USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 22
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 22
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Jared Van Horn, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., March 12, 1863. Henry White, must. out June 10, 1865.
Company H.
William Graham, died of wounds at Richmond, Va., March, 1863.
Company I.
Oliver Boyd, Norman Davis. George M. Kleet, died of wounds at Chattanooga, Tenn., Aug. 8, 1864.
BERRIEN COUNTY MEMBERS OF THE NINETEENTH INFANTRY.
Field and Staff.
Lieut .- Col. David Bacon, Niles; con. Aug. 8, 1862 ; wounded in action at Baton Rouge; res. April 3, 1863.
Lieut .- Col. Eli A. Griffin, Niles, com. April 20, 1864; maj., Oct. 22, 1863; capt., 6th Iuf., Aug. 19, 1861 ; died in action at Golgotha, Ga., June 15, 1864.
Adjt. Henry M. Brown, St. Joseph ; com. May 1, 1863; com. Ist lieut., Co. I; res. Oct. 4, 1864.
Q.M. Warren Chapman, St. Joseph; com. Aug. 2, 1862; res. Nov. 17, 1862. Non-Commissioned Staff.
Q.M. Sergt. Lysander J. Brown, St. Joseph ; enl. Ang. 12, 1862; died May 20, 1863.
Principal Musician Charles E. Bort, Royalton ; trans. to Co. I.
Company A.
1st Lient. Herbert M. Reynolds, Niles; enl. May 25, 1864; pro. to 2d lieut., July 27, 1863; com. sergt. ; disch. for disability, July 20, 1864; 2d lieut.
Lyman Carney, died in action at Thompson's Station, Tenn., March 5, 1863. Lee Chapman, disch. for disability, Aug. 27, 1863.
Edward C. Dix, must. out June 10, 1865.
M. D. L. Peters, must. ont June 10, 1865.
Milford Tice, died in action at Thompson's Station, March 4, 1863.
Company B.
George M. Kirk, died in action at Frederick, Md.
Company C.
Albert Newton, trans. to 10th Inf. ; must. out July 19, 1865.
Emanuel Rinehard, trans. to 10th Inf. ; must. out July 19, 1865.
Company D.
Jeremiah Van Horn, must. out Sept. 8, 1865.
Company G.
William L. Black, trans. to 10th Inf .; must. out July 19, 1865.
Francis Cooper, must. out June 10, 1865.
William H. Cook, must. out June 10, 1865.
Orange Hutchins, must. out June 10, 1865.
William Moore, must. out June 10, 1865.
Aaron Messenger, died March 5, 1863, in Columbia, Tenn., of wounds.
Isaac A. Williams, died in rebel prison at Salisbury, N. C., Jan. 27, 1865.
Winfield Wilson, must. out June 4, 1865.
Franklin E. Wilson, must. out June 4, 1865.
Albert H. Wheeler, inust. out June 4, 1865.
Eli Wittfery, must. out June 4, 1865.
Company I.
Capt. Richard Lysaght, St. Joseph ; com. July 25, 1862; res. June 6, 1863.
Capt. Charles H. Calmer, St. Joseph ; com. May 1, 1863 ; pro. to 2d lieut., July 26, 1862; died in action at Resaca, Ga., May 15, 1864.
1st Lient. Heury M. Brown, St. Joseph ; com. Aug. 11, 1862; app. adjt., May 1, 1863.
Sergt. Aaron F. Brewer, St. Joseph ; enl. Ang. 11, 1862; pro. to 2d lieut.
Sergt. Marvin Beaman, Royalton ; enl. Aug. 11, 1862; must. out July 10, 1865. Sergt. George W. Livingston, St. Joseph ; enl. Aug. 21, 1862; died July 1, 1864, of wounds received at Golgotha, Ga., June 15, 1864.
Sergt. Charles A. Croukhite, St. Joseph ; en. Aug. 11, 1862; disch. for disability, March 11, 1865.
Sergt. George Brown, St. Joseph ; enl. Aug. 12, 1862; disch. for disability, April 23, 1863.
Corp. D. H. Stevenson, St. Joseph ; enl. Aug. 11, 1862 ; disch. March 6, 1863. Corp. George W. Riley, St. Joseph ; enl. Aug. 11, 1862; must. out June 8, 1865. Corp. Asher Lane, St. Joseph ; enl. Aug. 11, 1862; disch. for disability, June 17, 1863.
