The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-28
Battle 0 ChickamauSa.

forward at the same time and with the
 same vim, the writer believes that the
 battle would have been decided on that l evening Friday.)
 Night now coming on, we were ordered
 rot to build fires ,tthe night was pretty
 coop but sleep with our eyes open, and I with our rifles in our arms. Tie writer
 witn several others. being hlng.y ahd
 having each captured fat haversack
 filled with ham, bacon and crlsr good I things. concluded to have a feast, SO, | forming circle. we started a small blaze, l just large enough to broii some meat on I stick. On reaching behind ne to cut a stick (being in a squatting posstton) and | throwing out one foot to 'he right lfelt something heavy clinging to my shoe. Holding my foot up to the fire I discovered a double handful of mans brains sticking to it. Under other tircum- | stances this would have spoiled IT / feast. but we had become so used to hn r,ble sights that 1t would have tak,a worre l than that to choke off an olI Conlcd- crate.
 The next morning Saturday, We dis covered that the head of a Federal had been struck by shell and completely taken off, his large black hat being split open as if chopped by an ax.
 We had no water to wash down our feast. The boys had drunk theirs during the fight, and my old cedar canteen had been shot away by a canister shot, leav- ing me nothing but the stopper and string, so we had to do without until the next morning. Our thirst during the night was intense owing to our eating salty bacon, and inhaling the air charged with saltpetre.
 Thus ended the first days fight. It had been opened by Bates Brigade, and from prisoners we had taken we learned that we had been engaged with a portion of General Thomas's Corps.
 Saturday, morning opened cool and clear. Upon the calling of the roll we oiscovered that our company had lost at least one-third of it's fighting force the company had gone into the fight with thirty-five rifles. The whole regiment had suffered just as severely. The writer had the honor of being one of the color guards, and sergeant Huff and myself were the only two left, the other seven having been shot down.
 But we were not given long to mourn or think of our loss, for the booming of cannon on the right and left of the army informed us of what was coming Long, street on the left was at 1t hot and heavy. while Polk on the right vSas not idle. The whole line of the army had been reformed that morning, and our brigade was thrown further to the right or near the left center. Abut 10 o'clock Pat Cleburne's Division on our left and Cheatham's on our right advanced Our brigade remained inactive in front of A portion of the enemy's breastwork in or der to hold them in check. The fighting began In earnest, as the tattered blue flags of Cleburne's were borne to the front. The Tennesseeans under Cheat nam seemed to be as hotly engaged as the Texans and Arkansans. These two oiVlsions met overpowering numbers. were badly cut up, and had to fall back. While this was going on we were entertained by perfect rain of shells from Dutch or German battery of heavy field artill- cry Our batteries replied, and for two hours the artillery duel was kept up. The poor horses suffered terribly the shells going clear through many, and lit- erally tearing them open. Another stream of wounded men from the front now be- gan to pass us shot in every conceiy- able way. One young Alabamian. about 16 years old. especially attracted my at- tention. He was shot in or near the pit or the stomach by an ounce ball, and was staggering out of the fight, his life's blood dyeing the leaves and straw as he moved to the rear asked him how the fsht was going. and he replied. They are killing all our men," Poor boy! doubt if he was living an hour afterward.
 Cleburne and Cheatham with a part of our division, now fell back and took their position on our right and left. The rest of the day was taken up by skirmshing and fierce artillery duels. Night coming on we could hear the enemy felling trees Tor their breastworks. seeming to know what 10 expect on Sunday
 We now sent details of men to the creek to fill our canteens. though many had been killed in It's waters the day before while being driven across
 It was our only chance to relieve our thirst and l must say the water tasted
 powerful good" Every mans box was also refllled with cartridges, and after eating our supper, we rested on our arms TOT the night-a night that was destined 10 prove the last for many that wore the blue and the grey
 sunday morning was ushered in by q clear sky and save the occasional pop of a picket rifie no one would have believed that about 10000 men were so close to- gether and thirsting for each others blood. About 9 o'clock our company was thrown forward to "feel' the enemy. and 1t did not take us long to feel him, either TOT he resented with a perfect shower of iead and shells. Acting as sharpshooters we took to trees and such a duel We had with their skirmishers we had never be- fore experienced during the entire war Those Western and Northwestern men could shoot to hit. for the little black jack wv OA oS WcES SlueWay4 behind. was repeatedly struck by mimic balls. On our making it too hot for their skirmishers. the enemy now threw for ward a line of battle, and we heeled 1t to the rear in hot haste. They were afraid of trap and did not follow us. About 10 o'clock q. m. Cheatham, Walker and Cleburne again assailed the enemy and after an hours hard fighting, in which many were killed and wounded. they were again driven back, the enemy's breastworks proving too strong for them The Federals, or their artillery, had set the woods on fire and these men had to advance through fire and smoke and at great disadvantage. Consequently they were again badly cut up.
 Longstreet's men had moved rd about the same time. but the enemy's works proved too strong for these vete- rams from Virginia who had won on so many battle fields They were driven back but stubbornly held their former position.
 About Il o'clock our regiment was or dered to move forward as feint upon the enemy's works. Our boys did not, at the time, know 1t was to be a feint so they went at the works with a deterni- nation to take them. A German battery of heavy field artillery and another bat tery of four guns opened on us with canister but their aim was rather too high at first, as We were on ascending ground We rushed on until within thirty or forty yards of the works, the Federal infantry not firing a shot, though we could see the Germans standing squarely raVN Nn hnN