4 ^
F r o m Stunning Loss
A T VICTORY POINT—Mrs. Ruth M.
Tonsing, daughter of John A. Martin,
Civil War colonel of the Eighth Kan-
sas Regiment, looks at a monument
i,-atop Missionary Ridge honoring the
•; unit which breached 'the Confeder-
ate defenses at this,place.
'Jki^&r
•"•.•'' ' ..•'•.
STORY I N BRONZE — This is the
metal plate shown in photo above,
giving a brief account of the Eighth's
part in the Ridge conquest.
FEAT RECORDED — Tom Erwin of
Chattanooga reads the inscription on
a monument recalling the Eighth Kan-
ACE 4—Wichita Eagle and Beacon Magazine—November 24, 1963
T o Amazing Victory
Valiant Eighth Kansas Capped Exploits
At Missionary Ridge 100 Years Ago
By BOB TONSING SR., Staff Writer
O n e h u n d r e d y e a r s a g o t o m o r r o w ( N o v . 2 5 , 1 8 6 3 ) t o o k p l a c e o n e of
t h e g r e a t c h a r g e s of A m e r i c a n m i l i t a r y h i s t o r y — t h e s e e m i n g l y s u i c i d a l
d a s h u p t h e s t e e p s l o p e s of M i s s i o n a r y R i d g e a t C h a t t a n o o g a , T e n n . W i t h -
o u t , o r d e r s f r o m G e n . U.S. G r a n t , w h o w a t c h e d in a m a z e m e n t a n d c o n s t e r -
- nation from O r c h a r d Knob, inspired Union troops b r a v e d withering Con-
f e d e r a t e fire f r o m a b o v e to s w e e p t h e e n e m y f r o m t h e s t r a t e g i c h e i g h t s
a n d open t h e w a y for S h e r m a n ' s e v e n t u a l m a r c h to A t l a n t a and the sea.
In t h e f o r e f r o n t of t h a t a t t a c k w a s a K a n s a s r e g i m e n t , t h e E i g h t h V o l -
u n t e e r s — t h e o n l y g r o u p f r o m t h i s n e w l y f o r m e d s t a t e to s e r v e w i t h t h e
A r m y of t h e C u m b e r l a n d a n d o n e of t h e f e w t o see s e r v i c e - m u c h b e y o n d
t h e K a n s a s - M i s s o u r i line.
Activities of border ruffians such as
Quantrill and the continual threat of invasion
by Southern forces made it necessary to keep
most .of the Kansas troops in the state.
That, in fact, was the Eighth's type of
duty for some months. Its history began in
September and October of 1861, when it was
mustered into service at Fort Leavenworth,
with most' of its 678 men drawn from the*"
northeast around Atchison. Appointed as
colonel was a veteran Army officer, Henry
W. Wessels, a West Point graduate who knew
how to fashion the untrained frontier youths
into an efficient fighting force.
Named as lieutenant colonel was John A.
Martin, who at the age of 18 had come from
Pennsylvania to Atchison, bought a pro-
slavery paper called "Squatter's Sovereign"
and had changed its name to "Freedom's
Champion.',' In late 1860 he had served as
secretary of the constitutional convention at
Wyandotte and had written several portions
of the document under which Kansas the fol-
lowing January was admitted to the,Union.
He then was 21 years old.
SENT TO MISSISSIPPI
The regiment spent a bitterly cold winter
on border patrol, with only a few uneventful
scouting trips into Missouri to break the
monotony. In late May of 1862, the men of
the Eighth heard with enthusiasm that they
were to head for Corinth, Miss., against
which the Union armies under General Hal-
leck were operating. Col. R. H: Graham was
in command as the barge trip down the Mis-
souri River started. At St. Louis Graham
died and Lt. Col. Martin became head of the
unit. Later designated a full colonel, he led
the regiment during its long and illustrious
service.
/ After some action at Corinth, the Eighth
in late July was ordered to march eastward
to aid in the struggle for-control of the Ten-
nessee River.
On Sept. 3, 1862, a' large Federal force
including the Eighth started for Nashville on
a forced march in bad weather and through
i I
Staff Photos.
sas' charge a century ago that cap-
tured Orchard Knob and cleared the
way for the Missionary Ridge attack.
';••';«••...
rugged country where all bridges had been
destroyed. As Col. Martin later described it,
"Faint with hunger, drowsy from loss of
sleep, and enervated with fatigue, the ex-
hausted troops reached Nashville. Hundreds
of men had fallen by the roadside on this
terrible night march."
In the weeks that followed the Kansans
took part in several bloody encounters with
enemy units, and won a fine reputation for
their fighting ability and spirit.
RULED NASHVILLE
On Nov. 20, gent back to Nashville, the
Eighth took over provost duty in the city for
six months, with Col. Martin serving as pro-
vost marshal. With about two-thirds of the
citizens Southern sympathizers, the unit had
its hands full in bringing order from chaos.
Dozens of hospitals were kept operating to
receive wounded. The city was swarming
with rebel spies, since the entire Army of
the Cumberland was camped around the
city. The regiment actually served as the
municipal government. All citizens were re-
quired to sign oaths of allegiance or be sent
south to the Confederate lines.
When on June 8 the Kansans were or-
dered back to service with their division, the
citizens loudly protested, and presented Col.
Martin a gold sword in a gesture of appreci-
ation for his services.
It was evident at that time that Chat-
tanooga was the most likely point for a'show-
down battle between two great armies. In
early July, Gen. Robert E. Lee's drive to-
ward Washington was stopped by the Union
victory at Gettysburg, Pa. Almost simul-
taneously Gen. U. S. Grant captured the Mis-
sissippi River stronghold of Vicksburg and
headed east in pursuit of Southern Gen.
Braxton Bragg's forces, which took up de-
fensive positions south of Chattanooga along
Chickamauga Creek. Rail lines brought re-
inforcements from the northeast to both op-
posing armies.
Early in September Union General Rose-
crans sent his western columns pouring
piecemeal through the widely scattered
mountain passes into northern Georgia.
These included the Eighth Kansas, which
marched across Stevens gap south of Look-
out Mountain.
It was known by that time that Bragg's
forces were ahead in great strength, and
skirmishers of the two armies were keeping
up a running fight. Heavy artillery firing
could be heard during the entire day on Sept.
18, 1863.
BATTLE AT CHICKAMAUGA
This is Col. Martin's account of the
events that followed:
"The next morning we again moved on.
A disagreeable tramp of eight miles brought
us to the widow Glenn's house, where Gen.
Rosecrans' headquarters were established.
As we neared, a more terrible sound greeted
our ears—the dull, heavy crashes of a dense
musketry fire, rising and falling in sullen,
resounding, deafening roars, like waves beat-
ing upon a shore. The enemy had attacked
Reynolds' and Van Cleve's divisions, with
great fury, driving the latter back in dis-
order, and our division came up just in time
to check the impetuous advance of the
rebels. We moved rapidly nearly two miles
to the left and, after forming a line of battle,
advanced through the dense woods, 'going
JOHN A. M A R T I N
. . As Kansas' Governor in 1885 .
in,' as Gen. Rosecrans expressed it, 'wher
the fight was hottest.'
"Our brigade was formed in two line;
the Eighth Kansas, 15th Wisconsin and 35t
Illinois in front; the 25th Illinois in rear . .
"After forming we were advancing raj
idly through the rugged forest, but had pre
ceeded only a few hundred yards when
terrific volley saluted us, rapidly succeed©
by another and another. The two hostil
forces met without skirmishers, in front, an<
in an instant were furiously engaged in des
perate combat. Our men promptly replied b
the rebel fire, and at once the roar of battL
became one steady, deep, jarring thunder
Our line was moved forward firmly^ until i
rested along the brow of a small rise o
ground.
"The crash of musketry became dense
and more terrific, and the artillery added it;
thunder to the furious raging of the batth
storm. The rebels rushed forward line aftej
line of troops, charging with desperate valoi
and impetuosity, but our men held their po
sition firmly and defiantly, firing with sucl
coolness and precision that at every dis
charge great gaps were cut in the enemy';
lines, and bleeding, broken and staggering
they reeled before the awful hail of leadei
death that greeted them.
ATTACKS REPULSED
"In vain they rallied and advanced agaii
and again—they could not move our firm
unyielding lines. For half an hour this des
perate struggle was thus continued. The car-
nage on both sides was dreadful. In thai
brief time over a third of our brigade was
killed and wounded, and still the frightful
carnival of slaughter raged unabated. Of the
Eighth, five captains, three lieutenants and
150 men were already struck.
"Our flanks, too, were exposed, and the
lines were being enfiladed by a heavy fire,
some of the enemy having already pene-
trated, on the right and the left, far to our
rear. The desperate valor of the troops had
resisted every effort to break their line or
force them back, but at last Col. Heg (the
brigade commander), seeing that disaster
must follow this attempt to hold this isolated
position any longer, gave an order to retire,
and loading and firing as they went, our
men, fell back slowly about 50 yards. Here
they were re-formed, and after a short halt,
charged the enemy with impetuous enthusi-
asm, driving him back until our former po-
sition was almost regained. For a quarter of
an hour the line was firmly held by the
thrice decimated command. Bullets flew like
hailstones; grape and canister, shot and
shell, whistled and crashed through, and
over and around the devoted ranks, but the
heroism of the men rose with the terrible
grandeur and desperation of the awful bat-
tle, and they stood like walls before the
fury of this storm.
BRIGADE CHIEF KILLED
"But no courage, however sublime; no
enthusiasm, however magnificent,, and no
discipline, however perfect, could continue
to resist the masses of fresh troops which the
enemy was constantly hurling against these
two small brigades, fighting alone in the
woods, detached from other portions of the
(Continued on Page 19)
 has Sandra Dee co-starred with

Adventure, Chills in Films Bobby Darin.

t VICTORY— Adventure and
chills are wrapped up in the
three features' showing. Paul
Newman stars in "Hud". Bar-
bara Stanwyck and Robert Ry-
an take the leads in*'"The Vam-
pire." "Escape to Burma" is
the third feature,
MEADOWLARK— The intri-
guing "Mondo Case" doubles
with "Wall of Noise," starring
Suzanne Pleshette, Ty Hardin
and Dorothy Provine.
TWIN — Paul Newman, Jo-
anne Woodward and Thelma
Ritter are featured in the ro-
mantic comedy, "A New Kind
of Love," which is set in gay
Paris. "If a Man Answers"
42 SKYVUE — "September
Storm," "combining passion,
treasure-hunting and greed,
features Joanne Dru, Mark
Stevens and Robert Strauss.
Also showing are "Far Coun-
try," with James Stewart and
Ruth Roman, and "The She
Creature," with Chester Mor-
ris and Maria English.
Location's Everything
HOLLYWOOD (AP)—Archie 'You know," said Co
Moore, the ageless ex-light- "you look like you could
heavyweight champ, is work-
ing as an actor now in mo^es five or six rounds with Soi
and television. Liston right now."
The other day Lee J. Cobb "Well, that depends," s
was complimenting the old 'Archie. "Whether you m<
Mongoose on his fine physical in a bar—or in the ring,
condition. you mean the ring, never."

Civil War Defeat, Victory: Kansans Played Great Roles in Key Battles
(Continued from Page 4)
larmy, and already bereaved of nearly half
their numbers..The division«was finally or-"
dered to fall back to a fence some distance
to the rear, and facing the woods in which it
had been fighting. The two brigades had lost
in killed and wounded over 40 per cent of all
engaged. Col. Heg, our brigade commander,
.•was mortally wounded about the middle of
?the afternoon, and' the command devolved
"upon Col. Martin, of the Eighth. Two-thirds
•of the field officers of the division were
neither killed or wounded, and over half the
uline officers. ' \
if. *"It was a fearful day's work. The roar
of musketry never for an instant ceased, and
at times it grew so intense as to drown the
r crashes of artillery. The ground was strewn
J with dead and wounded, and almost every
Moot of the shot-torn field was red with the
'crimson of loyal blood. The two small bri-
g a d e s of Davis' division had fought, alone,
, !two full divisions of the rebel army, .under
; the personal command of Gen. J. B. Hood.
1 This we learned at the time from prisoners
> captured, and the official reports of the rebel
commanders afterward substantiated the
fact. Gen. Hood- was severely wounded d i -
rectly in front-of, the'Eighth Kansas, and his
leg amputated .on the field."
If ' GAP COSTS BATTLE
..j, But the valiant stand of the Kansans and
their comrades was to prove partially futile.
After almost equally fierce fighting the next
day, it developed that a fatal gap had been
left in the Union lines, allowing ihe Confed-
erates to pour through. The Federals, fight-
ing a desperate rear-guard battle, withdrew
northward toward Chattanooga. The sorely
battered Southerners were unable to stage
ian effective pursuit. >
j Union losses—killed, wounded or missing
, p-in the two-day battle were 16,170 and Con-
federate 18,454, an almost identical 28 per
• cent of the forces involved. Among the hard-
test hit units was the Eighth Kansas. Going
Jnto the battle with 406 men, it lost 243, or
jiiver 65 per cent.
" K Pouring into Chattanooga, the mauled .-
Federals set up makeshift defenses and
started more permanent ones: Gen. Bragg's
forces soon almost surrounded the city, with
their lines anchored on Missionary Ridge
j east of the city and on Lookout Mountain to
the southwest. . .
.•! For nearly two months the Confederate
| guns rained shots on the Union positions, but
their short range prevented great damage.
'The worst foes were hunger and disease.
{Gen. Rosecrans cut officers and men to one-
f third rations. Work mules died from lack of
food. Famished men snatched grains of corn
dropped near the horse troughs. One of the
regiments killed and ate a dog that wan-
dered into camp. I tore through their ranks; musket balls were
I NEAR STARVATION
j A separate story could be written on the
hardships endured in that siege. Col. Martin
; related that he was amazed, however, • at
yond reached, and then for a moment a
stubborn struggle e n s u e d , and a deafen-
ing crash and roar followed, as the rebels
strove to check this impetuous charge. But
Kansans led the van that day, and the fight-
ing blood of the old Eighth was at fever
heat. The rebel horde could no more stem
the torrent that struck them than they 'could
. check a bursting billow with a feather. Our
men dashed forward right on their line so
fiercely and rapidly that one-half of them
'were captured, and the rest broke in wild
confusion to the rear. A quick race through
the woods ensued. The fleeing rebels never
stopped until they reached their reserves
behind the line of entrenchments running
over Orchard Knob. Here another struggle
came, but with a ringing cheer our boys
rushed on like a furious flood; again the
rebel line faltered,, broke and fled, and Or-
chard Knob was ours."
From.then until Nov. 25 the Knob was
fortified to serve as a base of operations,
while guns on Missionary Ridge kept up a
hail of shots. Headquarters for Generals
Grant and Sherman we're established.
. On the morning of Nov. 25 "it was evi-
dent the Confederates hadynoved all their
artillery to.'the top of Missionary Ridge,
leaving only infantry below, and strength-
ened entrenchments up the slopes. Between
Orchard Knob and the base of the ridge was
a dense woods, then a wide, open field, and
then a slight, abrupt rise of ground, on the
top of which was a strong line of earth-
works. Beyond was a plateau about 100 feet
wide, and above this the ridge rose, ragged,
broken and steep, to a height of nearly 500
feet, its summit crowned by a line of en-
trenchments. The entire area from the Knob
to trie top of the ridge was covered by dozens
of batteries and the foes' musket fire. , test grew deafening. All regular formations
DEFIED HAIL OF LEAD
About 2 o'clock on the 25th the charge
order was signaled. This is Col. Martin's
story of what followed^ '
"Through the branches of the leafless
trees we saw a bright flame leap out and a
dull gray smoke curl up all along the sum-
mit of the ridge; a crash like a thousand
thunderclaps greeted us; s o l i d shot went
screaming through the timber, and hurtling
shells exploded above and around us, their
scattered fragments shrieking through the
air like a legion of demons. Without an or-
I the regiment was sent to Texas and thei
der the line broke into a double quick—
'Chiclcamatiga
brave fellows, they knew the work before
them was quick success or sure destruction.
The rebel pickets, too, opened fire. Our men
did not answer, but with arms trailing or
on the right shoulder pressed forward, until
they burst like a thunderbolt out of the
woods and into the open field. Then from
the whole line there rose a h>ud, hearty,
ringing cheer, and on they swept.
"In the field the columns were caught in
the fierce fire from the rebel line at the
foot of the hill, and soon in the still deadlier
volume of musketry from its summit. But
there was never a waver nor a pause in the
advance nor a straggler from it. In a few
moments our men were nearly across the
field. There was a break in the gray lines
behind the rebel works; a few rushed to the
rear and began to climb the slope, but
nearly all, throwing down their muskets and
holding up their hands in surrender, leaped
to our side of the entrenchments and cow-
ered behind them, for the hail of bullets now
rained down from the hill was as deadly to -
them as to us. The first line was won, and
the prisoners were sent toward the rear.
"We had no orders to go beyond this line
of works, and a brief-halt was ordered; but
it was instantly seen by every soldier in the
ranks that no line could live there, raked
from every direction as it was by both ar-
tillery and infantry. Almost simultaneously
several regiments moved Forward toward
the hill and, as if animated by a common
impulse, all followed. Grim and silent, with
compressed lips and eyes fixed on the goal
before them, they breasted the fiery sleet
of battle and commenced the steep ascent.
From behind the rifle pits on the summit
shot and shell rained down upon them in a
ceaseless torrent, and the roar of the con-
of lines were soon lost.
"Great masses of men, who had crowded
together in the places easiest of ascent,
were climbing the steep at intervals and
vying in their efforts to be first. Regiments
were so intermingled that their organization
and unity soon disappeared, t h o u g h the
greater portion of e a c h clustered around
their battle flags, and these were in every
case ahead. Gradually these groups took the
form of a wedge or triangle, the apex being
the regimental battle flag. The progress was
necessarily slow.
"Above, the summit of the hill was one
sheet of flame and smoke, and the awful ex-
plosions of artillery and musketry made the
earth fairly tremble. Below, the columns of
dark blue, with the old banner of beauty and
of glory leading them on, were mounting up
with leaning forms, each eager with des-
perate resolution to be first. Cannon shot
rapidly and fearfully decimating them; be-
hind them the dead and wounded lay thick
as autumn leaves; before them, death was
reveling in a whirlwind of carnage; but the
lava-flood of battle pouring down upon them
were planted upon the works, and in a mo
ment more the foemen were hurrying dowi
the hill on the opposite side and off into th
woods b e y o n d . Our men were rapid!;
formed, and we were preparing to mov
down the breastworks to the left, whil
Hazen's men did the same on the right
when suddenly the whole rebel line gav
way.
"Then followed a scene of tumult an
confusion which baffles description. Graj
clad men rushed wildly down the hill an"
into the woods, tossing away muskets, Mar
kets and knapsacks as they ran. Officers
frantic with rage, rushfeti from one panic
stricken group to the other, shouting am
cursing as they strove to check the headlon
flight, but all in vain.
"Our mei^pursued the fugitives with a
eagerness only equaled by that of the foe
to escape; the horses of the artillery wer
shot as they, ran-; squads of rebels wer
headed off and brought back as prisoners
and in 10 minutes all that remained, of th
defiant rebel army that had, besieged Chat
tanooga were captured guns, disarmed pris
oners, moaning wounded, ghastly dead, an>
scattered, demoralized fugitives. Missionar
Ridge was ours.
"The Eighth K a n s a s captured foil
pieces of artillery, 500 stand of small arnu
and more prisoners than it had men in it
ranks. The regiment also claims to hav
planted upon the rebel breastworks the firs
.Union coloris that waved there. So, after tw
months and five days, ended the terribl
siege of Chattanooga. The march from Oi
chard Knob to the summit of Missionar;
Ridge occupied just one hour and 15 mir
utes." • ' . . : • •
IN^CONFLICT TO CLOSE
After this triumph the Eighth Kansa
returned home for a brief furlough and rt
cruitment period. Then it was sent back t
Chattanooga, and joined Gen. Sherman'
forces for the march to Atlanta. In a perioi
of 69 days, it was under fire for 63 days an<
44 nights. It. spent 33 days in the siege o
Atlanta, entering the city with other Unioi
troops on S,ept. 8, 1864. Early the next yea
it took part in the battle of Nashville tha
destroyed : Confederate Gen. Hood's arm;
and practically ended the war on the west
em sectors. After Lee's surrender in Apri
home for mustering out.
During its term of service the Eightl
traveled 10,750 miles. It participated in li
battles and 18 skirmishes. It lost in battli
three commissioned officers and 62 enliste<
men killed; 13 commissioned officers and 25!
enlisted men wounded, and one commis
sioned officer and 20 enlisted men missing-
a total of 64 killed, 272 wounded and 21 miss
ing, or full casualties of 358. Of the missinj
nearly all were killed, and of the woundei
nearly one-third died of their injuries.
3iC * :',:

