Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-01-08

onets and charge across the field TO meet the
advancing foe coming, eight lines deep, to-
ward On reaching the edge OF the pine
grove orders came for us to halt and fire. This
was amid a shower Of balls coming from our
front right and left. Sergeant Lewis, regi-
mental color bearer, fell just where we halted,
wounded in the leg. / sent Sergeants Newlin
and Brown to carry him off the field Neither
Of them was heard from after the battle. Art
Terrell fell dead within a yard Of me,
pierced through the temple with ball. Imrne-
diately after Lewis fell the flag was taken up
by one Of the color guard he soon fell taken up
by another he fell Then o retreat was order
cd. grasped the coors and carried them of
tho field. was struck by q shot Rhich, check
ed by my tin cup, lodged in my hayersack.
The regiment retreated pellrnell; could not be
rallied again. Eight men were all that stacked
arms in Company @ within three hours after
the engagement We went in that morning
with 20 10 were missing we could not account
for. Among the missing were Orderly Ser
geant Smith and Sergeants Lewis, Brown and
Eowlin. The regiment went in with rs officers
and 1856 men and rallied 10 officers and 06 men.
From the point where We reformed Sheridan
led us three miles TO the rear
Thus ended the career Of Sheridan
and the Seventy third Illinois in the
battle of Chickamauga, for, through no
fault of the men. Thomas was left to
fight it out alone while others marched
away from the face of the enemy.
In describing the charge up Mission
ridge Captain Kyger's diary gives that
touch of realism which romaneers strain
after and fail to reach. The entry made
Gin the bitches in front of Chattanooga"
tells how the division moved forward at
signal under heavy fire to the first
line Of rifle pits at the foot Of the slope.
Then it continues:
General Sheridan rode up behind the Seven
ty-third and said 81 know you Fix bayonets
and go aheadI Then we moved to the second
line of works rested again after driving this
rebels and taking many prisoners. Moved
again and, under n terrific fire, reached tho
third line. Many fell Started again; had to
move up hill at an inclination Of about 80
degrees, exposed 10 bursting shells and a show.
or Of grape, canister and mimic balls. The only
shelter we had was now and then "A tree, log
or stump. The flags moved up gradually.
| The color bearers would stop and await the
coming of the men, who were pouring into the
enemy terrible fire.
This was our hardest time. We had to pass
a more exposed point. From tree TO tree, from
stump 10 stump, from log TO log we went un-
til we came 10 a point where the slope was
sleeper. Here we remained 10 get in readiness
for the final charge. General Sheridan came
riding up, and we moved steadily on until we
reached the top of the ridge. just before we
got there the rebels threw hand grenades and
rocks at us. No matter for that-our flags
must be planted ON the top of the ridge. Color
Sergeant Hasty fell / took the flag and
moved forward, but soon became exhausted
and fell. Hasty caught up, and we went on
together and planted the flag of the Seventy
third Illinois tho very top of the ridge at s
o'clock p. m.
For an account of the part taken by
the Seventy third in the charge of OPP
dycke's brigade to recover the lost
breastworks at Franklin / quote from
the notes of several participants who
wrote at the time Says Sergeant A. G.
Nicholson of Company G:
About o'clock p. m the rebels began to
come for U.S. our brigade to be in reserve, but
about 80 the rebels charged furiously. The
center on the pike gave gay. The - Missouri
and -- Illinois began to run from their rifle
pits Our brigade was called to attention, and
in less than two minutes we were on the keen
run, trying to drive our men back. The rebels
had driven them out of their first line and got
into it and half way to our second line, but we
drove them back to the outside of our first line,
and from that time until 1890 p. m. we kept
up a constant stream of fire on them.
In the notes of Sergeant Reuben Jack
Of Company L there is another view of
the same incident He says;
remember distinctly how the balls were fly
ing and our boys saying, "Let go to the
worlssl" and when the line gave way there