Corp. Frederick Clay, Royalton; enl. Aug. 13, 1862; died in action at Golgotha, Ga., June 15, 1864.
Corp. Thomas Riley, St. Joseph ; enl. Aug. 11, 1862; must. out June 10, 1865.
Corp. George F. Stewart, St. Joseph ; enl. Aug. 22, 1862; pro. to sergt. ; Ist lieut., Co. F, March 29, 1865.
Musician Charles E. Bort, Royalton; enl. Aug. 12, 1862; must. out June 10, 1865.
Wagoner John Wilson, St. Joseph ; enl. Aug. 15, 1862; must. out June 15, 1865.
Silas W. Allen, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., April 11, 1863.
William Bundy, died of disease at Danville, Ky., Jan. 13, 1863. James M. Boswell, disch. for disability, April 21, 1863.
Henry L. Beaman, must. out June 10, 1865.
John Bradley, must. out June 10, 1865.
Charles Chanbeck, died of disease at Danville, Ky., Jan. 8, 1863. Edward Cronau, disch. for disability, June 11, 1863. Daniel Calmer, must. out June 10, 1865.
Joseph Clamfoot, must. out May 30, 1865.
84
HISTORY OF BERRIEN AND VAN BUREN COUNTIES, MICHIGAN.
Daniel E. Dopp, must. out June 10, 1865. Peter T. Dopp, must. out June 10, 1865. Oscar Dee, must. ont June 10, 1865. William A. Depue, must. out Juue 10, 1865. William G. Ensley, must. out July 13. 1865. John H. Fikes, must. out June 10, 1865. Benj. Fikes, must. out June 10, 1865. Benjamin Green, disch. for disability, May 13, 1863. Milo Hyde, must. out May 26, 1865. Alexander Hunter, died of disease at Annapolis, Md., June 2, 1863. George Koof, died of disease in Indiana, Feb. 14, 1865. William Kelsey, died in action at Thompson's Station, March 5, 1863. Charles McCain, died in rebel prison, Richmond, Va., March 22, 1863. William Morelock, died of wounds at Big Shanty, Ga., June 24, 1864. Theodore Morelock, trans. to 10th Inf. ; must. out July 19, 1865. Peter Mooth, trans. to 10th Inf .; must. out July 19, 1865. Horace M. Pitcher, died while a prisoner, March 20, 1863. Joseph Peuland, died while at work on fortifications, Ang. 11, 1864. Charles J. Peterson, died of disease at Murfreesboro', Sept. 17, 1863. Jerry Robicho, disch. for disability, June 1, 1863. Martin V. Sherman, disch. for disability, June 17, 1863. Timothy H. Spelman, died of disease at Annapolis, Md., April 11, 1863. James Snyder, died at Knoxville, Tenn., April 20, 1864. George Thompson, disch. for disability, April 23, 1863. William Wiese, disch. for disability, April 11, 1863. Thomas Waterman, disch. for disability, July 18, 1863. William W. Webster, died of disease at Murfreesboro', Sept. 17, 1863.
TWENTY-FOURTH INFANTRY.
In the earlier parts of its career there were no members of the regiment from Van Buren or Berrien Counties. In the summer of 1864, however, its commander, Col. Henry A. Morrow, now of the regular army, found that his regi- ment was below the minimum number, and was likely to be consolidated with some other organization. To avoid this he obtained, by the aid of Edgar A. Kimmel, of Niles, nearly fifty recruits, who joined the regiment before Petersburg in September and October, 1864, bringing it up to the required number and saving its organization. Mr. Kimmel was commissioned as first lieutenant. Afterwards more recruits joined the regiment from Berrien County, making the whole number of members from that county near one hundred.
The Berrien County men first mentioned, as well as those who followed, were distributed among the various compa- nies. The first fight of the regiment, after the arrival of the Berrien County squad, was at Hatcher's Run, on the 27th of October, 1864. It was not in the thickest of the fight. The division to which it belonged-the 3d in the 5th Corps-lost its way in the dense forest, and about dark ran almost against a rebel breastwork. Falling back a trifle, the men bivouacked within musket-range of the foe. Soon after, a rebel division, which was also at a loss as to its location, marched in behind the Union division. In the confusion which ensued some of the men of the latter were captured, but the division succeeded in taking a much larger number from the enemy.
