The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-10-06
"caAsxo THEIR BRoz EN- FRAGMENTS BACK TO THE woops

! the march down the mountain, winding our
way like large blue snake in the valley to-
wards Rossville..
| 1t was a beautiful morning and grand
panorama the distant thunder of Sherman S
guns on the left of the line and the artillery
! from the forts around Chattanooga the
tented camps in and around that beleaguered
town alive with moving troops, their guns
glsteni2g in the morning sun, all moving
and nlassing in one direction-towards Mis-
sionary Ridge and Bragg's rebel army; they
were preparing for a great battle.
| Our column (Osterhaus's Division) reached
the Valley of Chattanooga without molesta-
ton. Here we were joined by our artillery,
and moved across Chattanooga Creek, thus
forming the extreme right of Gen. Grants
army, with Hooker's Corps still farther to
the right Of Osterhaus, near RossviIe. While
thus marching by the right flank toward
Ros5ville Gap, through the woods an occa-
sional rebel shell came uncomfortably close,
doing, however, no damage.
The rebel Col. Breckinridge, from Gen
Brags's staff, on beautiful white horse, gal
loped right into our midst, and was pris-
| oner, to his great surprise and disgust, before
he could realize his situation. Valuable dis
patches were here taken care of by Gen Os-
terhaus appertaining to the rebel Gen. For
rest.
Our movements now were q left-wheel in
line-of-battle, bringing us in the rear of the
rebel left wing-Breckinridge' Corps Some
| of the COnfederates showed their heads above
the Ridge, but a few shots induced them to
skedaddle or surrender. Our movements
| were slow and cautious, but the terrible
| firing to our left and in front of Missionary
| Ridge indicated the charge of Thomas's
| troops whose success soon became evident by
| whole brigade running our way, only to be
captured, bag and baggage, with many
stands of colors.. During this temporary
halting Of our men the roar Of firing grad u
| ally grew less, and we witnessed one of the
greatest sights soldier can ever witness
| that OF 'conquering army"
| Regiment after regiment, as if. on parade.
swept up and over the nights of Missionary
| Ridge, hurrahing and 81 outing 10 their
hearts content, waving Of flags, hats on
bayOnets carried aloft, every man in his place
in conn any front, following up the retreat
ing enemy The many weeks Of hardship
and Chickamauga were forgotten. Only
| Forward! Forward !" was their watchword
until late in the night
After turning over the captured trophies
| L
mander Gen. Hooker) we again moved for
ward after Gen. Bragg towards Taylor's
| Ridge The roads and byways were strewn
with abandoned gun-carriages, muskets and
accoutermcnts of all sorts, showing their
| hasty flight. Our line-of-march took us over
part of the Chckamauga battlefield. show
ing the evidences OF that great battle every
where.
After two days tramp our division
camped near Ringgold Creek The night
was bitter cold. Huge fires all through the
woods showed the different camps, and our
tired men rested soundly until reveille az Tin
aroused them for another days battle
Our advance met the rebel rear-guard at
IN early hour After some lively skirmish-
ing with the 18th Mo in advance we waded
through the creek, closely followed by the
18th and Sd Mo and balance of the division.
! However, moving rapidly across the railroad
tracks, we met a stubborn resistance on adj
vancing up Taylorls Ridge, losing MANY
| killed, wounded and prisoners. For several
| hours the firing was very heavy, until finally
our artillery arrived, opening up on the
rebels, and when, at last, our support got in
| position, the Johnnies again retired toward
Dalton.
Gen. Grant also arrived, reproving Gen.
Hooker for bringing on an engagement con-
trary TO his orders. The next day, Nov. 80,
we resumed our return march leisurev to
Chattanooga and Woodville, Ala, where we
again joined our Fifteenth Corps and the
Army of the Tennessee, to prepare and re-
organize for the Atlanta campaign in the fol-
lowing Spring.
In conclusion, | believe I express the senti-
ments of many comrades of the Osterhaus Di-
vision that they'regretted TO have been de-
taehed from their own (the Fifteenth to the
Twentieth Corps during these days, instead
of sharing the fortunes of battle with their
| Old commanders, Sherman and Logan. How
ever, we may console ourselves with having
had an Osterllaus as commander, even if he
did not receive that credit that he should
have had e ler~-~ T i-tE
G05 Olive I..l