The National tribune., 1901-05-23

I umnS to storm IeggettS Hill. My pen
utterly fails me in an attempt to describe
in detail the events of that fearful strug-
gle.
| ASSAULTS UPON LEGGETT's HILL.
Nearer and nearer came that line Of
rebel gray, Indicating that they felt able
to brush us away, but as they ran against
the muskets of Leggetts Division they
were sent reeling backward, suffering
great loss, our loss being slight, as we lay
behind a hastily-constructed line of rails
and dirt
The next attack came from the direc-
ton of Atlanta; Il skirmish line followed
by heavy force was observed moving
upon us from that direction. We now
hastily changed frOnt-as the first at
tack had been from the east-and again
repuised the enemy in handsome style.
The enemy now fell back. reformed
their lines, and again returned to the at
tack, but were again repulsed and driven
back, leaving their killed and wounded on
the ground.
During the afternoon the enemy again
advanced upon us from the direction of
Atlanta, at the same time furiOusly at
tacking us on our flank, using their heavy
/ artillery. If ever we were in a position
to fight like demons it was then. Get
into the works." shouted Col. Welles.
(Which side. Colonel?" was asked. Il
| OOD care which Slue, NelIeu our COlOHti,
| ''but get into the works. And get into
the works we did, but it was puzzle to
| us to know which side of the works would
| be the safest. as the attack came from
| front and flank, which compelled us to
| fight first on one side of barricade of
rails and dirt and then on the other.
At one time a portion of our division
was on one side of our works firing IN one
direction, while little farther along the
| line the rest of our division was on the
opposite side of the works, firing i'll an
other direction.
About this time Logan dispatched to
L@ggett message saying: General, it
is all important that you hold the hil.'
The left of our brigade now swung back
to the crest of another hill, the right still
resting on the old works, where a few
rails were hastily thrown together and
behind these we hugged the ground.
Still ON came the enemy, rolling and
surging up against our lines in another
determined effort to take Leggett's Hill.
But Leggett's noble men were just as de-
termined that they should not have it
We saw them coming to take the hill,
with officers in front, lines well dressed,
and following each other in quick sue
ceSsion.
Such scene one does not often behold,
even in the wild tumult Of war, as here
it was the tidal wave of war beat with
its widest fury against US. Volley after
volley of musketry, accompanied by the
believing of heavy guns, seemed to have
no more effect than so much chaff would
have done in the ranks of those advanc--
ing hosts.
A HAND-TO-HAND STRUGGLE
On the enemy came until they became
engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle with
| portion of Leggett's Division. Wild
yells rent the air, and bayonets clashed
together as the men gave the glistening
steel. Men with uplifted blades sought
each others lives, but the swift, unerring
ball reached them before the blows were
delivered, and they fell side by side.
The crash of cannon and roar of mus
kerry were deafening, and the enemy were
hurled back only to spring forward with
greater fury in vain effort TO burst
Sherman's coils that were Tightening
around them.
As we glanced to the right or left we
found it the same-a struggling, fighting
mass of men, now partly hidden by clouds
of powdersmoke and then again in plain
view. Thus the battle ragged till night
dropped her mantle over the scene. Little
by little the enemy were driven back,
and when darkness fell they gave up the
fight and quietly quit the field.
Wearied with the confusion and ex-
citement of battle we threw ourselves
down 10 rest, but not to sleep. The voice
of comrade is heard calling; we hurry
here and tbere-now holding our canteen
TO the lips of dying comrade, now en-
deavOring to smooth the couch of wound
ed brother, and now hastily answering the
voice of a friend, "Oh, give me water"
The morning of July % muffied shout,
that was taken up by brigade after bri-
gade and division after division, rolled
gloriously along the lines. There was no
enemy in our 'front.' and the victory was
h1.t oh haf faarful lncS NJ lifa
there had been. The ground over which
the enemy made their successive charges
was thickly strewn with dead.
In front of Leggett's Division the rebel
dead lay SO close together that one could
have walked for some distance, stepping
from one body to another. During the
day the enemy sent truce, and there
was delivered to them to be buried about
1000 of their dead
These were collected from the ground
in front of Leggett's Division, which went
to show how well Leggett's noble lads
had responded to Logan's battle cry,
"McPhe-son and revenge"
July % Was sad day to us. There
was no excitement to keep up our strength
as with mute lips We gathered together
those Of our own regiment who had fallen
on July %, and with many an aching
heart laid them tenderly away.
Our total loss in killed and wounded
Was dDOuI ~. let II uOeS HUt dppeHE IN
Ohio's records that our regiment suffered
any loss in wounded. This discrepancy,
however, may to some extent be account
ed for from the fact that during the last
year and q half of our service a very
small per cent of our wounded were re-
ported. Only those who were wholly dis
abIed were sent to the hospital, while
those who sustained less severe wounds
remained with the regiment, and in many
cases were doing duty before their
wounds healed
DEATH OF GEN. MCPHERSON.
The most severe loss we sustained on
July % was our beloved commander,
Ma j.-Gen. james B. Mcpherson. He had
just left Gen. Sherman, where he had
been in consultation, and was hastily rid
ing forward accompanied by one Orderly,
his other Aids having been sent on DIFF.
ferent missions, when, while passing
through a belt of timber, which but a
few moments previous had been in our
possession, he encountered body Of the
enemy's skirmishers and was shot dead
The first time we heard Of Mcpherson
I was at Corinth, Miss, he then being a
Colonel ON Halleck's staff.
In October following MCPHERSON was
made Major General, and upon the or
ganization of the Seventeenth Corps,
| Army of the Tennessee, he was made its
commander. He remained in command of
| the Seventeenth Corps, leading It in all
its marches and campaigns until March,
| 1854, when he took command Of the Army