The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1913-09-12

of north Georgia This road was the dead line"
In the battle Of Chickamauga. II its dust, its
rocks and its trees could be animated and en-
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 now historic highway was no less
heroic and deadly than the numerous assaults and
repuses at Snodgrass Hill The flame Of battle
swept the forest on each side of the road with a
fury that no pen describe
Practically all Of the first day of the battle Of
Chickamauga was contest for the possession Of
Lafayette road. The sun went down and dark
ness enyeloped the field leaving the mighty hosts
still contending for the highway. The Confed-
crates had been driving west all day In 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 the field. Neither
had been victorious. No more indescribably OPP
pressive spectacle can well be imagined than
night brought to the two armies. They were so
close together than the groans of the wounded
and dying Of both armies could be plainly heard.
The field was strewn with the unburied dead.
BY the close Of the first days fighting the Con-
federates had become the aggressors. Their pur-
pose was plainly apparent, to break across La
fayette road and pierce the Union lines. cutting
the army in two sections, hopelessly dividing it.
and annihilating each section in detail.
Not until church bells in Chattanooga were
calling the people to divine worship did the roar
But it came with more deadly roar than any
which had swept through the forest on Saturday.
The Union forces were steadily driven back from
Lafayette road. but doggedly held their position
in Dyer and Kelley fields against every assault.
indicting heavy damage on the Confederate col
umns. Through a jumhling OF field orders, the
Kelley field line of the Union forces was weak
ened, and Longstreet drove three divisions
against the weakened point. 1t was the opportu-
nifty that had been the hope of the Confederates
H.. = N-.H~
caught in the break. separated from Thomas
wing and retired to Chattanooga.
1t is not surprising that the break In the lines
and departure of Rosecrans for Chattanooga dis
heartened the Union forces and inspirted the Con-
federates. However, the Confederates had
great commander to contend with in the person
of Gen. George H. Thomas. now the Rock of
Chickamauga." AS the roar of battle swept
through Kelley field. 1t seemed that the Union
forces were doomed. Snodgrass Hill rises some
three hundred feet high Immediately west of KEEL
ley field Its eastern side is precipitous and in
some places rough.
General Thomas rallied his men Snodgrass
HILL and here occurred the heaviest fighting of
the entire engagement.
The best regiments Of the southern armies
were sent against Thomas at Snodgrass Hill. to
be shot to pieces on the very breastworks of the
enemy. Some of the Confederate regiments lost
as high 20 per cent Of their men in their at
tempts to dislodge Thomas, while the Union
regiments suffered almost as heavily. The shouts
of the living, mingled with the groans Of the
dying and walls of the wounded, made Snodgrass
Hill veritable inferno of death.
Not long ago stood ON horseshoe summit the
crater of Snodgrass Hill AS far the eye
could reach along the crest OF the ridge saw
handsome monuments of marble and bronze.
tributes Of grateful people to the valor Of their
sons. But these memorials. emblazoned with the
deeds Of the living and the dead carved into
them by the chisel of artist. did not impress
me so profoundly as what saw through the gray
mists Of fifty years. allowed my mind to go
back, and ! saw AZ heroic display of human
courage as the world ever Witnessed The roar