The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

glass. the property OF a private and ap-
parently the only field-glass our side
could muster, we discovered the enemy
there planting q battery. and soon q
she'll from 1t was directed at the four
marksmen, who were by this time more
than half way on II cir mission through
the cornfield. Ii failed of its errand.
and the quartet. "accelerando double
quick" returned, seeking safety with
their own, readily scaling a stone fence
behind which we were in line.
A Daring Sharpshooter.
At this moment small pun OF smoke
was seen at the foot Of the hill on
which this battery had been planted,
and horse dashed down the hillside.
his rider falling from the saddle. One
of our dismounted cavalrymen, either
with or without orders. had skirted
along under cover of the woods TO the
foot of the hill until within range, Sc
lected his target, taking deadly aim at,
| 1t was reported, the person of Gen.
| Armstrong; Adjutant-General To
avenge this act, the battery sent a hiss
| Ing shell at the daring soldier. They
then opened fire upon us, the first she'll
striking the ground In the very midst
OF the men Of Co. e, 10Th Mich, cover
ing them with dirt. Fortunately it
failed to explode. Our battery, on an
elevation at our rear, returned the fire,
and a number Of shots were exchanged.
The 18th Mich. was then ordered in
| column by division, close order to lie
down just under the guns Of our bat
terry, the flying shells passing directly
| over and by far too near our heads to
be enjoyable. We were in this position
but a moment, when the rattle OF mus
kerry and shrill rebel yells away to our
| right assured US that our comrades OF
the 33d and S5th Ind. were desperately
engaged.
These regiments had been ordered
| TO move upon the station and to charge
a battery at its left. Under cover Of
our two guns on the hill in their rear,
although in the face of a heavy fire Of
musketry and artillery, they moved for
ward steadily in column by division un-
| til near the depot, when they made n
rush for the battery, the rebels rallying
around 1t. and although Whitdeld's
Texas Brigade, until this moment con-
cealed behind stone fence. rose and
poured withering fire into the ranks
OF these gallant Hoosiers, they would
| not give way. Col. Coburn was at this
moment informed that a large force
was passing to our left and rear by
| the Lewisburg pike. Convinced then
beyond doubt that We were in the pres
ence OF an enemy outnumbering US by
| the thousands. he ordered the Indiana
regiments to fall back, intending to re-
| treat. When these regiments began to
retire, Jackson's Division, in position
in the woods in the rear Of the station,
charged upon them with loud yells,
and pursued them across the valley.
over a stone fence at the foot, and
nearly to the summit OF the hill. Here
the IndfanianS declined to retreat fur
ther. but turned upon and repuIsed
their assaflants. driving them back over
the same ground to the depot, behind
which the discounted enemy again rail-
lied. --<et
MAI. w. H shaftss.
As we heard what proved to be Jeck-
sons charge upon the Indiana boys,
the gallant Major Of the 18th Mich,
w. r. Shafter, now Major-General. re-
tired, at breakneck speed rode from
our regiment over to the right and did
effective and courageous service In ral-
lying and encouraging our retreating
troops. even joining them in their coun-
ter-charge.
AS we were in column by division,
close order, just below our battery our
position was deemed a dangerously ex-
posed one in the event of the with
drawal Of the battery, and we were
moved around the hill on which our
guns had been located to the right,
parallel with and facing the railroad,
passing just at the rear of the Wisconsin
regiment Here we saw our three pieces
of artillery leaving the field, with all
possible speed, in the direction of
Franklin. The cavalry. the other Sec
ton of our battery, the ammunition-
train with its guard, 124th Ohio, togeth-
er with portion of the 22d Wis, under
Lieut.-Col. Bloodgood, joining in the
fight, seeking safety in Franklin, de-
priving us of the possibility of retreat
and of all hope of a successful re-
sistance. AS they disappeared, the
vigor, requiring determined re-
sistance or n disgraceful and disor-
derly flight To our stubborn firmness
against the greatest odds is due the
successful retreat of our troops who
had thus sought safety in flight. The
22d Wis. had just changed its position,
| forming a line parallel with u.s. and sew
eral yards to the rear. upon the hillside,
near the position just vacated by our
battery. We were at once attacked in
rear and left by dismounted cavalry
men in great numbers.
Fighting to the Rear.
We were compelled to face this at
tacking force by the rear rank, and, as
consequence, only two or three COM
panies of the 18th Mich. on the left
were able to effectively return the fire,
as the 22d Wis. was now in our front
and nearer the crest of the ridge. The
enemy's fire along the whole line of
the Wisconsin troops was terrific, and
although they were also exposed to an
enfilade fire from their batteries, the
Wisconsin boys, with such assistance as
could be rendered by their Michigan
comrades, bravely repelled the attack
and compelled their foes to retire. The
command given by the cool and cour-
ageous Col. UtIey, of the 22d Wis, q
moment before this attack upon our
lines, became a pet byword or express
sion throughout the brigade for months
afterwards. 1t was: Look out, boys;
get ready to shoot; the - rebels are
coming" And they were ready
The 18th Mich. was then ordered
across the railroad and to change front
to the left. As this movement was be-
ing executed and nearly completed we
found Armstrong; Brigade, which had
charged the Indiana regiments, in our
very midst. With bayonets fixed, we
charged them to the stone fence at the
foot of the hill, over which Jacksons
men in their first charge had driven
our Indiana comrades. At this fence
Whitfield's Brigade was in line, and
with desperate courage sought to stay
our advance. In this unequal contest
Of one regiment against a whole bri-
gade the fighting was more than hand
to-hand, and the acts of individual dar-
ing and courage were many. A Ser
geant Of my company sprang upon the
$50 IN