Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-09-11

OF battle swept through Kelley field Then there
came of those mysterious and unexpected
lulis In the storm. but 1t was merely gathering
force for the climax OF a hurricane that mad
ragged in the forest along Chjckamauga creek for
two days. It soon to break again, and Its
lightnings next to fash around horseshoe
summit. where | was standing. saw the ad
vancing Confederate legions sweeping all before
them across the open plain In my front Long
street had driven his brgades through the Union
lines and swept the right wing Of Rosecrans
army from the field In wild disorder Wheeling
his forces he started for Thomas In command OF
the let wing II Thomas could be routed. vic
tory for Confederate arms was assured that
would shake the nation to its foundations Next
I beheld the brave General Brannan rallying the
remnants OF a half dozen brigados Snodgrass
Hin. General Thomas was marshalling his shat
tered forces for a resistance that placed his name
high in the esteem OF the nation.
Before ! could grasp the meaning Of the whiri
and the rush Of the regiments. Snodgrass Hill
had been converted into a citadel OF defense from
which the thunderbots of iron could be hurled
against the advancing foe. ] looked again and |
saw Longstreet's Confederates scaling the side
OF the hill with majestic tread. Then | saw a
sheet OF fame burst from the Union lines on the
crest OF the hill. full in the faces OF the advancing
Confederatess. No troops could stand In that
storm OF lead They halted. dazed and deadened
by The awful carnage. Their lines gave way.
only to be reformed at the foot OF the ridge for
another charge. saw the flags OF Mississippi,
Alabama and Georgia. South Carolina and Vir.
ginia and the lone star Of Texas flashing de-
iance at the foe on the summit OF the hill. An
other charge into the face Of deadly volley and
another retreat to the foot OF the ridge, VIII
they never desist In their mad attempt to scale
the ridge? Now. some OF the Confederate
standards the crest OF the hill. and men In
handtohand combat They piled the dead In
the trenches and fought over their bodies But,
again saw Gordon. Granger and Steedman come
to the relief OF the Union defenders with fresh
troops. and the Confederates were hurled. main.
cd and shattered. from the vantage point they
had gained by superhuman effort and undaunte ed
courage. The sde OF the ridge was strewn with
the dead and wounded Bursting shells had g-
nted the dry leaves OF the forest and bodies were
scorched and backened by flame and smoke.
At last. az the sun was sinking behind Lookout
Mountain. throwing dark and spectral shadows
across the plain upon which one OF the greatest
tragedies OF modern ancient warfare had just
been enacted. General Thomas withdrew his
forces under orders from Snodgrass HILL leaving
the bloody field Of Chickamauga In possession OF
the battered but shouting Confederate legions
after two days Of Hghting that has never been
excelled In the history Of wars. The Confeder-
ates the victors at Chickamauga. but Rose
Grams and Thomas got their army to Chattanooga
In safety. a fact that has seemed to make honors
What followeS the carnage at snodgrass Hin
he lost. Every commander Of division under
him on that fateful held expected to hear every
minute order to follow Thomas and clinch the
victory; but the order never came Thomas
reached CHATTANOOGA In safety and soon after
succeeded Roserrans In command. The long
Siege Of Chattaaooga followed. with which read
ers Of war histaty are familiar.
Chickamaugs was the bioodlest two-days bat
tie OF history. The forces we're about equal In
numbers Much controversy has from time to
time arisen over Chickamauga statistics. but from
the best obtanable information the total strength
Of each army vos little to the rise Of $4,000
mon. making the number actually engaged some
thing more thu 100000. The casualties were
about 90 follows:
Confsderats: Killed. 3.3ss: wounded. i3.s1S:
missing. l.0eO. AggregAts. 16.e71.
uni0n: KILLED. 1885, wounded. e.7%O: missinG,
>.77>; ooUSoUaAo. 1o.l7s.
These deadly aguras show that the agrseeats
slaughter q Cllshaaanu wss sstse. ineiuAiaG
dsaA veasesl - nasuiaa in tolA ssnisa