i the good humor that prevailed throughout
! the ordeal, and the faith in ultimate success.
This proved justified when supplies floated
down the Tennessee River, at the west edge
'of the city, arrived Oct. 26. On Nov. 12 ra-
tions were increased to two-thirds.
Meanwhile Gen. Grant had reached
* Chattanooga and taken charge of the de-
fense. The Eighth Kansas, its ranks rein-
forced to near-normal strength, took a po-
sition facing Orchard Knob, in the east edge
bf the city, and about a half mile from the
base of Missionary Ridge. On Nov. 15 Gen.
Sherman arrived with fresh troops and prep-
" arations began for an attack on the Rebel
heights. ' c
When the Yanks scaled the west side of
tout Mountain they found the enemy al-
ady 'had abandoned its positions on the
summit.
L Grant ordered capture of Orchard Knob
serve as a base of operations. The
Eighth Kansas was chosen to lead the at-
tack. Col. Martin gave this account of .the
I charge on the afternoon of Nov. 23:
"The field.was crossed, the woods be-
Chattanooga
Chickamauga And
Chattanooga Nat'l
Pari
30 Miles
BATTLE AREA—This map shows the
routes by which tourists may visit the
Chickamauga battlefield (lower left
in Georgia) and Missionary Ridge,
which serves as the eastern boundary
of the main section of Chattanooga.
An auto road traverses the entire
length and is lined with monuments
honoring military units which fought
there.
no more checked the grand advance than if
it had been the soft rain of summer.
"Our brigade went up in the center of
one of the half-circular bends of the ridge.
On the right of us Hazen's men breasted a
point; to the left Beatty also had a head-
land. Between an Ohio regiment of Hazen's
brigade, and one or two of ours that had
their flags well ahead, there sprang up a
fierce rivalry as to which would be first
planted on the rebel lines. At last but a
dozen yards separated the line of gray and
the columns of blue, while the flags of the
Eighth Kansas, Sixth and 49th Ohio and sev- '
eral other regiments were but a few yards
from the red clay banks that were belching
forth streams of fire and sulphurous smoke.
"With a wild cheer and a madder rush
our men dashed forward, and for a few mo-
ments a sharp, desperate, almost hand-to-
hand fight with bayonet and ball ensued.
Before this resistless assault the rebel line
was lifted as by a whirlwind, and borne
backward, bleeding and confused. In quick
succession half a dozen Union battle flags
Wichita Eagle and Beacon Magazine—November 24, 1963—PACE 1
Upon discharge Col. Martin at the age o
26 was breveted a brigadier general. He re
sumed duties as editor and publisher of th<
Atchison Daily Champion for the rest of hi:
life. He was the first state commander o
the Grand Army of the Republic, and upoi
election as 10th governor of the state ii
November 1884 he founded and became firs
commander of the Kansas National Guard
Reelected in 1886 as governor, he completet
his term in January of 1889. Late that yeai
he was stricken ill and died, leaving hi;
widow, Ida Challiss Martin, and seven chil
dren. Three Of them still live: Paul A. Mar
tin, retired editor and publisher of the Lans
ing (Mich.) Journal; Mrs. Ruth M. Tonsing
Atchison, and Harres Martin, Merriam, Kan
Mrs. Tonsing is the mother of the write)
of this article.
* * *
Most of the facts in this story were taken
from the "Military History of the Eightl
Kansas Veteran Volunteer Infantry," a 112
page book written by Col. Martin following
' the close of the war and published by him
in 1869.
 —™~ <^^-£- - >1^PJ
A T VICTORY POINT—Mrs. Ruth M .
Tonsing, daughter of John A. Martin,
Civil War colonel of the Eighth Kan-
sas Regiment, looks at a monument
,-atop Missionary Ridge honoring the
unit which breached the Confeder-
ate defenses at this,place.
mm
STORY I N BRONZE — This is the
metal plate shown in photo above,
giving a brief account of the Eighth's
part in the Ridge conquest.
FEAT RECORDED — Tom Erwin of
Chattanooga reads the inscription on
a monument recalling the Eighth Kan-
ACE 4—Wichita Eagle and Beacon Magazine—November 24, 1963
From Stunning Loss
To Amazing Victory
Valiant Eighth Kansas Capped Exploits
At Missionary Ridge 100 Years Ago
By BOB TONSING SR., Staff Writer
O p e h u n d r e d y e a r s a g o t o m o r r o w ( N o v . 2 5 , 1 8 6 3 ) t o o k p l a c e o n e of
t h e g r e a t c h a r g e s of A m e r i c a n m i l i t a r y h i s t o r y — t h e s e e m i n g l y s u i c i d a l
d a s h u p t h e s t e e p s l o p e s of M i s s i o n a r y R i d g e a t C h a t t a n o o g a , T e n n . W i t h -
o u t , o r d e r s f r o m G e n . U.S. G r a n t , w h o w a t c h e d in a m a z e m e n t a n d c o n s t e r -
- nation from O r c h a r d Knob, inspired Union troops braved withering Con-
f e d e r a t e fire f r o m a b o v e t o s w e e p t h e e n e m y f r o m t h e s t r a t e g i c h e i g h t s
a n d o p e n t h e w a y f o r S h e r m a n ' s e v e n t u a l m a r c h to A t l a n t a a n d t h e s e a .
I n t h e f o r e f r o n t of t h a t a t t a c k w a s a K a n s a s r e g i m e n t , t h e E i g h t h V o l -
u n t e e r s — t h e o n l y g r o u p f r o m t h i s n e w l y f o r m e d s t a t e to s e r v e w i t h t h e
A r m y of t h e C u m b e r l a n d a n d one of t h e f e w t o see s e r v i c e - m u c h b e y o n d
t h e K a n s a s - M i s s o u r i line.
Activities of border ruffians such as
Quantrill and the continual threat of invasion
by Southern forces made it necessary to keep
most^pf the Kansas troops in the state.
That, in fact, was the Eighth's type of
duty for some months. Its history began in
September and October of 1861, when it was
mustered into service at Fort Leavenworth, 1
with most of its 678 men drawn from the*
northeast around Atchison. Appointed as
colonel was a veteran Army officer, Henry
W. Wessels, a West Point graduate who knew
how to fashion the'untrained frontier youths
into an efficient fighting force.
Named as lieutenant colonel was John A.
Martin, who at the age of 18 had come from
Pennsylvania to Atchison, bought a pro-
slavery paper called "Squatter's Sovereign"
and had changed its name to "Freedom's
Champion.? In late 1860 he had served as
secretary of the constitutional convention at
Wyandotte and had written several portions
of the document under which Kansas the fol-
lowing January was admitted to the,Union.
He then was 21 years old.
SENT TO MISSISSIPPI
The regiment spent a bitterly cold winter
on border patrol, with only a few uneventful
scouting trips into Missouri to break the
monotony. In late May of 1862, the men of
the Eighth heard with enthusiasm that they
were to head for Corinth, Miss., against
which the Union armies under General Hal-
leck were operating. Col. R. H. Graham was
in command as the barge trip down the Mis-
souri River started. At St. Louis Graham
died and Lt. Col. Martin became head of the
unit. Later designated a full colonel, he led
the regiment during its long and illustrious
service.
/ After some action at Corinth, the Eighth
in late July was ordered to march eastward
to aid in the struggle for-control of the Ten-
nessee River.
On Sept. 3, 1862, a large Federal force
including the Eighth started for Nashville on
a forced march in bad weather and through
Staff Photos.
sas' charge a century ago that cap-
tured Orchard Knob and cleared the
wav. for the Missionary Ridge attack.
rugged country where all bridges had been
destroyed. As Col. Martin later described it,
"Faint with hunger, drowsy from loss of
sleep, and enervated with fatigue, the ex-
hausted troops reached Nashville. Hundreds
of men had fallen by the roadside on this
terrible night march."
In the weeks that followed the Kansans
took part in several bloody encounters with
enemy units, and won a fine reputation for
their fighting ability and spirit.
RULED NASHVILLE
On Nov. 20, Sent back to Nashville, the
Eighth took over provost duty in the city for
six months, with Col. Martin serving as pro-
vost marshal. With about two-thirds of the
citizens Southern sympathizers, the unit had
its hands full in bringing order from chaos.
Dozens of hospitals were kept operating to
receive wounded. The city was swarming
with rebel spies, since the entire Army of
the Cumberland was camped around the
city. The regiment actually served as the
municipal government. All citizens were re-
quired to sign oaths of allegiance or be sent
south to the Confederate lines.
When on June 8 the Kansans were or-
dered back to service with their division, the
citizens loudly protested, and presented Col.
Martin a gold sword in a gesture of appreci-
ation for his services.
It was evident at that time that Chat-
tanooga was the most likely point for a'show-
down battle between two great armies. In
early July, Gen. Robert E. Lee's drive to-
ward Washington was stopped by the Union
victory at Gettysburg, Pa. Almost simul-
taneously Gen. U. S. Grant captured the Mis-
sissippi River stronghold of Vicksburg and
headed east in pursuit of Southern Gen.
Braxton Bragg's forces, which took up de-
fensive positions south of Chattanooga along
Chickamauga Creek. Rail lines brought re-
inforcements from the northeast to both op-
posing armies.
Early in September Union General Rose-
crans sent his western columns pouring
piecemeal through the widely scattered
mountain passes into northern Georgia.
These included the Eighth Kansas, which
marched across Stevens gap south of Look-
out Mountain.
It was known by that time that Bragg's
forces were ahead in great strength, and
skirmishers of the two armies were keeping
up a running fight. Heavy artillery firing
could be heard during the entire day on Sept.
18, 1863.
BATTLE AT CHICKAMAUGA
This is Col. Martin's account of the
events that followed:
"The next morning we again moved on.
A disagreeable tramp of eight miles brought
us to the widow Glenn's house, where Gen.
Rosecrans' headquarters were established.
As we neared, a more terrible sound greeted
our ears—the dull, heavy crashes of a dense
musketry fire, rising and falling in sullen,
resounding, deafening roars, like waves beat-
ing upon a shore. The enemy had attacked
Reynolds' and Van Cleve's divisions, with
great fury, driving the latter back in dis-
order, and our division came up just in time
to check the impetuous advance of the
rebels. We moved rapidly nearly two miles
to the left and, after forming a line of battle,
advanced through the dense woods, 'going
JOHN A . M A R T I N
. . As Kansas' Governor in 1885 .
in,' as Gen. Rosecrans expressed it, 'wher
the fight was hottest.'
"Our brigade was formed in two line.'
the Eighth Kansas, 15th Wisconsin and 35t
Illinois in front; the 25th Illinois in rear . .
"After forming we were advancing raf
idly through the rugged forest, but had pre
ceeded only a few hundred yards when
terrific volley saluted us, rapidly succeeds
by another and another. The two hostil
forces met without skirmishers in front, am
in an instant were furiously engaged in des
perate combat. Our men promptly replied t>
the rebel fire, and at once the roar of battl
became one steady, deep, jarring thunder
Our line was moved forward firmlyj until i
rested along the brow of a small rise o
ground.
"The "crash of musketry became dense
and more terrific, and the artillery added it:
thunder to the furious raging of the battli
storm. The rebels rushed forward line aftei
line of troops, charging with desperate valoi
and impetuosity, but our men held their po
sition firmly and defiantly, firing with sucl
coolness and precision that at every dis
charge great gaps were cut in the enemy';
lines, and bleeding, broken and staggering
they reeled before the awful hail of leadei
death that greeted them.
ATTACKS REPULSED
"In vain they rallied and advanced agaii
and again—they could not move our firm
unyielding lines. For half an hour this des-
perate struggle was thus continued. The car-
nage on both sides was dreadful. In that
brief time over a third of our brigade was
killed and wounded, and still the frightful
carnival of slaughter raged unabated. Of the
Eighth, five captains, three lieutenants and
150 men were already struck.
"Our flanks, too, were exposed, and the
lines were being enfiladed by a heavy fire,
some of the enemy having already pene-
trated, on the right and the left, far to our
rear. The desperate valor of the troops had
resisted every effort to break their line or
force them back, but at last Col. Heg (the
brigade commander), seeing that disaster
must follow this attempt to hold this isolated
position any longer, gave an order to retire,
and loading and firing as they went, our
men, fell back slowly about 50 yards. Here
they were re-formed, and after a short halt,
charged the enemy with impetuous enthusi-
asm, driving him back until our former po-
sition was almost regained. For a quarter of
an hour the line was firmly held by the
thrice decimated command. Bullets flew like
hailstones; grape and canister, shot and
shell, whistled and crashed through, and
over and around the devoted ranks, but the
heroism of the men rose with the terrible
grandeur and desperation of the awful bat-
tle, and they stood like walls before the
fury of this storm.
BRIGADE CHIEF KILLED
"But no courage, however sublime; no
enthusiasm, however magnificent,, and no
discipline, however perfect, could continue
to resist the masses of fresh troops which the
enemy was constantly hurling against these
two small brigades, fighting alone in the
woods, detached from other portions of t i e
(Continued on Page 19)
 has Sandra Dee co-starred with

xlventure, Gulls in Films Bobby Darin.

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chills are wrapped up in the
three features' showing. Paul
Newman stars in "Hud". Bar-
bara Stanwyck and Robert Ry-
an take the leads b y ' The Vam-
pire." "Escape to Burma" is
the third feature.
'MEADOWLARK— The intri-
guing "Mondo Case" doubles
with "Wall of Noise," starring
Suzanne Pleshette, Ty Hardin
and Dorothy Provine.
TWIN — Paul Newman, Jo-
anne Woodward and Thelma
Ritter are featured in the ro-
mantic comedy, "A New Kind
of Love," which is set in gay
Paris. "If a Man Answers"
42 SKYVUE — "September
Storm," 'combining passion,
treasure-hunting and greed,
features Joanne Dru, Mark
Stevens and Robert Strauss.
Also showing are "Far Coun-
try," with James Stewart and
Ruth Roman, and "The She
Creature," with Chester Mor-
ris and Maria English.
Location's Everything
HOLLYWOOD (AP)—Archie "You know," said Co
Moore, the ageless ex-Iight- "you look like you could
heavyweight champ, is work- five or six rounds with Soi
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The other day Lee J. Cobb "Well, that depends," s
was complimenting the old 'Archie. "Whether you mt
Mongoose on his fine physical in a bar—or in the ring,
condition. you mean the ring, never."

