The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-02-09
Battle of Ezra Church.

In the new alignment or the Army
Of the Tennessee, Dodie, with the Six
teenth Corps, was Immediately west
Of Proctor's creek. Beyond him, on
the southwest, with bis right at Ezra
chapel, was Blair's corps-the Seven
teenth. Ezra chapel was on the Lick
skillet road, leading into Atlanta. On
Blair's right, and still further to the
southwest, was Logan's corps. The
three corps formed a crescent about
Ezra Church. July % they began
throwing up breastworks and digging
trenches at once. 1t was a work both
armies were now we'll used to.
The Army of the Tennessee finished
their defensive works none too soon.
During the forenoon already heavy FIR
ing was heard on their front.
Hood was attempting another sortie,
the second from his works at Atlanta.
At noon q great force of Confederates
was seen approaching rapidly from
Atlanta along the Lickskillet road.
This was the attacking army. 1t was
Hoods own old corps, now under COM
mand Of General S. ID. Lee, who had
relieved Chatham.
The attack fell on Towards right
and on Logan's corps. The battle of
Ezra Church was fought on the Union
side by the Army Of the Tennessee
alone, and by Logan's corps of that
army.
Hoods manner of fighting was once
more illustrated at Ezra Church. AS
sault after assault was made against
Logan, fierce and fast, but he was not
shaken. OF one of the Confederate
charges the author of the History Of
the Fifteenth Iowa Regiment writes
"a gallant and handsome general. a
magnificent horseman, mounted on a
large, fiery, dappled gray horse, which
made him conspicuous, led them with
drawn saber, who we learned, was
General E. c. Walthall, of Grenada,
Miss, a very distinguished lawyer,
later United States Senator from that
State. Three times he led that grand
veteran column, as 1T were, into the
jaws of death, to charge upon our
works, and three times they were re-
pulsed. It seemed as il half the army
were firing at the General. 1 took
seven shots at him myself, as fast as
a musket could be loaded for me. 1t
is not strange that 1 did not hit him,
but / have often wondered how he es-
capped, as learn he and his horse also
did, unhurt, with all those sharpshoot-
ers after his scalp.
The battle lasted four hours; then 1t
ended as that east of Atlanta, July 90,
had done. The Confederates retired
with great loss to their intrenchments
at Atlanta. Hood made no more sor-
ties. At Ezra chapel he lost 4,642 men.
The Union loss was 700.
Brothers on Opposite Sides.
During the Civil War, while the
Federals were lined up on one side
Of the Rappahannock, and the Confed-
crates on the other, in an interval OF
fighting there was some trading of to-
bacco for newspapers" said G.. K. Tip
ton, in the Washington Star.
1.-THE Yanks and the Johnnies would
alternately cross for the purpose Of
such barter, and there was no breach
Of the understanding that while the
trading was going on the lighting
should cease. 1 was in Company U,
Of the Seveny-seventh New York, one
that had been recruited from the
Young men Of Saratoga Springs. We
had in our company lad named Tom
mic Matthews. This lad knew that
an older brother Of his, John by name,
was fighting in the ranks of the Con-
eederacy. John had left Saratoga, his
native town, when q child, to 60 and
live with his aunt, down In Macon,
Ga. and as he grew up he naturally
imbibed Southern ideas and preJud1ces.
81 effected a trade one day with a
good-looking young private on the 9TH
er side, giving him a copy OF a home
paper for some tobacco. AS soon as
he looked at it he said, Great heav'
ems! this paper Is from my old home.
I was born in Saratoga and have a
brother living there. am named John
Matthews and my brother is named
Thomas. Do you happen to know
himY Did know Tommie Matthews!
Well. guess so! We had enlisted to-
cether and were especial chums. After
telling all this, and finding out how
eager the Confederate was to see the
brother from whom he had been sep
arated for ten years, promised to ar
range a meeting between them, II pos
sible, that very night. A lot OF the
boys were told Of the affair. and when
Tommie Matthews himself heard Of it
he was almost crazy with Joy at the
thought of the reunion
"That night the brothers were
brought together, and most touch
ing meeting it was. A number Of the
lows who had known John Matthews
ore witnesses, and they begged him
come back and join his old com.
rades who were fighting for the union
No, boys he answered, 4 have cast
my fate with the South, and shall
stick to 1t. I am glad to have seen
you, and maybe we shall be friends
once more after the war is over
never knew what his fate was, OF
whether the brothers were ever re
united"
The culture Of tobacco has proved {
great success on a farm at Randals
town, Meath, Ireland. On an area o.
twenty acres $4,000 pounds Of Lea