The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-01-11
passed through their camps south Of

the Town.
Al Nashville.
The morning OF Dec. 9 was confined
mostly to artillery and skirmish firing.
About o'clock In the afternoon Wood
pushed the Fourth Corps forward, sup
ported by Steedman on the left, to try
the strength Of the enemy's line, but
was repulsed with great loss, Col. Post
brigade commander, being wounded.
After noon Gen. Wilson'S Cavalry, sup
ported by Stiles's Brigade of Cox's Dr.
| vision, moved around further on Hoods
| left flank. This movement was made
| easier by reason Of the absence or For
rests Cavalry at Murfreesboro. This
mistake of Hoods. in allowing such a
| useful branch as the cavalry had been
| to him to be absent on this day. con-
tributed more to his easy defeat than
any other single cause. II enabled Will
son to dismount his men and crowd
| way round in the rear Of Chalmers,
with Govan's Brigade in support. Here.
| with their repeating rifles, they kept
up the liveliest firing ever heard OF.
which made Hood extremely anxious.
| not knowing but one-half our army was
| in his rear. In the meantime Gen. Mac
Arthur had discovered that Bates po-
sition had been weakened in looking
after the flank. and reported to Thomas
| that an attack on Shy's Hill would
probably meet with success. Thomas
fell in with the suggestion, and rode
over with his staff to where Gems. Scho-
| field and Cox had made their head
could be seen. Macarthur placed Nc
Millan's Brigade in position for as
sault.
The artillery from all our adjacent
batteries opened with an intense fire
on the hill, and our skirmish lines were
pushed to the utmost. McMillan's dou-
BILE line went up to the hill as steady
as troops in review. Occasionally q
rebel gun could be depressed enough
| to make a gap in the line, but it would
| Immediately close up and press on.
This was about o'clock. Gen. Thomas.
the grand old hero, had dismounted
| from his horse and stood in the pour
ing rain watching the movement close
| ly with his fieid-glass. Steadily for
ward moved the lines; gradually they
approached the crest of the hill. All
this time Wilson was playing the dew
IFS tattoo in their rear; now they were
up to the works; only for moment
| they hesitated and exchanged fire face
to face with Shy's command, and then
the line broke. Thomas quietly turned
to Schofield, and said: General. will
you please advance your whole line ?"
The order was repeated to Cox, and the
staff officers scattered to the different
brigades. But the orders were not CIV
en- to the troops; they had been watch
ing the movement, too, and had fol-
lowed 1t without orders. From this
point the whole Of Hoods army crum-
bled right and left. Their backbone
had been broken two weeks before at
Franklin. There was no fight left in
them. Pell-mell they went over the
Granny White pike to the Franklin
pike, flying as IL old What s-his-name
was after them; artillery stuck in the
mud. cartridges, guns and accouter-
ments Of every description scattered
over the ground, as though they never
expected to have any use for them
again, but as If their only thoughts
were to put as much distance as posi-
BILE between themselves and the dread
full Yankees. Oh, it was a glorious pic
mic to rush them from one hill to an
other shouting all the way. Little heed
was taken of time and approaching
darkness One officer was SO carried
away with the enthusiasm that he be-
came separated from the staff, and
pushed over to the Fourth Corps, who
were in pursuit. and then on with the
cavalry. so that he did not find his way
back to headquarters until o'clock
the next morning. and there found the
General and staff stretched out in the
mud, each one having two fence-rails
for a bed, no fire and drenching rain
to cool off the ardor of the previous
day,