Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1914-02-07
BY T. j. YEATEs

no difference now, the hard conflicts
OF war had caused all of our men tc
share each others joys or sorrows;
all partition walls were now torn
aown; everything now was hId as
a common good for all; it would seem
o one boy as much Joy to think the
other had sweetheart that cared
for him as If 1t was himself. Perhap,
at this time we were drawn closer
together than ever before, being very
conscious that the storm cloud OF
war was lowering over us in darker
form than We had ever realized be
fore; only the swift passing of d
day or two would reveal the fate OF
many brave eomrads.
Some way the word had leaked out
that General Thomas had received
orders from General Grant to d $.
lodge Hood at once, and by all
means to stop his advance northward
We knew and realized that these
orders meant immediate action We
We're to carry by storm three lines
of heavy breastworks that General
Hoods men had formed. This being
the ninth day in the evening since
we had reached Nashville and
being relieved from the picket line
by the new guard, as we We're CON-
Ing into camp we heard three rous-
Ing cheers going up from Headquar-
ters, and not knowing yet what 1t
meant, some of us began to slrmise
that General Hood had raised the
siege and was going to fall back from
Nashville. But ON reaching camp We
found to our surprise Colonel Strate
had just reached our Lines from Lib
by prison, Richmond, having made his
escape from what was known as
thunder Castle Prison, where he ald
all the rest Of our old regimen al
officers had been held twelve months
as prisoners of war. His presence
among us at this critical hour gave
our entire command unEounded Joy
and confidence. AS he met the old
Scared veterans that had stood by
him in the hardest conflicts of war
since the early days of '6l, it brot
forth three rousing cheers for the
brayest of the brave, Co,Onel A. ID.
Strate. This was more than our
brother comrads over the breast worl s
could stand, and to show their appre-
cation of our sudden joy they saluted
our works with fierce bombardment
with their heaviest guns. This sudden
from the enemys fire
was the opening of the ball. No
longer was the warriors sleep not
to be disturbed until he should s.eep
the sleep of death.
On the bright morning of the 18th
day of December, 1864, was seen
hurrying to and fro on our field off,
GERS forming our battle lines for the
coming struggle. AS Colonel Strates
presence was seen with General
Wood riding up and down the lines,
t inspired great courage in every
mans breast, until they could scarce
" be restrained from going forward
before the bugle should sound. An
Vie belonged to the second brigade
'f Woods division, it placed us In the
'ront firing line. | shall never for set
he eagerness that was expressed In
svery mans face when our Color
Bearer was commanded to place the
;olors of the 51st on the enemy g
works. This was the only signal
sound We ever heard that day. II
he bugle sounded, we failed to hear
t. So eager were our men to gain the
'nemy's works, they Immediately
started with the deafening battle
'hout, and the din and roar of artil-
cry and musketry made the whole
'arth seem to shake beneath our
eet. The colors of the 51st Indiana
we're on the enemy's works first, and
'he took many prisoners. AS the war
'plrt was now at its height, there
vas no stopping our men ON the first
Inc Of breast-works. They charged
M to the second line of works under
he most deadly firing of Hoods ar.
illery, and she again placed our
olors on the second lime of works.
iere the enemy had a cross fire on
'ur lines, as Strate's Brigade had
dvanced ON our main line. While |
We were holding this position the
'est we could by hugging the ground
o escape their deadly cross fire, as
NE of their batteries was yet on a
'arallel line with this breastwork, we
aw in front of US, in an open mead
w, body of horsemen waving
White flag. Colonel Sears of our re-
'iment ordered two companies of the
Continued on Page Two.