately to the left, reported to Gen
Thomas for duty. He held his ground
| firmly until toward night, when, during a
lull in the battle, he began TO retreat. His
corps was in the best OF spirits, and full
of confidence in the General.
PORTABLE BREAsTwORKs.
| Deliberately every man supplied him
| self with raiI-whole brigadeS facing to a
| fence for this purpoSe-each fellow shout
dering the biggest one he could lay hands
on; and then the brigade would reform
and resume its march, the men laughing
| and Joking each other over their heavy
work as gaily if they had not seen
| thousands Of their comrades fall that day.
The enemy pursued, but the corps with
| it's portable breastworks, was invincible.
| Hating in a noted gap in Mission Ridge
the troops put their rails to use by raising
! in few moments an effective barricade.
The General made his headquarters lust in
the rear OF the gap, and under short artil-
| lery range of the enemy; and he main
| tanned his position in spite Of the rebel
shells, which were whisting over his
| head for hours together; and here he was
| reinforced by two or three brigades of
| Grangers reserves, and renewed the con-
| test.
On the 21st our line reached around the
crest Of Mission Ridge, something like a
half-moon,., with the bow toward the
severe on that day, as the rebels APP
peared disconnected. They made sew
eral fcints upon our lines, but our Gen
eral was always ready for them, and
checked them ut every point. AT times
tn eir artillery would send shell after shell
shrieking over our heads, as If determined
TO frighten us from our position; but they
fred badly. as if they had 10 their best
gunners in the late terrible contest.
At times they would pour volIey after
volcy of musl<etry upon us, but did but
little damage, as the balls either struck
our barricade or flew harmessly over us.
and ciattered among the trees. Their
next ruse was to try 10 turn our right with
their cavalry, and il was said that For
rest led the charge in person. Scaling the
end Of the ridge, where cur right was
posted, they charged furiously upon the
2ist Ohio and were handsomely repuIsed
| without loss TO our side, while eight Of the
enemy fell dead within a few feet of our
! lines.
nc GiSt foiib"tN tHsu Win an I'm
interrupted fire from their revolving rifles,
until the rebels were driven from the hill.
This was about the closing demonstra-
ton; and that night the army quietly re-
treated TO Chattanooga, leaving their
campfires burning brightly to deceive the
rebels. Gen. Thomas did not leave the
field until all had gone from the scene OF
the late conflict but the rear guard, and
about midnight part of Gen. Stanley IS
force appeared upon the ground to cover
! the retreat.
had been holly engaged with the enemy IS
cavalry under Forrest. and had also been