Page:Journal history of the Twenty-ninth Ohio veteran volunteers, 1861-1865.djvu/87

 Lookout, and pickets stationed perhaps fifty yards to the front.

About midnight General Hood's division came down from the heights of Lookout and quietly surrounded General Greene's small force, and at once commenced an attack. Greene's men, aroused from their slumber, hastily formed line under a most deadly fire from all sides, and one of the most desperate struggles on record ensued. We were awakened by the sound of the distant combat, and forming into line hastily advanced to their rescue. When we arrived Hood's rebels had been routed and were flying in all directions, intent only on reaching their mountain stronghold. There was a regular stampede of the mules, which had broken loose and were braying furiously. This, with loud shouts from our men, must have induced a belief in the valorous rebel horde that a large force of cavalry was charging down upon them, and their fears and flight was indeed a grand burlesque finale to a terrible tragedy.

General Greene had lost one-third of his force, killed and wounded, his ammunition was exhausted, and ordering the mules cut loose, he made a desperate bayonet charge to cut his way to freedom. The mules providentially moved in the same direction, mingling the thunder of their tread and their awful voices with the shouts of Greene's men, and our own, to let them know that assistance was coming. The effect was to throw Hood's rebel army into a wild panic and put them to rout. Three hundred prisoners and about one thonsand stand of arms were captured. Every man of Knapp's battery, save one only, was either killed or wounded. Among the former was Lieutenant Geary, son of General John W. Geary. The ground was covered with the dead and injured of both the blue and the gray.