The National tribune., 1903-07-23
load and pass up the muskets to the men
on tie work y

load and pass up the muskets to the men
on the work.
GEN. STANLEY'S STATEMENT.
The following extract is taken from the
report of Maj.-GeL David S Stanley.
commander of the Fourth Corps. Speak
ing of the action of the brigades of Conrad
and Lane he says:
The brigadcs stood their ground until
the charging rebels We're almost crossing
hayonetS with them. but the line then
broke-Conrad's Brigade first. then Lane $
and men and officers made the quickest
time they could to our main line.
''Conrad's Brigade entered the main line
near the Columbia pike, Col. Lanes sew
e..al hundred yards to the right of the pike.
4 large proportion cf Lanes men came
back with loaded mGskets.. and turning at
tie breastworlls. they fired Il yolley into
the pressing rebels now not 10 steps from
them. The part of the Twenty-third Corps
stationed in the works for 4 distance ot
SEQ or 400 yards to the right OF the Co
lumbia pike. ard which space took in the
ist Ky. and 9Th Ohio Batteries. broke and
ran to tho rear with the fugitivcs from
Conrad's BIi.&de To add TO the disorder
the caiSscns Of the two batteries Salloped
rapidly TO the rear. and the enemy appear.
ed on the hrcastworkS and i'll possession OF
the two batteries. WHICH lhe! coIhnichoeu
10 turn upoa u.s.
"It was at this moment / arrived at the
sceIc of disorder. coming from the town on
the Columbia pike. The moment vas crit
ical bryord any / have known in any bat
tie. Could the enemy hold that part of
the line he was nearer 10 our two eridges
than the extremitios of our line. Col.
Opdyckr's Brigade WAS lying down about
100 Yards in rear of the works. | rode
quickly to the left regiment and called 10
them to charge: at the same time L saw
Col. epdycke near the center OF the line
urging his men forward. | gave the Col
onel no order. as | saw him engaged IN
doing the very thing to save us. Viz. to get
possession of our lire again. The retreat
ing men OF Col. Conrad's Brigade. and l
believe the men of the Twenty-third Corps,
seeing tie line of Opdycke's Brigade start
for the works. commenced to rally. l heard
the old soldiers call out. Come on. men:
we can so wherever the General can and
making a rush, our mpa immediately re-
took all the line. excepting small portion
lust in front of the brick house on the
pike. A force of the rebels held out at
this point. and for II or 20 minutes. sup
ported by Il rebel line 30 yards to the rear.
poured in Il very severe fire upon our men.
SO deadly was this fire that it was only
by the most strenuous eXertIons OF the
officers that our men could be kept to the
me. '-otF eAeItIDuS. HONeNci. Su''tNu'u'
and in 20 minutes our front was compar-
atively clear of rebels. who fell back to the
position formerly held by the two brigades
of the Second Division in the commence
ment of the fight. from whence they kept
up a fire until midnight, when We with
drew.
Just after the retaking of the line
by our troops, as / was passing toward
the left of Gen. CoX's position, my horse
was killed. and no sooner had / regained
my feet than l received muSket ball
through the back of my neck. My wound.
however. did not prevent my keeping the
field. and Gen. Cox kindly furnished me 4
reIrount. The rapidity of the firing made
it difficult to keep up the ammunition. the
train being some two miles distant ON the
road to Nashville when the battle COM
menced. and our greatest danger at one
period of tile battle was that we would
exhaust our ammunition. One hundred
wa gon-loads of ammunition, artillery and
musketry cartridges were expended in the
short battle. belonging TO the ordnance train
of the Fourth Army Corps. This train,
however. supplied in great part the wants
of the Twenty-third Corps"
COL. opDYcKE's STATEMENT.
Col Opdyeke gives brief account of
the splendid action of his brigade. He
says:
AT about Z:,jo p. IN. the Dr1Saue WIS
massed about 200 yards to the rear of
Carriers house and On the right of Co
luInbia pike. The main line of defense
crossed the pike just in front of Carter S
house.
Gen. Wagner was with me in person,
and ordered me to fight when and where
thought should be most needed, without
| further orders.
i '.The men got coffee, and at 4 p. IN
Gen. Cox sent me a request to have my
brigade ready. and | received no Other
orders till after the battle.
Il was familiar with the whole ground
and knew that Carter's Hill was the Ike.
TO it all. The fighting now was heavy
and l commenced moving the command
to the left of the pike for greater security
| to the men and for easier mannvering il
case of need. While thus moving mos
horrible stampede of our front troops camt
surging and rushing back past Carter's
house extending to the right and left Of
the pike. | at first thought them only tht
| Second and Third Brigades of our diyi
sion, that were left nearly a quarter of 8
mile to the front with orders to fall back
but l soon saw that the troops at the mali
works had left them. When / gave thu
order. First Brigade, forward to til,
works bayonets came down to a charge
| the veil was raised, and the regiment!
rushed most grandly forward, carryin:
many stragglers back with them. W.
deployed as We charged, which took US NJ
| in echelon forward on the center, Col
Smiths two regiments leading, as follows