Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-01-03
I, I, 1

q

was swept away, Sheridan's undaunt-.
ed but I'll starred; division among the
rest. Behind the retreating Federals
lay wide canebrake and along the
edges ofzthe thicket stood the center:
corps Of Thomas Thomas was to be
the rock Of the battle and stand firm
whichever way the fighting went on:
his right or left. The old hero formed
his line IN the woods with gaps for the
sretreating regiments and batteries to
pass through. sS..z s z.=s p. 49, s.;s,
Several attempts were made by the
pursuing Confed erates to charge. in
masses upon Thomas and break
through. Falling In that, they began
to steal into the cedars individually
and intercept the retreating men, It
would have been folly for Thomas SOL
diers to fire into the woods to check
the new maneuver, for they would
shoot down friend and foe alike. In
this crisis Thomas called up the leader
of the regulars in his command and.
pointing to the cedars, said, "Colonel,
take your brigade III there and stop the
enemyr :*s. ~ ~ ii
The brigade marched in and formed
a single line across the forest behind
which McCook's men rallied. As soon
as the front of one battalion Of regu-
lars was cleared of McCook's men the
muskets began to play upon the adj
vancing enemy. Beginning on the left,
the fire, which was by fles-that is,
two shots at time gradually rolled
along until it ended in one continual
roar, which hearers In the distance, al
ready accustomed to battle din, de-
clared appalling. The first line of Con-
federates was scattered like chanf; the
second advanced a few PAGES, halted
and stoically received the fire; third
line took up the bayonet, but the regu-
lars stood firm in their tracks, although
valor meant for them in the end GER
tain humiliation. ,..-. q 100
Meanwhile Thomas had formed his
reserves into a line of = battle on q
ridge In the rear and now recalled the
regulars from the jungle of death. 1t
was in nick of time, for fully half of
those In the cedars had been shot
down, and half of those who fell were
killed. And it was all done in twenty
minutes. -..- .f
One Of the Confederate heroes of the
day at Stone River was the brilliant
Irish fighter, General Pat Cleburne, aft
erward known as 1.-THE Stonewall of
the West" Cleburne originally led out
the Fifth Tennessee regiment of Irish
men and, being promoted first to the
head Of q brigade, then Of division,
took his gallant Hibernians along. At
Stone River he commanded a division
which Joined the battle after the Fed
erals had begun to rally and fight back.
The Fifth fought the regulars in the
canebreak and also captured two guns
Of one Of Sheridan's batteries by q
bayonet charge made on the run in a
hail Of canister: T. " ~ --1:>e 49,. Sz
j It was q point of battle discipline
with these Irishmen never to 'sholler''
when wounded. In the charge upon
the battery one Of them had his leg
shattered by a bullet. He bore the
pain so cheerfully that prisoner who
was looking on offered to carry him to
4 surgeon In the rear. AS he was borne
away on the back of the stalwart Fed.
eral his comrades going to the front
heard him whistling 1.-THE Girl Left
Behind Me- = q. /. r. = .=..... : 4
At 2 O'clock there was lull in the
fighting. McCook's corps was gone
but Thomas in the center. supported by
=-"E iSrF ( {.