The Washington herald., 1914-11-29

day between one Federal division. per-
haps 1000 strong. and a Confederate
army corps Of not less thin 1000
saved Schoneld's army. Had it been
defeated Nashville would have been at
the mercy of the invaders.
Gen. Hood. spurred on by dreams Of
regaining Tennessee for the Confeder-
acy and offsetting the damage which
| the Federals under Gen. Sherman were
doing in the heart of Georgia. had en-
tered the State from Alabama. intent
upon capturing Nashville.
Remaining at Nashville to hurry for
I ward re-enforcements and supervise
| the construction of defenses. Thomas
sent Gen. SchofieId to delay the advance
OF the enemy.
The Confederates had set out from
Florence, on the north bank OF the Ten
| nessee River. on November 21 and had
sought to turn the nank OF Gen. Scho-
fields army which at that time was
posted near Pulaski. only fOrty-four
| miles away. But the Federal cavalry
reported Hoods movement. and Scho-
field fell back to the defenses Of Co
lumbia, on Duck River, before the Con-
federates gained his rear.
Wilson's Warning Messages.
Gen. SchoheId took position on No
Vember "a. and two days later the Con-
federate confronted him in force. The
Federals numbered about 10000 infan-
try and $500 cavalry. the former in
two corps. the Fourth commanded by
Gen. David s. Stanley. and the Twenty
third by Gen. Jacob D. Cox. and the
latter under Gen. James H. Wilson.
who recently had come West from Yir-
giniR.
Gen. Hoods army probably was COM
posed of about 10000 infantry-S. d.
Lees. Z. F. Cheatham and A. p. Stew.
art N
cavalry under the famous leader. For
rest. Both armies had the usual pro-
portion of artillery.
For two days the contending forces
remained face to face. the Federals
closely watching the crossings of the
Duck River above and below Columbia.
and the Confederates seeking a means
OF getting over the stream and around
one OF Schofeld's tanks. Fearing that
Hood might get to his rear and cut off
his retreat to Nashville. Gen. Schofield
withdrew to the north bank of the
river in the night of November % and
prepared to prevent the Confederates
from crossing.
Gen. Wilson. commanding the Fed
eraI cayalry-of whom Grant had writ
ten that he would increase the eff
cheney OF the Western cavalry at leEst
so per eent'-grasped the portenkouS
significance of the Confederate advance
Schofeld. warning him that Hood
would be at Spring Hill by noon. and
suggesting that the Federals concen-
trate there two hours earlier II they
hoped to escape in safety.
Gen. SchOheld received Wilson's first
message at , a. m on October %. butt
IL was daylight before he acted. Then,
instead OF moving in mass for SPRING
Hill. he sent only Wagner's and KIM
balls divisions of the Fourt Corps un-.
der Gen. Stanley. The rest OF the army
in part was retained on the river bank
opposite Columbia, answering a noisy
but harmless demonstration by the twO4
divisions Hood had left behind. and in1
part widely distributed to the north7
and east. between the river and Sprtn q
Hill. in an endeavor to verify the ac-t
curacy of Gen. Wilson's report thRo
Hood had crossed the stream.
Drive Forrest Back.
While Gen SchoheId was thus play-i
and while Gen. Hood was leading hi1t
troops to cut of the Federal retreaG1
Gen. Stanley was marching for Sprtn Ea
Hill with two divisions which had beena
given him. Five miles south of his ODD
jective the pike crossed Rutherfordsi
Creek, and believing that the Confeder-t
ates might swing in upon that point
Stanley left Kimbalrs division to guar6
it and pushed on with the division ofi
Gen. George D. Wagner. numberin q
about 1000 men.
As the Federals came up to the vilrt
lage of Spring Hill the sound of hrin .
on the easterIy roads quicksned their
footsteps. and advancing on the run.
they arrived in time to push back thA
head of Gen. Forests cavalry column
Forrest previously had forced Gem
Wilson's cavalrymen to retreat north
toward Franklin. had then turned
against handful OF Federal cavalryl
and infantry. the garrison Of Spring
Hill depot. which had sought to hold
the turnpike. Stanley arrived just as
the little band of Federals were rel
treating in the face OF Forests overs
whelming force.
Rapidly placing the men OF wagner's
dIvision-the brigades OF Col. Emerson,
Opdycke and Col John Q. Lane. to,
west OF il. and the pike, and the brig
ade Of Gen. Luther P. Bradley in =
strong though somewhat exposed posi-
tion about three-Quarters OF a mile east
OF the pike. to cover the right flank
Gen. Stanley prepared to hang on at all
hazards.
Little difioulty was experienced in
ate cavalry. but about 4 o'clock this
nrst Of the infantry regiments ap-s
peared on the field. Gen. Hood hadj
halted Stewards corps at a crossing Of7
Creek. three miles east OF
Spring Hill. and had sent Cheatham'S
corps to seize the pike. intending that
Stewart should be thrown into line as
soon as IT should be closed up.
The Road Held Open.
Cheatham's 10000 faced the 1000 os
as the fast declining sun sava
There were no troops in Hoods armyS
superior to those who advanced witfd
confident tread against the positions Oh
the Federals. Their sole weakness waA
i lack of artillery, which even thsud
was laundering against Schoneld faH
of to the south. and which. luckily1
the Federals under Gen. Stanley pos-
sessed in plenty.
As the veterans under Cheathan
dashed forward. the outlying organisAd
lions foundered upon the rock-HkS1
ranks OF Bradley's brigade. and Q hsiE
of canister and shrapnel moved dowr1
The columns that sought to break tho
lines OF Opdycke's Tigers and of Lane'8
Deprived OF their usual aryd
tIllery supports. and confused by an
unexpected opposition. the Confedsr-l
ltes fell back and reformed their lineSl
This first check took the fight out ota
Cheatham, who was led to believe hss
'aced a superior force. He delayed hiAi
subsequent operations. and though sev-1
.ral minor attacks were made thsyA
we're unspirited and Ineffective. How-i
Rradley'a hriCade Over-l