Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1914-02-07
GEO. JACOBSON, Publisher.
BATTLE OF OVERTON HILL
CONTINUED from page -

51st, under Lieutenant Arnold, to 60
out and accept, as he supposed, their
signal of surrender, but just as Ar
mold was approaching them a great
force of their men, who were lying in
ambush, poured a deadly fire into
their defenseless ranks. Strate, see
ing this display of treachery, ordered
at once the remainder of our regi-
ment and the 8th Kansas regiment to
chalge their battery that was doing
Its deadly work on our left. In less
than five minutes the battery WIS
Saptul ed and turned ON their retreat
ing ranks. This ended the first days
fight.
General Hoods whole army was
now intrenched behind their last line
OF works at Overton Hill. They
kept UP a heavy cannonading fire
ILL itlc I'LL Uuc upSut, DuL hOlHiuh
standing their bursting shells that
We're failing all along our lines, we
gathered our wounded men together
and sent them to the hospital; also,
all our dead were placed together for
burial.
That might We lay In lime of bat
tie near the foot of Overton Hill,
and not having had anything to e
since early In the morning until sew
en- In the evening, General Thomas,
as was afterwards told, had all tbs
sanitary grub that had been shipped
from the North by OR Soldiers Aid
Society for hospital purposes sent
forward to feed those OH The firing
Line; so each man was given hot
coffee, soft bread and butter with hot
potatoes and one onion apiece. This
was the first good grub we remem-
Der of receiving since the war began.
With these extra blessings our boys
lay down to rest, feeling very CRATE
full they had yet been spared through
this eventful day. Yet this rest was
not uncoupled, in the minds of all
our men from what would transpire
the following day. They we'll knew
that the strongest line of General
Hoods works would be the hardest 10
carry. The information we receive
from the prisoners that we had taken
through the day, told us plainly that
Hood was going to make his strong |
est defense. Which soon after prov
ed only too true. Early ID the morn
Ing OF the 10th our whole army was
greeted with bursting shells al, g.
round us. This whole day until late
In the evening was opened UP with
terrific firing from both sides. BY
eight o'clock in the morning General
Thomas had seven lines of battle
formed to face and carry General
Hoods strong line of breastworks. As
General Woods division with General
Steadman's brigade had formed The
drst line of battle on che 18th, they
were now to form the reserve line
'or the day. This left us with five
Ines In our front, who were ordered
by General Thomas to go forward
md drive Hood out Of his last
Inc of works. But as they charg-
d UP about half way ON Overton
Hill they laid down to save them
elves from the terrific fire. This
ngered General Wood and Colonel
trate until their old war spirits were
o aroused that they could no longer
9 restrained, and they promptly went
p and down the reserve lines and
Did the men to strip for the work
nat was before them. They order
d each officer to have their men
AIRY nothing with them but their car (
1dge box, gun and bayonet, and to
lace the Colors at once on the Ii Il
Hoods breastworks. With a great
tout of victory, these orders were =
'omptly executed. They sprang to q
leir feet on double quick time. y
hen the bugle sounded they oharg- q
right over the five lines of bat u
that had lain down right up to the
lemies' bayonets, not man falter- n
g under the most deadly fire they N
I'd ever met before. Major M. II. n
nderson was now leading the 51st n
diana regiment, as Lieutenant Sears #
as wounded ON this charge just as a
nderson ordered the Colors of the
st TO be placed ON the works. This ~
ft us but two officers In our regi- 81
emit We were now fighting hand 10
hand over the works. AS General Is
eadman's brigade of colored troops b
are ON our extreme left wing fight n
with the desperation of lions, try E
6 to get cross-flre on the army, III
BOD concentrated his forces on our Is
inter-. General Thomas now seeing &c
at Wood Divisions We're being IN
t to pieces, ordered retreat. No 81
oner had our right wing began to ~
Il back than Hoods men rushed s
err their hreaStMnrks and hopn n ~