The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1906-07-19
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Eighth Kentucky :
History. ;
CHAPTER vIII-Continued.
Thrilling Story OF the Part this Gal
liant Regiment took In the Civil War {

AT B o'clock p. m. the heavy boom
ing of the cannon ceased. Then we
discovered the immense columns Of
the enemy moving toward us. They
made grand scene, moving over
the wide, undulating field, with their
numerous bright flags unfurled and
nuttering in the wind, their several
generals mounted on magnificent
chargers, surrounded by their staff
officers. This scene presented TO my
mind one Of those sublime spectacles
OF the pomp OF war, which form the
bright, delusiye side OF picture, in
which horror, misery and death sadly
predominated. On they came, regi-
ment in close column by division.
Our little isolated brigade, that "Old
Rosy" had placed out as bait 10
lure on the enemy into his well
arranged trap, ordered in their
skirmishers, but not until the brave
and gallant Captain Banton and sew
eral Of his men had fallen. For a
few minutes our line was as still az
the grave, but it was only the calm
that precedes the storm. A small
elevation Immediately in front con-
cealed the mighty host OF grey coats
from view for a few minutes. The
gallant old Fifty first Ohio on our
right on higher ground opened their
crashing sheet OF fire first, then as
the beads of the advancing enemy
reappeared within eighty rods Of the
Eighth, our sturdy mountain boys
received the anxiously desired order,
"iire by file, fire." A blaze of fire
and smoke ran along down our ranks,
every man taking deliberate aim.
The effect Of this murderous fire be-
came visible TO all our men, which
infused them with fresh courage.
True, our brave lads were falling
fast, but the enemy was checked and
not mounted rebel in sight Of our
line Company commanders walked
along behind their men with encour-
aging words and to "shoot low"
The brave old "thirty- fves" on our
left were also doing nobly. The
ground on top Of the ridge in our
front was in fifteen minutes covered
with dead, dying and wounded rebels,
and many OF our men were falling
by the terrible fire of the enemy,
who now began TO work around to
the right Of the Fifty first Ohio with
an overwhelming force. Al the same
time another force of the enemy were
completely Hanking the Thirty-iifth
Indiana. The enemy was not more
than forty steps in our front when
we received the order 30 fall back,
which we were compelled to do, leav-
ing many of our brave comrades cut
, down by leaden messengers of death.
As we reached the north bank Of the
stream, followed by the wildly cheer
ing rebels, whose bullets came pat
tering the water like a first class
hailstorm, the mass Of rebels emerged
from the timber into open land.
The opportune moment had come
for Rosy" to spring his we'll laid
trap. On the rocky bluff above us a
long mass of cedars, which TO a cas-
ual observer appeared natural
growth, suddenly became PROSTATE.
simultaneously the terrific discharge
Of sixty pieces OF artillery, well
charged with grape and canister,
went crashing over our heads, plow-
ing gaps Of death and destruction in
the heavy columns OF the enemy.
This threw them into disorder. Gen
eral JEFF. Q. Davis division, and the
greater part of Negley's division,
rushed forward to the bank Of the
stream. Meanwhile, the scattered
members OF our brigade fell into line
wherever opportunity afforded the
best chance to return the enemy's
fire. A desperate close range fight
ensued. Our artillery continued to
pour out a deadly fire over our heads,
and before the water ceased to squirt
from our boot-legs the greater part
Of our command that remained alive
aud not dangerously wounded, re-en-
tered the river, this time the pursuers.
The enemy made desperate and
confused resistance, and at first were
E forced to gradually fall back, but
b soon were fleeing in a perfect rout.
They continued this until they had
reached the timber near Little's
Creek. A dozen men, of Companies
d and II, Of the Eighth, were the
first to straddle one piece OF the
noted Washington Battery, taken
here from the enemy. Among them
we're Coe Howard, H. Harris and
Samuel Everman, Company Z. A
/ few brave rebels we're trying to drag
off the piece, having thrown down
their arms for that purpose and the
boys succeeded in capturing three OF
them also. About this time, dark
ness put a stop to the bloody days
work The spirit of Bragg's army
Il