1
Civil War Defeat, Victory: Kansans Played Great Roles in Key Battles
(Continued from Page 4) yond reached, and then for a moment a brave fellows, they knew the work before were planted upon the works, and in a mo
army, and already bereaved of nearly half stubborn struggle e n s u e d , and a deafen- them was quick success or sure destruction. ment more the foemen were hurrying dowi
their numbers^.The division«was finally or-" ing crash and roar followed, as the rebels The rebel pickets, too, opened fire. Our men the hill on the opposite side and off into th
dered to fall back to a fence some distance strove to check this impetuous charge. But did not answer, but with arms trailing or woods b e y o n d . Our men were rapid!
to the rear, and facing the woods in which it Kansans led the van that day, and the fight- on the right shoulder pressed forward, until formed, and we were preparing to mov
had been fighting. The two brigades had lost ing blood of the old Eighth was at fever they burst like a thunderbolt out of the down the breastworks to the left, whil
' i n killed and wounded over 40 per cent of all heat. The rebel horde conld no more stem woods and into the open field. Then from Hazen's men did the same on the righf
engaged. Col. Heg, our brigade commander, the torrent that struck them than they could the whole line there rose a loud, hearty, when suddenly the whole rebel line gav
i w a s mortally wounded about the middle of .check a bursting billow with a feather. Our ringing cheer, and on they swept. way.
fine afternoon, and the command devolved " men dashed forward right on their line so "In the field the columns were caught in "Then followed a scene of tumult an
npon Col. Martin, of the Eighth. Two-thirds fiercely and rapidly that one-half of them the fierce fire from the rebel line at the confusion which baffles description. Graj
) of the field officers of the division were °were captured, and the rest broke in wild foot of the hill, and soon in the still deadlier clad men rushed wildly down the hill an
leither killed or wounded, and over half the confusion to the rear. A quick race through volume of musketry from its summit. But into the woods, tossing away muskets, Man
a line officers. ' ' the woods ensued. The fleeing rebels never there was never a waver nor a pause in the
stopped until they reached their .reserves kets and knapsacks as they ran. Officers
ft. * " I t was £ fearful day's work. The roar advance nor a straggler from it. In a few frantic with rage, rushfeti from one panic
of musketry never for an instant ceased, and behind the line of entrenchments running moments our men were nearly across the
over Orchard knob. Here another struggle stricken group to the other, shouting an<
, at times it grew so intense as to drown the / field. There was a break in the gray lines cursing as they strove to check the beadlon;
7 crashes of artillery. The ground was strewn came, but with a ringing cheer our boys behind the rebel works; a few rushed to the
rushed on like a furious flood; again the flight, but all in vain.
with dead and wounded, and almost every, rear and began to climb the slope, but
'foot of the shot-torn field was red with the rebel line faltered,, broke and fled, and Or- nearly all, throwing down their muskets and "Our men, pursued the fugitives with a:
* crimson of loyal blood. The two small bri- chard Knob was ours." holding up their hands in surrender, leaped eagerness only equaled by that of the foe
g a d e s of Davis' division had fought, alone, t. From. then until Nov. 25 the Knob was to our side of the entrenchments and cow- to escape; the horses of the artillery wer
jitwp full divisions of the rebel army, .under fortified to serve as a base of operations, ered behind them, for the hail of bullets now shot as they; ran; squads of rebels wer
• the personal command of Gen. J. B. Hood. while guns' on Missionary Ridge kept up a rained down from the hill was as deadly to • beaded off and brought back as prisoners
': This we learned at the time from prisoners hail of shots. Headquarters for Generals them as to us. The first line was won, and and in 10 minutes all that remained, of th
captured, and-the official reports of the rebel the prisoners were sent toward the rear. defiant rebel army that hacL besieged Chat
Grant and Sherman we're established. tanooga were captured guns, disarmed pris
commanders i afterward substantiated the
.fact. Gen. Hood-was severely wounded d i - - On the morning of Nov. 25 "it was evi- "We had no orders to go beyond this line oners, moaning wounded, ghastly dead, an'
rectly in front of, the Eighth Kansas, and his dent the Confederates' hadynoved all their of works, and a brief-halt was ordered; but scattered, demoralized fugitives. Missionar
,leg amputated .on the field." artillery to."'the top of Missionary Ridge, it was instantly seen by every soldier in the Ridge was ours.
.leaving only infantry below, and strength- ranks that no line conld live there, raked
ened entrenchments up the slopes. Between "The Eighth K a n s a s captured foil
1 ' GAP C O S * BATTLE from every direction as it was by both ar- pieces of artillery, 500 stand of small arms
•i But the valiant stand of the Kansans and Orchard Knob and the base of the ridge was tillery and infantry. Almost simultaneously
a dense woods, then a wide, open field, and and more prisoners than it had men in it
their comrades Was to prove partially futile. several regiments moved forward toward ranks. The regiment also claims to hav>
I jAfter almost equally fierce fighting the next then a slight, abrupt rise of. ground, on the the hill and, as if animated by a common
top of which was a strong line of earth- planted upon the rebel breastworks the firs
day, it developed that a fatal gap had been impulse, all followed. Grim and silent, with .Union color's that waved there. So, after tw
left in the Union lines, allowing J h e Confed- works. Beyond was a plateau about 100 feet compressed lips and eyes fixed on the goal
wide, and above this the ridge rose, ragged, months and five days, ended the terribl
' erates to pour through. The Federals, fight- before them, they breasted the fiery sleet siege of Chattanooga. The march from Oi
ing a desperate rear-guard battle, withdrew broken and steep, to a height of nearly 500 of battle .and commenced the steep ascent.
feet, its summit crowned by a line of en- chard Knob to the summit of Missionar
northward toward Chattanooga. The sorely From behind the rifle pits on the summit Ridge occupied just one hour and 15 min
battered Southerners were unable to stage -' trenchments. The entire area from the Knob shot and shell rained down upon them In a utes."
jan effective pursuit. » to tfie top of the ridge was covered by dozens ceaseless torrent, and the roar of the con-
, Union losses—killed, wounded or missing of batteries and the foes' musket fire. ., test grew deafening. All regular formations IN.'iicONFLICT TO CLOSE
. J—in the two-day battle were 16,170 and Con- of lines were soon lost.
federate 18,454, an almost identical 28 per DEFIED HAIL OF LEAD After this triumph the Eighth Kansa
cent of the forces involved. Among the hard- "Great masses of men, who had crowded returned home for a brief furlough and re
About 2 o'clock on the 25th the charge together in the places easiest of ascent,
test hit units was the Eighth Kansas. Going order was signaled. This is Col. Martin's cruitment period. Then it was sent back t
into the battle with 406 men, it lost 243, or were climbing the steep at intervals and Chattanooga, and joined Gen. Sherman'
story of what followed!- . . * vying in their efforts to be first. Regiments
jover 65 per cent. "Through the branches of the leafless forces for the march to Atlanta. In a perid
were so intermingled that their organization of 69 days, it was under fire for 63 days am
- i • Pouring into Chattanooga, the mauled • trees we saw a bright flame leap out and a and unity soon disappeared, t h o u g h the
Federals set up makeshift defenses and dull gray smoke curl up all along the sum- 44 nights. It. spent 33 days in the siege o
greater portion of e a c h clustered around Atlanta, entering the city with other Unioi
started more permanent ones. Gen. Bragg's mit of the ridge; a crash like a thousand their battle flags, and these were in every
forces soon almost surrounded the city, with thunderclaps greeted us; s o l i d shot went troops on Sjept. 8, 1864. Early the next yea
case ahead. Gradually these groups took the it took part1 in the battle of Nashville tha
j their lines anchored on Missionary Ridge screaming through the timber, and hurtling form of a wedge or triangle, the apex being
i east of the city and on Lookout Mountain to shells exploded above and around us, their destroyed Confederate Gen. Hood's arm;
i the southwest. the regimental battle flag. The progress was and practically ended the war on the west
scattered fragments shrieking through the necessarily slow.
I', For nearly two months the Confederate air like a legion of demons. Without an or- ern sectors. After Lee's surrender in Apri
Vguns rained shots on the Union positions, but der the line broke into a double quick— "Above, the summit of the hill was one the regiment was sent to Texas and thei
their short range prevented great damage. sheet of flame and smoke, and the awful ex- home for mustering out.
i.The worst foes were hunger and disease. plosions of artillery and musketry made the During its term of service the Eightl
I Gen. Rosecrans cut officers and men to one- earth fairly tremble. Below, the columns of traveled 10,750 miles. It participated in 1;
f third rations. Work mules died from lack of dark blue, with the old banner of beauty and battles and 18 skirmishes. It lost in battli
' food. Famished men snatched grains of corn ~fstyP&lf ;.:";jiJ^:Chiclcamauqa of glory leading them on, were mounting up three commissioned officers and 62 enliste*
dropped near the horse troughs. One of the with leaning forms, each eager with des- men killed; 13 commissioned officers and 25!
regiments killed and ate a dog that wan- perate resolution to be first. Cannon shot enlisted men wounded, and one commis
dered into camp. i tore through their ranks; musket balls were sioned officer and 20 enlisted men missing-
rapidly and fearfully decimating them; be- a total of 64 killed, 272 wounded and 21 miss
'§ NEAR STARVATION hind them the dead and wounded lay thick ing, or full casualties of 358. Of the missinj
; A separate story could be written on the as autumn leaves; before them, death was nearly all were killed, and of the woundei
hardships endured in that siege. Col. Martin reveling in a whirlwind of carnage; but the nearly one-third died of their injuries.
related that he was amazed, however, at lava-flood of battle pouring down upon them ak * *

Tthe good humor that prevailed throughout
the ordeal, and the faith in ultimate success.
This proved justified when supplies floated
down the Tennessee River, at the west edge
of the city, arrived Oct. 26. On Nov. 12 ra-
tions were increased to two-thirds.
Meanwhile Gen. Grant had reached
••(Chattanooga and taken charge of the de-
fense. The Eighth Kansas, its ranks rein- .
forced to near-normal strength, took a po-
sition facing Orchard Knob, in the east edge
bf the city, and about a half mile from the
base of Missionary Ridge. On Nov. 15 Gen.
Sherman arrived with fresh troops and prep-
arations began for an attack on the Rebel
^eights. ••••.•" : BATTLE AREA—This map shows the
I When the Yanks scaled the west side of
Lookout Mountain they found the enemy al-
ready had abandoned its positions on the
, summit.
jf Grant ordered capture of Orchard Knob
to serve as a base of operations. The
Eighth Kansas was chosen to lead the at-
tack. Col. Martin gave this account of the
charge on the afternoon of Nov. 23:
if "The field.was crossed, the woods be-
Chattanooga
Dhickamauga And \ commander of the Kansas National Guard
Chattanooga N a t l
Part
30 Miles
routes by which tourists may visit the
Chickamauga battlefield (lower left
in Georgia) and Missionary Ridge,
which serves as the eastern boundary
of the main section of Chattanooga.
A n auto road traverses the entire
length and is lined w i t h monuments
honoring military units which fought
there.
no more checked the grand advance than if
it had been the soft rain of summer.
"Our brigade went up in the center of
one of the half-circular bends of the ridge.
On the right of us Hazen's men breasted a
point; to the left Beatty also had a head-
land. Between an Ohio regiment of Hazen's
brigade, and one or two of ours that had
their flags well ahead, there sprang up a
fierce rivalry as to which would be first
planted on the rebel lines. At last but a
dozen yards separated the line of gray and
the columns of blue, while the flags of the
Eighth Kansas, Sixth and 49th Ohio and sev- '
eral other regiments were but a few yards
from the red clay banks that were belching
forth streams of fire and sulphurous smoke.
"With a wild cheer and a madder rush
our men dashed forward, and for a few mo-
ments a sharp, desperate, almost hand-to-
hand fight with bayonet and ball ensued.
Before this resistless assault the rebel line
was lifted as by a whirlwind, and borne
backward, bleeding and confused. In quick
succession half a dozen Union battle flags
Wichita Eagle and Beacon Magazine—November 24, 1963—PACE 1
Upon discharge Col. Martin at the age o
26 was breveted a brigadier general. He re
sumed duties as editor and publisher of th<
Atchison Daily Champion for the rest of hi.'
life. He was the first state commander o
the Grand Army of the Republic, and upoi
election as 10th governor of the state ii
November 1884 he founded and became firsi
Reelected in 1886 as governor, he completec
his term in January of 1889. Late that yeai
he was stricken ill and died, leaving hi;
widow, Ida Challiss Martin, and seven chil
dren. Three Of them still live: Paul A. Mar
tin, retired editor and publisher of the Lans
ing (Mich.) Journal; Mrs. Ruth M. Tonsing
Atchison, and Harres Martin, Merriam, Kan
Mrs. Tonsing is the mother of the write)
of this article.
* * -i- ,
Most of the facts in this story were taken
from the "Military History of the Eightl
Kansas Veteran Volunteer Infantry," a 112-
page book written by Col. Martin following
• the close of the war and published by him
in 1869.

