The National tribune., 1904-09-01

D. c., THURSDAY, SEPTEl
Fifteenth Corps, and along this front the
battle ragged with great fury.
| AS Cleburne advanced along the open
space between the Sixteenth and Seven
teenth Corps they cut off from Blair's left
of his command, and forced the Seventeenth
Corps to form new lines, utilizing the ole
intrenchments thrown up by the enemy
fighting first on one side and then on the
other, as the attack would come from Har-
dee in the rear or Cheatham in the front
lull. an extraordinary effort was made
by the rebels to wipe out Giles A. Smiths
Division and capture Leggett's Hill, the
enemy approaching under cover of the
woods until they were within 80 yards of
Smiths temporary position. when they
hand-to-hand conflict across the trenches
occupied by Smith, the troops using the
bayonet freely and the officers their swords.
This attack failed; it was no doubt timed
to occur at the same time that Cheatham's s
Corps attacked from the Atlanta front,
which Leggett met The brunt of Cheat
ham s attack was against Leggett's Hill.
the key to the position of that portion of
the Army of the Tennessee. Gen. Giles 4.
Smiths Division had to give up the works
they occupied and fall into line at right
angles with Leggett's Division. Leggetts
Hill being IT, apex of the formation and
here, for thre6Nuarters of an hour. more
desperate fighting was done around this
position than l can describe. Up to mid
night the enemy occupied one side of the
works while we occupied the other. neither
side giving way until Hood saw that the
whole attack was failure. when those
who were on the outside of the works
{Ivpnl ltxyo - - Il
this angle was determined and resolutc
one, advancing up to our breastworks on
the crest of the hill, planting their flag
side by side with ours. and fighting hand to
hand until it grew so dark that nothing
could be seen but the flash of the guns
from the opposite side of the works. The
ground covered by these attacks was liter
ally strewn with the dead of both sides.
The loss of Rlairs Corps was 1901 killed.
wounded and missing. Blair's left struck
in the rear flank, and front gave away
slowly, gradually. fighting for every inch
of ground until their left was opposite the
right flank of the Sixteenth Corps then
they halted, and held the enemy, refusing
to give another inch.
NO PARALLEL IN WAR.
1t would be difficult in all the annals Of
war to find a parallel to the fighting of the
Seventeenth Corps, first from one side Of
its works, and then from the other. one
incident of which was that of Col Belknap,
OF the Union side, reaching over the works,
seizng the Colonel of the 10Th Ala. and
drawing him over the breastworks, making
him prisoner of war.
About p: m. Cheatham's Corps was
ordered by Hood to again attack. They
directed their assault this time to the front
of the Fifteenth Corps, using the Decatur
wagon road and railway as guide, and
came forward in solid masses, meeting no
success until they slipped through the rear
of the Fifteenth Corps by deep cut used
by the railway passing through our in
trenchments.
AS soon as they reached orr rear, Light
burns Division of the Fifteenth Corps be-
came partially panic stricken and fell back.
giving up the intrenchments for the whole
front of this division, the enemy capturing
the celebrated DeGress Battery Of 20-pound-
ers and two guns in advance of our lines.
The officers of Lightburn's Division rallied
it in the line of intrenchneIts just in the
rear where they had moved. from in the
morning.
Gen. Logan was then in command of the
Army of the Tennessee. He rode over to
where | was. and | sent Mercers Brigade
of the Second Division under the guidance
of Maj Edward Jonas. my 4. u. c.. to
the aid of the Fifteenth Corps.
OF the performance of that brigade on
that occasion | quote the words of that staff
officer, Maj Jonas:
MERGERS BRIGADE
II conducted Mercer's Brigade to the
point where needed; arrived at the rail
road, he at once deployed and charged, all
men of the Fifteenth Corps at hand join
ing with him. Mcrcer's Brigade recap
tured the works and the guns. Old Col. Nj
horse, BILLY killed. BY your direction
said to Gen Morgan l.. Smith ltempor-
arily in command Of the Fifteenth Corps
Gen. Dodge requests that you return this
brigade at the earliest practicable moment
us there is every indication Of renewed as
sault on our own line and, after saying
that your request would be respected Gen
Smith added: Tell Gen. Dodge that his
brdgade (MercerS) has done magnificent
~, and that It shall have full credit in my
report. !" Afterwards one Of Mcrcers Off
GERS Capt. Boyd. | think-yin trying his
skill as an artillerist. cracked one of the
recaptured guns. At the same moment of
Mercer's attack in front, Gen. Woods's
Division, Fifteenth Corps. under the eye
OF Gen. Sherman, attacked the Confeder-
ates occupying our intrencbmentS in flank.
and Wllliamson's Brigade joined Mercer's
in recapturing our line and the batteries
the 4th Iowa Inf. taking a conspicuous
part.
In this battle Col. Mercer and many of
his men whom he so galIantly led had
served their time, and were awaiting trans
portation home. ELOQUENT words have been
written and spoken all over the land i'm be-
half OF the honor, of tie bravery of the
soldier, but where is the word spoken or
written that can say more for the soldier
than the action of these men on that field {!
They were out of service: they had written
that they were coming home aud their eyes
and hearts were toward the North: many
an anxious eve was looking for the boy
who voluntarily laid down his life that
day and many a devoted father. mother or
sister has had untold trouble to obtain
recognition in the War Department. be-
cause the soldiers time lad expired: he
was mustered out, waiting to 90 home, and
was not known on the records but on that
day he fought on three different parts of
the field, without a thought except for his
cause and his country.
no IMPRESSION ON TIE LINE.
The continuous attacks Of Chatham
made no other impression on the line Our
men were behind the Entertainments, and
the slaughter of the enemy was something
fearful. Gen. J. G. Brown, who com
manded the Confederate division that broke
through our line, told me tLat after break
ing through it was impossible to force his
men forward; the fire on their fanks and
front was SO terrific that when driven out
Of the works one-half of his command was
killed. wounded or missing. The Confe,er-
ate records sustain this, and it is a wonder
that they could force their line so often uu