L CHAPTER XVII. BATTLE OF MISSIONARY RIDGE. 'From rank to rank their volleyed thunder flew, That knelled upon the ear." ATE on the afternoon of November 25th, there was an accident an accident like the charge of Balaklava; though, unlike this theme for poetry, it called for greater daring. and was attended by complete success, and yielded most important results, for, it led to the complete shattering of the Southern army and drove them from the field. On Orchard Knob, and opposite the center of Missionary Ridge were four divisions of the Army of the Cumberland. On the left was Baird's division; then Wood's and Sheridan's divisions occupying the lines which two days before, they had taken in their magnificent advance; on the right was Johnson's division-all under the personal command of Thomas. It was past three o'clock. General Sherman had ceased operations. General Hooker's advance had not yet been felt. The day was dying, and Bragg still held the ridge. If any movement to dislodge him was to be made that day, it must be made at once. At half past three o'clock, an attack was ordered by General Grant. He had changed his plan of battle. At once orders were issued that at the firing in rapid succession of six guns, on Orchard Knob, Thomas' whole line should instantly move forward, Sheridan's and Wood's divisions in the center. Sheridan to be supported on the right by Johnson, and Wood on the left by Baird's division. This demonstration was to be made to relieve the pressure on Sherman. The only order given was to move forward and take the rifle pits at the foot of the ridge. In Sheridan's division the order was, "as soon is the signal is given, the whole line will advance and you will take what is before you." Between Orchard Knob and Missionary Ridge was a valley partly covered with a small growth of timber. It was wooded in front of the right of Baird's, and of the whole of Wood's division. In front of Sheridan's and Johnson's, it had been almost entirely cleared. At the foot of the ridge were heavy rifle pits, which could be seen from Orchard Knob, and extending in front of them for four or five hundred yards the ground was covered with felled trees. There was a good plain for both direct and enfilading fire from the rifle pits, and the approaches were commanded by the Southern artillery. At this point the ridge is five or six hundred feet high. Its side, scored with gullies, and showing but little timber, had a rough and bare appearance. Half way up was another line of rifle pits, and the summit was furrowed with additional lines and dotted over with epaulements, in which were placed fifty pieces af artillery. The art of man could not have made a stronger fortress. Directly in front of Orchard Knob, and on the summit of the ridge, was a small house, where Bragg had established his headquarters. At twenty minutes before four the signal guns were fired. Suddenly twenty thousand men rushed forward, moving in line of battle by brigades, with a double line of skirmishers in front. and closely followed by the reserves in mass. The big siege guns in the Chattanooga forts roared above the light artillery and musketry in the valley. The enemy's rifle pits were ablaze and the whole ridge in our front had broken out like another Etna. Not many minutes afterwards our men were seen working through the felled trees and other obstructions. Though exposed to such a terrific fire, they neither fell back nor halted. By a bold and desperate push they broke through the works in several places, and opened flank and reserved fires. The enemy were thrown into confusion, and took precipitate flight up the ridge. Many prisoners and a large number of small arms were captured. The order of the commanding General had now been fully and most successfully carried out. But it did not go far enough to satisfy these brave men, who thought the time had come to finish the battle of Chickamauga. There was a halt of but a few minutes, to take breath and to reform lines. then, with a sudden impulse, all started up the side of the ridge. Not a commanding officer had given the order to advance. The men who carried the muskets had taken the matter into their own hands, had moved of their own accord. Officers, catching their spirit, first followed, then led. There was no thought of protecting flanks, though the enemy's line could be seen stretching beyond on either side, there was no thought of support, or reserves. As soon as this movement was seen from Orchard Knob, Grant quickly turned to Thomas, who stood by his side and I heard him angrily say: "Thomas, who ordered those men up the ridge?". Thomas replied in his usual slow, quiet manner: "I don't know. I did not." Then addressing General Gordon Granger, he said: "Did you order them up, Granger?" "No," said Granger, "they started up without orders. When those fellows get started, all hell can't stop them." General Grant said something to the effect that somebody would suffer if it did not turn out well, and then turning round, stoically watched the ridge. He gave no further orders. As soon as Granger had replied to Thomas, he turned to his Chief-of-Staff, General J. S. Fullerton, and said: "Ride at once to Wood and then to Sheridan, and ask them if they ordered their men up the ridge, and