The National tribune., 1901-05-09

The enemy, in full force, mounted and
dismOunted, advanced upon our estab-
lished line of battle and were received by
a blazing line of fire from right to left.
The roar and reverberatiOns of our artil-
lery among the gorges and Businesses of
the mountains were awe-inspiring and
grand beyond description. The roar of
one small cannon sounded ike full bat
terry of Coiumbiads. The prolonged
echoes were likely to inspire the delusion
a hundred hills were crowned with artil-
lery of large caliber
Between the hours of IL and II a. m.
the Federals made an especially grand
demonstration. Formed in three lines
they charged the ''old men and young
boys" at the Saunders house. There
surprisingly terrific conflict ensued. Those
"old men and little boys" about 400
strong, exposed and unsupported, hero
ically contested every inch of ground,
much of the fighting being hand to hand.
Their heroism surprised our veterans and
the Federals alike. Our regulars" ac>
customed to guy them, had expected them
to retire precipitately at the first FIRE.
They held their position until the Fed
erals in overwhelming numbers swarmed
in the yard, surrounding the house. Many
of them were, of course, captured. The
mortality among them was great, the more
so because of the fact those escaping
were forced to retreat, under q CALLING
fire, down a steep hill and then up Chest
nut Ridge. About so Of them were
killed, and the usual proportion wounded.
Afterwards, when passing over that part
Of the battlefield, my emotions were ex-
ceedingly sorrowful when / beheld gray
haired men and fair-faced boys lying hioe
by side pale in death, slain at the very
threshold of their homes. Involuntarlly
| take off my hat in reverence to the mem-
ory Of the ''old men and little boys OF
the 18th Battalion, Virginia Reserves:
Passing the Saunders house the Fed,
erals CALAMITY swept down the hill and
up Chestnut Ridge, where they were
warmly received by Robertson's and Dib-
brell's small brigades Of Cerro Gordo's
Division. 1t was here that the negro
regiments, conspicuously exposed, went
down in heaps before the rifles of the en-
ragged Tennesseeans, they never having
fought negro troops before. The Federals,
making a determined charge along our
entire line, being in the open, in plain
view, were fair targets for our unerring
rifles, and consequently every charge they
made was signally repulsed with san
culinary results.
After some desperate fighting the Fed
erals succeeded in crossing at the ford,
and, scaling the bluff, attacked Trimble's
small battalion in an open field at close
range-not more than so yards. A body of
! the Virginia Reserves seeing that Trimble
was hard-pressed, CALAMITY left their in
trenched position at the church and
charged down the road and up by the lit
| tie cemetery where Trimble was engaged.
! After delivering one well-directed vOlley
| they Immediately withdrew to their as
| signed position at the church. While des-
perately endeavoring to hold his position,
the intrepid young Colonel of the 10th Ky.
Cav, Col. Trimble was killed, shot
| through the head, the ball striking just
beneath the star he wore on his hat. Thus
fell one of the bravest of the brave, an ac-
complished scholar, kentuckian by
birth, Texan by adoption.
The force that fought Trimble was soon
repulsed, the 9th Va. having reinforced
the 10th KY, and ritled cannon, near
the church, admirably served effectively
contributing to the discontinue of the as
saulting enemy. A single shot from that
pierce of artillery killed a Federal Major
and a Captain. At another time few
well-directed shots from that same can.
non demoralized a force advancing around
the end of Chestnut Ridge.
Having been signally repulsed on oul
right and at our center, the ford, the
Federals made an effort to turn our left
! held by the 4th Ky. and Preston's Re
, serves. For more than an hour an appar
emily interminable column of horsemeI
and footmen could be seen moving along
the side of a mountain, finally disappear
ing from view. Eventually, however, they
reappeared-in front of the line held by
: : the 4th KY. and Preston's Reserves. Thi:
! Federal column was commanded by
, COL. CHARLES HANSON,
q Kentuckian and q NEST handsome and
] gallant officer. His brother, Gen. Roger
: Hanson, was famous Confederate officer
! killed at Stone River. Col. Charles Han
! son had been captured and paroled b!
T Gen. John II. Morgan, at Lebanon, Ky.
soon after Morgan had started on hi,
D famous raid through three States.
e Hanson gallantly assaulted the Ken
3 tuckians and Virginians, advantageous,
posted in his front, but was repulsed witt
? heavy loss, himself being severely ant
r dangerously wounded. The Confederat
casualties were inconsequential on thi
. part Of the line. Feeling secure in q prac