The National tribune., 1904-06-16

OF our brigade, they were discovered by
Lieut.. Col. Boynton, of the Both Ohio. who
promptly swung his regiment back and con-
fronted them. and fired the last volley of
the day. and the last cartridges he had.
into their faces. 1t was now getting dark
among the trees, and. uncertain of the
situation. the enemy withdrew and the bat
tie OF Chickamauga was over.
THOMAS ORDERS WITHDRAWAL
Meantime, about 5 o'clock. Thomas had
ordered the withdrawal by divisions of all
his troops except those who were holding
the ridge to cover the movement. Reynolds.
Palmer. Johnson and Baird were holding
their lines in that part of the field north
of Snodgrass, in semicircle north, east
and south of the Kelly House, the enemy
closely watching their. front, both sides
much depleted in numbers, and well nigh
exhausted by the two days fighting.
BRAGG ADMITTED BAD FOUNDING.
Longstreet Vol. 81. p. 2S9) says "At
8 O'Clock in the afternoon l asked the Com
manding General for some of the troops of
the right wing. but was Informed by him
that they had been beaten back so badly
that they could be of no service to me-"
When the movement began. the enemy, i'm
weary fashion. attacked each division in
furn. but the withdrawal was accomplished
without serious hindrance or disorder about
T. 30 o'clock. Probably Polk was more
than willing that Thomas should withdraw
al that time If he wanted to, and, not to
be OutdOne in courtesy, Thomas waited an
hour later for L0ngstreet to retire first
BOTH SIDES ABANDONED DEAD AND WOUNDED
When all was over some of us walked
down the slope i'm our front, in the dark
ening twilight; the dry leaves and twigs
had taken fire, and little serpents of flame
were creeping around and among the Con
federate dead and wounded. who now thick
ly covered the ground. We carried back
cur own wounded men and left them near
the Snodgrass Notwithstanding more
could be done for them: and at 80 the
held having been quiet for an hour or more.
the men with Brannan on the ridge fled
down the northern slope, and. unmOlested.
took the road to and through McFarand's
Gap to Rossville, all on our left having
previously gone; Van Derveer's Brigade
being the last to leave the field, followed
only by the 6Sth and 1Olst Ind. as rear
guard. which. as Brannan explained, "were
the only regiments that had any ammuni-
ton whatever" (Vol. 30. o. r. F. 393.)
Some of the wounded were able, with
more or less aid. to accompany the troops
OF them and 1000 dead and dying, were
left on the field. abandoned for the night by
both armies. So cruel is war.
SITUATION ABSOLUTELY DESPERATE.
On the Ridge. as the day wore on from
= 80 to @ 30, the situation had at times
seemed absolutely desperate. We had no
relief or reserve whatever, every man be-
ing in the single firing line. which. exclud-
ing Steedman's troops. could not have ex-
tended more than 100 rods. with our right
Hank wholly vacant. and on our left an
interval OF perhaps so rods. protected only
by the six guns of Smiths Battery, VIII
lich's Brigade being beyond the interval.
LoNGsTREET's FEARFUL LOSSES
Brannan says (Vol. 30, p. 4O3, 0. r.
that his entire force during the day and
afternoon OH this ridge could not have been
over 1000 men. including the stragglers of
various var. regiments and divisions, besides my
own immediate command" Longstreet's
four divisions which assaulted the ridge
after 3 o'clock, lost. in killed and wounded
3,5s3 men. most of them in front of the
Ridge. and that is more than one-third of
the total Confederate loss (15,SO1-killed
and wounded) in the two days fighting,
and more than three times the total loss of
the t.nited States army in the Spanish
American War of 1893 (killed, $50;
wounded. 1,577-1,S5O. In our front il
seemed as if the whole Confederate army
were against us, and every available brigade
was there. in fact. But our chief worry
was the ammunition question. We knew
that Thomass trains had been piloted off
the field to Rossville, and but for Granger's
arrival we would have been absolutely des-
titute by 4 o'clock. To "fx bayonets
against loaded guns in the hands of twice
as many equally brave men, is an order
which should not be given unless it has be-
come necessary to sacrifice the men to
whom it is given.
The royal presence of Gen. Thomas there
was an inspiration to us all, who knew
and loved and trusted him, and there were
no stragglers or skulkers or towards there
nor was there any dramatic enthusiasm
or excitement. This was the afternoon of
the second day Of battle: our work and
duty were plain and simple, and by every
man they were well understood and well
done.
REBEL REPORTS.
1t is interesting now to read over the
reports Tin Vol. 81, o. r. of the Confetl.
crate commanders who participated at
Snodgrass. and SO get the story from their
point OF view. Only few paragraphs can
be given here, but speaking generally, those
officers credit us with having repulsed their
first, second, and some Of them, a third