The National tribune., 1909-03-04
RAILROAD BRIDGE OVER THE ETowAH RIVER.

could reach Hazen he was struck in
flank from the opposite side Of the creek
to his left, which brought him to halt
to change direction and repel his assail-
ants. Gen. Wood reports as to the con-
duct of his men during this engage
ment:
"At 4:56 p. m. precisely the order
was given to attack, and the column,
with it's front well covered, moved for
ward. And never have troops marched
to a deadly assault, under the most ad
verse circumstances, with more firm
ness and more truly soldierly bearing
and with more distinguished gallantry.
On, on, thru the thickest jungle, over
exceedingly rough and broken ground,
and exposed to the sharpest direct and
crossfire of musketry and artillery on
both flanks, the leading brigade, the
Second. moved followed in close sup
porting distance by the other brigades)
right up to the enemy's main line of
works. Under the unwavering steadi-
ness of the advance the fire from the
enemy's line of works began to slacken,
and the troops behind those works first
began perceptibly to waver and then to
give way. and 1 have no hesitation in
saying that so far as any opposition a:-
rectly in front was concerned, tho that
was terrible enough, the enemy's
strongly fortified position would have
been forced. But the fire, particularly
on the left flank of the column, which
was at first only en- echarpe, became.
as the column advanced, enfiIading and
finally took the first line of the column
partially in reverse. 1t was from this
fire that the supporting and covering
division should have protected the as
saulting column. but it failed to do so.
Under such a fire no troops could MAIN
tain the vantage ground which had been
gained, and the leading brigade, which
hl hrf hi IN,
compelled to fall back q short~distance
to secure its fl nks, which We're crum-
bling away unC the severe fire by the
irregularities OF the ground. CIT is
proper to observe here that the brigade
of the Twenty-third Corps which was
ordered to take post so as to cover the
right flank of the assaulting column by
some mistake failed TO get into a posi-
ton to accomplish this purpose.)
Hazen's Brigade.
From the position taken by Hazen's
Brigade when ii retired short distance
from the enemy's works it kept up a
deadly fire, which was evidently very
calling to the foe. The brigade was
engaged about so minutes. 1t had ex-
pended the 60 rounds of ammunition
taken INTO action on the mems persons;
1t had suffered terribly in killed and
wounded, and the men were much ex-
hausted by the furiousness of the as
sault. Consequently ordered this bri-
gade to be relieved by the First Bri-
gade, Col. William Fl. Gibson, 49th Ohio.
commanding. So soon as the First Bri.
gade had relieved the Second Brigade
L ordered Col. Gibson to renew the as
sault. hoped that with the shorter
distance the brigade would have to
move after beginning the assault to
reach the enemy's works and with the |
assistance of the knowledge of the |
ground which had been gained a second |
effort might be more successful than
the first had been. I also trusted some |
cover had been provided to protect the |
left flank of the column. This had been