The National tribune., 1906-12-06

fications of Vicksburg. Before them
rose steep nights which the Confed,
crates under Hardee and Cleburne had
industriously fortified during the night
Gen. CIeburne's Report.
Gen. Patrick r. Cleburne says tina;
on the morning of Nov. 23 he was at
to take the train to join Long
street in front of Knoxville
He received an order from Gen. Bragg
to halt from this movement and move
rapidly back to Mission Ridge, which
he did, and began fortifying a line
along the top of the ridge. Next, he
was sent to report with his division to
Gen. Hardee at the north end of tn,
ridge, to arrest Sherman, whose cross
ing had been discovered. His instruc-
tions were to hold the ridge and pro
tect the line back to Chickamauga Sta
ton at all hazards. He took position
on high ridge 1,200 yards north and
500 west of the railroad tunnel, which
dominated every point within cannon
range. The highest point on this line
which he named Tunnel Hill, was sit
uated on the main ridge $50 yards
north of the tunnel. He attempted &C
interfere with Sherman's gaining pos
session of the hills In front, but was too
late, and withdrew his men to tiis
ridge and began fortifying as rapidly
as possible, which work was favored b.
the bright moonlight succeeding 4
rainy, hazy day. BY morning he had
all his men in good positions, well COW
cred by defensive works, and all the
artillery effectively placed Gen Har-
dee was bringing up, as fast as they ar.
rived, the troops which Stevenson had
brought from Lookout Mountain, and
placing them in position. At daylight
he had strong line from the tunnel to
the Chickamauga River, one mile away
Shermans Plan of Battle.
Gen. Sherman assigned the brigades
of Cockerili, Alexander and Lightbur;l
to hold the hill as the key point, and
Gen. Corse, with as much of his bri-
gade as he could deploy along the mar
row ridge, was to begin the attack from
the right. Gen. Morgan l.. Smith was
to move along the east base of Mission
Ridge, connecting with Gen. Corse, and
Col. Loomis was to move along the
west base, supported by the two reserve
brigades of Gen. John e. Smith.
The intrepid young Corse, who W Is
afterwards to win such fame by his de-
fense of Allatoona, was eager to begin
the fray, and his bugles greeted the ris-
ing sun with Forward" Gen. Corse
formed his column with the 10th Ill.
in advance, Cos. A, f and B of the
103d Ill. as skirmishers, and the 46th
Chic in reserve. The remainder of the
brigade, 18th Mich. 9Th Iowa, and one
wing of the 103d ILL.,, We're in support.
Gen. Corse put himself at the head of
his command and rushed forward to
find the enemy strongly posted on a
lower crest. from which the Confed,
crates We're driven after a sharp fight,
and ran back to the protection of their
guns on the higher ridge behind. Gen.
Corse reformed his troops and sounded
the charge upon this battery, again
leading it in person. They were now
in short range, only So yards away, of
both musketry and canister, and the fire
opened upon them was simply terrific.
The charge was pressed forward, how
ever, until Corse fell badly wounded,
when the men wavered slightly, but
were instantly steaded to their work
by Col. Charles c. Walcutt, of the 46th
Ohio, who assumed command, and
pressed forward in repeated efforts to
re ach the battery. A few of the mon
actually succeeded, but were killed at
the moment they did SO. Col. Walcutt
at last sounded the retreat, and retired
the main portion of his command to
the ridge, but some of his men re-
manned in good coverts which they had
found, and kept up during the rest OF
the day an annoying and destructive