Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-21

ing I rode with him The first order
he gave me was to return to Gen. Full
Ter and direct him to close up his line
soon as I could after delivering this or
der. met Gen. Dodge riding at full
speed. AS soon as he got within hear
ing distance he called out to me:
''Go at once to Gen. Mcpherson. on
Blair's left, and tell him I need troops
to cover my left. The enemy Is thanking
u.s."
Wheeling my horse, ! started back. As
I went, the attack on Dodge's corps was
in full force. Out in open ground, In
full view as 1t was. l could not resist
checking my horse for moment to see
the grand conflict. I remember yet how
the sight Of our banners advancing amid
q new beauty, and the sound of our ar
tillery, though 1t meant death to the foe.
fell upon our ears as the assurance OF
safety to US and to our nag.
Gen. Mcpherson. from a point farther
on, had witnessed the same scene. Lieut..
Col. w. E. Strong. his chief Of staff. and
the only staff officer with him at the time,
thus describes what they then saw:
THE enemy, massed In columns three
or four lines deep. moved out of the
dense timber several hundred yards from
Dodge's position, and, after gaining
fairly the open fields, halted and opened
however. seemed surprised to find our in
fantry in line Of battle prepared for at
tack, and, after facing for few minutes
the destructive fire from the divisions Of
order to the cover of the woods. Here,
however. their lines were quickly reform
ed, and they again advanced, evidently
determined to carry the position.
X
1.-THE scene at this time was grand and
impressive. 1t seemed to us that every
was riding at the front or at the right
or left of the first line Of battle. The
regimental colors waved and futtered In
advance of the lines, and not shot was
fired by the Confederate infantry. al
though their movement was covered by a
heavy and well directed fire Of artillery
which was posted in the woods and on
higher ground. and which enabled the
guns to bear upon our troops with solid
shot and shell by firing over the attack
ing column.
the enemy to face the sweeping. deadly
fire from Fuller's and Sweeny's d.
visions, and the guns Of Lafrds 14th
Ohio and Welker's batteries fairly
columns. They showed great steadiness.
and closed up the gaps and preserved
their alignments; but the iron and
leaden hail that was poured upon them
was too much. for flesh and blood to
stand. and before reaching the center
of the open fields the columns were
broken and thrown into great con-
fusion.
Taking advantage of this, a portion
of Fuller's and Sweeny's divisions. with
bayonets fixed, charged the enemy and
drove them back to the woods, taking
many prisoners. The S1st Ohio charged
first, then the Both Ohio and the 9th
Ohio. Gen. McPherson's admiration for
the steadiness and determined bravery OF
the 10th Corps was unbounded."
While I was riding to find Gen. Nc
Pherson, he had just taken his eyes from
the view Of this splendid victory de-
scribed by Col. Strong, and had started
ahead Of me in the direction of Blair's
left. OF course, did not find him. In
a very few minutes after leaving Col
Strong the brave general was dead, while
I, following. was forced to defect to the
right. and reached our line at Giles A.