After its return to Petersburg the regiment was engaged on trench and picket duty until the 5th of December, when it moved with its corps and other forces against the Wel- don Railroad, which was destroyed for about twenty miles. There was no general engagement, but continuous fighting for several days.
The usual siege duties before Petersburg occupied the time of the regiment until the 5th of February, 1865, when it moved with the army to Hatcher's Run, and on the 6th and 7th it was hotly engaged with the enemy at Dabney's Mills. Col. Morrow was shot through the body, and one other officer and twenty men were killed and wounded.
On the 11th of February, the 24th left Petersburg and proceeded to Springfield, Ill., where it was on duty at the draft rendezvous until the end of the war, being principally occupied in guarding conscripts and taking them to the front. When the body of President Lincoln was brought home for interment, the 24th acted as the escort at his funeral. On the 19th of June, 1865, the regiment left Springfield for Detroit, and on the 3d of the same month was mustered out of service at the latter place, being soon after paid off and disbanded.
MEMBERS OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH INFANTRY FROM BERRIEN COUNTY.
Non-Commissioned Staff.
Hosp. Steward Owen Churchill, Niles; eul. Aug. 24, 1864; must out June 30, 1865.
Company A.
Richard Burr, must. out June 30, 1865.
Selah House, must. out June 30, 1865.
Alex. P. Manamy, must. out June 30, 1865.
Geo. F. Niles, must. out June 30, 1865.
Company B.
Calvin W. Aiken, must. out June 30, 1865.
Charles Brunke, must. ont June 30, 1865.
Win. H. Emmons, must. out June 30, 1865.
Burkhardt Freund, must. out June 30, 1865.
Luther Hemingway, must. out June 30, 1865.
Wm. Sullivan, must. out June 30, 1865. Lorenzo Smith, must. ont June 30, 1865.
Company C.
James Bourdon, must. out June 30, 1865.
James Breen, must. out June 30, 1865.
Wm. Burlingame, must. out June 30, 1865.
Arra Cook, must. out June 30, 1865. Patrick English, must. out June 30, 1865. John R. Field, must. ont June 30, 1865. Thos. Genderson, must. out June 30, 1865. Jerome Head, must. out June 30, 1865. John Hutchinson, must. out June 30, 1865. Jolin J. Hart, must. out June 30, 1865. Davis L. Hurlburt, must. out June 30, 1865. Alexander Lamond, must. ont June 5, 1866. Walter S. Mizuer, must. out June 30, 1865.
Andrew E. Mitchell, died of disease in Illinois, April 22, 1865.
James M. Noel, must. out June 30, 1865. James St. John, must. out June 30, 1865. Oscar St. John, must. out June 30, 1865. James L. Sharp, must. out June 30, 1865. Theodore Swain, must. out June 30, 1865. James S. Stafford, must. out June 30, 1865.
Gideon B. Stiles, died of disease at Niles, Nov. 5, 1864.
Amos A. Thompson, must. out June 30, 1865.
Frank Verbaum, must. out June 30, 1865.
Company D.
Charles A. Champion, must. out June 30, 1865. Henry Varsop, must. out June 30, 1865.
Company E.
Henry Aldridge, died of wounds at Baltimore, Feb. 22, 1865.
Hleury Bradley, must. out June 30, 1865.
Frederick H. Eisenhardt, must. ont June 30, 1865.
Dayton Fuller, must. out June 30, 1865.
James S. Gender, must. out June 30, 1865.
Jolın H. Hawkins, must. ont June 30, 1865.
Ephraim P. Stratton, must. out June 30, 1865.
John Talbot, must. out June 30, 1865.
Company F.
Thomas W. Rutledge, Galien ; must. out June 30, 1865.
Company G.
2d Lieut. Andrew J. Bucklin, Niles ; com. Sept. 27, 1864; resigned May 3, 1865. Wm. B. Flanigan, must. ont June 30. 1865. Harvey B. Hall, must. out June 30, 1865.
Company H.
Frank Higbee, must. out June 30, 1865.
Frederick W. Holmes, must. out June 30, 1865.
85
TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY.
Company I.
Thos. Evans, must. out June 30, 1865. James H. Nostrand, must. out June 30, 1865. John O'Connor, must. out June 30, 1865. Jackson Robertson, must. out June 30, 1865.
Company K.
