Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-02-01
STORY OF MATAMoRA.
Told by Judge w. H.. Nichols, Who
was with the Army Of Tennessee.

was WIN the army OF tennessee.
Judge VIM. II. Nichols, who enlisted at
the beginning Of the Civil war IN Company
K. Ord Iowa regiment, and remained in
the service OF his country until the close
OF the conflict in 1865, was with the 4th
Division, Army 81 Tennessee, in 1852 and
wrote TO the Brandon Union from
Bolivar under date Of October % regard
ing the military operations m that de-
partment. A perusal OF his letter at this
time, nearly - years later, will, ii is be-
lieyed, be OF great interest, not only to
those who, like him, fought for the
( preservation Of the Union, but to all
lovers OF history as we'll Its contents
follow
"Of late We have had stirring times in
this part Of Tennessee. The gauntlet that
Price has run from lnka TO Holly Springs
via Corinth, Matamora, on the Hatchie
river, and Ripley has given US some eX-
element amidst theTOutine OF camp life.
] Will give you an account OF the fight al
Hatchie river, designated Battle OF
MatamOra from a little hamlet containing
perhaps half dozen dwellings, and near
by a log church that seems 70 have been
built many years since, and later, as the
region about became more thicily settled
or more religious, 10 have been enlarged
by an extension Of one end.
"Before the Bird OF October the lth
Division, together with the 6Sth Ohio
regiment and 18th Michigan, was ordered
to march at O'Clock on the morning Of
the 4th by the state line road to Corinth
and relieve our beleaguered friends there.
But upon the same day Rosecrans sue
/ ceeded in driving the enemy out Of
Corinth and forced them 10 retreat toward
Holly Springs via the state line road. At
2 O'Clock in the afternoon we met the adj
NaHaa anrufu a pnnnw "A M fdntnfOW
and skirmished more or less with them
until night, when we had crossed the
Big Muddy and made march OF nearly
20 miles.
I'VE encamped for the night upon a
bluff beyond the Muddy, the advance OF
/ the enemy being posted on ridge about
mile beyond. Oar situation ct this
+ time was hazardous and one that caused
+ General Hurlbut, commander OF the
I Division. some uneasiness. Our whole
force did not much exceed 6000, and IN
our front was The combined force OF Van
+ Dorm and Price, numbering not much
I less than 20,000 In addition to this, upon
either side Of the Big Muddy is low belt
Of marshy ground, across which Is a
corduroy road Of perhaps mile IN length,
and three bridges. The first brigade with
4 its artillery passed over these bridges IN
+ safety. but those OF the second broke them
down, and il was only after working all
night that they could be brought over
+ together with the infantry. Had the
+ enemy been situated so as 10 have pushed
upon US, we would hardly have been able
4 10 cope with them, But, fortunately for
Us. ley we're ignorant o! our true situa-
ton, and for that night they let us rest ~
quiet. The next morning we mace
preparations for a start, the second bri-
gade being in advance. III was one o.
those lovely DAYS such as we often have IN
the fall in Vermont, and i was, too, upon
the sabbath.
~To understand our position the better
let me describe The situation OF the ground
upon which The battle was fought. Inc
distance between the Muddy and tht
Hatchie is about three miles and consists
Of series OF ridges and hollows, running
al right angles with the direct road q
Davis bridge, the crossing Of the Hatchie
The ridges are interpreted with fields anc
timber and thick second growth, and u
the hollows are thick jungles, and before
reaching the bridge. we pass over low
belt Of land about three fourths OF mile
is width. Beyond the bridge Is a narrow
belt OF timber Of few rods IN wldth'
part Of which is a complete tangle OF trees
crane and other vines, and then comes
stern irregular and PERCEPTIONS biuh per
hans so feet in height. We well knew
y hat we must encounter here, for we nae
encsnped upon il for 80 hours IN summer
Resides the road that runs straight IRON
ire Muddy 70 the Hatchie, there is stu
another that leaves the road upon IN
bluff lust across the Muddy ana foiloW
the ridge 10 theHight, finally coming lnt'
the same road just before crossing ~
J, Hatcbie This is called the ridge road. 1
viii be seen by this that We were exposed
~ flank movement from the enemy
thew chose 10 make one.
"At O'Clock forward movement wa
commenced aud our advance steadily gu
slowly drove back the enemy until W
, came to the last and highest q the seEle
81 ridges before we reached the plalh
; front az the river Here the enemy mao
a determined resistance, but at last wer
! driven from their position pell melt COW
=, fine nil. across the plain, and finally acres
. fbe rlyer. The second brigade tolloWe
them hard. crossed the river ana loo
r ,,ossession OF the narrow skirt OF tlmDe
! that lined its bank. The first brigade
! save the Iowa Sd and Illinois 32d, still bel
!. Ia reserve. was ordered up TO sustain "
, second that was already qualing an
. wavering under the terrible lire OF th
enemy nov massing upon the bluff be
yopd, Over the bridge they went ana me
( +, 81 upon the right and lett
, ltIf yras terrible but grand sight
, mas standing upon the ridge ana coul
! look down upon the plain, the river an .l
1.-THE combatsnts below. Ihere Vas y
i long roll Of musketry, then the bo9ihln
! n artillery. then both togetheri the buts
inc al shells, the clouds Of dust indicatln
(, The movements Of troops and smoke pa,
( mo mn. and. hurrying 10 and rom "
ba9tlefeld. we're ambulances bearing 2
! the wounded. Amid and over al Il
sights of horror, the picture OF
lnIaugled dead and dying, TO me now me
/. comes music grand and sublime-h rs q
+, n,nsic 81 the battlefield. Nothing at IN
4 lob equalled it, Tor there It vas ~
: nn9n rolling ground covered with. TIM pc
\, ssThe 6Sth Ohio and lz1st Michigan hi
I, rassed around upon the ridge read al
u driven in q force going around % mans y y
4 mi when the rebels reached the Oriul
~ bs4 taken possession OF ii and con
= nellsd them TO surrender or betake then
Z selves TO the river, where many 81 tine
4 we're drowned in crossing
I. iIt Vas evident that the fight hl
= reached its crisis and we must either ar
tSe enemy. who numbered over three