tell them if they can take it to push ahead." As I was mounting Granger added: "It is hot over there and you may not get through. I shall send Captain Avery to Sheridan and other officers after both of you." As fast as his horse could carry him, he rode first to General Wood and delivered the message. "I didn't order them up," said Wood; "they started up on their own account, and they are going up, too! Tell Granger if we are supported, we will take and hold the ridge." As soon as he reached General Wood, Captain Avery got to General Sheridan and delivered his message. "I didn't order them up," said Sheridan; "but we are going to take the ridge." He then asked Avery for his flask and waved it at a group of Confederate officers standing just in front of Bragg's headquarters, with the salutation, "Here's at you!" At once two guns-the "Lady Breckinridge" and the "Lady Buckner "-in front of Bragg's headquarters, were fired at Sheridan and the group of officers about him. One shell struck so near as to throw dirt over Sheridan and Avery. "Ah!" said the General, "that is ungenerous; I shall take those guns for that!" Before Sheridan received the message taken by Captain Avery, he had sent a staff-officer to Granger to enquire whether the order given to take the rifle pits, meant those at the base, or those on top of the ridge? Granger told this officer that, the order was given to take those at the base. Conceiving this to be an order to fall back, the officer, on his way to Sheridan, gave it to General Wagner, commanding the second brigade of the division, which was then nearly half way up the ridge. Wagner ordered his brigade back to the rifle pits at the base, but it only remained there until Sheridan, seeing the mistake, ordered it forward. It again advanced under a terrific fire that was raking the lower part of the ridge. The men, fighting and climbing up the steep hill, sought the roads, ravines, and less rugged parts. The ground was so broken that it was impossible to keep a regular line of battle. At times their movements were in shape like the flight of migratory birds. Sometimes in line, sometimes in mass, mostly in V-shaped groups, with the points towards the enemy. At these points regimental flags were flying; sometimes dropping as the bearers were shot, but never reaching the ground. for other brave hands were there to seize them. Sixty flags were advancing up the hill, in the faces of its defenders. Bragg was hurrying large bodies of troops from his right to the center. They could be seen coming along the summit of the ridge in double quick time. Cheatham's division was being withdrawn from Sherman's front. Bragg and Harder were at the center, doing their utmost to encourage their troops and urging them to stand firm, and drive back the advancing enemy now so near the summit; indeed, so near that the guns could not be sufficiently depressed to reach them, and became useless. Artillerymen were lighting the fuses of shells and bowling them down the hill by hundreds. The critical moment arrived when the summit was just within reach. At six different points, and almost simultaneously, Sheridan's and Wood's divisions broke over the crest; Sheridan's first, near Bragg's headquarters; and in a few minutes Sheridan was beside the guns that had been fired at him, and claiming them as captures of his division. Baird's division took the works on Wood's left, almost immediately afterwards; and then Johnson came up on Sheridan's right. The enemy's guns were turned upon those who still remained in the works, and soon all were in flight down the Eastern slope. Baird got on the ridge just in time to change front and oppose a large body of the enemy moving down from Bragg's right to attack our left. After a sharp engagement, which lasted until dark, he drove the enemy back beyond a high point on the North, which he at once occupied. The sun had not yet gone down; Missionary Ridge was ours and Bragg's army was broken and in flight. Dead and wounded comrades lay thickly strewn on the ground; but thicker yet were the dead and wounded men in gray. Then followed the wildest confusion as the victors gave vent to their joy. Some madly shouted; some wept from very excess of joy; some grotesquely danced out their delight. Even our wounded forgot their pain to join in the general hurrah. But Sheridan did not long stop to receive praise and congratulations. With two brigades he started down the Mission Mills road, and found, strongly posted on a second hill, the enemy's rear. They made a stout resistance, but, by a sudden flank movement, he drove them from the heights, and captured two guns and many prisoners. The day was succeeded by a clear moonlight night. At seven o'clock General Granger sent word to General Thomas that, by a bold dash at Chickamauga Crossing, he might cut off a large number of the enemy now supposed to be leaving Sherman's front, and that he proposed to move in that direction. It was midnight before guides could be found, and then General Sheridan again put his tired and well worn men in motion. He reached the creek just as the rear guard of the enemy was crossing, and pressed it so closely that it burned the pontoon bridge before all the troops were over. Here Sheridan captured several hundred prisoners, |