Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-12

drifted back to its original position.
losing in those few minutes nearly 300
men, while the supporting brigade on its
left lost go.
Steedman had promised to cooperate
in this assault, and accordingly Thomp-
sons brigade of colored troops was or
dered to make a demonstration at the
moment Posts advance began. These
troops had never before been in action
and were now to test their mettie- They
moved forward against the works east
of the Franklin pike and nearly parallel
to 1t. As they advanced, they became
excited, and what was intended merely
as a demonstration was unintentionally
converted into an actual assault Thomp-
son, finding his men rushing forward at
the double-quick, gallantly led them to
the very slope of the intrenchments.
But in their advance across the open
field the continuity of his line was brok-
en- by large fallen tree. As the men
separated to pass it, the enemy opened
an enfilading fire on the exposed HANKS
of the gap thus created, with telling ef-
feet In consequence, at the very moment
when a firm and compact order was most
needed, the line came up ragged and
broken. Meantime Posts assault was re-
pulsed. and the fire which had been con-
centrated on him was turned against
Thompson. Nothing was left, therefore,
but to withdraw as soon as possible to
the original position. This was done With
out panic or confusion, after a loss OF
467 men from the three regiments COM
posing the brigade.
When it was seen that a heavy assault
on his right at Overtons hill was threat
ened. Hood ordered C1eburne's old divis-
ion CCleburne had been killed at Frank
linz to be sent over to the exposed point,
from the extreme left, in front of Scho-
field. About the same time Gen. Couch,
commanding one of the divisions of the
23d Corps. told Gen. Schofield that he be-
lieved he could carry the hill in his front,
,1lI IL
assistance. The ground in front of Gen.
Cox on COUGHS right also offered grand
opportunities for a successful assault.
Meantime the cavalry on Cox's right had
made it's way beyond the extreme LEFT
flank of the enemy, and was moving
northward over the wooded hills direct
to the rear of the extreme Confederate
left.
Gen. Thomas, who had been making
reconnaissance, had no sooner reached
Schofield's front than Gen. Macarthur,
who commanded one of Smiths divisions.
impatient at the long waiting, and not
wanting to spend the second night on the
rocky hill he was occupying, told Smith
that he could carry the high hill in front
of Couch-the same that Couch himself
had told Schofield he could carry-and
would undertake it unless forbidden.
Smith silently acquiesced and Macarthur
set to work.
Withdrawing McMillen's Chis right
brigade from the trenches, he marched
it by the flank in front of Gen. COUGHS
position, and with orders to the men to
fix bayonets, not to fire a shot and
neither to halt nor to cheer until they
had gained the enemy's works, the charge
was sounded. The gallant brigade. which
hod fought
the southwest moved swiftly down the
slope, across the narrow valley, ana De-
gan scrambling UP the steep hillside, on
the top of which was the redoubt held by
Bates division, and mounted also with
Whitworth guns. The bravest onlookers
held their breath as these gallant men
steadily and silently approached the sum-
init amid the crash of musketry and the
boom of artillery In almost the time
it has taken to tell the story they gam
ed the works, their flags were wildly
waving from the parapet, and the unmls-
taxable cheer, 1.-The voice of the American
people," as Gen. Thomas called 1t, rent
the air.
1t was an exultant moment, but this
was only a part Of the heroic work or
that afternoon While McMillen's brigade
was preparing for this wonderful charge,
Hatch's division of cavalry, dismounted,
had also pushed its way through the
woods. and had gained the tops of two
hills that commanded the rear of the
enemy's works. Here. with incredible
labor, they had dragged, by hand. two
pieces of artillery, and, just as McMillen
began his charge, these opened on the
hill where Bate was, up the opposite
slope of which the infantry were scram-
bling. At the same time Coon brigade OF
Hatch,s division with resounding cheers
charged upon the enemy and poured such
yolleys of musketry from their repeating
rifles as have never heard equaled
Thus beset on both sides, Bates people
broke out of the works and ran down
the hill toward their right and rear as
fast as their legs could carry them
It was more like a scene In spectac-
ular drama than a real incident in war.
The hillside in 'front.' stu green. dotted