The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1907-10-31

was the morning on which the big bat
tie opened. We had just emerged
from a dense piece OF woodland and
had come suddenly upon q bunch Of
rebelg behind a lot OF underbrush not
more than 60 yards away. Jcn Oohr
a member Of my company. who was
marching a little In advance Of me,
saw them FIRST and anne running back
to me
There they are. captain. he shout
cd.
Well why in the - don't you
shoot?' called.
The words we're hardly out OF my
mouth when Goar fired into the bunch
Of rebels. Il was like throwing a stick
into a hornets nest. There was a yeI.
and then the whole line blaaed away
The rebels that we had run on to were
what was known as the Black Horse
cavalry The fight ragged nercely for
a time and we were forced 10 retreat
TO the main column. While the fight
was on both Of my ~lieutenants. Thomas
Thompson and d. F. Allen. were
wounded.
Our colonel vas also killed that day.
When the column advanced on the
enemy the Fourteenth Ohio was i'm
mediately on our right This regiment
had 20 men killed in an instant The
fire was terrific. After some very hard
fighting we forced the cavalry TO re
treat 10 a line Of infantry that was
coming up in the rear. Then the line
rallied and advanced. A rebel brigade
advanced upon us at an obtuse angle
10 the battalion IN which my company
belonged. The firing became fast and
furious. In some way, / don't know
just how Icame TO do IL. / became sep
arated from my command and found
myself between both lines Of FIRE. It
was a most dangerous position. ! got
behind a tree. and when our battalion
fired ] jumped 20 the side Of the tree
next the rebels.
when the rebels fired their volleys
I jumped around 20 the side Of the
tree next to my own company. stood
this for some time. and finally got a
chance to get back to my company. A
number OF bullets struck the tree
while ] was there. but I escaped IN
hurt.
During the day we lost a battery
81 artillery close TO our line Gen.
Thomas came riding up and ordered
MS 10 retake IL, which we did The
capture Of this battery ended the first
days fight as FAR as cur regiment was
concerned
Next morning I went into the fight
with sc men. / had one man instant
~ killed early ia the fight. and before
night there wasn't a man in my com.
pany but that had been struck By a
ballet except John Sutton. Cyrus
Clark and myself Out Of the entire
GO only ~ were able 10 night.
We maintained our organization.
however. and finally I took what men
I had left and went with the rest %
the rcgiment 10 the point where Gen.
Thomas vas fighting. th~ree-quarters OF
a mile 20 the southwest. While thu
regiment was going 10 his assistance
we came 20 an open field and met a
rebel brigade coming across 10 was
marching In as hne order as ] ever
saw ] ordered my men 10 FIRE They
did. and our entire line Joined 60. The
rebels returned one volley and thcn
fed. firmly believe that n that rebel
brigade had not been repulsed the
chances are Gen Thomas and his
sta0 would have been cut on from the
line and the battle might have ended
then and there.
The battle OF Chiokamauga was one
81 the most bitter engagements in
which l participated. During The ngh,
the noise was 50 great that an aulma.
nature seemed 20 lose It's natDral en-
stlnct Quall would drop TO a log OF
hide IN q bush. They would stay
there. huddllug close 70 the wood. IN.
40 n could go mp and touch them
with ones hands. Rabbits would ruu
to the men and hide between their
legs or crawl under tls knapsacks OF
blankets. lt was piufuL
Hit Between Eyes.
WnvwF.- a.. n-AH -. A.f-