&*&$&&,
'm?*'°"%'r * d ' S^1^**^;!!
; A T VICTORY POINT—Mrs. Ruth M.
Tonsing, daughter of John A. Martin,
Civil War colonel of the Eighth Kan-
sas Regiment, looks at a monument
,-atop Missionary Ridge honoring the
unit which breached the Confeder-
ate defenses at this;place.
STORY I N BRONZE — This is the
.metal plate shown in photo above,
giving a brief account of the Eighth's
part in the Ridge conquest.
FEAT RECORDED — Tom Erwin of
Chattanooga reads the inscription on
a monument recalling the Eighth Kan-
ACE 4—Wichita Eagle and Beacon Magazine—November 24, 1963
F r o m Stunning Loss
To Amazing Victory
Valiant Eighth Kansas Capped Exploits
At Missionary Ridge 100 Years Ago
By BOB TONSING SR., Staff Writer
O p e h u n d r e d y e a r s a g o t o m o r r o w ( N o v . 2 5 , 1 8 6 3 ) t o o k p l a c e o n e of
t h e g r e a t c h a r g e s of A m e r i c a n m i l i t a r y h i s t o r y — t h e s e e m i n g l y s u i c i d a l
d a s h u p t h e s t e e p s l o p e s of M i s s i o n a r y R i d g e a t C h a t t a n o o g a , T e n n . W i t h -
o u t , o r d e r s f r o m G e n . U.S. G r a n t , w h o w a t c h e d in a m a z e m e n t a n d c o n s t e r -
- nation from O r c h a r d Knob, inspired Union troops braved withering Con-
f e d e r a t e fire f r o m a b o v e to s w e e p t h e e n e m y f r o m t h e s t r a t e g i c h e i g h t s
a n d o p e n t h e w a y f o r S h e r m a n ' s e v e n t u a l m a r c h to A t l a n t a a n d t h e s e a .
I n t h e f o r e f r o n t of t h a t a t t a c k w a s a K a n s a s r e g i m e n t , t h e E i g h t h V o l -
u n t e e r s — t h e o n l y g r o u p f r o m t h i s n e w l y f o r m e d s t a t e to s e r v e w i t h t h e
A r m y of t h e C u m b e r l a n d a n d one of t h e f e w t o see s e r v i c e - m u c h b e y o n d
t h e K a n s a s - M i s s o u r i line.
Activities of border ruffians such as
Quantrill and the continual threat of invasion
by Southern forces made it necessary to keep
most<pf the Kansas troops in the state.
That, in fact, was the Eighth's type of
duty for some months. Its history began in
September and October of 1861, when it was
mustered into service at Fort Leavenworth,
with most of its 678 men drawn from the*"
northeast around Atchison. Appointed as
colonel was a veteran Army officer, Henry
W. Wessels, a West Point graduate who knew
how to fashion the" untrained frontier youths
into an efficient fighting force.
Named as lieutenant colonel was John A.
Martin, who at the age of 18 had come from
Pennsylvania to Atchison, bought a pro-
slavery paper called "Squatter's Sovereign"
and had changed its name to "Freedom's
Champion.',' In late 1860 he had served as
secretary of the constitutional convention at
Wyandotte and had written several portions
of the document under which Kansas the fol-
lowing January was admitted to the.Union.
He then was 21 years old.
SENT TO MISSISSIPPI
The regiment spent a bitterly cold winter
on border patrol, with only a few uneventful
scouting trips into Missouri to break the
monotony. In late May of 1862, the men of
the Eighth heard with enthusiasm that they
were to head for Corinth, Miss., against
which the Union armies under General Hal-
leck were operating. Col. R. H. Graham was
in command as the barge trip down the Mis-
souri River started. At St. Louis Graham
died and Lt. Col. Martin became head of the
unit. Later designated a full colonel, he led
the regiment during its long and illustrious
service.
i After some action at Corinth, the Eighth
in late July was ordered to march eastward
to aid in the struggle for-control of the Ten-
nessee River.
On Sept. 3, 1862, a large Federal force
including the Eighth started for Nashville on
a forced march in bad weather and through
Staff Photos.
sas' charge a century ago that cap-
tured Orchard Knob and cleared the
way, for the Missionary Ridge attack.
rugged country where all bridges had been
destroyed. As Col. Martin later described it,
"Faint with hunger, drowsy from loss of
sleep, and enervated with fatigue, the ex-
hausted troops reached Nashville. Hundreds
of men had fallen by the roadside on this
terrible night march."
In the weeks that followed the Kansans
took part in several bloody encounters with
enemy units, and won a fine reputation for
their fighting ability and spirit.
RULED NASHVILLE
On Nov. 20, Sent back to Nashville, the
Eighth took over provost duty in the city for
six months, with Col. Martin serving as pro-
vost marshal. With about two-thirds of the
citizens Southern sympathizers, the unit had
its hands full in bringing order from chaos.
Dozens of hospitals were kept operating to
receive wounded. The city was swarming
with rebel spies, since the entire Army of
the Cumberland was camped around the
city. The regiment actually served as the
municipal government. All citizens were re-
quired to sign oaths of allegiance or be sent
south to the Confederate lines.
When on June 8 the Kansans were or-
dered back to service with their division, the
citizens loudly protested, and presented Col.
Martin a gold sword in a gesture of appreci-
ation for his services.
It was evident at that time that Chat-
tanooga was the most likely point for a'show-
down battle between two great armies. In
early July, Gen. Robert E. Lee's drive to-
ward Washington was stopped by the Union
victory at Gettysburg, Pa. Almost simul-
taneously Gen. U. S. Grant captured the Mis-
sissippi River stronghold of Vicksburg and
headed east in pursuit of Southern Gen.
Braxton Bragg's forces, which took up de-
fensive positions south of Chattanooga along
Chickamauga Creek. Rail lines brought re-
inforcements from the northeast to both op-
posing armies.
Early in September Union General Rose-
crans sent his western columns pouring
piecemeal through the widely scattered
mountain passes into northern Georgia.
These included the Eighth Kansas, which
marched across Stevens gap south of Look-
out Mountain.
It was known by that time that Bragg's
forces were ahead in great strength, and
skirmishers of the two armies were keeping
up a running fight. Heavy artillery firing
could be heard during the entire day on Sept.
18, 1863.
BATTLE AT CHICKAMAUGA
This is Col. Martin's account of the
events that followed:
"The next morning we again moved on.
A disagreeable tramp of eight miles brought
us to the widow Glenn's house, where Gen.
Rosecrans' headquarters were established.
As we neared, a more terrible sound greeted
our ears—the dull, heavy crashes of a dense
musketry fire, rising and falling in sullen,
resounding, deafening roars, like waves beat-
ing upon a shore. The enemy had attacked
Reynolds' and Van Cleve's divisions, with
great fury, driving the latter back in dis-
order, and our division came up just in time
to check the impetuous advance of the
rebels. We moved rapidly nearly two miles
to the left and, after forming a line of battle,
advanced through the dense woods, 'going
JOHN A. M A R T I N
. . As Kansas' Governor in 1885 .
in,' as Gen. Rosecrans expressed it, 'wher
the fight was hottest.'
"Our brigade was formed in two line;
the Eighth Kansas, 15th Wisconsin and 35t
Illinois in front; the 25th Illinois in rear . .
"After forming we were advancing raj
idly through the rugged forest, but had pre
ceeded only a few hundred yards when
terrific volley saluted us, rapidly succeede<
by another and another. The two hostil
forces met without skirmishers in front, an>
in as instant were furiously engaged in des
perate combat. Our men promptly replied \>
the rebel fire, and at once the roar of battl
became one steady, deep, jarring thunder
Our line was moved forward firmlyj until i
rested along the brow of a small rise o
ground.
"The "crash of musketry became dense
and more terrific, and the artillery added it;
thunder to the furious raging of the batth
storm. The rebels rushed forward line aftei
line of troops, charging with desperate valoj
and impetuosity, but our men held their po
sition firmly and defiantly, firing with sucl
coolness and precision that at every dis
charge great gaps were cut in the enemy':
lines, and bleeding, broken and staggering
they reeled before the awful hail of leadei
death that greeted them.
ATTACKS REPULSED
"In vain they rallied and advanced agaii
and again—they could not move our firm
unyielding lines. For half an hour this des-
perate struggle was thus continued. The car-
nage on both sides was dreadful. In that
brief time over a third of our brigade was
killed and wounded, and still the frightful
carnival of slaughter raged unabated. Of the
Eighth, five captains, three lieutenants and
150 men were already struck.
"Our flanks, too, were exposed, and the
lines were being enfiladed by a heavy fire,
some of the enemy having already pene-
trated, on the right and the left, far to our
rear. The desperate valor of the troops had
resisted every effort to break their line or
force them back, but at last Col. Heg (the
brigade commander), seeing that disaster
must follow this attempt to hold this isolated
position any longer, gave an order to retire,
and loading and firing as they went, our
men. fell back slowly about 50 yards. Here
they were re-formed, and after a short halt,
charged the enemy with impetuous enthusi-
asm, driving him back until our former po-
sition was almost regained. For a quarter of
an hour the line was firmly held by the
thrice decimated command. Bullets flew like
hailstones; grape and canister, shot and
shell, whistled and crashed through, and
over and around the devoted ranks, but the
heroism of the men rose with the terrible
grandeur and desperation of the awful bat-
tle, and they stood like walls before the
fury of this storm.
BRIGADE CHIEF KILLED
"But no courage, however sublime; no
enthusiasm, however magnificent, and no
discipline, however perfect, could continue
to resist the masses of fresh troops which the
enemy was constantly hurling against these
two small brigades, fighting alone in the
woods, detached from other portions of the
(Continued on Page 19)

J4dventure, Chills in Films
i, VICTORY— Adventure and
chills are wrapped up in the
three features' showing. Paul
Newman stars in "Hud". Bar-
bara Stanwyck and Robert Ry-
an take the leads in* "The Vam-
pire." "Escape to Burma" is
the third feature.
'MEADOWLARK— The'intri-
guing "Mondo Case" doubles
with "Wall of Noise," starring
Suzanne Pleshette, Ty Hardin
and Dorothy Provine.
TWIN — Paul Newman, Jo-
anne Woodward and Thelma
Ritter are featured in the ro-
mantic comedy, "A New Kind
of Love," which is set in gay
Paris. "If a Man Answers"
has Sandra Dee co-starred with
Bobby Darin.
42 SKYVUE — "September
Storm," -'combining passion,
treasure-hunting and greed,
features Joanne Dru, Mark
Stevens and Robert Strauss.
Also showing are "Far Coun-
try," with James Stewart and
Ruth Roman, and "The She
Creature," with Chester Mor-
ris and Maria English.
Location's Everything
HOLLYWOOD (AP)—Archie 'You know," said Co
Moore, the ageless ex-light- "you look like you could
heavywejght champ, is work-
ing as an actor now in mo\yes five or six rounds with Soi
and television. Liston right now."
The other day Lee J. Cobb "Well, that depends," s
was complimenting the old 'Archie. "Whether you mt
Mongoose on his fine physical in a bar—or in the ring,
condition. you mean the ring, never."

JL ••.-•••:•-.

Civil War Defeat, Victory: Kansans Played Great Roles in Key Battles
I (Continued from Page 4)
army, and already bereaved of nearly half
jtheir numbers^-The division -was finally or-"
tiered to fall back to a fence some distance
:jto the rear, and facing the woods in which it-
had been fighting. The two brigades had lost
in killed and wounded over 40 per cent of all
engaged. Col. Heg, our brigade commander,
v was mortally wounded about the middle of
*the afternoon, and the command devolved '
upon Col. Martin, of the Eighth. Two-thirds
, of the field officers of the division were
'either killed or wounded, and over half the
line officers. '.
"It was if fearful day's work. The roar
of musketry never for an instant ceased, and
at times it grew so intense as to drown the /
? [crashes of artillery. The ground was strewn
with dead and wounded, and almost every.
'foot of the shot-torn' field was red with the
""crimson of loyal blood. The two small bri-
g a d e s of Davis' division had fought, alone, /
; two full divisions of the rebel army, .under
'the personal command of Gen. J. B. Hood.
; This we learned at the time from prisoners
- captured, and the official reports of the rebel
commanders, afterward substantiated the
fact. Gen. Hood was severely wounded d i -
rectly in front of the Eighth Kansas, and his
•leg amputated.on the field."
If t GAP COSTS BATTLE
H But the valiant stand of the Kansans and
'their comrades Was to prove partially futile.
> After almost equally fierce fighting the next
day, it developed that a fatal gap had been
'left in the Union lines, allowing £he Confed-
' erates to pour through. The Federals, fight-
ing a desperate rear-guard battle, withdrew
northward toward Chattanooga. The sorely
battered Southerners were unable to stage -'
!an effective pursuit. .
j Union losses—killed, wounded or missing
- p-in the two-day battle were 16,170 and Con-
federate 18,454, an almost identical 28 per
cent of the forces involved. Among the hard-
est hit units was the Eighth Kansas. Going
into the battle with 406 men, it lost 243, or
jover 65 per cent.
Pouring into Chattanooga, the mauled:
Federals set up makeshift defenses and
started more permanent ones: Gen. Bragg's
forces soon almost surrounded the city, with
jtheir lines anchored on Missionary Ridge
J east of the city and on Lookout Mountain to
the southwest.
For nearly two months the Confederate
guns rained shots on the Union positions, but
their short range prevented great damage.
.'The worst foes were hunger and disease.
: Gen. Rosecrans cut officers and men to one-
! third rations. Work mules died from lack of
food. Famished men snatched grains of corn
dropped near the horse troughs. One of the
regiments killed and ate a dog that wan-
dered into camp. ) tore through their ranks; musket balls were
;f NEAR STARVATION
< j A separate story could be written on the
'.hardships endured in that siege. Col. Martin
related that he was amazed, however, • at
yond reached, and then for a moment a
stubborn straggle e n s u e d , and a deafen-
ing crash and roar followed, as the rebels
strove to check this impetuous charge. But
Kansans led the van that day, and the fight-
ing blood of the old Eighth was at fever
heat. The rebel horde could no more stem
the torrent that struck them than they 'could
. check a bursting billow with a feather. Our
men dashed forward right on their line so
fiercely and rapidly that one-half of them
'were captured, and the rest broke in wild
confusion to the rear. A quick race through
the woods ensued. The fleeing rebels never
stopped untO they reached their reserves
behind the line of entrenchments running
over Orchard knob. Here another struggle
came, but with a ringing cheer our boys
rushed on like a furious flood; again the
rebel line faltered,, broke and fled, and Or-
chard Knob was ours."
From.then until Nov. 25 the Knob was
fortified to serve as a base of operations,
while guns on Missionary Ridge kept up a
hail of shots. Headquarters for Generals
Grant and Sherman we're established.
. On the morning of Nov. 25 "it was evi-
dent the Confederates' hadynoved all their
artillery to.''the top of Missionary Ridge,
.leaving only infantry below, and strength-
ened entrenchments up the slopes. Between
Orchard Knob and the base of the ridge was
a dense woods, then a wide, open field, and
then a slight, abrupt rise of. ground, on the
top of which was a strong line of earth-
works. Beyond was a plateau about 100 feet
wide, and above this the ridge rose, ragged,
broken and steep, to a height of nearly 500
feet, its summit crowned by a line of en-
trenchments. The entire area from the Knob
to the top of the ridge was covered by dozens
of batteries and the foes' musket fire. .,
DEFIED HAIL OF LEAD
About 2 o'clock on the 25th the charge
order was signaled. This is Col. Martin's
story of what followed^
"Through the branches of the leafless
trees we saw a bright flame leap out and a
dull gray smoke curl up all along the sum-
mit of the ridge; a crash like a thousand
thunderclaps greeted us; s o l i d shot went
screaming through the timber, and hurtling
shells exploded above and around us, their
scattered fragments shrieking through the
air like a legion of demons. Without an or-
der the line broke into a double quick—
TENNESSEE"
r^fChiclcamauqa
brave fellows, they knew the work before
them was quick success or sure destruction.
The rebel pickets, too, opened fire. Our men
did not answer, but with arms trailing or
on the right shoulder pressed forward, until
they burst like a thunderbolt out of the
woods and into the open field. Then from
the whole line there rose a Jpud, hearty,
ringing cheer, and on they swept.
"In the field the columns were caught in
the fierce fire from the rebel line at the
foot of the hill, and soon in the still deadlier
volume'of musketry from its summit. But
there was never a waver nor a pause in the
advance nor a straggler from it. In a few
moments our men were nearly across the
field. There was a break in the gray lines
behind the rebel works; a few rushed to the
rear and began to climb the slope, but
nearly all, throwing down their muskets and
holding up their hands in surrender, leaped
to our side of the entrenchments and cow-
ered behind them, for the hail of bullets now
rained down from the hill was as deadly to -
them as to us. The first line was won, and
the prisoners were sent toward the rear.
"We had no orders to go beyond this line
of works, and a brief'halt was ordered; but
It was instantly seen by every soldier in the
ranks that no line could live there, raked
from every direction as it was by both ar-
tillery and infantry. Almost simultaneously
several regiments moved forward toward
the hill and, as if animated by a common
impulse, all followed. Grim and silent, with
compressed lips and eyes fixed on the goal
before them, they breasted the fiery sleet
of battle and commenced the steep ascent.
From behind the rifle pits on the summit
sfiot and shell rained down upon them in a
ceaseless torrent, and the roar of the con-
test grew deafening. All regular formations
of lines were soon lost.
"Great masses of men, who had crowded
together in the places easiest of ascent,
were climbing the steep at intervals and
vying in their efforts to be first. Regiments
were so intermingled that their organization
and unity soon disappeared, t h o u g h the
greater portion of e a c h clustered around
their battle flags, and these were in every
case ahead. Gradually "these groups took the
form of a wedge or triangle, the apex being
the regimental battle flag. The progress was
necessarily slow.
"Above, the summit of the hill was one
sheet of flame and smoke, and the awful ex-
plosions of artillery and musketry made the
earth fairly tremble. Below, the columns of
dark blue, with the old banner of beauty and
of glory leading them on, were mounting up
with leaning forms, each eager with des-
perate resolution to be first. Cannon shot
rapidly and fearfully decimating them; be-
hind them the dead and wounded lay thick
as autumn leaves; before them, death was
reveling in a whirlwind of carnage; but the
lava-flood of battle pouring down upon them
were planted upon the works, and in a mo
ment more the foemen were hurrying dowi
the hill on the opposite side and off into th
woods b e y o n d . Our men were rapid]
formed, and we were preparing to mov
down the breastworks to the left, whil
Hazen's men did the same on the right
when suddenly the whole rebel line gav
way.
"Then followed a scene of tumult an
confusion which baffles description. Gra\
clad men rushed wildly down the hill an
into the woods, tossing away muskets, blar
kets and knapsacks as they ran. Officers
frantic with rage, rushfeti from one panic
stricken group to the other, shouting an<
cursing as they strove to check the headlon
flight, but all in vain.
"Our men, pursued the fugitives with a;
eagerness only equaled by that of the foe
to escape; the horses of the artillery wer
shot as they, ran; squads of rebels wer
beaded off and brought back as prisoners
and in 10 minutes all that remained, of th
defiant rebel army that had besieged Chat
tanooga were captured guns, disarmed prfc
oners, moaning wounded, ghastly dead, an
scattered, demoralized fugitives. Missionar
Ridge was ours.
"The Eighth K a n s a s captured fou
pieces of artillery, 500 stand of small arms
and more prisoners than it had men in it
ranks. The regiment also claims to hav
planted upon the rebel breastworks the firs
.Union coloris that waved there. So, after tw
months and five days, ended the terribl
siege of Chattanooga. The march from Or
chard Knob to the summit of Missionar;
Ridge occupied just one hour and 15 mii.
utes." '
IN.-CONFLICT TO CLOSE
After this triumph the Eighth Kansa
returned home for a brief furlough and re
cruitment period. Then it was sent back t
Chattanooga, and joined Gen. Sherman'
forces for the march to Atlanta. In a perio<
of 69 days, it was under fire for 63 days an<
44 nights. It. spent 33 days in the siege o
Atlanta, entering the city with other Unioi
troops on Sept. 8, 1864. Early the next yea
it took part' in the battle of Nashville tha
destroyed Confederate Gen. Hood's arm;
and practically ended the war on the west
ern sectors. After Lee's surrender in Apri
the regiment was sent to Texas and the)
home for mustering out.
During its term of service the Eightl
traveled 10,750 miles. It participated in l:
battles and 18 skirmishes. It lost in battle
three commissioned officers and 62 enlistei
men killed; 13 commissioned officers and 25!
enlisted men wounded, and one commis
sioned officer and 20 enlisted men missing-
a total of 64 killed, 272 wounded and 21 miss
ing, or full casualties of 358. Of the missin;
nearly all were killed, and of the woundei
nearly one-third died of their injuries.
ik * *

fine good humor that prevailed throughout
I the ordeal, and the faith in Ultimate success.
/This proved justified when supplies floated
down the Tennessee River, at the west edge
jof the city, arrived Oct. 26. On Nov. 12 ra-
tions were increased to two-thirds. ,
Meanwhile Gen. Grant had reached
* .Chattanooga and taken charge of the de-
fense. The •Eighth Kansas, its ranks rein- .
forced to near-normal strength, took a.po-
sition facing Orchard Knob, in the east edge
of the city, and about a half mile from the
base of Missionary Ridge. On Nov. 15 Gen.
Sherman arrived with fresh troops and prep-
arations began for an attack on the Rebel
^eights. c»
I When the Yanks scaled the west side of
Lookout Mountain they found the enemy al-
ready had abandoned its positions on the
. Summit.
if Grant ordered capture of Orchard Knob
to serve as a base of operations. The
Eighth Kansas was chosen to lead the at-
tack. Col. Martin gave this account of the
-charge on the afternoon of Nov. 23:
"The field was crossed, the woods be-
Chattanooga
ssmm^m
Chickamauga And
Chattanooga Nail
3d Miles
BATTLE AREA—This map shows the
routes by which tourists may visit the
Chickamauga battlefield (lower left
in Georgia) and Missionary Ridge,
which serves as the eastern boundary
of the main section of Chattanooga.
An auto road traverses the entire
length and is lined with monuments
honoring military units which fought
there.
no more checked the grand advance than if
it had been the soft rain of summer.
"Our brigade went up in the center of
one of the half-circular bends of the ridge.
On the right of us Hazen's men breasted a
point; to the left Beatty also had a head-
land. Between an Ohio regiment of Hazen's
brigade, and one or two of ours that had
their flags well ahead, there sprang up a
fierce rivalry as to which would be first
planted on the rebel lines. At last but a
dozen yards separated the line of gray and
the columns of blue, while the flags of the
Eighth Kansas, Sixth and 49th Ohio and sev- '
era! other regiments were but a few yards
from the red clay banks that were belching
forth streams of fire and sulphurous smoke.
"With a wild cheer and a madder rush
our men dashed forward, and for a few mo-
ments a sharp, desperate, almost hand-to-
hand fight with bayonet and ball ensned.
Before this resistless assault the rebel line
was lifted as by a whirlwind, and borne
backward, bleeding and confused. In quick
succession half a dozen Union battle flags
Wichita Eagle and Beacon Magazine—November 24, 1963—PACE 1
Upon discharge Col. Martin at the age o
26 was breveted a brigadier general. He re
sumed duties as editor and publisher of tht
Atchison Daily Champion for the rest of hi:
life. He was the first state commander o
the Grand Army of the Republic, and upoi
election as 10th governor of the state ii
November 1884 he founded and became firs
commander of the Kansas National Guard
Reelected in 1886 as governor, he completec
his term in January of 1889. Late that yeai
he was stricken ill and died, leaving hi;
widow, Ida Challiss Martin, and seven chil
dren. Three of them still live: Paul A. Mar
tin, retired editor and publisher of the Lans
ing (Mich.) Journal; Mrs. Ruth M. Tonsing
Atchison, and Harres Martin, Merriam, Kan
Mrs. Tonsing is the mother of the write]
of this article.
* * *
Most of the facts in this story were taker
from the "Military History of the Eightl
Kansas Veteran Volunteer Infantry," a 112-
page book written by Col. Martin following
• the close of the war and published by him
in 1869.

