The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-10-11

nave Wdilcu over lOrly-uNe years
for history TO lay before an admiring
world true account of the important
affair, yet she remains as dumb as an
oyster on the subject, and the great
task devolves on me of enlightening
the world upon the question, and
handing down to posterity one of the
most brilliant episodes that ever oc-
Cured In the annals of war. All, as
distinctly as IL it had been yesterday,
do / remember that beautiful Novem-
Der evening; the sun shining with such
gorgeous splendor, the sky so high and
blue, the faintest tinge of Indian sum
mer mantling the distant peaks of
Point Lookout and the surrounding
hills and mountains; while away on
the right, about Tunnel Hill, since
morning there had been a continual
boom of cannon and rattle of musketry,
lay on the ridge short distance to
the right of Bragg's headquarters
watching those long lines of blue, per-
haps mile distant, taking their posi-.
tons for desperate charge; while the
many pieces of artillery scattered along
the top of the ridge were now keeping
up pretty constant roar. About three
o'clock the Yankee lines emerged from
the woods on the opposite side OF the
valley. ''They are coming! They are
coming!" uttered almost every man In
low distinct voice, speaking appar-
emily to himself, instead of address
ing some one else. Every piece Of ar.
tillery along that ridge now became a
living volcano, discharging missiles OF
death with the greatest rapidity.
With what fascination watched those
lines Of blue advance, extending as
far up and down the valley as the posi-
ton which / occupied would allow the
ally gaps were made In those lines, but
on, on they came-they crossed our
old breastworks In the valley. l heard
the gunners call for the canister shot.
oh! how ] pitied those blue devils
1 knew many of them would never go
back across that valley, nor come to
the top of that ridge. At length they
reached the base of the ridge on which
We were lying.
Our artillery ceased firing, -he hill
being too steep. Our infantry were or
dered to rise and fire. Although we
had but one slender line of battle along
that portion of the ridge, yet those
blue coats never came to the top, nor
half way up, while we stayed there |;
but in a very short time-by the time
| could load and fire twelve shots, they
were going back through that valley In
the widest confusion. saw Yankee
general riding a white horse trying to
rally his scattered troops at our old
breastworks In the valley. raised
the sights of my gun to four hundred
yards and fired four shots at him. but
l missed, suppose, every time. Yanks
informed after that Fighting Joe
Hooker" was the man who rode the
white horse and rallied the flying Fed
erals at the old breastworks in the
valley, but their Information might
have been incorrect
This was the first battle l ever wit
messed. / felt elated, l felt jubilant,
felt ecstatic. / felt I could have
charged right up to the mouths of a
hundred pieces Of artillery and captur-
ed every gun. l continued to feel this
way as long as my side did all the
shooting and the other side did all the
getting hurt. About this time General
Bragg and staff came galloping along.
Cheer after cheer went up. was
thinking about asking him for twelve
or fourteen men with which to go over
and capture Chattanooga and bring
back the commander of the Yankee
army prisoner, when we were ordered
to the right at double-quick, leaving
no infantry whatever along that por-
ton of the line. 1t seemed such an
easy matter to repulse and drive back
In confusion those heavy lines OF in
fantry that were hurled against us,
that the most distant idea had not en-
tered my mind that the ridge had been
carried anywhere.
As Twas double-quicking l heard
something saying: "Whee, whee. whee
Zip, zip, zip" and, looking up, heavens.
what did it all mean, anyhow? On
rise or ridge, twenty rods ahead, run
ming back toward our rear, were hun
dreds of Yankee. l could hardly be-
lieve my eyes. but the awful reality
thrust itself upon me, for the bullets
were flying as thick as hail, and men
we're falling on every side. The artil-
lery ceased laundering along the ridge;
some one said: The Yanks are CON-
Ing up the hill again." No infantry
there this time to drive them back. L
saw the artillerymen leaving their
guns. In few moments the enemy
would be in possession of our artil-
lery. We were trying to change posi-
ton so as to face those who had first
carried the ridge. Our men were fall
Ing fast, the little regiment was De-
coming confused, and in moment we
would be assailed in rear and flank as
we'll as In front.
All was apparently lost.
IT. supreme moments like this, when
overwhelming catastrophe is suddenly
and Unexpectedly bursting over our
heads, common minds become confused
and give up everything as lost. Great
minds grasp the situation, and with
the rapidity of thought evolve success
out of disaster. Such was the case on
this occasion. In q moment. In the
twinkling of an eye, l was seized with
IN irrepressble desire to lead one
grand charge-to the rear-back
across Chlckamauga river. | know
there are some would-be critics who
would style that movement democrat
lied stampede. Shame on such critics.
Know they not that thousands of brave
men are living to-day, both North and
South, who saved their lives by just
such charges as / led that memorable
November evening? But nothing of the
kind WAS oyer conceived and Dut in