The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-09-12

of north Georgia This road the dead line"
in the battle Of Chckamauga If its dust it's
rocks and its trees could be animated and
dowed with the power of speech. the story they
could tell would turn into sickly romance the best
pages OF heroic history The struggle for pos
session OF this historic highway no less
heroic ard deadly than the numerous assaults and
repulses at Snodgrass Hin The flame of battle
swept the forest each side OF the road with a
fury that no pen can describe.
Practically all of the first day of the battle of
Chckamauga contest for the possession OF
Lafayette road The sun went down and dark
ness euveloped the field. leaving the mighty hosts
stin contending for the highway. The Conted
crates had beou driving west all day I'm an effort
TO break the Union lines and Lafayette road be-
came the bloody lane" of Chickamauga.
The blood of the two armies still flowed when
night threw its shadows over thc field Neither
had been victorious. No more indescribably op.
pressiye spectacle can well be imagined than
night brought 90 the two armies. They were so
close together than the Eroaus of the wounded
and dying OF boih armies could be plainly heard
The field was strewu with the unbured dead
By the close OF the first days lighting the Con.
fedeyutes had become the aEgrcssors Their pur.
pose was plainly apparent, TO break across La
fayette road aud pierce the Union lines, cutting
the army I'm two sections, hopolessy dividing IT,
and anuihilatug each section i'm detail
not until church bells In Chattanooga were
calling the people 90 divine worship did the roar
of battle again resound throughout the plain
but 10 came with q more deadly roar than any
which had swept throrgh the forest on Saturday.
The Union forces were steadily driven back from
Lafayette road, but ioEgedly held their position
In Dyer and Kelley fields against every assault
lnGi,trE heavy damage ON the Confederate col
uwUs Through q iuWbling OF field orders, the
Kelley ucd line OF the Union forces was weak
ouod aud Lougstrvot drove three divisions
against the weakened point. II the opportu-
nifty that Dad been the hope Of the Confederates
ALL a 'OOk
caught In the break separated from Thomas
wing ana retired 20 Chattanooga
10 is not surprising that the break in the lines
and departure of Rosocrars for Chattonooga dis.
ho0rtened the Union forces and inspirtCi the Con
fadowtes However the Confoderatcs had
great commander 10 contend with in the person
OF Cen. George ~ Thomas, now the Rock OF
Chickamaura." As the roar OF battle swept
through Kelley field u seemed that the Union
forces were doomed Snoic~ass Hu rises Sopc
three hundred toet high Immediately west OF Kel.
lcy f-d It's eastern side is precpi,ous and In
. some places rough.
General Thomas rallied bF men on Snoisrass
nm and her, occurred the heaviest fighting OF
the entire engagement.
The best rcgimeuts of the southern armies
we're sent against Thomas az Snodgrass IIill. to
De shot to pieces on the very breastworks OF the
enemy. Some OF the Confederate regiments lost
high a. 20 per cent OF their mon IN their at
tempts to dislcdre Thoras while the Union
regiments suffered almost as heavily The shouts
OF the living. mingled with the rrCans of the
diving and walls OF the wounded made Snodgrass
Hill veritabe inferno Of death
Not long ago ! stood on horseshoe summit the
crater of Sncdgrass nm As far as the eve
could reach along the crest OF the ridge | saw
handsome monuments OF marble and bronze.
tributes OF grateful rccnle To the valor OF their
sons Hut these meme tolls. emblazoned with the
deeds OF the living ard the dead carved into
them by the chsel of an artist did not impress
profoundly what saw through the gray
mists OF fifty wears | allowed my mind 20 60
back. and I heroic a display Of human
courage as the world ever witnessed The roar