The National tribune., 1904-06-09

to argue or to think about it, Arms were
taken and We filed out into the dusty road
again and started nOrthward, every man
carrying as best he could his little can of
boiling coffee nibbling at his hardtack, anti
relieving his indignant soul at every step
of thoughts not to be quoted here, but at
the time better uttered perhaps than sup.
pressed.
One of these men said to me some 30
years afterward: Colonel dye moind that
breakfast we didn't ate at Chckamauga?- p
be Jabers, Oi can taste it yet"
SEEKING LONESOME REGIMENT.
Meantime in explanation of the situa-
tion, and of our orders, / quote from Gen.
Isosecrans's Report-(Vol. so, p. 56, Off
cial Recordsl. Speaking Of the morning of
the 10Th he says AT this point Col. Nc
Cook of Gen. Granger's command, who had
made a reconnaissance to the Chickamauga
the evening before, and had burned Reeds
Bridge, met Gen. Thomas and reported
that an isolated brigade of the enemy was
on this side of the Chickamauga, and the
bridge being destroyed, a rapid movement
in that direction might result in the cap
ture of the force thus isolated" So we
were expected to find that lonesome brigade
and bring it in before breakfast.
Marching down the main Chattanooga
road We soon passed beyond the left of our
general line Of battle, then forming in the
woods to the east of and out of sight from
the road. Arriving at McDonald's house,
We turned squarely to the east on the cross
roads leading to Reeds Bridge, about two
miles distant. Jays Mill, near where the
coming engagement took place, is about 40
rods south of this road and 16O rods west
of Reeds Bridge. Our way lay along
ridge of low elevation, with easy slopes to
either side; the land so far as we could
see, being covered with trees mostly of
small size and without underbrush, Civ
ing an open view of perhaps 40 rods or
more in every direction. As We advanced
the brigade was deployed-the I'd Mimi.
to the left of the road, the Both Ohio to
the right. t.~with the battery in the road be-
tween the regiments, and line of skirm-
ishers in advance. The S7th Ind was
placed behind the 35th Ohio, the 9th Ohio
being absent in charge Of our division
wagon train.
THE ENEMY ENCOUNTERED.
We had thus proceeded about a mile and
half toward the creek, when splutter
ing skirmish fire broke out away to our
right and front, and changing direction to
face il the regiments moved off the road
to the right about a hundred yards, where
We halted as the enemy came in view, and
the battle was promptly opened by the
opposing lines-Our battery remaining in
the road and firing over our heads and
through the interval between our regi-
ments.
In a few minutes the enemy's fire began
| to weaken, and presently their line broke
| and went to the rear out Of our sight.
| They soon came back with a fresh attack
| more energetic and persistent than the first,
intending apparently to sweep us out Of
the way, without spending much more
valuable time on the job. As we read the
| reports now, we know how impatient the
Confederate commanders must have been to
find their supposed open way around Rose
cranss left thus obstructed so early in the
day; but this second attack was also
promptly repulsed, and the enemy (Ector's
Brigade of Walkers Division) soon disap-
peared.
Now the S7th Ind. replaced the 35th
Ohio on our right, and our brethren cOm-
| menced to gather up our wounded men, car
| rying them back across the road to the
them such attention as the time and place
permitted-and the I'd Regiment was
moved a little to the left to give the battery
a wider interval.
sILENCED THE REBEL YELL.
Then the firing broke out again in the
| same direction; first the scattering fire of
skirmishers, then the terrific file firing of
regiments, then the artillery, then the
rebel YELL" and the firing gradually ap-
preached us. We stood attentive and ex-
pectant for few minutes. then a strag-
Cling line of men in blue appeared coming
toward us in wild retreat, their speed ac-
CELEBRATED by the firing and yelling of the
exultant Confederates, who were close be-
hind them. do not remember any more
appalling spectacle than this was for a
few minutes; but our men took it with
grim composure, lying down until the
stampeded brigade had passed over our line,
then rising and blazing a volley into the
enemy's faces, which abruptly ended the
yelling and the charge. They had not ex-
pected such a reception, and all efforts of
/ their officers to get or hold their men in
line for fight were in vain. They prompt
ly retreated in their turn until out of range
and out Of sight. This was Walthall's Con-
lfederate Brigade Of Liddell's Division. They
had successfully assaulted the left brigade
of Baird's Division on Rosecrans's left,
breaking and driving 1t out Of line and cap