1st Lieut. Edgar A. Kimmel, Niles ; com. Sept. 27, 1864 ; must. out June 30, 1865. Wm. H. Ames, must. out June 30, 1865.
Wm. Breen, must. out June 30, 1865. David Boyd, must. out June 30, 1865. Wm. L. Condit, must. out June 30, 1865. Franklin Calbretzer, died of disease in Illinois, April 23, 1865. Henry Griffith, must. out June 30, 1865. Henry L. Morse, must. out June 30, 1865. Anson Miller, must. out June 30, 1865. Charles Pike, must. out June 30, 1865. Henry Smith, must. out June 30, 1865. Wm. W. Serviss, must. out June 30, 1865.
Silas J. Tomlinson, died of disease at Alexandria, Dec. 5, 1864.
VAN BUREN SOLDIERS IN THE TWENTY-FOURTH INFANTRY.
Anthony Hawkins, Co. B; must. out June 30, 1865. Peter A. Dean, Co. H; must. out June 30, 1865. Isaac F. Parrish, Co. K; must. out June 30, 1865. Elijah J. Rhinehart, Co. K ; must. out June 30, 1865.
Richard A. Ward, Co. K ; must. out June 30, 1865.
CHAPTER XI.
TWENTY-FIFTH AND TWENTY-SIXTH IN- FANTRY.
Berrien Companies in the Twenty-Fifth Infantry-Departure for Kentucky and Winter Quarters at Bowling Green-Fight at Tibbs' Bend, Ky .- The "Green River Boys"-Siege of Knoxville-The Atlanta Campaign-Pursuit of Gen. Hood-Transfer to North Carolina-Muster Out of Service-Berrien and Van Buren Soldiers in the Twenty-Fifth-Organization of the Twenty-Sixth Infantry -Service at Suffolk, Va., and on the Peninsula-Transfer to New York Harbor-Return to Army of the Potomac-Mine Run, the Wilderness Campaign, and Petersburg-Appomattox-Muster Out -Soldiers from Berrien County in the Twenty-Sixth.
TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY.
DURING the general uprising of the people which fol- lowed McClellan's disasters on the Virginia peninsula, in the summer of 1862, six regiments of infantry were raised from the several Congressional districts of the State. Upon the organization of these, there was still found a surplus of companies, raised by the patriotic young men of Michigan, and the 25th Infantry was constituted from that surplus. Three of its companies were from Berrien County,-Com- pany C, from Berrien Springs and vicinity ; Company F, from Niles and vicinity ; and Company K, from Buchanan and vicinity.
The regiment rendezvoused at Kalamazoo, and on the 29th of September left that place for Louisville, Ky. It moved thence to Munfordsville, Ky., on the 8th of Decem- ber, 1862, where it remained until the 8th of January, 1863. It then proceeded to Bowling Green, Ky., and re- mained there during the rest of the winter. On the 20th of March, 1863, the regiment moved to Lebanon, Ky., and took part, under Gen. Manson, in the pursuit of the rebels under Gen. Pegram. It then went to Louisville, where it was employed as provost-guard.
On the 10th of June five companies (including Com- panies F and K of Berrien County), under Col. O. H. Moore, the commander of the regiment, were ordered to Green River. They took post at Tibbs' Bend, near Co-
lumbia, a place where that river makes a circuit, inclosing a peninsula united by a narrow neck to the main land. Many details had been made from the five companies of the garrison, so that there were only about two hundred men of the 25th present for duty. There were also about twenty bridge-builders detailed from various other regi- ments. There was no artillery.
On the 2d of July, Col. Moore learned that the celebrated partisan, Gen. John H. Morgan, was approaching with a division of rebel horsemen. A breastwork was imme- diately built across the neck before mentioned, and then the little band quietly awaited the result.
About three o'clock in the morning of the 4th of July, 1863, just as the first flush of dawn was beginning to tinge the sky, the long column of the enemy appeared and formed a line of battle in front of the breastwork. The Confederates opened on the Unionists with two guns, doubtless for the purpose of letting them know that the former had artillery, for immediately afterwards several horsemen rode up with a flag of truce. Capt. Spencer S. Lansing, of Company F (now city marshal of Niles), who was in command at the front, received the bearers, and sent back to Col. Moore the written communication which they presented. Ere long the colonel, who was an officer of the regular army, came riding up.
" Ah, captain !" said he to Lansing, " I see you have some visitors this morning."
