The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-04-08
BATTLE ABOVE
THE CLOUDS

The following article was read ty L.
j. Cunning at meeting of Candy
Post, g. A. r.:
This battle which began on the
twenty third. and on the twenty fifth
of November 1863, was the sequel of
the battle of Chickamauga about
twelve or fifteen miles south If Chat
tanooRs, two months before, and was
undecided as the object of the battle
was the possession Of Chattanooga
which we held with a feeble grasp,
fearful for a time, that we might be
obliged to fall back for more secure
line.
The Importance of th position was
80 necessary to future operation that
we began Immediately to intrench in
our contracted line and would have
felt more confident il we could have
retained both wagon roads to Bridge
port, hut the enemy caused one OF
the shortest and best road to be
abandoned as the road ran along a
steep bluff near tbe north bank of the
Tennessee river for three miles and the
confederate screened, by rocks on the
south Eank Of the river, soon had the
road completely backed with dead
horses, mules and abandoned wagons.
went over this road one night about
the time travel was abandoned. aud 1t
was not very cheering to hear the
moaning OF the poor stricken beasts
which it was our duty to put out OF
their misery. We had to keep very
quiet as the least noise would draw
the FIRE of hundred rifles and still
Il was more scary than danger Gus.
In our amp conditions we're not much
better as three crackers day for men
and an ear of corn for horses, wasn' t
very high living. Gen. Rosecrans was
relieved from command soon after the
tsttle OF Chickamauga but Gen
Thomas did the best he could until
the arrival of Grant, when prepara-
lions were completed and the plans
of battle formulated in readiness for
the reinforcement that we're then on
the way to our relief, consisting OF
part of Gen. Sherman army and two
corps from the east under Hooker.
The brigade In which / served was re
lieyed from in front OF Chattanooga
and sent down the river to assist 10
opening up the li7e aud commenced
TO draw full rations, but 1t took some
time to get our stomachs satisfied and
army rations looked very good to u.
Shermaas men soon commenced com
lug by uur camp to their position or
our extreme left and we enjoyed mary
reuujous with friends in that arms
we had not seen since the b tile o
Shiloh, and the evacuation Ut Ter
NTH. NY recollection of the trooT
from the east is somewhat NIFTY t"'
/ recollect that their corps badges
was the crescent and the star w
were rather raw as to the use of corp
badges and our unitCrm we're consld
erably the worse for har service, on
as a reQimeut We felt confidence II
our staying qualities for we renee
bered hat at Stone River We stny
after We 1 at our line officers lnclud
ing btave colonel aud that q
Cnjckamaugs We 'tayed though ou
crIfneI and ainr fiuuked. An irish
II an OF the l4th rps asked on
the eastern army "a bat yer "esril
tie moon aud tia iU ye cap' =.
.rd the eastern sol'isr answered
"tbst's TO show what corps ~ bel nI
to-" And in turn asked the Hestetne
sEat BILE c.rts tbd.e wss, r'h Rni 10
nntwef no trr iT,' pap taFptd 81
aa,trIdss hps tb,H 'fofiS IonH1s
that's iha tbi haIst ~ iseis.
Ihis IL saii to lie the rea'bh that 10
Partridge b 4 pas bdn. tBd ss b
tsIoe ot tho Il tr,t-. Oh th
tSenty. bird NovrIt er We { o, q
nm TO take or pi CT icr tie bsttl
aud csmped tor the night 10 sight
Ehattanoogs and north OF LooHous