Year: 1863




ism was displayed by our troops in driving
back the enemy after they had once ob.
tanned the hill


POSITION on rHE CENTCR.


The hill was made artiicialy strong du.
ring the night, after the first assault. bv
the erection Of several rcdans, behind zach
of which gun was posted. These were
sufficiently high to prevent their being car
rjod with ease 10y the enemy. In addition
to the artillery in this position there was a
considerable number OF gums held in re-
serve. This position of the line received
special attention, as it WAS tho key to our
whole position. Should this ho carried
our defeat would hc certain, us it would
separate our wings from each other. The
defcnscs that were thrown up still remain.
but the guns were in the road in pursuit of
the retrcating rebels. The hill commands
q full view Of the town and of the whole
region of the fight. Far on the left the
mountains stretch away to the Potomac.
and on the right the SusQuchamna. The
green fields and darker forests lool, as
peaceful as it they had never heard the
sound of contcnding armicaA Nearly two
hundred thousand men met here three DAYS
ago in mortal combat, and to-day there is
Sabbathhkc stiffness.


oS rHE RIGHT CENTER.


To the right of the hill the line Of bat
tie for almost half mile falls back at right
angles to the general course, from Round
Hill to the Cemetery. This is due to the
Coulguration of the ground-tho valley.
through which stream winds, bonding
sharply to the eastward. From hero the
line does not follow regular ridge, but is
over a succession of elevations and dcprcs-
sions. The defcnses are ON these ncQuali-
ties along the front of the crest Fortune
willcd it that for portion of the distance
there should be a strong stone fence. l9
was rendered more dense by throwing up
o quantity Of dirt ON both sides, preventing
the bullets from glancing or passing into
the interstices of the wall. The trees around
this wall are thicily SCARED 10y bullets
from rebel rifles, and the same is the case
with those III front, behind which the rebel
were posted.


a CONFEDERATE TESTAMENT.


Within twenty yards of one portion of
the works are the remains of u rebels coat
and II bloody blanket. Near it | found II
copy Of the New Testament. of the ordin-
AIRY 32mo size. we'll printed and not badly





the Confederate States Bible Society, and il
claims to have been thrown from the press
of an establishment in Atlanta, Georgia
1t contains the name of John II. Congrcvc.
of an Alabama regiment, the number being
so blurred THAT it cannot be made out with
certainty. On the fly leaf in the end of the
book the owner attempted to draw repre-
scntation of the rebel flag above that of the
Union.


IN THE FORESr-GRANES on THE SLAiS.


After passing the forest hill on tho right
of rocky and somewhat steep ascent en-
tered the forest. Tho broastworks here
are constructed of piled logs and dirt. The
engineers were in all cases careful to keep
them on the brow of the hill-tho most
di0cHlt positions for the rebels to assault
Camp debris again becomes visible. In
one place is considerable quantity of cast
OFF soldiers clothing, shelter tents and rub
Der blankets, A little back Of the position
ON the hillside, in a quiet nook, where the
earth is less rocky, are the graves of sew
eral OF the Union slain. The loss does not
appear TO have been heavy on our side in
this locality, owing to the excellent position
that we occupied.


DOWN THE SLOPE or THE FIRST hill,
IL,
mound of yellow earth. Approaching this
lind it to be the resting-place of aportion
Of the rebel dead. Close by it the side of
a tree has been scrapcd and neatly smoothod
down. On this spot has been placed the
following inscription:


"FoRTY-FIvE REBs BURIED TO THE RIGHT"


An index points to the mound. Further
down the valley is another mound, close by
the bank Of the stream.


ROCKY ASCENT.


On the second elevation from the ccme-
terry the line bends still more to the right.
the brow of the hill At the base
Of the hill is Il stream known as Rock
Creek, across which the rebels were obliged
TO move IN their advance ON the right. It
is but few steps across, and not large
enough to hinder the movements of the
troops. From the stream to the summit of
the hill the ascent is quite stecp--too steep
to be climbed, except a slow walk. The
rocks along the whole ascent are rough
and irregular, and, in the face Of heavy
lire, must be difficult to pass. The trees
ire of good size and the forest is free from
lnderbrush. The limbs of the trees are
rom ten to twenty feet high, and affords
10 screen to the approaching foe


SCENE OF THE ATTACK on THE RIGHT.


About halt way from the center Of the
extreme right is the location Of the scene
IF the tiercest attack upon that portion of
he field, The most terrible fire of the day
las left its marks upon the trees and rocks
have seen the whole of the Shiloh battle
ield, as we'll as that where Sherman met
lis disastrous repulse at the Chickasaw
Bayou. The. traces of fighting there are
Dut slight compared to those on this ground. !


find tree after tree SCARED from base to
limbs so thickly that it would have been
to place ones hand upon their
runks without covering the marks of "A
)ullet. One tree was stripped of more than |
lalt its leaves, by the effect of the bullets |
IIone, and many Of its twigs were cut half |
,tf, and were hanging wilted and ready to |
lrop to the ground. The trunk of the tree. |
bout ten inches III diameter, was cut and |
carred in every part. The fire which had |
truck these trees was that which was di- (
ected from our muskets upon the advanc- |
ng rebels. Every tree and bush, for the |
distance of half a mile along these works, |
vas nearly as badly marked. The storm |
# bullets must have been as thick as hail |
tones in an ordinary storm. How man |
Ould exist in it aud come out unhurt, is |
iilicult to imagine. /


EFFECT OF BULLETS UPON THE ROCKS,


The trees are not alone in displaying the |
errible effects of the shot. The rocks, .
wherever they face toward our brcastworks, |
re thickly stripped with dots OF white. |
IN one rock presenting a surface Of about !
even square feet, bullets have left their
races in little blurred spots like a snow
al lyp nE - "A mi flnt