The National tribune., 1904-06-16

which we had none whatever--as formid-
able. and our numbers are greatly exag-
gerated in their iYagiKation;
Hindman says (F.. 3O5, y. Ro hoped
enemy by driving 6im,dn confusion upon
the right wing of our, army" He says.
also, after mentioning Arrival of Preston's
Division about 4 30: From this time we
gained ground. but though now command
ing nine brigades. with kershaw co-operat-
slow and costly. The enemy fought with
determined obstinaey and repeatedly re-
pulsed us. but only to be again assaulted.
have never known Federal troops to fight
as well it is just to say also that | never
saw Confederate soldiers fight better
INTENSE FIGHTING.
preston's Division lost after 4 30 o'clock
l .:3;36 in killed and wounded and Preston
says of Oracle, whose brigade made the
This brigade carried into action 2,O03
officers and men, and in the space of an
hour lost Cos men killed and wounded. The
2d Ala. battalion. out of 237, lost 16!'
killed and wounded in the. action; it's color
was pierced in S3 places"
Up. 357o, says: Twice did the regiment
rally and attempt to recover its ground, and
lost colors, which had been literally rid
died with bullets, but the storm of grape
and canister was SO terrific and destructive
that every effort proved unavailing. Hav-
ing fallen back a third time. in some dis.
order. the regiment retired to the foot of
the hill and reformed there"
Gen. ID. II. Hill says in his Century
Paper on Chickamauga: ''There was nc
more splendid fighting in 81, when the
flower of the Southern youth was in the
field. than was displayed in those bloody
days of September, '63-but it seems to
mo tho olan of tho Soufharn sold;ar ,voS
never seen after Chickamauga--that bril-
liant dash which had distinguished him
was gone forever"
Chaplain Van Horne, the official histo-
rian of the Army of the Cumberland, says
of the Snodgrass Ridge contest (EOl. /, p.
OF charge and counter-charge, and success
full resistance to vastly superior numbers.
is perhaps without parallel in the war"
Brannan says in his official report. of
Van Derveer's Brigade: This gallant bri-
gatle was one of the few who maintained
their organization perfect through the hard
fought passes of that portion of the field"
MONUMENTS TO THE MINNESOTA REGIMENT
The State of Minnesota has erected on
the Chickamauga battlefield. now beau
tiful National Military Park, three monu-
only regiment engaged in the battles there,
one at Jays Mill, one in Kelly's Field.
and one where the colors of the regiment
stood all that memorable Sunday, afternoon
on Snodgrass Ridge. The last one is con-
ceded to be the finest and most appropriate
monument Of the hundreds now there. 1t
represents, by three bronze figures, the color
guard in action, and bears the following in
scription, duly verified as historically cor
rect by the Park Commissioners and by
the Secretary of War:
'"The Second Regiment, Minnesota Vet
eran Volunteer Infantry. occupied this
position Sunday, Sept. 20, 1863 from 2 80
p. m. to 30 p. m., successfully maintain
ing it against repeated assaults by the
enemy. and withdrawing only after the
attempt to take it had been abandoned.
This regiment was engaged September
ID on the Reeds Bridge road, and in the
forenoon of Sept. 20 at Kelly's Field; in
it. Having 3S4 men engaged, its loss was
81 killed. ia wounHed II mortally wound
cd, and II men detailed for care of
wounded) were captured; total loss, ~ per
1T is a notable fact that the Second
Minnesota had not a single man among the
missing or a straggler during the two days
engagement" Quoting the) Official report
Brigade . =
Our march through the Gap and thence
TO R0ssvile was uninterrupted, and about
II o'clock our brigade had lined up across
the road, again facing the Confederacy,
and sent out few pickets to the front.
Then we laid ourselves down in the dusty
grass and weeds along the line of stacks,
glad to know that the battle was over, and
that we We're still alive and between the
enemy and Chattanooga.
At daybreak next morning careful in
spection and roll caH verified the presence
of every man of the I'd Minn., not killed,
seriously wounded or captured.
DEADLY CLOSE RANGE.
During the operations of the Goth our
I'd MINI. lost 26 men killed and 73 wound
ed. OF the wounded, II died on the field
where they fell so that the figures then re-
ported should have been 81 killed and 62
wounded. 1t will at once occur to old sol
diers that when three men are killed out Of
every eight men hit, the fighting must have
was the case at kelly's Field. where most
of the casualties occurred. At Sno1grass
we ourselves did most of the killing and
wounding, and while we had some casual
ties there, they cannot be stated separately.
CAPTURED HOSPITAL CORPS.
At Kellys Field our Assistant Surgeon,
DIR. Otis Aver. the Hospital Steward and
II men detailed to gather up and care for
the wounded, were left there, TO join us as
soon as their work should be done. The
enemy's skirmishers and stragglers soon
swarmed over the field, however, and our
men left there were captured; they were
the only men not wounded that we lost
from capture during the two days. So our
total loss at Chickamauga foots up A.
killed. lO3 wounded. and II captured; in
all. 162. or " per cent. of the 3S4 men en-
saged-3S IL per cent. of killed and wound
ed. (Our total Union loss-11 ALB, killed
and wounded.)
HELD IT'S EVERY POSITION.
Van Derveer's Brigade commenced the
battle with 1.1SS men, and lost 14S, or ~
per cent. killed and wounded, the heaviest
loss in proportion to the men engaged of
any of the 36 brgades in the Union army
AS has been recited, it had three separate
engagements with the enemy, either of which
considered apart from Chickamauga, would
be regarded as battle of some Importance
In two of thcse-at Jays Mill and at
kelly's Field--the brigade was isolated, re-
ceiving orders only from it's own command
er. 1t was, however, our good fortune that
this brigade was not forced to, and did not,
at any time yield any position in presence
OF the enemy. Its gallant commander and
three of its four regimental commanders
have passed to the Great Beyond, as have
also the division, corps and army command
ers.