- nation from Orchard Knob, inspired Union troops braved withering Con-
; A T VICTORY POINT—Mrs. Ruth M.
Tonsing, daughter of John A . Martin,
Civil War colonel of the Eighth Kan-
sas Regiment, looks at a monument
j-atop Missionary Ridge honoring the
\ unit which breached "the Confeder-
ate defenses at this place. f
:•'•'.'•' • of the document under which Kansas the fol-
. ''•• .:• souri
STORY I N BRONZE — This is the
.metal plate shown in photo above,
giving a brief account of the Eighth's
part in the Ridge conquest.
FEAT RECORDED — Tom Erwin of
Chattanooga reads the inscription on
a monument recalling the Eighth Kan-
ACE 4—Wichita Eagle and Beacon Magazine—November 24, 1963
F r o m Stunning Loss
To Amazing Victory
Valiant Eighth Kansas Capped Exploits
At Missionary Ridge 100 Years Ago
By BOB TONSING SR., Staff Writer
Ope hundred years ago tomorrow (Nov. 25, 1863) took place one of
the great charges of American military history — the seemingly suicidal
dash up the steep slopes of Missionary Ridge at Chattanooga, Tenn. With-
out, orders from Gen. U.S. Grant, who watched in amazement and conster-
federate fire from above to sweep the enemy from the strategic heights
and open the way for Sherman's eventual march to Atlanta and the sea.
In the forefront of t h a t attack w a s a Kansas regiment, the Eighth Vol-
unteers—the only group from this newly formed state to serve with the
Army of the Cumberland and one of the few to see service-much beyond
the Kansas-Missouri line.
Activities of border ruffians such as
Quantrill and the continual threat of invasion
by Southern forces made it necessary to keep
most,pf the Kansas troops in the state.
That, in fact, was the Eighth's type of
duty for some months. Its history began in
September and October of 1861, when it was
mustered into service at Fort Leavenworth,
with most '• of its 678 men drawn from the**
northeast around Atchison. Appointed as
colonel was a veteran Army officer, Henry
W. Wessels, a West Point graduate who knew
how to fashion the'untrained frontier youths
into an efficient fighting force.
Named as lieutenant colonel was John A.
Martin, who at the age of 18 had come from
Pennsylvania to Atchison, bought a pro-
slavery paper called "Squatter's Sovereign"
and had changed its name to "Freedom's
Champion." In late 1860 he had served as
secretary of the constitutional convention at
Wyandotte and had written several portions
lowing January was admitted to the.Union.
He then was 21 years old.
SENT TO MISSISSIPPI
The regiment spent a bitterly cold winter
on border patrol, with only a few uneventful
scouting trips into Missouri to break the
monotony. In late May of 1862, the men of
the Eighth heard with enthusiasm that they
were to head for Corinth, Miss., against
which the Union armies under ; General Hal-
leck were operating. Col. R. H: Graham was
in command as the barge trip down the Mis-
i River started. At St. Louis Graham
died and Lt. Col. Martin became head of the
unit. Later designated a full colonel, he led
the regiment during its long and illustrious
service.
/ After some action at Corinth, the Eighth
in late July was ordered to march eastward
to aid in the struggle for-control of the Ten-
nessee River.
On Sept. 3, 1862, a large Federal force
including the Eighth started for Nashville on
a forced march in bad weather and through
Staff Photos.
sas' charge a century ago that cap-
tured Orchard Knob and cleared the
wayt for the Missionary Ridge attack.
rugged country where all bridges had been
destroyed. As Col. Martin later described it,
"Faint with hunger, drowsy from loss of
sleep, and enervated with fatigue, the ex-
hausted troops reached Nashville. Hundreds
of men had fallen by, the roadside on this
terrible night march.'-'
In the weeks that followed the Kansans
took part in several bloody encounters with
enemy units, and won a fine reputation for
their fighting ability and spirit.
RULED NASHVILLE
On Nov. 20, Sent back to Nashville, the
Eighth took over provost duty in the city for
six months, with Col. Martin serving as pro-
vost marshal. With about two-thirds of the
citizens Southern sympathizers, the unit had
its hands full in bringing order from chaos.
Dozens of hospitals were kept operating to
receive wounded. The city was swarming
with rebel spies, since the entire Army of
the Cumberland was camped around the
city. The regiment actually served as the
municipal government. All citizens were re-
quired to sign oaths of allegiance or be sent
south to the Confederate lines.
When on June 8 the Kansans were or-
dered back to service with their division, the
citizens loudly protested, and presented Col.
Martin a gold sword in a gesture of appreci-
ation for his services.
It was evident at that time that Chat-
tanooga was the most likely point for a'show-
down battle between two great armies. In
early July, Gen. Robert E. Lee's drive to-
ward Washington was stopped by the Union
victory at Gettysburg, Pa. Almost simul-
taneously Gen. U. S. Grant captured the Mis-
sissippi River stronghold of Vicksburg and
headed east in pursuit of Southern Gen.
Braxton Bragg's forces, which took up de-
fensive positions south of Chattanooga along
Chickamauga Creek. Rail lines brought re-
inforcements from the northeast to both op-
posing armies.
Early in September Union General Rose-
crans sent his western columns pouring
piecemeal through the widely scattered
mountain passes into northern Georgia.
These included the Eighth Kansas, which
marched across Stevens gap south of Look-
out Mountain.
It was known by that time that Bragg's
forces were ahead in great strength, and
skirmishers of the two armies were keeping
up a running fight. Heavy artillery firing
could be heard during the entire day on Sept.
18,1863.
BATTLE AT CHICKAMAUGA
This is Col. Martin's account of the
events that followed:
"The next morning we again moved on.
A disagreeable tramp of eight miles brought
us to the widow Glenn's house, where Gen.
Rosecrans' headquarters were established.
As we neared, a more terrible sound greeted
our ears—the dull, heavy crashes of a dense
musketry fire, rising and falling in sullen,
resounding, deafening roars, like waves beat-
ing upon a shore. The enemy had attacked
Reynolds' and Van Cleve's divisions, with
great fury, driving the latter back in dis-
order, and our division came up just in time
to check the impetuous advance of the
rebels. We moved rapidly nearly two miles
to the left and, after forming a line of battle,
advanced through the dense woods, 'going
JOHN A. M A R T I N
. . As Kansas' Governor in 1885 .
in,' as Gen. Rosecrans expressed it, 'wher
the fight was hottest.'
"Our brigade was formed in two line:
the Eighth Kansas, 15th Wisconsin and 35t
Illinois in front; the 25th Illinois in rear . .
"After forming we were advancing raj
idly through the rugged forest, but had pre
ceeded only a few hundred yards when
terrific volley saluted us, rapidly succeeds
by another and another. The two bos til
forces met without skirmishers in front, ani
in an instant were furiously engaged in des
perate combat. Our men promptly replied t>
the rebel fire, and at once the roar of battl'
became one steady, deep, jarring thunder
Our line was moved forward firmlyi until i
rested along the brow of a small rise o
ground.
"The crash of musketry became dense
and more terrific, and the artillery added it;
thunder to the furious raging of the battl*
storm. The rebels rushed forward line aftei
line of troops, charging with desperate valoi
and impetuosity, but our men held their po
sition firmly and defiantly, firing with sucl
coolness and precision that at every dis
charge great gaps were cut in the enemy';
lines, and bleeding, broken and staggering
they reeled before the awful hail of leadei
death that greeted them.
ATTACKS REPULSED
"In vain they rallied and advanced agaii
and again—they could not move our firm,
unyielding lines. For half an hour this des
perate struggle was thus continued. The car-
nage on both sides was dreadful. In that
brief time over a third of our brigade was
killed and wounded, and still the frightful
carnival of slaughter raged unabated. Of the
Eighth, five captains, three lieutenants and
150 men were already struck.
"Our flanks, too, were exposed, and the
lines were being enfiladed by a heavy fire,
some of the enemy having already pene-
trated, on the right and the left, far to our
rear. The desperate valor of the troops had
resisted every effort to break their line or
force them back, but at last Col. Heg (the
brigade commander), seeing that disaster
must follow this attempt to hold this isolated
position any longer, gave an order to retire,
and loading and firing as they went, our
men fell back slowly about 50 yards. Here
they were re-formed, and after a short halt,
charged the enemy with impetuous enthusi-
asm, driving him back until our former po-
sition was almost regained. For a quarter of
an hour the line was firmly held by the
thrice decimated command. Bullets flew like
hailstones; grape and canister, shot and
shell, whistled and crashed through, and
over and around the devoted ranks, but the
heroism of the men rose with the terrible
grandeur and desperation of the awful bat-
tle, and they stood like walls before the
fury of this storm.
BRIGADE CHIEF KILLED
"But no courage, however sublime; no
enthusiasm, however magnificent, and no
discipline, however perfect, could continue
to resist the masses of fresh troops which the
enemy was constantly hurling against these
two small brigades, fighting alone in the
woods, detached from other portions of the
(Continued on Page 19)
 *- *

