Chapter 66

CHAPTER LXVI

Adjutant McGee drew his sword and with his revolver in his other hand, threatened to shoot any man who would run.

Ed Fisher faced the Adjutant and spoke out in his character­istic manner:

“We’re not going to run, just tell the men how to get “front’ and by thunder they’ll do it.”

The regiment was hastily reformed and the Colonel gave the command “forward.”  With a cheer the men sprang forward, clambered up the steep embankment, halted, re-dressed the regimental line as coolly as if on dress parade, and then at the word of command began gallantly to ascend the steep mountain side and succeeded in driving the rebels from their first line of rifle-pits below the white house.  We halted behind a friendly ledge of rocks and the enemies minnies whistled over us harmlessly.

We remained in this position until after dusk, at which time we were relieved and moved back to the rear where we par­took of a cup of coffee and three crackers, one-fourth of a pound dealt out to each man, this being the first morsel of food we had tasted since 4 o’clock in the morning and had been engaged in the most fatiguing march, up the steep and rugged mountain sides, that ever befell the lot of any soldiers, and as may well be imagined our scanty meal was hastily dispatched.

We were notified that we would be allowed to rest until mid­night, when we would be called upon to take up our old position.  No sooner had the orders been given than we stretched our tired and weary limbs upon the soft side of the friendly rocks, seek­ing as much protection against the bullets as possible, we were soon asleep.

At about 10 o’clock, or soon after we had fallen asleep, we were suddenly wakened by a terrible volley of musketry, the balls came flying, zipp-i-n-g and whiz-z-i-n-g into and over us like hail.  At this critical moment a voice was heard above the din:

“Colonel Pardee, take the 147^th to support of the line engaged.”

In a moment the officers and men were on their feet, and the quick and decisive command of the Colonel “147 forward, double-quick,” soon placed us in line immediately in the rear of the 29^th and 66^th Ohio.  The firing soon ceased, and the Ohio regiments were taken to the rear and we found ourselves in the front line again.

The night was dark, and what added to the darkness was an eclipse of the moon.  It was sometime before we could discover what was the matter with Luna, but at last on our West Beaver boys announced that it was a “fenchderness.”

From our position we could hear the Rebels busily engaged at work, as we supposed, strengthening their position.  Some of the boys believed that they were retreating since we could hear the rumbling of cannon wheels, whilst others held that they were placing their guns so as to better command our position and the best we could do was to hope for the best and in the meantime await the issue on the morrow.

During the night the enemy rolled a number of rocks and boulders down the mountain side and a number of men were injured by this means.

The sight from the mountain was a grand one.  Below us glimmered the camp-fires of an army of nearly 200,000 men, friend and foe.  In the one Army General Grant and his able Lieutenants, Sherman, Thomas, Hooker, McPherson and others were busily engaged in planning for the grand onward move on the morrow, while their troops were calmly sleeping, many of them, for the last time were dreaming of the loved ones at home.  In the other camp, at General Bragg’s headquarters were assembled, Bragg, Hardee, Breckinridge. Hood, Walker, and other leading Southern Generals.  It did not take them long to decide, their left flank was turned, they must withdraw from the mountain, and take position on Missionary Ridge.

Several rockets flashed in the air and the decision of the council was communicated to the Rebel Commander on the mountain, and soon the rebels were falling back to their new and strongly fortified line of works on Missionary Ridge, leaving a picket line to hold us in check and to prevent us from discovering their retreat before morning.

At the first approach of dawn we advanced our skirmish line, and succeeded in capturing part of the men left back.  We were then relieved and moved to the position from which we had been taken during the night.

The troops which relieved us pushed forward and meeting with no resistance soon reached the top.  Word was sent to General Geary, who sent one of his aids to the top with the Division flag, and when it was light enough to see the mountain’s peak, the soldiers in the valley below had the satisfaction of seeing the “White Star” waving in triumph from the position so defiantly held by the rebels.  At this sight the troops in the valley sent up a cheer that found its way to the rocky fastness upon which we lay.  This was the first knowledge that we had that the mountain was taken.  When we discovered that the mountain was taken such a shout burst forth from the brave soldiers of the old White Star Division as only victorious veterans can give.

Soon we threw off our accouterments and a detail was at once made to be sent down the mountain after rations.  A number of the men started up to the top of the mountain whilst others examined the late rebel camp and the breastworks in the vicinity in which we were camped.  A number of dead as well as quite a number of wounded rebel were found snugly ensconced behind rocks and boulders.  All the aid that could be given the wounded men was cheerfully given them.

E. Fausnacht, of our company, being among the number that went up the mountain succeeded in getting a haversack full of rebel hard-tack, four of them weighing a pound, and also of a piece of bacon.  This was a God-send to the company, Will generously dealt out the grub to his companions, and soon the boys were appeasing their appetites with rebel bread and bacon, the roast turkey never tasted better to us than did that meal.

The rations reached us at the hands of the detail, and owing to what we had already had we were able to eat a hearty breakfast.

A detail was made out of our regiment placed in charge of Lieutenant Parks of our company to take charge of the artillery captured and to turn it over to the proper officers so that our Division might receive the credit for the same.

From our left, beyond Chattanooga the report of heavy guns reached us, soon the forts in the vicinity of Chattanooga opened fire on the rebel lines, evidently feeling to ascertain as to the rebel position.  The troops were also being moved in line towards the old rebel position.  The rebel batteries on ????? began to reply, simultaneously with this their guns in the center opened fire, and it was soon evident that a general engagement was about to be brought on.  We had just begun to congratulate ourselves that we had done our fighting yesterday, and that we would be permitted to look on today, when the Division bugle sounded and we were ordered to “fall in,” and were marched down the mountain towards the fighting.