Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1913-09-19

of battle swept through Kelley neld Then there
came one OF those mysterious and unexpected
lus In the storm but Il merely gathering
force for the climax OF hurricane that had
ragged IN the forest along Chckamauga creek for
two days II was soon to break again, and its
lightnings next 10 flash around horseshoe
summit where ! was standing saw the nd.
vaneing Confederate egions sweeping all before
them across the open plain In my front Long
street had driven hia brigades through the Union
lines and swept tho right wing of Rosocrans
army from the field In Wild disorder Wheeling
his forces he started for Thomas ~ command Of
the left wing. n Thomas could be routed. Vic
tory for Confederate arms was assured that
would shake the nation 20 rs foundations, Next
beheld the brave General nrhnnan rallylng tho
remnants OF a half dozen brigades on snodgraaa
Hill General Thomas marahalng his shat.
tered forces for resistance that placed his name
high In the esteem OF the nation.
Before | could grasp the meaning OF the wbtri
and the rush Of the regiments, snodgrasB Hill
had been converted Into citadel Of defense from
which the thunderbolts of iron could be hurled
against the advancing foe ! looked again and |
saw LongatreetB Confederates scaling the side
OF the hill with majestic tread. Then ] saw n
sheet OF flame burst from the Union lines on the
crest OF the HILL full In the faces Of the advancing
ConfederateH. No troops could stand in that
storm OF lead. They halted. dRzed and deadened
by the awful carnage. Their lines gave way,
only to be reformed ut the foot of the ridge for
another charge. ] saw tnB nays OF MlBHthhipuf
Alabama and Georgia, South Carolina and Nir
GINA and the lone star OF Texas flashing de-
fAnee at the foe ON the summit of the hill An
other charge Into the face OF a deadly yolley and
another retreat 70 the foot Of the rdg6i VIII
they never deelst In their mad attempt To scale
the ridge? Now, saw Of the Confederate
standards on the crest of the hill. and men In
handtohand combat They piled the dead In
the trenches and fought their bodies. But,
again saw Gordon Granger and steedman come
TO tile relief of the Union defenders with fresh
troops aud the Confederates hurled. main.
ed and shattered. from the vantage point they
had gained BY superhumau effort and undaunfeh
courage. The side Of the ridge was streWn With
the dead and wounded bursting shells had II.
nited the dry leaves ~ the forest and bodies were
scorched and blaekened by flame and SMOKE.
At last. as the sun sinking behind Lookout
Mountain throwing dark and spectral shadows
the plain upon which one Of The greatest
tragedies Of modern ancient warfare had Just
been enacted, General Thomas withdrew hts
forces under orders from gnodgraaa I'M leaving
the bloody field Of chlckamauga IN possession Of
the battered but shouting Confederate legona
after two days of fighting that has never been
exceiIed In the history Of vars. The CoDfeder-
ates we're tho victors al Chickamauga. but Rose
Grams and Thomas got their army to CHATTANOOGA
In safety. fact that has seemed TO make honors
even
What followed the carnage az anodgfass Hill
IA history. General Bragg hestated he faitered.
he lost Every commander OF q division under
him on that fateful field expected 10 hear every
minute an order 20 follow Thomas and clinch ths
victory: but the order never came Thomas
reached Chattanooga In safety and soon after
succeeded Roaecraaa IN command The long
siege Of Chattanooga followed. With which read
Of war history familiar.
Chickamanga was the bloodiest two-daya bar.
tie Of history. The forces were about equal In
numbers Much controversy has from time to
time arisen over Chickamanga statistics. but from
the best obtainable Information the total strength
OF each army was little 70 the rise Of 5000
men. making the number actually engaged some.
thing more than 100000. The casualties were
about az follows:
Confederate Killed zz5s: wounded 1868:
missing. 090. aggregate. 1871.
Union: Filled 1856: wounded s749. missing.
4.774: aggregate. 1919.
These der diy figures show that tho aggregate
slaughter az fhIckamauKa ~ $50 Including
dead. wounded and missing In both armies