The National tribune., 1901-12-05

sons Brigade, marching in front, soon
came upon the enemy. Col. Moore, com
manding the Federals, had selected the
strongest natural position | ever saw, and
had fortified it with a skill equal to his
judgment in the selection. The Green
| River makes here tremendous and
sweeping bend, not unlike in its shape to
the bowl of an immense spoon. The
bridge is located at the ftp of the bowl,
and about mile and a half to the south
ward, where the river returns so nearly
to itself that the peninsula, at this point,
| is not more than 100 yards wide-at
what, in short, may be termed the in
sertion of the handle-Col. Moore had
constructed an earthwork, crossing the
narrow neck OF land, and protected in
| front by an abatis. The road upon which
we were advancing runs through this po-
sition. The peninsula widens again,
abruptly, to the southwark of this ex-
tremely narrow neck, and just in front
OF the skirt of woods, in which the works
about 200 yards square. Just in front
of, or south of. this plat Of cleared
ground runs a rayine deep and rugged,
| rendering access to it difficult, except by
the road. The road runs not directly
through, but to the left of the cleared
ground. All around it are thick woods,
and upon the east and west the river
| banks are steep and impossible preci-
pices. At the southern extremity of the
open ground, and facing and command
1 ing the road, a rifle-pit had been dug,
about 120 feet long, capable Of contain
| ing 90 or go men, and about that num-
her occupied it. When johnson, with his
brigade, was near the enemy, he sent
Cluke with his own regiment and the
10th Ky, then greatly reduced in num-
ber, to cross the river at a ford upon
the left of the road, and take position on
the northern side of the river, command
ing the bridge. This was intended to
prevent the retreat of the enemy and
keep off reinforcements that might ap-
proach from the northward. A flag of
truce was then sent to Col. Moore. de-
manding the surrender Of his command.
He answered:
at is bad day for surrenders, and
would rather not
Capt. Byrnes had planted one of the
Parrots about 600 yards from the rife
pit, and skirmishers had been thrown out
in front of it. As soon as the bearer Of
the flag returned, Byrnes opened with his
gun. He fired a round shot into the para
pet thrown up in front of the trench,
knocking the fence rails, with which il
was reveted, into splnters, and probing
the work. One man in the trench was
killed by this shot, and the rest ran, just
/ as our skirmishers dashed forward and
retreated across the open ground to the
= work in the woods beyond. Now the Sc
: riOus business commenced. Artillery could
t not be used to dslodge the enemy from
t the position, which was meant to be de
, Tended In earnest. This open ground, be
tween the points where were constructed
/ the rife-fi!, which was only n blind, anC
the strong work where Moore intended
s TO fight, is the fiat summit-for crest
! properly speaking, it has none-Of a hill
or rather swell of land. which slopes
gently away on both the northern anC
southern sides. Guns planted anywhere
: except upon this plateau, and near it!
: center, could not have borne upon tn,
] been planted there, every cannonee
( would have been killed before a sho
= could have been fired. The only way t,
e take the work was by straight forwarC
t attack upon it, and Col. Johnson moved
;, his brigade against it, or rather the tw,
z regiments of it left on the southern sid
: of the river. The men, CALAMITY led
i dashed across the open ground ant
/, plunged into the woods beyond.
e 'The Federal force. some 400 strong
d was disposed behind the work and aba
n tis, holding line not much more thai
100 yards long. The first rush carried
! the men close to the work, but they wer
/ stopped by the fallen timber, and dropped
/. fnst under the close fire of the enemy
:, Col. Chenault was killed in the midst o
i the abatis-his brains blown out as h
I was firing his pistol into the earthwori
! and calling on his men to follow. John
: sons Brigade had started with an inad
: equate supply of ammunition, and th,
o on that account. Gen. Morgan ordered
e me to send a regiment from my brigade
G to Johnson's assistance, and / sent tn,
e 9Th KY. Col ID. Heward Smith led hi