Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1904-12-23
copyright. 1904. by G. L. Kilmer.1
.HE hattie of Nashville was n,

enueu Will Tue capture VI
Shy's hill by Thomas troops
on Dec. 16, for that event de-
stroyed- the Confederate left only. The
Confederate commander, General J. B.
Hood had planted his line to defend
Shys hill on the left and Oyerton's
hill, where the right of his army rest
ed in the position taken up during the
night. General Thomas had been so
far satisfied with the results of the
fighting on the 10Th, by which the Con
federates were driven back atall points,
that he made no new disposition Of his
troops, but decided to let them complete
the work so well begun the first day.
After the fall of Shy's hall and the
destruction of the enemy's left Thomas
turned his mind toward flanking
movement to be made by General J. H.
Wilson's cavalry in rear of Hoods dis
rupted left flank Meanwhile the Fed
eral skirmishers in front Of Overton's
hill pushed forward and reconnoitered
the Confederate works at close view.
One of the brigade commanders in the
line confronting Overton's hill, Colonel
Post, thought an assault on the hill,
though costly, would carry the point
He was permitted to make the attempt,
and General ]. B. Steedman's second
colored brigade, troops never before
under fire, was ordered to advance on
an opposite face Of the work and make
feint in support of Post. Posts
men moved at a run, but when within
twenty PAGES Of the parapet concen-
trated fire Of musketry and grape
checked them. Colonel Post fell severe
" wounded, and the power Of impact
was lost by the scattering Of the ranks.
Thompson's colored soldiers became
excited when the canister struck them
and turned the feint into headlong
charge up to the parapet, where they,
too, were hurled back. This was the
failure Of the day on the Federal side,
and half the losses of the whole field
occurred there.
AS soon as Shy's hill had been con-
quered and the lines adjoining gave
way General Woods men marched up
Overton's hill unopposed, and the Con-
federate army from left to right
dropped away in state Of wild disor-
der, soon ending in a stampede. ga.
In covering the retreat Chalmers d.
vision Of Forests cavalry corps main
tained their fighting reputation. Cen
eral E. W. Fuckers brigade planted it.
self squarely across the Franklin pike,
the main avenue Of retreat, where Will
sons advance, led by Hatch, thundered
down in pursuit soon after night came
on. Rucker rode up and down the line
outside the barricades to direct and in
spire his men. Turning back hastily to
avoid. some obstruction, he ran into
the Tenth Tennessee (FederaD, not dis
covering the mistake until surrounded.
Colonel Spalding Of the Tenth demand
ed his sword, which Rucker offered
him savagely, point first. Spalding
parried and knocked the weapon out
Of Fuckers hand, who quickly
wrenched away that Of his antagonist.
spalding picked up Fuckers blade, but
before the two could resume the duel
Fuckers men began to shoot from be-
hind the barricade, receiving an an.
swer from Hatch's carbineers. Ruck.
er's elbow was shattered by ball, and
he surrendered to Spalding. Mean
while Forests other brigade had gal
loped back to seize bridges and cross.
roads on the routes of retreat With
their usual spirit his men held them
until the infantry columns had re-
crossed the Tennessee, not, however,
as an army, but as a mob which had
yielded up the glories earned in three
years of fighting to Thomas on the
heights Of Nashville. And it cost but
400 Federal lives to save the city and
destroy Hood. @
Night was falling on the 10th when
Thomas victory over Hood was seen
to be complete: A drenching rain set