The jollity at Atlanta was stopped right in the middle by the appalling
news that the Yankees hadn't retreated worth a cent； but had broken out
in a new and much worse spot than ever。 Then there was no end of trouble
all around； and Hood started part of his army back after us。
〃Part of Hardee's and Pat Cleburne's command went into position in front
of us。 We left them alone till Stanley could come up on our left； and
swing around； so as to cut off their retreat； when we would bag every one
of them。 But Stanley was as slow as he always was； and did not come up
until it was too late； and the game was gone。
〃The sun was just going down on the evening of the 1st of September； when
we began to see we were in for it； sure。 The Fourteenth Corps wheeled
into position near the railroad； and the sound of musketry and artillery
became very loud and clear on our front and left。 We turned a little and
marched straight toward the racket； becoming more excited every minute。
We saw the Carlin's brigade of regulars； who were some distance ahead of
us； pile knapsacks； form in line； fix bayonets； and dash off with
arousing cheer。
〃The Rebel fire beat upon them like a Summer rain…storm； the ground shook
with the noise； and just as we reached the edge of the cotton field； we
saw the remnant of the brigade come flying back out of the awful；
blasting shower of bullets。 The whole slope was covered with dead and
wounded。〃
〃Yes；〃 interrupts one of the Fourteenth； 〃 and they made that charge
right gamely； too； I can tell you。 They were good soldiers； and well
led。 When we went over the works； I remember seeing the body of a little
Major of one of the regiments lying right on the top。 If he hadn't been
killed he'd been inside in a half…a…dozen steps more。 There's no mistake
about it； those regulars will fight。〃
〃When we saw this；〃 resumed the narrator； 〃it set our fellows fairly
wild； they became just crying mad； I never saw them so before。 The order
came to strip for the charge； and our knapsacks were piled in half a
minute。 A Lieutenant of our company； who was then on the staff of Gen。
Baird； our division commander； rode slowly down the line and gave us our
instructions to load our guns； fix bayonets； and hold fire until we were
on top of the Rebel works。 Then Colonel Este sang out clear and steady
as a bugle signal：
〃'Brigade； forward！ Guide center！ MARCH！！'
〃and we started。 Heavens； how they did let into us； as we came up into
range。 They had ten pieces of artillery； and more men behind the
breastworks than we had in line； and the fire they poured on us was
simply withering。 We walked across the hundreds of dead and dying of the
regular brigade； and at every step our own men fell down among them。
General Baud's horse was shot down； and the General thrown far over his
head； but he jumped up and ran alongside of us。 Major Wilson； our
regimental commander； fell mortally wounded； Lieutenant Kirk was killed；
and also Captain Stopfard； Adjutant General of the brigade。 Lieutenants
Cobb and Mitchell dropped with wounds that proved fatal in a few days。
Captain Ugan lost an arm； one…third of the enlisted men fell； but we went
straight ahead； the grape and the musketry becoming worse every step；
until we gained the edge of the hill； where we were checked a minute by
the brush； which the Rebels had fixed up in the shape of abattis。 Just
then a terrible fire from a new direction； our left； swept down the whole
length of our line。 The Colonel of the Seventeenth New Yorkas gallant
a man as ever lived saw the new trouble； took his regiment in on the run；
and relieved us of this； but he was himself mortally wounded。 If our
boys were half…crazy before； they were frantic now； and as we got out of
the entanglement of the brush； we raised a fearful yell and ran at the
works。 We climbed the sides； fired right down into the defenders； and
then began with the bayonet and sword。 For a few minutes it was simply
awful。 On both sides men acted like infuriated devils。 They dashed each
other's brains out with clubbed muskets； bayonets were driven into men's
bodies up to the muzzle of the gun； officers ran their swords through
their opponents； and revolvers； after being emptied into the faces of the
Rebels； were thrown with desperate force into the ranks。 In our regiment
was a stout German butcher named Frank Fleck。 He became so excited that
he threw down his sword； and rushed among the Rebels with his bare fists；
knocking down a swath of them。 He yelled to the first Rebel he met
〃Py Gott； I've no patience mit you；' and knocked him sprawling。
He caught hold of the commander of the Rebel Brigade； and snatched him
back over the works by main strength。 Wonderful to say； he escaped
unhurt； but the boys will probably not soon let him hear the last of
〃Py Gott； I've no patience mit you。'
〃The Tenth Kentucky； by the queerest luck in the world； was matched
against the Rebel Ninth Kentucky。 The commanders of the two regiments
were brothers…in…law； and the men relatives； friends； acquaintances and
