The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-05-30

| ing the assault and capture of Co.
!umbus and PheniX City.
Fol" years these historical sights
have been accepted along with
the fact that the war ended with
the last rattle of musketry and
roar of cannon in this engage
ment. General Wilson himself sub
scribed to this belief and SO eX-
pressed himself 20 years ago in
an address read at an historical
society meeting.
But guardians over Washing
toms historical tombs and faded
documents entertain q different
notion. They went cropping thru
mountainous mass of dust-cov-
cred papers and, after delving eX-
tensively, they announced their
findings revealed a score or more
skirmishcs, leach an action of Dig
nifty" tl2coable after the Easter
Sunday clash or the banks of the
Chattahoochee.
The report showed these spread
over an area extending from Geor-
gia to Texas.
LEFT TRAIL OF RUIN
The battle in question followed
similar raids led by General Will
son on Alabama cities, the Fed
erals having begun their march at
Pensacola, Fla. Wilson had burn
ed Selma, Ala, destroyed much
property in Montgomery - cradle
of the ConfeGeracy-and contin-
ued his course to Columbus,
which he described as the "key
to Georgia." by way of Tuskegee,
Ala.
When news of Wilson's APP
proach came, plans for defense
had to be hastily changed. Colum-
bus reserves were composed of
worEmen in the shops and factor,
les, their ages from IL years to
: so and over.
! In all there were about 1000
men, some disciplined and some
unframed. General Wilson, a few
weeks before the battle, had some
$4,000 men.
The outer Notifications were
abandoned because of insufficient
men to hold them and a series of
| rifle pits, already begun, were
! quickly finished and extended
from Ingersoll Hill to the Four
! teenth street bridge.
This line was to protect the
railroad and upper bridges. Near
each end of the trenches were
Notifications in which artillery
wes placed.
BRIDGES ARE BURNED
The night previous, bridges
north of the city were burned and
later the Dillingham; street bridge
was partly torn up, filled with cot.
ton waste and saturated with oil
so it could be quickly destroyed
if the enemy attempted to make
a crossing. ~ .,f
Federal forces were first sight.
ed about 2 p. M, when their ad,
vance drove in the Confederate
pickets. This scouting party was
closely followed by Federals keep.
ing up a brisk rifle fire. .
The advance was met by fire
from a small Confederate squad
near Dillingham; bridge and the
battery on Ingersoll Hill. An OF.
der was given to fire the lower
bridge and soon it was wrapped
in flames. =:
From 2 p. m. until dark no at,
tack was made by the Federal
troops, who showed themselves in
small squads on hills commanding
a view of the city. -
Confederate batteries shellet
the eminences on which the dem
onstrations were made. ~
| About 8 p. m., the Federal!
made vigorous charge upon thu
Confederate line. 1t was me
steadily, with musket fire ant
shells from the batteries. -
| The defenders fire was 81
whitening that's the attack was lie
pulsed. Again and again the Fed
eral forces, deepening their col
umns, advanced under cover o
darkness to the assault, and TIM
and again. they were met with /;