The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-10

1T was unearthly and scared the rebels
80 bad they never stopped to fire at us
or to let us reach them, As we marched
back, now dark. nearly one-half the
entire army had got on the ground. and
the back coats Fourth Iowa) had got
their fame up. The charge without
ammunition took them all. and as we
passed down the line the whole army
cheered us Gen. Curtis complimented
iIs on the field. and what was left Of the
Fourth Iowa held their heads high that
night though gloomy one for those
who knew our situation.
"The next morning 1t fell to my lot
to open the battle with my artillery
again. and for one hour We poured II
into them hot and heavy. We opened
with thirty-two guns: they answered
with as many, and such a roar you
never heard. The enemy could not stand
IL and fed. -
our whole army depioyed in sight
that morning and 1t was grand sight
with the artillery playing in open view.
I have readaof such things. but they
were beyond my conception. This closed
the battle and we breathed free.
IL escaped most mirnculously. A shell
burst right In front of me, and, tearing
a large piece of my pants, never even
scratched me. My clothes were rid
died and l got hit in the side that is
serious, but did not think Of it at the
time"
History describes vividly the sore
straits OF the Union army shut up in
Chattanooga in 1863 by reason of the
skilful distribution which Gen. Bragg Of
the Confederate service had made of his
troops The Federals were besieged and
in imminent danger OF starvation. 1t
was desperately necessary that commu-
nication should be opened to Bridgeport
and the line held so that supplies could
he fastened to beleaguered Chattanooga.
Gen. Grant tells what he did in order
that the siege might be raised. Here
liz again seen how Gen. Dodge's civil
training and practical experience In rail
reading served well at a critical mo-
ment:
Shermans force made an additional
army, with cavalry. artillery and trains.
all to be supplied by the single track
road from Nashville. All Indications
pointed also to the probable necessity
II supplying Burnside's command, in
East Tennessee. %, 1000 more. by the same
road. A single track could not do this
II therefore gave an order TO Sherman
to halt Gen, G. NJ. Dodge's command OF
5000 men at Athens. and subsequently
directed the latter to arrange his troops
along the railroad from Decatur north
to Nashville, and to rebuild that road.
The road from Nashville to Decatur
passes over broken country, cut up
with innumerable streams. many OF
them OF considerable width. and with
valleys far below the roadbed. All the
bridges over these had been destroyed
and the rai.s taken up and twisted by
the enemy. All the locomotives and
cars not carried on had been DESTROYED
as effectually as they knew how TO de-
strOy them. All bridges and culveris
had been DESTROYED between Nashville
and Decatur. and thence TO Stevenson
where the Memphis and Charleston and
the Nashville and Chattanooga roads
unite. The rebuilding Of this road will
sive us two roads az far as Stevenson
, over which to supply the army
Gen. Dodge. besides being n most
capable soldier was an experienced
railroad builder. He had no tools 20
work with except those OF the rionecrs
axes, picks and spades With these
he was able TO intrench his men and
protect them against surprises hy small
parties Of the enemy.
"Ns he had no base Of supplies until
the road could Ice completed back 20
Nashville the first matter t. consider.
after protecting his men. was the get =
ting IN 81 food and forage from the sur
rounding country. He had his men and
teams bring In all the grain they could
find. or all they needed, and all the cat
tie for beef ana such other food a. could
be found. Millcrs We're detailed from
the ranks to run the mills along the line