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Civil War Defeat, Victory: Kansans Played Great Roles in Key Battles
J. (Continued from Page 4)
lanny, and already bereaved of nearly half
their numbers. The division nvas finally or-'
dered to fall back to a fence some distance
to the rear, and facing the woods in which it
had been fighting. The two brigades had lost
in killed and wounded over 40 per cent of all
{engaged. Col. Heg, our brigade commander,
.;was mortally wounded about the middle of
*jjhe afternoon, and the command devolved '
[upon Col. Martin, of the Eighth. Two-thirds
yot the field officers of the division were
leither killed « r wounded, and over half the
inline officers. ' the woods ensued. The fleeing rebels never
if- * " I t was a fearful day's work. The roar
'of musketry never for an instant ceased, and
at times it grew so intense as to drown the /
J crashes of artillery. The ground was strewn
: with dead and wounded, and almost every
* foot of the shot-torn field was red with the
"'crimson of loyal blood. The two small bri-
gades of Davis' division had fought, alone, /
i two full divisions of the rebel army, .under
the personal command of Gen. J. B. Hood.
: This we learned at the time from prisoners
; captured, and the official reports of the rebel
conunanders afterward substantiated the
/fact. Gen. Hood was severely wounded d i -
rectly in front of the Eighth Kansas, and his
leg amputated .on the field."
J ] -.' GAP COSTS BATTLE
11 But the valiant stand of the Kansans and
their comrades was to prove partially futile.
• After almost equally fierce fighting the next
day, it developed that a fatal gap had been
left in the Union lines, allowing ihe Confed-
erates to pour through. The Federals, fight-
ing a desperate rear-guard battle, withdrew
northward toward Chattanooga. The sorely
battered Southerners were unable to stage
an effective pursuit. <
Union losses—killed, wounded or missing
|—in the two-day battle were 16,170 and Con-
federate 18,454, an almost identical 28 per
cent of the forces involved. Among the hard-
iest hit units was the Eighth Kansas. Going
jnto the battle with 406 men, it lost 243, or
jover 65 per cent.
: Pouring into Chattanooga, the mauled ••
Federals set up makeshift defenses and
started more permanent ones: Gen. Bragg's
forces soon almost surrounded the city, with
their lines anchored on Missionary Ridge
| east of the city and on Lookout Mountain to
the southwest.
For nearly two months the Confederate
l guns rained shots on the Union positions, but
their short range prevented great damage.
'The worst foes were hunger and disease.
| Gen. Rosecrans cut officers and men to one-
' third rations. Work mules died from lack of
food. Famished men snatched grains of corn
dropped near the horse troughs. One of the
regiments killed and ate a dog that wan-
dered into camp. '.
NEAR STARVATION
A separate story could be written on the
. hardships endured in that siege. Col. Martin
related that he was amazed, however, at
the good humor that prevailed throughout
the ordeal, and the faith in ultimate success.
This proved justified when supplies floated
down the Tennessee River, at the west edge
of the city, arrived Oct. 26. On Nov. 12 ra-
" tions were increased to two-thirds. .
Meanwhile Gen. Grant had reached
* .Chattanooga and taken charge of the de-
fense. The Eighth Kansas, its ranks rein-
forced to near-normal strength, took a po-
sition facing Orchard Knob, in the east edge
of the city, and about a half mile from the
base of Missionary Ridge. On Nov. 15 Gen.
Sherman arrived with fresh troops and prep-
arations began for an attack on the Rebel
heights. • BATTLE A R E A — T h i s m a p shows t h e
I When the Yanks scaled the west side of
Lookout Mountain they found the enemy al-
ready 'had abandoned its positions on the
„ summit.
jf Grant ordered capture of Orchard Knob
Ito serve as a base of operations. The
Eighth Kansas was chosen to lead the at-
tack. Col. Martin gave this account of the
{charge on the afternoon of Nov. 23":
T "The field.was crossed, the woods be-
yond reached, and then for a moment a
stubborn struggle e n s u e d , and a deafen-
ing crash and roar followed, as the rebels
strove to check this impetuous charge. But
Kansans led the van that day, and the fight-
ing blood of the old Eighth was at fever
heat. The rebel horde could no more stem
the torrent that struck them than they 'could
check a bursting billow with a feather. Our
men dashed forward right on their line so
fiercely and rapidly that one-half of them
were captured, and the rest broke in wild
confusion to the rear. A quick race through
stopped until they reached their reserves
behind the line of entrenchments running
over Orchard Knob. Here another struggle
came, but with a ringing cheer our hoys
rushed on like a furious flood; again the
rebel line faltered,, broke and fled, and Or-
chard Knob was ours."
From.then until Nov. 25 the Knob was
fortified to serve as a base of operations,
while guns on Missionary Ridge kept up a
hail of shots. Headquarters for Generals
Grant and Sherman we're established.
. On the morning of Nov. 25 "it was evi-
dent the Confederates' hadynoved all their
artillery to."'the top of Missionary Ridge,
leaving only infantry below, and strength-
ened entrenchments up thfe slopes. Between
Orchard Knob and the base of the ridge was
a dense woods, then a wide, open field, and
then a slight, abrupt rise of, ground, on the
top of which was a strong line of earth-
works. Beyond was a plateau about 100 feet
wide, and above this the ridge rose, ragged,
broken and steep, to a height of nearly 500
feet, its summit crowned by a line of en-
trenchments. The entire area from the Knob
to the top of the ridge was covered by dozens
of batteries and the foes' musket fire. , test grew deafening. All regular formations
DEFIED HAIL OF LEAD
About 2 o'clock on the 25th the charge
order was signaled. This is Col. Martin's
story of what followed^
"Through the branches of the leafless
trees we saw a bright flame leap out and a
dull gray smoke curl up all along the sum-
mit of the ridge; a crash like a thousand
thunderclaps greeted us; s o l i d shot went
screaming through the timber, and hurtling
shells exploded above and around us, then-
scattered fragments shrieking through the
air like a legion of demons. Without an or-
der the line broke into a double quick—
TENNESSEE
r^TChickamauqa
Chattanooga
—'«•
Chickamauga A n d
Chattanooga Nat'l
Pari
30 Miles
routes by w h i c h tourists m a y v i s i t t h e
Chickamauga battlefield (lower left
i n Georgia) a n d M i s s i o n a r y Ridge,
w h i c h serves as t h e eastern b o u n d a r y
o f t h e m a i n section o f Chattanooga.
A n a u t o road traverses t h e e n t i r e
l e n g t h a n d is l i n e d w i t h m o n u m e n t s
honoring military units w h i c h fought
there.
brave fellows, they knew the work before
them was quick success or sure destruction.
The rebel pickets, too, opened fire. Our men
did not answer, but with arms trailing or
on the right shoulder pressed forward, until
they burst like a thunderbolt out of the
woods and into the open field. Then from
the whole line there rose a ]pud, hearty,
ringing cheer, and on they swept.
"In the field the columns were caught in
the fierce fire from the rebel line at the
foot of the hill, and soon in the still deadlier
volume of musketry from its summit. But
there was never a waver nor a pause in the
advance nor a straggler from it. In a few
moments our men were nearly across the
field. There was a break in the gray lines
behind the rebel works; a few rushed to the
rear and began to climb the slope, but
nearly all, throwing down their muskets and
holding up their hands in surrender, leaped
to our side of the entrenchments and cow-
ered behind them, for the hail of bullets now
rained down from the hill was as deadly to •
them as to us. The first line was won, and
the prisoners were sent toward the rear.
"We had no orders to go beyond this line
of works, and a brief halt was ordered; but
it was instantly seen by every soldier in the
ranks that no line could live there, raked
from every direction as it was by both ar-
tillery and infantry. Almost simultaneously
several regiments moved forward toward
the hill and, as if animated by a common
impulse, all followed. Grim and silent, with
compressed lips and eyes fixed on the goal
before them, they breasted the fiery sleet
of battle and commenced the steep ascent.
From behind the rifle pits on the summit
snot and shell rained down upon them in a
ceaseless torrent, and the roar of the con-
of lines were soon lost.
"Great masses of men, who had crowded
together in the places easiest of ascent,
were climbing the steep at intervals and
vying in their efforts to be first. Regiments
were so intermingled that their organization
and unity soon disappeared, t h o u g h the
greater portion of e a c h clustered around
their battle flags, and these were in every
case ahead. Gradually "these groups took the
form of a wedge or triangle, the apex being
the regimental battle flag. The progress was
necessarily slow.
"Abotfe, the summit of the hill was one
sheet of flame and smoke, and the awful ex-
plosions of artillery and musketry made the
earth fairly tremble. Below, the columns of
dark blue, with the old banner of beauty and
of glory leading them on, were mounting up
with leaning forms, each eager with des-
perate resolution to be first. Cannon shot
tore through their ranks; musket balls were
rapidly and fearfully decimating them; be-
hind them the dead and wounded lay thick
as autumn leaves; before them, death was
reveling in a whirlwind of carnage; but the
lava-flood of battle pouring down upon them
no more checked the grand advance than if
it had been the soft rain of summer.
"Our brigade went up in the center of
one of the half-circular bends of the ridge.
On the right of us Hazen's men breasted a
point; to the left Beatty also had a head-
land. Between an Ohio regiment of Hazen's
brigade, and one or two of ours that had
their flags well ahead, there sprang up a
fierce rivalry as to which would be first
planted on the rebel lines. At last but a
dozen yards separated the line of gray and
the columns of blue, while the flags of the
Eighth Kansas, Sixth and 49th Ohio and sev- '
eral other regiments were but a few yards
from the red clay banks that were belching
forth streams of fire and sulphurous smoke.
"With a wild cheer and a madder rush
our men dashed forward, and for a few mo-
ments a sharp, desperate, almost hand-to-
hand fight with bayonet and ball ensued.
Before this resistless assault the rebel line
was lifted as by a whirlwind, and borne
backward, bleeding and confused. In quick
succession half a dozen Union battle flags
W i c h i t a Eagle and Beacon M a g a z i n e — N o v e m b e r 2 4 ,
were planted upon the works, and in a mo
ment more the foemen were hurrying dowi
the hill on the opposite side and off into th
woods b e y o n d . Our men were rapid!
formed, and we were preparing to mcv
down the breastworks to the left, whil
Hazen's men did the same on the right
when suddenly the whole rebel line gav
way.
"Then followed a scene of tumult an
confusion which baffles description. Graj
clad men rushed wildly down the hill an
into the woods, tossing away muskets, blar
kets and knapsacks as they ran. Officers
-frantic with rage, rushfeu from one panic
stricken group to the other, shouting ani
cursing as they strove to check the headlon,
flight, but all in vain. :' .....
"Our men, pursued the fugitives with a;
eagerness enly equaled by that of the foe
to escape; the horses of the artillery wer
shot as they, ran; squads of rebels wer
headed off and brought back as prisoners
and in 10 minutes all that remained, of th
defiant rebel army that had> besieged Chat
tanooga were captured guns, disarmed pris
oners, moaning wounded, ghastly dead, an>
scattered, demoralized fugitives. Missionar
Ridge was ours.
"The Eighth K a n s a s captured foil
pieces of artillery, 500 stand of small arms
and more prisoners than it had men in it
ranks. The regiment also claims to hav
planted upon the rebel breastworks the firs
.Union colori* that waved there. So, after tw
months and five days, ended the terribl
siege of Chattanooga. The march from Oi
chard Knob to the summit of Missionar;
Ridge occupied just one hour and 15 mil)
utes."
IN:;CONFLICT TO CLOSE
After this triumph the Eighth Kansa
returned home for a brief furlough and rt
cruitment period. Then it was sent back t
Chattanooga, and joined Gen. Sherman'
forces for the march to Atlanta. In a perioi
of 69 days, it was under fire for 63 days am
44 nights. It. spent 33 days in the siege o
Atlanta, entering the city with other Unioi
troops on Sjept. 8, 1864. Early the next yea
it took part in the battle of Nashville tha
destroyed 'Confederate Gen. Hood's arm;
and practically ended the war on the west
era sectors. After Lee's surrender in Apri
the regiment was sent to Texas and thei
home for mustering out.
During its term of service the Eightl
traveled 10,750 miles. It participated in 1
battles and 18 skirmishes. It lost in battli
three commissioned officers and 62 enliste<
men killed; 13 commissioned officers and 25!
enlisted men wounded, and one commis
sioned officer and 20 enlisted men missing-
a total of 64 killed, 272 wounded and 21 miss
ing, or full casualties of 358. Of the missinj
nearly all were killed, and of the woundei
nearly one-third died of their injuries.
* * *
Upon discharge Col. Martin at the age o
26 was breveted a brigadier general. He re
sumed duties as editor and publisher of th<
Atchison Daily Champion for the rest of hi:
life. He was the first state commander o
the Grand Army of the Republic, and upoi
election as 10th governor of the state ii
November 1884 he founded and became firs
commander of the Kansas National Guard
Reelected in 1886 as governor, he completei
his term in January of 1889. Late that yeai
he was stricken ill and died, leaving hi;
widow, Ida Challiss Martin, and seven chil
dren. Three of them still live: Paul A. Mar
tin, retired editor and publisher of the Lans
ing (Mich.) Journal; Mrs. Ruth M. Tonsing
Atchison, and Harres Martin, Merriam, Kan
Mrs. Tonsing is the mother of the write]
of this article.
* * *
Most of the facts in this story were taker
from the "Military History of the Eightl
Kansas Veteran Volunteer Infantry," a 112-
page book written by Col. Martin following
- the close of the war and published by him
in 1869.
1963—PACE 1
*
~ : • •'.-
8 •• ••"'••
W$fc$&ia
7 AT VicfORY POINT—Mrs. Ruth M.
: Tonsing, daughter of John A. Martin,
Civil War colonel of the Eighth Kan-
sas Regiment, looks at a monument
v -atop Missionary Ridge honoring the
unit which breached "the Confeder-
ate defenses at this,place. ']
ffiZW
STORY I N BRONZE — This is the
metal plate shown in photo above,
giving a brief account of the Eighth's
part in the Ridge conquest.
FEAT RECORDED — Tom Erwin of
Chattanooga reads the inscription on
a monument recalling the Eighth Kan-
ACE 4—Wichita Eagle and Beacon Magazine—November 24, 1963
From Stunning Loss
To Amazing Victory
Valiant Eighth Kansas Capped Exploits
At Missionary Ridge 100 Years Ago
By BOB TONSING SR., Staff Writer
O p e h u n d r e d y e a r s a g o t o m o r r o w ( N o v . 2 5 , 1 8 6 3 ) t o o k p l a c e one of
t h e g r e a t c h a r g e s of A m e r i c a n m i l i t a r y h i s t o r y — t h e s e e m i n g l y s u i c i d a l
d a s h u p t h e s t e e p s l o p e s of M i s s i o n a r y R i d g e a t C h a t t a n o o g a , T e n n . W i t h -
o u t , o r d e r s f r o m G e n . U.S. G r a n t , w h o w a t c h e d in a m a z e m e n t a n d c o n s t e r -
- nation from O r c h a r d Knob, inspired Union troops b r a v e d withering Con-
f e d e r a t e fire f r o m a b o v e t o s w e e p t h e e n e m y f r o m t h e s t r a t e g i c h e i g h t s
a n d open t h e w a y for S h e r m a n ' s e v e n t u a l m a r c h to A t l a n t a and t h e sea.
In t h e f o r e f r o n t of t h a t a t t a c k w a s a K a n s a s r e g i m e n t , t h e E i g h t h V o l -
u n t e e r s — t h e o n l y g r o u p f r o m t h i s n e w l y f o r m e d s t a t e to s e r v e w i t h t h e
A r m y of t h e C u m b e r l a n d a n d o n e o f t h e f e w t o see s e r v i c e - m u c h b e y o n d
t h e K a n s a s - M i s s o u r i line.
Activities of border ruffians such as
Quantrill and the continual threat of invasion
by Southern forces made it necessary to keep
most^pf the Kansas troops in the state.
That, in fact, was the Eighth's type of
duty for some months. Its history began in
September and October of 1861, when it was
mustered into service at Fort Leavenworth,
with most! of its 678 men' drawn from the*"
northeast around Atchison. Appointed as
colonel was a veteran Army officer, Henry
W. Wessels, a West Point graduate who knew
how to fashion the'untrained frontier youths
into an efficient fighting force.
Named as lieutenant colonel was John A.
Martin, who at the age of 18 had come from
Pennsylvania to Atchison, bought a pro-
slavery paper called "Squatter's Sovereign"
and had changed its name to "Freedom's
Champion." In late 1860 he had served as
secretary of the constitutional convention at
Wyandotte and had written several portions
of the document under which Kansas the fol-
lowing January was admitted to the.Union.
He then was 21 years old.
SENT TO MISSISSIPPI
The regiment spent a bitterly cold winter
on border patrol, with only a few uneventful
scouting trips into Missouri to break the
monotony. In late May of 1862, the men of
the Eighth heard with enthusiasm that they
were to head for Corinth, Miss., against
which the Union armies under General Hal-
leck were operating. Col. R. H: Graham was
in command as the barge trip down the Mis-
souri River started. At St. Louis Graham
died and Lt. Col. Martin became head of the
unit. Later designated a full colonel, he led
the regiment during its long and illustrious
service.
/ After some action at Corinth, the Eighth
in late July was ordered to march eastward
to aid in the struggle for-control of the Ten-
nessee River.
On Sept. 3, 1862, a" large Federal force
including the Eighth started for Nashville on
a forced march in bad weather and through
s u n PSoto».
sas' charge a century ago that cap-
tured Orchard Knob and cleared the
wayt for the Missionary Ridge attack.
rugged country where all bridges had been
destroyed. As Col. Martin later described it,
"Faint with hunger, drowsy from loss of
sleep, and enervated with fatigue, the ex-
hausted troops reached Nashville. Hundred's
of men had fallen by the roadside on this
terrible night march/'
In the weeks that followed the Kansans
took part in several bloody encounters with
enemy units, and won a fine reputation for
their fighting ability and spirit.
RULED NASHVILLE
On Nov. 20, Sent back to Nashville, the
Eighth took over provost duty in the city for
six months, with Col. Martin serving as pro-
vost marshal. With about two-thirds of the
citizens Southern sympathizers, the unit had
its hands full in bringing order from chaos.
Dozens of hospitals were kept operating to
receive wounded. The city was swarming
with rebel spies, since the entire Army of
the Cumberland was camped around the
city. The regiment actually served as the
municipal government. All citizens were re-
quired to sign oaths of allegiance or be sent
south to the Confederate lines.
When on June 8 the Kansans were or-
dered back to service with their division, the
citizens loudly protested, and presented Col.
Martin a gold sword in a gesture of appreci-
ation for his services.
It was evident at that time that Chat-
tanooga was the most likely point for a'show-
down battle between two great armies. In
early July, Gen. Robert E. Lee's drive to-
ward Washington was stopped by the Union
victory at Gettysburg, Pa. Almost simul-
taneously Gen. U. S. Grant captured the Mis-
sissippi River stronghold of Vicksburg and
headed east in pursuit of Southern Gen.
Braxton Bragg's forces, which took up de-
fensive positions south of Chattanooga along
Chickamauga Creek. Rail lines brought re-
inforcements from the northeast to both op-
posing armies.
Early in September Union General Rose-
crans sent his western columns pouring
piecemeal through the widely scattered
mountain passes into northern Georgia.
These included the Eighth Kansas, which
marched across Stevens gap south of Look-
out Mountain.
It was known by that time that Bragg's
forces were ahead in great strength, and
skirmishers of the two armies were keeping
up a running fight. Heavy artillery firing
could be heard during the entire day on Sept.
18, 1863.
BATTLE AT CHICKAMAUGA
This is Col. Martin's account of the
events that followed:
"The next morning we again moved on.
A disagreeable tramp of eight miles brought
us to the widow Glenn's house, where Gen.
Rosecrans' headquarters were established.
As we neared, a more terrible sound greeted
our ears—the dull, heavy crashes of a dense
musketry fire, rising and falling in sullen,
resounding, deafening roars, like waves beat-
ing upon a shore. The enemy had attacked
Reynolds' and Van Cleve's divisions, with
great fury, driving the latter back in dis-
order, and our division came up just in time
to check the impetuous advance of the
rebels. We moved rapidly nearly two miles
to the left and, after forming a line of battle,
advanced through the dense woods, 'going
JOHN A. MARTIN
. . As Kansas' Governor in 1885 .
in,' as Gen. Rosecrans expressed it, 'wher
the fight was hottest.'
"Our brigade was formed in two line.'
the Eighth Kansas, 15th Wisconsin and 35t
Illinois in front; the 25th Illinois in rear . .
"After forming we were advancing raj
idly through the rugged forest, but had pre
ceeded only a few hundred yards when
terrific volley saluted us, rapidly succeeds
by another and another. The two hostil
forces met without skirmishers in front, ani
in an instant were furiously engaged in des
perate combat. Our men promptly replied t>
the rebel fire, and at once the roar of battL
became one steady, deep, jarring thunder
Our line was moved forward firmly? until i
rested along the brow of a small rise o
ground.
"Hie "crash of musketry became dense
and more terrific, and the artillery added it:
thunder to the furious raging of the battli
storm. The rebels rushed forward line aftei
line of troops, charging with desperate valoi
and impetuosity, but our men held their po
sition firmly and defiantly, firing with sucl
coolness and precision that at every dis
charge great gaps were cut in the enemy's
lines, and bleeding, broken and staggering
they reeled before the awful hail of leadei
death that greeted them.
ATTACKS REPULSED
"In vain they rallied and advanced agaii
and again—they could not move our firm
unyielding lines. For half an hour this des-
perate struggle was thus continued. The car-
nage on both sides was dreadful. In that
brief time over a third of our brigade was
killed and wounded, and still the frightful
carnival of slaughter raged unabated. Of the
Eighth, five captains, three lieutenants and
150 men were already struck.
"Our flanks, too, were exposed, and the
lines were being enfiladed by a heavy fire,
some of the enemy having already pene-
trated, on the right and the left, far to our
rear. The desperate valor of the troops had
resisted every effort to break their line or
force them back, but at last Col. Heg (the
brigade commander), seeing that disaster
must follow this attempt to hold this isolated
position any longer, gave an order to retire,
and loading and firing as they went, our
men fell back slowly about 50 yards. Here
they were re-formed, and after a short halt,
charged the enemy with impetuous enthusi-
asm, driving him back until our former po-
sition was almost regained. For a quarter of
an hour the line was firmly held by the
thrice decimated command. Bullets flew like
hailstones; grape and canister, shot and
shell, whistled and crashed through, and
over and around the devoted ranks, but the
heroism of the men rose with the terrible
grandeur and desperation of the awful bat-
tle, and they stood like walls before the
fury of this storm.
BRIGADE CHIEF KILLED
"But no courage, however sublime; no
enthusiasm, however magnificent,, and no
discipline, however perfect, could continue
to resist the masses of fresh troops which the
enemy was constantly hurling against these
two small brigades, fighting alone in the
woods, detached from other portions of the
(Continued on Page 19)
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Civil War Defeat, Victory: Kansans Played Great Roles in Key Battles
a
J, (Continued from Page 4)
larmy, and already bereaved of nearly half
Itheir numbers^.The division nvas finally or-"
jdered to fall back to a fence some distance
;to the rear, and facing the woods in which it
had been fighting. The two brigades had lost
in killed and wounded over 40 per cent of all
^engaged. Col. Heg, our brigade commander,
.was mortally wounded about the middle of
•the afternoon, and- the command devolved
;uppn Col. Martin, of the Eighth. Two-thirds
]|bf the field officers of the division were
'jeither killed « r wounded, and over half the
'line officers. '.
i ?• * "It was sT fearful day's work. The roar
of musketry never for an instant ceased, and
at times it grew so intense as to drown the /
^crashes of artillery. The ground was strewn
with dead and wounded, and almost every
• foot of the shot-torn field was red with the
trimson of loyal blood. The two small bri-
g a d e s of Davis' division had fought, alone, /'
, two full divisions of the rebel army, .under
the personal command of Gen. J. B. Hood.
; This we learned at the time from prisoners
; {captured, and the official reports of the rebel
commanders afterward substantiated the
/fact. Gen. Hood was severely wounded d i -
rectly in front -of, the Eighth Kansas, and his
leg amputated-on the field."
.I GAP COSTS BATTLE
•f But the valiant stand of the Kansans and
I their comrades Was to prove partially futile.
! After almost equally fierce fighting the next
day, it developed that a fatal gap had been
'left in the Union lines, allowing the Confed-
erates to pour through. The Federals, fight-
ing a desperate rear-guard battle, withdrew
northward toward Chattanooga. The sorely
battered Southerners were unable to stage
an effective pursuit. >
Union losses—killed, wounded or missing
. |—in the two-day battle were 16,170 and Con-
federate 18,454, an almost identical 28 per
peat of the forces involved. Among the hard-
est hit units was the Eighth Kansas. Going
into the battle with 406 men, it lost 243, or
jover 65 per cent.
Pouring into Chattanooga, the mauled:
Federals set up makeshift defenses and
istarted more permanent ones: Gen. Bragg's
forces soon almost surrounded the city, with
•their lines anchored on Missionary Ridge
east of the city and on Lookout Mountain to
. the southwest.
For nearly two months the Confederate
I guns rained shots on the Union positions, but
their short range prevented great damage.
.'The worst foes were hunger and disease.
: Gen. Rosecrans cut officers and men to one-
' third rations. Work mules died from lack of
food. Famished men snatched grains of corn
dropped near the horse troughs. One of the
regiments killed and ate a dog that wan-
dered into camp. 1 tore through their ranks; musket balls were
NEAR STARVATION
; A separate story could be written on the
hardships endured in that siege. Col. Martin
related that he was amazed, however, • at
tihe good humor that prevailed throughout
the ordeal, and the faith in ultimate success.
This proved justified when supplies floated
down the Tennessee River, at the west edge
pi the city, arrived Oct. 26. On Nov. 12 ra-
yond reached, and then for a moment a
stubborn straggle e n s n e d, and a deafen-
ing crash and roar followed, as the rebels
strove to check this impetuous charge. But
Kansans led the van that day, and the fight-
ing blood of the old Eighth was at fever
heat. The rebel horde could no more stem
the torrent that struck them than they 'could
. check a bursting billow with a feather. Our
men dashed forward right on their line so
fiercely and rapidly that one-half of them
'were captured, and the rest broke in wild
confusion to the rear. A quick race through
the woods ensued. The fleeing rebels never
stopped until they reached their reserves
behind the line of entrenchments running
over Orchard knob. Here another struggle
came, but with a ringing cheer oar boys
rushed on like a furious flood; again the
rebel line faltered,, broke and fled, and Or-
chard Knob was oars."
From.then until Nov. 25 the Knob was
fortified to serve as a base of operations,
while guns on Missionary Ridge kept up a
hail of shots. Headquarters for Generals
Grant and Sherman we're established.
. On the morning of Nov. 25 "if was evi-
dent the Confederates hadynoved all their
artillery to 'the top of Missionary Ridge,
leaving only infantry below, and strength-
ened entrenchments up the slopes. Between
Orchard Knob and the base of the ridge was
a dense woods, then a wide, open field, and
then a slight, abrupt rise of. ground, on the
top of which was a strong line of earth-
works. Beyond was a plateau about 100 feet
wide, and above this the ridge rose, ragged,
broken and steep, to a height of nearly 500
feet, its summit crowned by a line of en-
trenchments. The entire area from the Knob
to the top of the ridge was covered by dozens
of batteries and the foes' musket fire. „ test grew deafening. AH regular formations
DEFIED HAIL OF LEAD
About 2 o'clock on the 25th the charge
order was signaled. This is Col. Martin's
story of what followed:
"Through the branches of the leafless
trees we saw a bright flame leap out and a
dull gray smoke curl up all along the sum-
mit of the ridge; a crash like a thousand
thunderclaps greeted us; s o l i d shot went
screaming through the timber, and hurtling
shells exploded above and around us, then-
scattered fragments shrieking through the
air like a legion of demons. Without an or-
der the line broke into a double quick—
fTChiclcamafiqa
Chattanooga
brave fellows, they knew the work before
them was quick success or sure destruction.
The rebel pickets, too, opened fire. Our men
did not answer, but with arms trailing or
on the right shoulder pressed forward, until
they burst like a thunderbolt out of the
woods and into the open field. Then from
the whole line there rose a Jpud, hearty,
ringing cheer, and on they swept.
"In the field the columns were caught in
the fierce fire from the rebel line at the
foot of the hill, and soon in the still deadlier
volume of musketry from its summit. But
there was never a waver nor a pause in the
advance nor a straggler from it. In a few
moments our men were nearly across the
field. There was a break in the gray lines
behind the rebel works; a few rushed to the
rear and began to climb the slope, but
nearly all, throwing down their muskets and
holding up their hands in surrender, leaped
to our side of the entrenchments and cow-
ered behind them, for the hail of bullets now
rained down from the hill was as deadly to •
them as to us. The first line was won, and
the prisoners were sent toward the rear.
"We had no orders to go beyond this line
of works, and a brief-halt was ordered; but
it was instantly seen by every soldier in the
ranks that no line could live there, raked
from every direction as it was by both ar-
tillery and infantry. Almost simultaneously
several regiments moved forward toward
the hill and, as if animated by a common
impulse, all followed. Grim and silent, with
compressed lips and eyes fixed on the goal
before them, they breasted the fiery sleet
of battle and commenced the steep ascent.
From behind the rifle pits on the summit
shot and shell rained down upon them in a
ceaseless torrent, and the roar of the con-
of lines were soon lost.
"Great masses of men, who had crowded
together in the places easiest of ascent,
were climbing the steep at intervals and
vying in their efforts to be first. Regiments
were so intermingled that their organization
and unity soon disappeared, t h o u g h the
greater portion of e a c h clustered around
their battle flags, and these were in every
case ahead. Gradually these groups took the
form of a wedge or triangle, the apex being
the regimental battle flag. The progress was
necessarily slow.
"Above, the summit of the hill was one
sheet of flame and smoke, and the awful ex-
plosions of artillery and musketry made the
earth fairly tremble. Below, the columns of
dark blue, with the old banner of beauty and
of glory leading them on, were mounting up
with leaning forms, each eager with des-
perate resolution to be first. Cannon shot
rapidly and fearfully decimating them; be-
hind them the dead and wounded lay thick
as autumn leaves; before them, death was
reveling in a whirlwind of carnage; but the
lava-flood of battle pouring down upon them
no more checked the grand advance than if
it had been the soft rain of summer.
"Our brigade went up in the center of
one of the half-circular bends of the ridge.
On the right of us Hazen's men breasted a
were planted upon the works, and in a mo
ment more the foemen were hurrying dowi
the hill on the opposite side and off into th
woods b e y o n d . Our men were rapidl;
formed, and we were preparing to mov
down the breastworks to the left, whil
Hazen's men did the same on the right
when suddenly the whole rebel line gav
way.
"Then followed a scene of tumult an
confusion which baffles description. Graj
clad men rushed wildly down the hill an
into the woods, tossing away muskets, blar
kets and knapsacks as they ran. Officers
frantic with rage, rushfeti from one panic
stricken group to the other, shouting an.
cursing as they strove to check the headlon.
flight, but all in vain.
"Our men, pursued the fugitives with a
eagerness only equaled by that of the foe
to escape; the horses of the artillery wer
shot as they, ran; squads of rebels wer
headed off and brought back as prisoners
and in 10 minutes all that remained, of th
defiant rebel army that had, besieged Chat
tanooga were captured guns, disarmed prif
oners, moaning wounded, ghastly dead, an.
scattered, demoralized fugitives. Missionar
Ridge was ours.
"The Eighth K a n s a s captured foil
pieces of artillery, 500 stand of small arms
and more prisoners than it had men in it
ranks. The regiment also claims to hav
planted upon the rebel breastworks the firs
JJnion colore that waved there. So, after tw
months and five days, ended the terribl
siege of Chattanooga. The march from Oi
chard Knob to the summit of Missionar;
Ridge occupied just one hour and 15 min
utes."
IN;;CONFLICT TO CLOSE
After this triumph the Eighth Kansa
returned home for a brief furlough and re
cruitment period. Then it was sent back t
Chattanooga, and joined Gen. Sherman'
forces for the march to Atlanta. In a perio<
of 69 days, it was under fire for 63 days an(
44 nights. It spent 33 days in the siege o
Atlanta, entering the city with other Unioi
troops on Sept. 8, 1864. Early the next yea
it took part' in the battle of Nashville tha
destroyed Confederate Gen. Hood's arm;
and practically ended the war on the wesl
ern sectors. After Lee's surrender in Apri
the regiment was sent to Texas and thei
home for mustering out.
During its term of service the Eightl
traveled 10,750 miles. It participated in li
battles and 18 skirmishes. It lost in batth
three commissioned officers and 62 enliste<
men killed; 13 commissioned officers and 25!
enlisted men wounded, and one commis
sioned officer and 20 enlisted men missing-
a total of 64 killed, 272 wounded and 21 miss
ing, or full casualties of 358. Of the missinf
nearly all were killed, and of the woundec
nearly one-third died of their injuries.
* * #
Upon discharge Col. Martin at the age o
26 was breveted a brigadier general. He re
sumed duties as editor and publisher of thi
Atchison Daily Champion for the rest of hi;
life. He was the first state commander o

