The National tribune., 1901-02-21

Carter's Brigade comprised the LIST Tenn.
Cav, Peters Regiment, and the 10Th Ga.
Battalion-numbering probably 800 men.
Not yet embarrassed by the presence of
Longstreet, Burnside was able to utilize
nearly the whole of his Ninth Corps
d'Armee in operations east of Knoxville.
Advancing his little division, Gen. John
S. Williams, better known as "Cerro
Gordo," halted at Blue Springs. about mid
way between Greenville, Andy JOhnsons
home, and Bulls Gap, probably 90 miles
from Knoxville. Here we rested, appar-
emily waiting, Micawber-like, for some
thing to turn up. This was bad policy, as
the sequel proved. In the course of week
the Federals turned up" in front and
rear. The interim had been peaceful, the
monotony being broken only by predatory
band of the alert enemy capturing part
of our foraging wagon train. This episode,
in connection with the unnatural calm, was
ominous.
Occupying a ridge stretching across the
valley from each side Of the main road,
which was our center, our position was
naturally strong one. The lower lands,
! in our immediate front, consisted of open
fields and woodlands. Doubtless "Cerro
Gordo" thought this good place to fight.
1t was-had there been no valley beyond
passes in our rear. "Cerro Gordo" was a
.bluffer" and a fighter, but putting up a
game of bluff with his small hand"-a
pair of deuces, so to speak, was absurd. He
was at least 30 miles from his base, no ef-
fective supporting force near, and Gen.
Burnside, with the Ninth Army Corps,
fresh from the Army Of the Potomac, in
his front.
THE BATTLE OF BLUE SPRINGS.
On Saturday, Oct. 10, 1863, about 8
n a m IA
"Cerro Gordo" was wide awake and in his
element. His reputation for pugnacity
and as a "stayer" extended from Maine to
the City Of Mexico, and when we heard
the first picket shot, it became Immediately
apparent that he meant to fight, and that
he would not abandon his position with
out a desperate conflict. Such were his
tactics ever. He never ran away if he
could get man to stand. He went into a
fight swearing and stOrming, swore and
stormed during the fight, and after the bat
tie swore all the same, in victory or defeat.
The battle line was quickly formed,
Carter occupying the ridge on the right and
Giltner the one on the left of the road. A
section of Burrows Battery, commanded
by Lieut.. Lloyd, notably gallant youth,
occupied an admirable position just to the
right Of the road; two Parrot guns of
Graham's Battery occupied commanding
position on the left near the road, and
oCuUOlHcIu SeCllOH Ol luc IItlIc DdIleIy
was advantageously posted, whence it
could change position and go where most
needed at moments warning. Gen.
Williams and staff took position near
Lloyd's guns.
Almost Immediately after the firing of
the first picket gun the battle opened vic
iously all along the lines. The artillery be-
gan a duel which continued nearly all day.
Occasionally, however, the guns of both
combatants would shell the woods. Shells
| from the enemys guns would strike in
| front Of our batteries and ricochet over
them and above the heads of the support
generally exploding far TO the rear. One
OF young Lloyd's guns was struck and
temporarily disabled, the Lieutenant being
painfully wounded in the arm. Bandagine
the wound with handkerchief, he con,
tinued to direct the firing Of his remaining
gun.
About 10 o'clock was entrusted with q
message to Gen. Williams, whom found
on his horse in the road, near an ordnance
wagon. While talking to the General
heard yell and clatter up the road. Look
| ing In that direction, l saw q strange flag,
tattered and torn, and motley troop OF
reckless riders-the most daredevil look
ing ragamuffins had ever seen. Although
many of them wore neither boots mol
see up the road they were coming at gal
lop, one by one, and when each trooper
came to the ordnance wagon, he came to a
sudden halt and demanded ammunition
Informally the Ordnance Sergeant handed
out the cartridges, which most of the
troopers put into their pockets, only few
of them having cartridges boxes. One by
one, having received the necessary ammu
milton, they would give q yell, and, not
waiting to close up, would gallop headlong
down the road, leading to the center of oul
lines, until they struck the enemy, and
fancied could tell by the firing when each
of them got there"
| / soon learned that there were about 12s
of them-the noted Col. Witchers might
hawks" Their dilapidated battle fae
bore many scars. They came to us unex
pectedly, fresh from the battleiields Of
Maryland and Pennsylvania, where they
had been valiant fighters and conspicuous