The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1898-01-29

bank, but thought that Hood would at
tempt to pass around the tanks as he
had done the day before and cut the
army off completely from Nashville, He
took all the artillery of the Twenty
third corps with him to the north bank
and a portion of the Fourth corps artil-
le-y. One of the three divisions OF Stan
Iey's corps, Woods, was ordered by
Schofeld TO cross to the north bank
Stanley, who was i'll. accompanied
Woods corps.
The pike along which the army had
marched from Spring Hill blsected the
Twenty third corps line Of defense on
the south bank, and where it passed
through a gap was left for the move
1uent of wagons and troops At that
point much of the Fourth corps artil-
lery was massed Wagner's division Of
SANKEY'S corps brought up the rear and
took position two miles in front OF
Franklin. About 2 80 p NJ, finding
his flank turned by heavy columns Of
the enemy, Wagner decided to with
draw his command to position about
a third of mile in front of the TWEEN
ty-third corps center-that is, where
the pike passed through the fortified
line. Opdycke's brigade passed inside
the works as reserve to the Twenty
third corps line on the pike, 200 Or
800 yards in rear.
The interest Of the battle turns upon
the action of Opdycke's brigade and of
Conrad's and Lanes at the extreme
front The Confederate attack, when it
came about clock in the afternoon,
was very sudden, and Wagner ordered
! Conrad and Lane to fight. This they
| did stubbornly, checking the advance
/ of the Confederates. When at last, be-
| ing overwhelmed in front, their right
/ and left tanks turned, they did retreat,
/ they were followed with rush by the
| Confederates, who felt sure that Scho-
| fields army was in a trap and that they
would drive it into the river. Yelling,
| go into the vorksi'' they swept from
/ the trenches the soldiers of the Twenty
| third corps on each side of the pike and
captured the guns, which were under
the protection of the Twenty third corps
| troops. The soldiers of Conrad and Lane
reached the works with broken ranks
Nevertheless they had sufficient self
control to rally and take part in the
recovery Of the line. This counter stroke
was initiated by Opdycke and his bri-
gade, Stanley having been anticipated
by just so much time as it took for him
to ride from the north bank of the river
to the scene of danger.
There was no more brilliant episode
in the whole war than the ride of Stan
ley from the north bank Of the river TO
the scene of fighting on the south bank.
He was distant from Wagner's exposed
brigades when they began to fire upon
the advancing Confederates about one
mile. Leaping into his saddle, he gal
loped across the bridge, through the
ranks of the stragglers, his face set in
the direction Of the battle. 1t was then
4 o'clock, and for more than four hours
the officers and soldiers had been aware
that the whole army was to cross TO the
north bank of the river at dark. Retreat
and not battle was in the air.
But the ball was open, and the well
known figure of Stanley was seen rush.
ing to the front. Without waiting. fol-
orders Opdycke had set his brigade in
motion to recover the guns and parapet.
abandoned to the Confederates Spur.