The National tribune., 1900-03-29
THE RATIONAL TRIBUNE: WAsHaIay D. c. THURSDAY

mile long out of old logs and chunks that
we gathered in the woods. This work was
on the left. in front of the Fourteenth Corps. |
AT about a. IN. the enemy commenced
the attack on the left by charging or the
breaStworkS with great fury and working
to the right. repeating these charges and
coming within 30 PAGES of our works several
times during the forenoon. When they
We're satisfied they could not carry them
they hanked the works on the north, COM
ing south on the Chattanooga road. when
our men took the reverse side of their works
and poured volley after volley into their
ranks. The rebels were driven back to
their side of the road.
But this did not settle them. as they
! sent larger force which came half way
up behind the works before they We're
driven back This settled matters on the
left as they went back out OF range.
At 2 p. m. the enemy concentrated the
| most of their force on the ri ght under Long
street, where he found a gap Of 40 rods
left open. by some misunderstanding. at
| the south end of the breastworks. They
passed i'm with all of their force, with but
little opposition, driving Sheridans Di-
| vision and Daviss Division. with Gen.
Rosecrans from the field. The 10th Ind.
and 74tir md. holdiffg the south end of the
| breastworks, witnessed the rebel force
| passing to our rear. and could read the
| handwriting on the WALL very plainly.
The enemy formed in close column in a
| large stubblefield just south Of the Snod-
grass house. Here at this turn of affairs
our forces were taken from the breastworks
to head them off. Where We had been
| facing east we now faced south. Inc
10th Ind. and 74th Ind was the first to
check this force when they tried to go
| north along the Chattanooga road. Beng
placed in a good position just east OF the
Snodgrass house, behind a log stable and
| in the edge of the woods, with the enemy in
close column 200 PAGES in front OF US, In an
open field, we had good chance TO get
even with them on all of our back accounts
The poorest marksman hardly missed a
shot. as it was like shooting into flock OF
blackbirds. We estimated the enemy in
| front of us at this time at 5000, under
Longstreet.
When the enemy did not succeed in driy-
ing us back they started for the Snodgrass
| Hill, 40rods further west. Here Brannan' s
Division met them and held them in check,
when Steedman came up with two brigades
of the Reserve Corps. Brannan and Ste2d-
man met Longstreet'S force in this large
field with tall weeds.
| There the fighting was the most desperate
/ ever witnessed, our men holding the
enemy i'll check till sundUwn, when the
rebels had been driven from every point.
During this hard fighting west OF the
Snodgrass house, the 10th Ind and 74th
Ind, being out of ammunition, were taken to
the north end Of the breastworks TO watch
this part of the line. White on our way
we gathered supply of ammunition by
taking it from dead and wounded.
After arriving at this point Gen. Thomas
rode up to our position. and sitting on his
horse watched the fighting until the enemy
ceased firing and our forces withdrew
} and fell back to Rossville. which was four
miles. When all had left the field. Gen.
Thomas rode off, and did not leave any
orders for our two regiments. 1t looked as
though he thought we commenced the fight
, and we might close it. Col. Taylor. ofthe
10th Ind, and Col Baker. of the 74th Ind,
had a short council. in which they decided
!. to fall back to Rossville.
} This closed one Of the hardestcontested
battles of the war. There has been a wide
, difference OF opinion as to our defeat. but
will say the enemy reminded me of the
: game cock that had both eyes picked out
!, but still insisted on standing in the ring
; while we went away with both eyes open
and in two months crowed from the top o
: Lookout Mountain. ID. MYERS, Ser
: geant, Co. l, 18th Ind.