Evening star., 1901-02-02
CHAPTER NX.

January. 1863, and never since the union
of states was born did New Year day open
to heavier hearts among union-loving men;
never sounded the old-tIme glad. though
conventional greeting. Happy New Year"
more like bitter mockery In the east the
Army of the Potomac had been hurled back
fICm The heights OF Fredericksburg. ieav-
Ing by hundreds its dead upon the frozen
fields In the west the old Army of the
Chio-the new Army of the Cumberland
had grapp.ed just the day before the last
Of the old year with BIags's veterans at
AlurfrceSbprO', and when the last sun of
70 sank TO rest behind the cedars of hat
now historic plain. McCook and Sheridan.
they who fought so hard at Perryyille two
months before. and johnson and Davis.
had been rolled UP. crushed together.
pounded and driven until rallied and finally
reformed under the wing of Thomas. calm.
stern, steadfast amid the storm. Gallant
Sill had gone down leading his old brigade
in daring yet fruitless charge. Kirk and
Which who held the far right, were sac
rificed, KIRK dying, Which cap i've.
shell had carried off the head of Garescne,
brilliant ChIef-Of-staf. and thing had
carried certain generals off their feet for
more than one came clamoring 10 resolute
'OId R0sey, urging that he abandon the
field, 1ail back TO the intrenchments Of
Nashville and call for reinforcements Not
he. The new commander lion in the
fight. The men saw and realized his Nalor,
and took courage from his superb deter
mination Wen win die right here!'
was The word, and win IL was Tor Bragg
had reached the limit. Three days later he
was In full. though orderly, retreat. leaving
hundreds of wounded to the mercy of the
enemy, and the Army of The Cumberland
moved in and took possession and fell to
binding up its wounds and those of more
than 1000 crippled confede rates whose com
manders made UP In tep sagacity what
they might lack in sentiment. II lessened
tEtlr burden to leave to the north the care
OF The southern wounded: besides the north
could do il much better
= sad and almost hopeless holiday was
that OF January I for union lovers north
and south. sad the Christmas lust gone
by had seemed to those who fingered stilI
at Beleview, recalling the festivities of two
years agoDe, and comparing them with the
otsoiauoh OF today. But the north had not
yet begun to know the staying powers of
Its sons. The south. perhaps. was first TO
learn II.
There came a period OF comparative in
action after the midwnter battle in the
mud and rain. Damages had to be repaired
supplies renewed. big gaps filed in the
ranks Of both armies. but in one division
a least there was no lack of incident ano
excitement. Sheridan's men had murh m
talk about. and as for the Buckeyes from
whose muster rolls the name Of Norman
Holt mad been dropped. TO accept pro-
motion on october 81, they, The old regI-
ment. were in ferment and Gaffney and
the Emmets In their glory
~ al! came about in this way: The bri-
gade had been hit hard early in the first
DAYS fight. The hne z!gzagged through The
cedars-Sheridan facing nearly east: Davis
his next-door neighbor. 10 the right, facing
south. and Johnson. farther south yet far
outlapped by the southern line facing every
which way. Sll. the noble soldier whom
the second divs on so well knew and trust
ed bad had TO fall back to the command OF
brigade. thanks to the coming of a gen
eral whose star had risen a few days earlier
II was good for the brigade but bad for
the rest of the right wing Swinging clear
around them from the south and west ana
enfilading them to the east the gray
divisions Cf McCown. Cleburne and Wlthers
with Norman Hollis old West Point com
mandant. Hardee. at their head. bore down
on Johnsons scattered brigades soon after
sun up and crushed them out OF existence
Then Davis. commanding the next division.
with everyth ng gone his right found
himself enSulfed and swept onward with
the tide. And so two-thirds OF McCooks
corps. the right wing. was washed away
when Sheridan made his valiant effort to
change front and stem the torrent 1t is
no easy thing to change front forward un-
der heavy fire. but IL g bagatelle COM
pared with a change front TO the rear. In
the hrst case the men stimulated by
the consciousness OF advance, of gaining
on the enemy; In the second they are de-
pres ssed by the consciousness OF retreat Once
started, with Their backs to the foe, only
men CT exceptional yalor or veterans OF
score Of battles can be readily halted on a
new i!ne ana 1aced ABOUT 10 meet a charg-
fng, yelling host. God knows the south
could charge and yell. and charging and
yelling both. In overwhelming onset a leap
Ing. bounding. fire-spitting gray torrent
Hardee's divisions burst through the clumps
OF cedar and swarmed on Sheridan. And
right IN the midst OF 1t ALL their plucky
colonel wounded and carried from the field.
an inaudible. unmpressive major in-com-
mand the Buckeyes came founderng
through the mud OF shallow ravine. and
pressing toward the center. where the drip
ping, droOp ng colors still waved.
individually they were turning about
from time to time. as men reloaded on the
move-a nasty thing to do on a wet day.
with long TOM muzzle loader and q
filmsy paper cartridge-then firing vaguely
at the fast following gray cloud through
which the little red battle flags were peep
Ing. The left brigade of the stanch divi-
sion had hated faced about and quickly
yeadjusted its line. general and colonies gall
Looping to and fro and shouting caution and
encouragement-Sherdan himself, fierce
furious and brimming over with fight and
oEergy. pointing out the new line, and then
Tie coming foe. But the next brigade, and