tions were increased to two-thirds. ,
Meanwhile Gen. Grant had reached
*',Chattanooga and taken charge of the, de-
jense. The Eighth Kansas, its ranks rein- .
forced to near-normal strength, took a po-
sition facing Orchard Knob, in the east edge
of the city, and about a half mile from the
base of Missionary Ridge. On Nov. 15 Gen.
{Sherman arrived with fresh troops and prep-
arations began for an attack on the Rebel
^eights. c,
i When the Yanks scaled the west side of
Lookout Mountain they found the enemy al-
ready had abandoned its positions on the
.summit.
if Grant ordered capture of Orchard Knob
to serve as a base of operations. The
Eighth Kansas was chosen to lead the at-
tack. Col. Martin gave this account of the
charge on the afternoon of Nov. 23:
.i "The Held.was crossed, the woods be-
K
Chiclcamauga And
Chattanooga Nat'l
Pari
30 Miles
BATTLE AREA—This map shows the
routes by which tourists may visit the
Chickamauga battlefield (lower left
in Georgia) and Missionary Ridge,
which serves as the eastern boundary
of the main section of Chattanooga.
An auto road traverses the entire
length and is lined with monuments
honoring military units which fought
there.
point; to the left Beatty also had a head-
land. Between an Ohio regiment of Hazen's
brigade, and one or two of ours that had
their flags well ahead, there sprang up a
fierce rivalry as to which would be first
planted on the rebel lines. At last but a
dozen yards separated the line of gray and
the columns of blue, while the flags of the
Eighth Kansas, Sixth and 49th Ohio and sev- '
era! other regiments were but a few yards
from the red clay banks that were belching
forth streams of fire and sulphurous smoke.
"With a wild cheer and a madder rush
oar men dashed forward, and for a few mo-
ments a sharp, desperate, almost hand-to-
hand fight with bayonet and ball ensued.
Before this resistless assault the rebel line
was lifted as by a whirlwind, and borne
backward, bleeding and confused. In quick
succession half a dozen Union battle flags
Wichita Eagle and Beacon Magazine—November 24, 1963—PACE 1
the Grand Army of the Republic, and upoi
election as 10th governor of the state ii
November 1884 he founded and became firs
commander of the Kansas National Guard
Reelected in 1886 as governor, he completec
his term in January of 1889. Late that yeai
he was stricken ill and died, leaving hi;
widow, Ida Challiss Martin, and seven chil
dren. Three of them still live: Paul A. Mar
tin, retired editor and publisher of the Lans
ing (Mich.) Journal; Mrs. Ruth M. Tonsing
Atchison, and Harres Martin, Merriam, Kan
Mrs. Tonsing is the mother of the writei
of this article.
* * *
Most of the facts in this story were taker
from the "Military History of the Eightl
Kansas Veteran Volunteer Infantry," a 112-
page book written by Col. Martin following
~ the close of the war and published by him
in 1869.

A T VICTORY POINT—Mrs. Ruth M.
Tonsing, daughter of John A. Martin,
Civil War colonel of the Eighth Kan-
sas Regiment, looks at a monument
1,-arop Missionary Ridge honoring "the
unit which breached 'the Confeder-
ate defenses at this;p|ace.
STORY I N BRONZE — This is the
metal plate shown in photo above,
giving a brief account of the Eighth's
part in the Ridge conquest.
b A disagreeable tramp of eight miles brought
r
FEAT RECORDED — Tom Erwin of
Chattanooga reads the inscription on
a monument recalling the Eighth Kan-
ACE 4—Wichita Eagle and Beacon Magazine—November 24, 1963
F r o m Stunning Loss
To Amazing Victory
Valiant Eighth Kansas Capped Exploits
At Missionary Ridge 100 Years Ago
By BOB TONSING SR.# Staff Writer
One hundred years ago tomorrow (Nov. 25, 1863) took place one of
the great charges of American military history — the seemingly suicidal
dash up the steep slopes of Missionary Ridge at Chattanooga, Tenn. With-
o u t o r d e r s from Gen. U.S. Grant, who watched in amazement and conster-
- nation from Orchard Knob, inspired Union troops braved withering Con-
federate fire from above to sweep the enemy from the strategic heights
and open the way for Sherman's even tual march to Atlanta and the sea.
In the forefront of that attack w a s a Kansas regiment, the Eighth Vol-
unteers—the only group from this newly formed state to serve with the
Army of the Cumberland and one of the few to see service^much beyond
the Kansas-Missouri line.
Activities of border ruffians such as rugged country where all bridges had been
Quantrill and the continual threat of invasion destroyed. As Col. Martin later described it,
by Southern forces made it necessary to keep "Faint with hunger, drowsy from loss of
most,of the Kansas troops in the state. sleep, and enervated with fatigue, the ex-
That, in fact, was the Eighth's type of hausted troops reached Nashville. Hundreds
duty for some months. Its history began in of men had fallen by the roadside on this
September and October of 1861, when it was terrible night march.*''
mustered into service at Fort Leavenworth,
with most' of its 678 men drawn from the'' In the weeks that followed the Kansans
took part in several bloody encounters with
northeast around Atchison. Appointed as
colonel was a veteran Army officer, Henry enemy units, and won a fine reputation for
their fighting ability and spirit.
W. Wessels, a West Point graduate who knew
how to fashion the" untrained frontier youths
RULED NASHVILLE
into an efficient fighting force.
Named as lieutenant colonel was John A. On Nov. 20, gent back to Nashville, the
Martin, who at the age of 18 had come from Eighth took over provost duty in the city for
Pennsylvania to Atchison, bought a pro- six months, with Col. Martin serving as pro-
slavery paper called "Squatter's Sovereign" vost marshal. With about two-thirds of the
and had changed its pame to "Freedom's citizens Southern sympathizers, the unit had
Champion." In late 1860 he had served as its hands full in bringing order from chaos.
secretary of the constitutional convention at Dozens of hospitals were kept operating to
Wyandotte and had written several portions receive wounded. The city was swarming
of the document under which Kansas the fol- with rebel spies, since the entire Army of
lowing January was admitted to the.Union. the Cumberland was camped around the
He then was 21 years old. city. The regiment actually served as the
municipal government. All citizens were re-
SENT TO MISSISSIPPI quired to sign oaths of allegiance or be sent
south to the Confederate lines.
The regiment spent a bitterly cold winter
on border patrol, with only a few uneventful When on June 8 the Kansans were or-
scouting trips into Missouri to break the dered back to service with their division, the
monotony. In late May of 1862, the men of citizens loudly protested, and presented Coi.
Martin a gold sword in a gesture of appreci-
the Eighth heard with enthusiasm that they ation for his services.
were to head for Corinth, Miss., against
which the Union armies under General Hal- It was evident at that time that Chat-
leck were operating. Col. R. H. Graham was tanooga was the most likely point for a'show-
in command as the barge trip down the Mis- down battle between two great armies. In
souri River started. At St. Louis Graham early July, Gen. Robert E. Lee's drive to-
died and Lt. Col. Martin became head of the ward Washington was stopped by the Union
unit. Later designated a full colonel, he led victory at Gettysburg, Pa. Almost simul-
the regiment during its long and illustrious taneously Gen. U. S. Grant captured the Mis-
service. sissippi River stronghold of Vicksburg and
f After some action at Corinth, the Eighth headed east in pursuit of Southern Gen.
in late July was ordered to march eastward Braxton Bragg's forces, which took up de-
to aid in the struggle for-control of the Ten- fensive positions south of Chattanooga along
nessee River. Chickamauga Creek. Rail lines brought re-
inforcements from the northeast to both op-
On Sept. 3, 1862, a large Federal force posing armies.
including the Eighth started for Nashville on
a forced march in bad weather and through Early in September Union General Rose-
crans sent his western columns pouring
piecemeal through the widely scattered
mountain passes into northern Georgia.
These included the Eighth Kansas, which
marched across Stevens gap south of Look-
out Mountain.
It was known by that time that Bragg's
forces were ahead in great strength, and
skirmishers of the two armies were keeping
up a running fight. Heavy artillery firing
could be heard during the entire day on Sept.
18, 1863.
BATTLE AT CHICKAMAUGA
This is Col. Martin's account of the
events that followed:
"The next morning we again moved on.
us to the widow Glenn's house, where Gen.
Rosecrans' headquarters were established.
As we neared, a more terrible sound greeted
our ears—the dull, heavy crashes of a dense
musketry fire, rising and falling in sullen,
resounding, deafening roars, like waves beat-
ing upon a shore. The enemy had attacked
Reynolds' and Van Cleve's divisions, with
great fury, driving the latter back in dis-
order, and our division came up just in time
S U M Pliotoo. to check the impetuous advance of the
sas' charge a century ago that cap- rebels. We moved rapidly nearly two miles
tured Orchard Knob and cleared the to the left and, after forming a line of battle,
way^ for the Missionary Ridge attack. advanced through the dense woods, 'going
-
JOHN A. M A R T I N
. . As Kansas' Governor in 1885 .
in,' as Gen. Rosecrans expressed it, 'wher
the fight was hottest.'
"Our brigade was formed in two line;
the Eighth Kansas, 15th Wisconsin and 35t
Illinois in front; the 25th Illinois in rear . .
"After forming we were advancing raj
idly through the rugged forest, but had pre
ceeded only a few hundred yards when
terrific volley saluted us, rapidly succeeds
by another and another. The two hostil
forces met without skirmishers in front, an.
in an instant were furiously engaged in des
perate combat. Our men promptly replied t
the rebel fire, and at once the roar of battli
became one steady, deep, jarring thunder
Our line was moved forward firmlyi until i
rested along the brow of a small rise o
ground.
"The'crash of musketry became dense
and more terrific, and the artillery added it:
thunder to the furious raging of the battle
storm. The rebels rushed forward line aftei
line of troops, charging with desperate valoi
and impetuosity, but our men held their po
sition firmly and defiantly, firing with sucl
coolness and precision that at every dis
charge great gaps were cut in the enemy':
lines, and bleeding, broken and staggering
they reeled before the awful hail of leader
death that greeted them.
ATTACKS REPULSED
"In vain they rallied and advanced agaii
and again—they could not move our firm,
unyielding lines. For half an hour this des-
perate struggle was thus continued. The car-
nage on both sides was dreadful. In thai
brief time over a third of our brigade was
killed and wounded, and still the frightful
carnival of slaughter raged unabated. Of the
Eighth, five captains, three lieutenants and
150 men were already struck.
"Our flanks, too, were exposed, and the
lines were being enfiladed by a heavy fire,
some of the enemy having already pene-
trated, on the right and the left, far to our
rear. The desperate valor of the troops had
resisted every effort to break their line or
force them back, but at last Col. Heg (the
brigade commander), seeing that disaster
must follow this attempt to hold this isolated
position any longer, gave an order to retire,
and loading and firing as they went, our
men, fell back slowly about 50 yards. Here
they were re-formed, and after a short halt,
charged the enemy with impetuous enthusi-
asm, driving him back until our former po-
sition was almost regained. For a quarter of
an hour the line was firmly held by the
thrice decimated command. Bullets flew like
hailstones; grape and canister, shot and
shell, whistled and crashed through, and
over and around the devoted ranks, but the
heroism of the men rose with the terrible
grandeur and desperation of the awful bat-
tle, and they stood like walls before the
fury of this storm.
BRIGADE CHIEF KILLED
"But no courage, however sublime; no
enthusiasm, however magnificent,, and no
discipline, however perfect, could continue
to resist the masses of fresh troops which the
enemy was constantly hurling against these
two small brigades, fighting alone in the
woods, detached from other portions of the
(Continued on Page 19)
 has Sandra Dee co-starred with