schoolmates。 They hated each other accordingly； and the fight between
them was more bitter； if possible； than anywhere else on the line。
The Thirty…Eighth Ohio and Seventy…fourth Indiana put in some work that
was just magnificent。 We hadn't time to look at it then； but the dead
and wounded piled up after the fight told the story。
〃We gradually forced our way over the works； but the Rebels were game to
the last； and we had to make them surrender almost one at a time。
The artillerymen tried to fire on us when we were so close we could lay
our hands on the guns。
〃Finally nearly all in the works surrendered； and were disarmed and
marched back。 Just then an aid came dashing up with the information that
we must turn the works； and get ready to receive Hardee； who was
advancing to retake the position。 We snatched up some shovels lying
near； and began work。 We had no time to remove the dead and dying Rebels
on the works； and the dirt we threw covered them up。 It proved a false
alarm。 Hardee had as much as he could do to save his own hide； and the
affair ended about dark。
〃When we came to count up what we had gained； we found that we had
actually taken more prisoners from behind breastworks than there were in
our brigade when we started the charge。 We had made the only really
successful bayonet charge of the campaign。 Every other time since we
left Chattanooga the party standing on the defensive had been successful。
Here we had taken strong double lines； with ten guns； seven battle flags；
and over two thousand prisoners。 We had lost terriblynot less than
one…third of the brigade； and many of our best men。 Our regiment went
into the battle with fifteen officers； nine of these were killed or
wounded； and seven of the nine lost either their limbs or lives。
The Thirty…Eighth Ohio； and the other regiments of the brigade lost
equally heavy。 We thought Chickamauga awful； but Jonesboro discounted
it。〃
〃Do you know；〃 said another of the Fourteenth； 〃I heard our Surgeon
telling about how that Colonel Grower； of the Seventeenth New York；
who came in so splendidly on our left； died？ They say he was a Wall
Street broker； before the war。 He was hit shortly after he led his
regiment in； and after the fight； was carried back to the hospital。
While our Surgeon was going the rounds Colonel Grower called him； and
said quietly； 'When you get through with the men； come and see me；
please。'
〃The Doctor would have attended to him then； but Grower wouldn't let him。
After he got through he went back to Grower； examined his wound； and told
him that he could only live a few hours。 Grower received the news
tranquilly； had the Doctor write a letter to his wife； and gave him his
things to send her； and then grasping the Doctor's hand； he said：
〃Doctor； I've just one more favor to ask； will you grant it？'
〃The Doctor said； 'Certainly； what is it？'
〃You say I can't live but a few hours？'
〃Yes； that is true。'
〃And that I will likely be in great pain！'
〃I am sorry to say so。'
〃Well； then； do give me morphia enough to put me to sleep； so that I will
wake up only in another world。'
〃The Doctor did so； Colonel Grower thanked him； wrung his hand； bade him
good…by； and went to sleep to wake no more。〃
〃Do you believe in presentiments and superstitions？〃 said another of the
Fourteenth。 There was Fisher Pray； Orderly Sergeant of Company I。 He
came from Waterville； O。； where his folks are now living。 The day before
we started out he had a presentiment that we were going into a fight； and
that he would be killed。 He couldn't shake it off。 He told the
Lieutenant； and some of the boys about it； and they tried to ridicule him
out of it； but it was no good。 When the sharp firing broke out in front
some of the boys said； 'Fisher； I do believe you are right；' and he
nodded his head mournfully。 When we were piling knapsacks for the
charge； the Lieutenant； who was a great friend of Fisher's； said：
〃Fisher； you stay here and guard the knapsacks。'
〃Fisher's face blazed in an instant。
〃No； sir；' said he； I never shirked a fight yet； and I won't begin now。'
〃So he went into the fight； and was killed； as he knew he would be。 Now；
that's what I call nerve。〃
〃The same thing was true of Sergeant Arthur Tarbox； of Company A；〃 said
the narrator； 〃he had a presentiment； too； he knew he was going to be
killed； if he went in； and he was offered an honorable chance to stay
out； but he would not take it； and went in and was killed。〃
〃Well； we staid there the next day； buried our dead； took care of our
wounded； and gathered up the plunder we had taken from the Johnnies。
The rest of the army went off； 'hot blocks；' after Hardee and the rest of
Hood's army； which it was hoped would be caught outside of entrenchments。
But Hood had too much the start； and got into the works at Lovejoy； ahead
of our fellows。 The night before we heard several very loud explosions
up to the north。 We guessed what that meant； and so did the Twentieth
Corps； who were lying back at the Chattahoochee； and the next morning the
General commandingSlocumse