" Yes," replied the captain ; " allow me to introduce Maj. Elliott, of Gen. Morgan's command."
The major was the bearer of dispatches, but Col. Basil Duke, Morgan's right-hand man, was also one of the party. Col. Moore courteously saluted his enemies, and at once began chatting with them on indifferent subjects, without mentioning the communication from Morgan. Presently, however, Col. Duke said to Elliott,-
" This won't do; we are losing time. Ascertain imme- diately what answer we are to take back to Gen. Morgan."
" Oh, excuse me, gentlemen," said Col. Moore ; " I be- lieve I did receive a communication from Gen. Morgan ; let us see what it says."
He took the paper from his pocket, and read nearly as follows :
"TO THE COMMANDER OF THE UNITED STATES FORCES AT TIBBS' BEND :
" I, John H. Morgan, major-general in the army of the Confederate States, hereby demand the immediate and unconditional surrender of the troops and post under your orders.
" JOHN H. MORGAN, Maj .- Gen. C. S. A."
" Well, major," said Col. Moore, smiling as he folded up the paper, and speaking as pleasantly as if he were convers- ing with a friend at the breakfast-table, "please present my best compliments to Gen. Morgan, and say to him for me that this is the Fourth day of July,-a day held sacred in the feelings of every American. If it were any other time I might possibly take his demand into consideration ; but on this day be kind enough to say to him, with my com- pliments, that I'll see him damned first."
" Let us be off," said Duke, sharply, and the next mo- ment the party of Confederates was galloping swiftly back towards Morgan's line.
86
HISTORY OF BERRIEN AND VAN BUREN COUNTIES, MICHIGAN.
Col. Moore then ordered Capt. Lansing to hold the right of the position with Company F, while he himself took charge of the left and centre. The colonel ordered all his men to lie down behind the breastworks, and then, standing erect in their rear, spoke to them in a low but clear voice :
" Now, men, this is the Fourth of July, and we must die right here in our tracks before we let those fellows whip us. You must all lie perfectly quiet until I order you to rise and fire. There are two pieces of artillery directly in front of you, which you can't see now, but which you will see when you rise up, and there are thirty or forty rebel officers around them. I want every man of you, when the command is given, to fire at that artillery and those officers. Do you all hear me ?"
" Yes, yes," replied the men.
" Attention, battalion ! stand up ! ready ! aim ! fire !"
With the last word nearly two hundred rifles cracked at once, all aimed at the group around the rebel guns. It was afterwards learned that twenty-three Confederate officers were killed and wounded by that discharge. This disas- trous opening greatly depressed the spirits of the rebels, and contributed greatly to their defeat.
Gen. Morgan then sent a large force of dismounted men to flank the right of the Union line. They got as far as a gorge cut out by the rains in the bank of the river near the breastwork, but they could get no farther. The men of Company F, who were mostly excellent marksmen, cut them down by the score, and at length they gave up the attempt. Then the whole Confederate force, dismounted, made a grand charge on the breastwork, but the rifles of the men of Michigan blazed with pitiless aim and incessant fury ; the killed and wounded among the assailants fell at every step, and at length this effort was also abandoned.
During a lull in the combat, Col. Moore rode back for a few moments to bring up his little reserve, and when he re- turned he found that, through some mistake, all of his first line except Company F had retired to the second line of defense, which was a slashing, stretching across the penin- sula. Company F was then ordered back to the second line, and slowly retired, fighting as they went, under the direction of Capt. Lansing. The latter especially noticed Lieut. Tennant, since deceased, setting the example of stub- born resistance, retreating step by step, and firing in rapid succession at the enemy from the revolver which he held in either hand.
Col. Moore, having arranged his little command at his second line, firmly awaited the advance of the enemy. The Confederates came on, and again and again essayed to carry the position, but in vain. Notwithstanding their over- whelming numbers, they could not make head against the rifles of the Michigan boys, and at length gave up the attempt in despair after the fight had lasted four or five hours.
After there had been a long silence on the part of the assailants, Col. Moore ordered Capt. Lansing to make a reconnoissance. He advanced cautiously with a small de- tachment, and at length reached the point used by Morgan as a hospital. There he found some of the wounded rebels, who, mostly severely injured, were in charge of a Confed- erate surgeon, who gave his word that Morgan had left, and
handed Capt. Lansing a written message to Col. Moore from Gen. Morgan, requesting permission to bury his dead. This was granted, and the task was no slight one, for the Michigan rifles had killed and wounded more men than there were in the Union ranks, or nearly two hundred and fifty. It is doubtful if any other conflict of the war showed as severe a loss inflicted by so few defenders. One colonel (Chenault), two majors, five captains, and six lieutenants were killed outright. The Union loss was about eight killed and twenty wounded.
