Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1913-09-12
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of battle swept through Kelley field Then there
came one of those mysterious and unexpected
lulls in the storm, but it merely gathering
force for the climax of hurricane that had
ragged in the forest along Chckamauga creek for
two days. 1t was soon to break again. and its
lghtnings were next to flash around horseshoe
summit, where | was standing. l saw the ad-
vancng Confederate egions sweeping all before
them across the open plain in my front. Long
street had driven his brigades 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 left wing. If Thomas could be routed vic
tory for Confederate assured that
would shake the nation to it's foundations. Next
/ beheld the brave General Brannan rallying the
remnants of a half dozen brigades Snodgrass
HILL General Thomas marshalling his shat
tered forces for resistance that placed his name
high in the esteem OF the nation.
Before could grasp the meaning of the whir
and the rush Of the regiments, Snodgrass Hill
had been converted into a citadel Of defense from
which the thunderbolts of iron could be hurled
against the advancing foe. | looked again and l
Longstreets Confederates scaling the side
of the hill with majestic tread Then I saw a
sheet of flame burst from the Union lines on the
crest of the HILL full in the faces of the advancing
Confederates. 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
dllOlneT Charge saw lHe ldBS vi MlSslSSippi,
Alabama and Georgia, South Carolina and Vir-
ginia, and the lone star of Texas flashing de.
fiance 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 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.
ed and shattered, from the vantage point they
had gained by superhuman effort and undaunted
courage. The side of the ridge strewn with
the dead and wounded. Bursting shells had ig-
nited the dry leaves of the forest and bodies were
scorched and blackened by fame and smoke
At last as the sinking behind Lookout
Mountain, throwing dark and spectral shadows
across the plain upon which 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 fighting that has never been
exceled in the history of wars The Confeder
ates were the victors at Chckamauga. but Rose
and Thomas got their army to Chattanooga
in safety, a fact that has seemed to make honors
even
What followed the carnage at Snodgrass Hill
is history, General Bragg hesitated, he faltered
he lost. Every commander of a division under
him on that fateful field expected to hear every
minute an order to follow Thomas and clinch the
victory; but the order never came. Thomas
reached Chattanooga in safety and soon after
succeeded Rosecrans in command. The lone
siege Of Chattanooga followed. with which read
ers of history are familiar.
Chickamauga the bloodiest .wo-days bat
tie of history. The forces were about equal ir
numbers. Much controversy has from time te
time arisen over Chickamauga statistics, but from
the best obtainable information the total strength
Of each army was little to the rise of 10000
men. making the number actually engaged some
thing more than 100000. The casualties were
about follows:
Confederate: Killed 1885, wounded, 1868
missing. 1890: aggregate. 1871.
Union: Killed. 1855; wounded, 9,749; missing
4,774; aggregate, 1919
These deadly figures show that the agrgegat
slaughter at Chickamauga 33150 Including
dead wounded and missing in both armies.