The National tribune., 1902-08-21


every arrangement had been made for the
attack Along the Union line 30 pieces
of artillery were in position and 10000
men were under arms. The Union ar
tillery opened the battle. The enemy was
fully prepared for the struggle. The Con
federate guns promptly responded to the
challenge The firing of 400 cannon rent
the moi lsing air. The musketry along the
skirmish line added to the roar of battle.
The Confedcrates remained on the de-
fersivc: they occupied all their advance
rifle pits and filed all their regular works.
All the Union troops assembled Ill their
front were within range of their artillery
and the assaulting columns We're within
range of their musketry.
Gen. Sherman's entire army along its
front of 10 miles was under arms. The
Union artillery in front of Kenesaw
Mountain continued firing for 10 minutes
and ceased. while upon the right and left
the roar of artillery continued. The mo-
ment for the assault had arrived.
The signal gun was fired.
AssAULTING COLUMN MOVES FORWARD.
Instantly the Union forces passed over
their works and moved forward to at
tack the enemy in their intrenchments.
The main points of attack were against
the works on Little KeneSaw. i'll front of
the Fifteenth Corps. and Kenesaw Noun
tain. in front of the Army of the Cum
berland. As previously stated. Gen. Sher
mans aim was for the assaulting columns
to break the Confederate center and hold
their position inside of the Confederate
works until reinforced b. the reserves.
The assaulting columns moved rapidly
forward; officers and men We'd with each
other as to who should lead the advance:
they crossed the creeks; they struggled
through the boggy bottom: they asccnded
the mountain side. The Confederate
forces fought with great determination;
their artillery belched forth both shot and
shell. while their infantry kept up a con-
tinuous fire of musketry. The noise of
battle ragged along the entire line.
Mcpherson, and Schofeld. although not
required to assault the enemy's works.
made threatening demonstrations. pushed
forward their skirmish lines and kept up
the fire of their artillery.
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY LoGAN's
CORPS.
The troops of the Fifteenth Corps be-
came engaged with the enemy immediate
Their advance was met by fire from II
pieces of artillery and from sharpshooters
posted in lines of ritie-pits.
A clear idea can be gained of the char
acter OF the ground over which these
troops passed from the description of
Lient.-Col Mott, 57th Ohio. He states:
Through the first 80 yards the ground
was thickly covered with underbrush. rem
dering il very difficult to keep the align
ments perfect. This distance being passed
we came to an almost impossible swamp,
thickly covered with wild shrubbery and
vines, rendering the advance in line
very difficult matter. Passing on for a
distance of $50 to 200 yards through this
swamp, We came to the foot of the NOUN
tain proper, the enemy's pickets being
driven before us, and many of them cap.
tured. Here a short halt was made and
the line reformed, and then moved for
ward through a rough, broken country.
covered with Trick 'underzrowth and
heavy timber, for distance of go or
800 yards. when we found ourselves with
in I5 to so yards from the enemy's works.
The natural growth of the timber was
from this point to the enemys works
felled, forming species of abatis, the
difficulties of which to move troops over
can never be known save to those who
were there and participated in that hard
fought action. The men were eager for
the fray. and pressed forward through a
terrific storm of shot and shell, grape and
canister"
In face of nil these distractions and
the terrible resistance of the enemy. this
assaulting column of the Fifteenth Corps
struggled through the swamp and under
brush and up the mountain side. They
took no artillery with them-fhat was
quite out of the question-but they had
their trustworthy muskets. with the gilt
tering bayOnets; with these they kept up
the fight. AT last they gained the front
of the first line Of rifie-pits. and rushing
forward with a heroism and an absolute
disregard of danger that was never sur
passed. they carried the works at the
point of the bayonet. Some prisoners
We're captured, but the Confederate line
retTeated and took shelter with their COM
rades behind their second line of intrench
ments.
The assaulting columns closed up upon
the captured works. and without pause
moved forward to attack the second line;
they were met by stubborn and destruc-
tive resistance; they rushed upon the Con-
federate rifie-pits: they mounted the
works and carried them by storm. The
Confederate soldiers again retired, clam
bering up the mountain side over the
rocks and rugged ACTIVITY, and entered
the main line of Notifications. situated
Just below the crest of the mountain. This
line of works was the real objective point
of the assault: here the ingenuity of the
engineer had been exhausted in selecting
the most defensive line and in skillfully
fortifying it. 1t was in fact work OF
immense natural and artificial strength.
The most favorable points of attack were
to be reached by climbing up n steep as
cent and over craggy rocks. while at other
points the declivity of rocks was 20 to
% feet high. But difficulty and danger
never appalled, these men; the officers and
soldiers alike purposed to carry those
works if it were possible to do so. They
advanced upon this stronghold, but their
assault was in vain. 1t was impossible
to concentrate sufficient force of men
at any one point that was at all open to
attack to carry it. 1t was a heroic strug-
gle between the veteran troops of the two
armies. The Confederate soldiers were
able to keep the ASSEMBLING column at bay.
Gen. Logan found that further effort
TO carry these works was vain. He
therefore ordered the forces to retire to
the last line Of works which they had
captured and hold them. He ut once sent
the Pioneer Corps of the command for
ward with intrenching tools. and Gen.
Morgan l.. Smith soon placed his com
mand in n defensible condition. The new
line Of the Fifteenth Corps was now far
up the mountain side and directly in front
of the main works of the enemy. This
position was firmly held. This assault
was made about one mile to the left of
the ground taken by Gen. Thomas's
troops The two columns could not sup
port each other.
THE ASSAULT OK KENEsAw.
The objective point of Gen. Thomas's
assaulting column was the enemy's works
on kenesaw Mountain. Mitchelrs and