Morgan moved forward from Tibbs' Bend, and captured, without difficulty, two or three other bodies of troops, each much larger than the one which defended that post. In fact, the Confederate chieftain, who seems to have had a spice of humor in his composition, was so much impressed with the extraordinary character of the defense that he sent back a communication to Col. Moore, breveting him a brigadier-general in the United States army.
The Legislature of Kentucky unanimously passed a reso- lution thanking Col. Moore and his men for their gallant defense, and Gen. Hartsuff, the commander of the depart- ment, ordered that a flag should be erected on the field of battle, which should fly as long as there was a tatter left, in commemoration of Michigan valor. The Fourth of July, 1863, was distinguished as the day of the surrender of Vicksburg, and also as witnessing the retirement of the beaten foe from the field of Gettysburg; but the battle of Green River, though less important, was certainly no less honorable to those engaged. Its fame spread throughout the Army of the Cumberland, and thenceforth the 25th Michigan Infantry was almost universally known by the name of the " Green River Boys."
The five companies which had remained at Louisville joined the rest of the regiment at Lebanon on the 19th of August, and on the same day the regiment began its march with the 23d Corps, being in the 1st Brigade, 2d Division, over the Cumberland Mountains into East Tennessee. After various movements back and forth through the val- ley of the Tennessee, it was stationed at Kingston, a few miles from Knoxville, on the 9th of November, to aid in defending the latter town, then threatened by the enemy. The 25th remained at Kingston during the celebrated siege of Knoxville, and on the 26th of November aided in re- pulsing a sharp attack by the Confederates under Gens. Wheeler and Armstrong.
Leaving Kingston on the 4th of December, it was occu- pied during the winter of 1863-64 in numerous tedious marches up and down the valley of the Tennessee, being stationed for brief periods at Mossy Creek, Knoxville and Morristown, and other places, again camping at Mossy Creek on the 12th of March, 1864. It remained there until the 26th of April, preparing for the summer campaign, and then moved into Georgia, where it joined Gen. Sherman's army in its advance on Atlanta.
At Rocky-Face Ridge the 25th was ordered forward against the almost impregnable position. It advanced with great gallantry, and two companies, extended in skirmish- line, dashed forward, drove the rebels from their rifle-pits, and occupied them themselves. The troops on both flanks of the 25th, however, fell back, and the regiment was ordered
87
TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY.
to lie down. Capt. Lansing, finding himself the ranking officer of the force thus circumstanced, moved it back with- out loss to the shelter of the woods. The division to which it belonged then climbed a portion of the ridge, and rein- forced Gen. Harker. The next day Gen. Harker's division carried the main position of the enemy by assault, losing six hundred men killed, among whom was its gallant com- mander.
Skirmishing all the way, the regiment advanced with the army to Resaca. There Gen. Judah ordered the brigade to which it belonged to charge one of the enemy's forts with the bayonet. The brigade did so, but the 25th was the only regiment which reached the foot of the intrench- ments, having many of its men killed and wounded on the way. Alone, and decimated every moment by the fire of the well-protected foe, it could go no farther, and was obliged to seek shelter in the bed of a creek, where the men remained, half under water, until night, when they returned to their comrades.
.
At Lost Mountain the enemy, as usual, had the choice of position, and was heavily intrenched. After his skirmishers had been driven back to his main line, a Union battery, which was supported by Gen. Cooper's brigade, to which the 25th belonged, opened on the foe, principally to as- certain his strength. The cannon-balls and shells, how- ever, were pitched with such rapidity and accuracy into the rebel breastworks that the occupants swarmed out en masse and scampered up the hill in the rear. Gen. Cooper saw that was the time to strike, and immediately ordered his brigade to advance. The men went swiftly forward ; the Confeder- ates continued to retreat ; a gap was opened in their lines, into which the brigade entered; the news of the break spread right and left among the Union commanders; brigade after brigade, division after division, swept forward to the attack ; the Confederates gave way at every point, and were pur- sued eleven miles.
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