Adventure, Chills in Films Bobby Darin.

42 SKYVUE — "September
Location's Everything
Storm," ^combining passion, HOLLYWOOD (AP)—Archie 'You know," said Co

I VICTORY— Adventure and

chills are wrapped up in the
three features showing. Paul
Newman stars in "Hud". Bar-
bara Stanwyck and Robert Ry-
an take the leads uV'Tbe Vam-
pire." "Escape to Burma" is
the third feature,
'MEADOWLARK— The'intri-
guing "Mondo Case" doubles
with "Wall of Noise," starring
Suzanne Pleshette, Ty Hardin
and Dorothy Provine.
TWIN — Paul Newman, Jo-
anne Woodward and Thelma
Ritter are featured in the ro-
mantic comedy, "A New Kind
of Love," which is set in gay
Paris. "If a Man Answers"
treasure-hunting and greed,
features Joanne Dru, Mark
Stevens and Robert Strauss.
Also showing are "Far Coun-
try," with James Stewart and
Ruth Roman, and "The She
Creature," with Chester Mor-
ris and Maria English.
Moore, the ageless ex-light- "you look like you could
heavywejght champ, is work-
ing as an actor now in mo\yes five or six rounds with Soi
Liston right now."
and television.
The other day Lee J. Cobb "Well, that depends," s
was complimenting the old •Archie. "Whether you m(
Mongoose on his fine physical in a bar—or in the ring,
condition. you mean the ring, never."

Civil War Defeat, Victory: Kansans Played Great Roles in Key Battles
j, . (Continued from Page 4)
larmy, and already bereaved of nearly half
their numbers. The division «was finally or-"
dered to fall back to a.fence some distance
to the rear, and facing the woods in which it
had been fighting. The two brigades had lost
in killed and wounded over 40 per cent of all
; engaged. Col. Heg, our brigade commander,
1 was mortally wounded about the middle of
-the afternoon, and the command devolved
jnppn Col. Martin, of the Eighth. Two-thirds
*;;of the field officers of the division were
teither killed or wounded, and over half the
aline offleers. ' the woods ensued. The fleeing rebels never
58 *"R was £ fearful day's work. The roar
of musketry never for an instant ceased, and
at times it grew so intense as to drown the / over
'crashes of artillery. The ground was strewn
I with dead and wounded, and almost every
\ foot of the shot-torn field was red with the
'•crimson of loyal blood. The two small bri-
g a d e s of Davis' division had fought, alone,
,.xwo full divisions of the rebel army, .under
the personal command of Gen. J. B. Hood.
1 This we learned at the time from prisoners
captured, and the official reports of the rebel Grant and Sherman we're established.
comjnanders afterward substantiated the
^fact. Gen. I^ood was severely wounded d i -
rectly in front of the Eighth Kansas, and his
leg amputated on the field."
$f ' GAP COSTS BATTLE
m But the valiant stand of the Kansans and
their comrades Was to prove partially futile.
| After almost equally fierce fighting the next
day, it developed that a fatal gap had been
left in the Union lines, allowing ihe Confed-
erates to pour through. The Federals, fight-
ing a desperate rear-guard battle, withdrew
northward toward Chattanooga. The sorely
battered Southerners were unable to stage
an effective pursuit. »
{ Union losses—killed, wounded or missing
. p-in the two-day battle were 16,170 and Con-
federate 18,454, an almost identical 28 per
cent of the forces involved. Among the hard-
est hit units was the Eighth Kansas. Going
jnto the battle with 406 men, it lost 243, or
jover 65 per cent.
•j Pouring into Chattanooga, the mauled i
!Federals set up makeshift defenses and
started more permanent ones. Gen. Bragg's
Jorces soon almost surrounded the city, with
•their lines anchored on Missionary Ridge
'• east of the city and on Lookout Mountain to
• the southwest.
For nearly two months the Confederate
Vguns rained shots on tie Union positions, but
their short range prevented great damage.
:The worst foes were hunger and disease.
: Gen. Rosecrans cut officers and men to one-
' third rations. Work mules died from lack of
food. Famished men snatched grains of corn
dropped near the horse troughs. One of the
regiments killed and ate a dog that wan-
dered into camp. i tore through their ranks; musket balls were
NEAR STARVATION
I A separate story could be written on the
hardships endured in that siege. Col. Martin
related that he was amazed, however, • at
a the good humor that prevailed throughout
the ordeal, and the faith in ultimate success.
.This proved justified when supplies floated
down the Tennessee River, at the west edge
<at the city, arrived Oct. 26. On Nov. 12 ra-
: tions were increased to two-thirds. .
Meanwhile Gen. Grant had reached
"iChattanooga and taken charge of the de-
fense. The Eighth Kansas, its ranks rein- .
"forced to near-normal strength, took a po-
sition facing Orchard Knob, in the east edge
of the city, and about a half mile from the
base of Missionary Ridge. On Nov. 15 Gen.
Sherman arrived with fresh troops and prep-
arations began for an attack on the Rebel
^eights. :•:••£
• I When the Yanks scaled the west side of
Lookout Mountain they found the enemy al-
ready 'had abandoned its positions on the
J Summit.
!f Grant ordered capture of Orchard Knob
to serve as a base of operations. The
Eighth Kansas was chosen to lead the at-
tack. Col. Martin gave this account of the
''{charge on the afternoon of Nov. 25:
J "The field.was crossed, the woods be-
yond reached, and then for a moment a
stubborn straggle e n s u e d , and a deafen-
ing crash and roar followed, as the rebels
strove to check this impetuous charge. But
Kansans led the van that day, and the fight-
ing blood of the old Eighth was at fever
heat. The rebel horde could no more stem
the torrent that struck them than they could
check a bursting billow with a feather. Our
men dashed forward right on their line so
fiercely and rapidly that one-half of them
'were captured, and the rest broke in wild
confusion to the rear. A quick race through
stopped until they reached their .reserves
behind the line of entrenchments running
Orchard Knob. Here another struggle
came, but with a ringing cheer our boys
rushed on like a furious flood; again the
rebel line faltered,, broke and fled, and Or-
chard Knob was ours."
From.then until Nov. 25 the Knob was
fortified to serve as a base of operations,
while guns on Missionary Ridge kept up a
hail of shots. Headquarters for Generals
-On the morning of Nov. 25"if was evi-
dent the Confederates' had^noved all their
artillery to.'the top of Missionary Ridge,
.leaving only infantry below, and strength-
ened entrenchments up the slopes. Between
Orchard Knob and the base of the ridge was
a dense woods, then a wide, open field, and
then a slight, abrupt rise of. ground, on the
top of which was a strong line of earth-
works. Beyond was a plateau about 100 feet
wide, and above this the ridge rose, ragged,
broken and steep, to a height of nearly 500
feet, its summit crowned by a line of en-
trenchments. The entire area from the Knob
to ttie top of the ridge was covered by dozens
of batteries and the foes' musket fire. , test grew deafening. All regular formations
DEFIED HAIL OF LEAD
About 2 o'clock on the 25th the charge
order was signaled. This is Col. Martin's
story of what followed^. '
"Through the branches of the leafless
trees we saw a bright flame leap out and a
dull gray smoke curl up all along the sum-
mit of the ridge; a crash like a thousand
thunderclaps greeted us; s o l i d shot went
screaming through the timber, and hurtling
shells exploded above and around us, then-
scattered fragments shrieking through the
air like a legion of demons. Without an or-
der the line broke into a double quick—
TENNESSEE^
<fChickamauqa
Il27l:!:|:i
Chattanooga
^* X"wGEORGIA
Chickarnauga And
~13 \
Chattanooga Nat'l
Part
3d Milts
BATTLE AREA—This map shows the
routes by which tourists may visit the
Chickamauga battlefield (lower left
in Georgia) and Missionary Ridge,
which serves as the eastern boundary
of the main section of Chattanooga.
An auto road traverses the entire
length and is lined with monuments
honoring military units which fought
there.
brave fellows, they knew the work before
them was quick success or sure destruction.
The rebel pickets, too, opened fire. Our men
did not answer, but with arms trailing or
on the right shoulder pressed forward, until
they burst like a thunderbolt out of the
woods and into the open field. Then from
the whole line there rose a ]pud, hearty,
ringing cheer, and on they swept.
"In the field the columns were caught in
the fierce fire from the rebel line at the
foot of the hill, and soon in the still deadlier
volume of musketry from its summit. But
there was never a waver nor a pause in the
advance nor a straggler from it. In a few
moments our men were nearly across the
field. There was a break in the gray lines
behind the rebel works; a few rushed to the
rear and began to climb the slope, but
nearly all, throwing down their muskets and
holding up their hands in surrender, leaped
to our side of the entrenchments and cow-
ered behind them, for the hail of bullets now
rained down from the hill was as deadly to •
them as to us. The first line was won, and
the prisoners were sent toward the rear.
"We had no orders to go beyond this line
of works, and a brief'halt was ordered; but
It was instantly seen by every soldier in the
ranks that no line could live there, raked
from every direction as it was by both ar-
tillery and infantry. Almost simultaneously
several regiments moved forward toward
the hill and, as if animated by a common
impulse, all followed. Grim and silent, with
compressed lips and eyes fixed on the goal
before them, they breasted the fiery sleet
of battle and commenced the steep ascent.
From behind the rifle pits on the summit
sfiot and shell rained down upon them in a
ceaseless torrent, and the roar of the con-
of lines were soon lost.
"Great masses of men, who had crowded
together in the places easiest of asceni,
were climbing the steep at intervals and
vying in their efforts to be first. Regiments
were so intermingled that their organization
and unity soon disappeared, t h o u g h the
greater portion of e a c h clustered around
their battle flags, and these were in every
case ahead. Gradually these groups took the
form of a wedge or triangle, the apex being
the regimental battle flag. The progress was
necessarily slow.
t the regiment was sent to Texas and thei
"Above, the summit of the hill was one
sheet of flame and smoke, and the awful ex-
plosions of artillery and musketry made the
earth fairly tremble. Below, the columns of
dark blue, with the old banner of beauty and
of glory leading them on, were mounting up
with leaning forms, each eager with des-
perate resolution to be first. Cannon shot
rapidly and fearfully decimating them; be-
hind them the dead and wounded lay thick
as autumn leaves; before them, death was
reveling in a whirlwind of carnage; but the
lava-flood of battle pouring down upon them
no more checked the grand advance than if
it had been the soft rain of summer.
"Our brigade went up in the center of
one of the half-circular bends of the ridge.
On the right of us Hazen's men breasted a
point; to the left Beatty also had a head-
land. Between an Ohio regiment of Hazen's
brigade, and one or two of ours that had
their flags well ahead, there sprang up a
fierce rivalry as to which would be first
planted on the rebel lines. At last but a
dozen yards separated the line of gray and
the columns of blue, while the flags of the
Eighth Kansas, Sixth and 49th Ohio and sev-
era other regiments were but a few yards
from the red clay banks that were belching
forth streams of fire and sulphurous smoke.
"With a wild cheer and a madder rush
our men dashed forward, and for a few mo-
ments a sharp, desperate, almost hand-to-
hand fight with bayonet and ball ensued.
Before this resistless assault the rebel line
was lifted as by a whirlwind, and borne
backward, bleeding and confused. In quick
succession half a dozen Union battle flags
Wichita Eagle and Beacon Magazine—November 24, 1963—PACE 1
were planted upon the works, and in a mo
ment more the foemen were hurrying dowi
the hill on the opposite side and off into th
woods b e y o n d . Our men were rapidl;
formed, and we were preparing to mov
down the breastworks to the left, whil
Hazen's men did the same on the right
when suddenly the whole rebel line gav
way.
"Then followed a scene of tumult an
confusion which baffles description. Gray
clad men rushed wildly down the hill an
into the woods, tossing away muskets, blar
kets and knapsacks as they ran. Officers
frantic with rage, rushfeU from one panic
stricken group to the other, shouting an<
cursing as they strove to check the headlon.
flight, but all in vain.
"Our men, pursued the fugitives with a;
eagerness only equaled by that of the foe
to escape; the horses of the artillery wer
shot as they, ran; squads of rebels wer
headed off and brought back as prisoner*
and in 10 minutes all that remained, of th
defiant rebel army that had besieged Chat
tanooga were captured guns, disarmed pris
oners, moaning wounded, ghastly dead, an
scattered, demoralized fugitives. Missionar
Ridge was ours.
"The Eighth K a n s a s captured foil
pieces of artillery, 500 stand of small arms
and more prisoners than it had men in it
ranks. The regiment also claims to hav
planted upon the rebel breastworks the firs
.Union colore that waved there. So, after tw
months and five days, ended the terribl
siege of Chattanooga. The march from Oi
chard Knob to the summit of Missionar;
Ridge occupied just one hour and 15 miu
utes."
IN:;CONFLICT TO CLOSE
After this triumph the Eighth Kansa
returned home for a brief furlough and re
cruitment period. Then it was sent back t
Chattanooga, and joined Gen. Sherman'
forces for the march to Atlanta. In a perioc
of 69 days, it was under fire for 63 days ani
44 nights. It. spent 33 days in the siege o
Atlanta, entering the city with other Unioi
troops on §ept. 8, 1864. Early the next yea
it took part in the battle of Nashville tha
destroyed Confederate Gen. Hood's arm;
and practically ended the war on the west
ern sectors. After Lee's surrender in Apri
home for mustering out.
During its term of service the Eightl
traveled 10,750 miles. It participated in V
battles and 18 skirmishes. It lost in battli
three commissioned officers and 62 enliste<
men killed; 13 commissioned officers and 25!
enlisted men wounded, and one commis
sioned officer and 20 enlisted men missing-
a total of 64 killed, 272 wounded and 21 miss
ing, or full casualties of 358. Of the missinj
nearly all were killed, and of the woundei
nearly one-third died of their injuries.
* * *
Upon discharge Col. Martin at the age o
26 was breveted a brigadier general. He re
sumed duties as editor and publisher of th<
Atchison Daily Champion for the rest of hi:
life. He was the first state commander o
the Grand Army of the Republic, and upoi
election as 10th governor of the state ii
November 1884 he founded and became firs
commander of the Kansas National Guard
Reelected in 1886 as governor, he completet
his term in January of 1889. Late that yea)
he was stricken ill and died, leaving hi.'
widow, Ida Challiss Martin, and seven chil-
dren. Three of them still live; Paul A. Mar
tin, retired editor and publisher of the Lans
ing (Mich.) Journal; Mrs. Ruth M. Tonsing
Atchison, and Harres Martin, Merriam, Kan
Mrs. Tonsing is the mother of the writei
of this article.
* * *
Most of the facts in this story were taken
from the "Military History of the Eightl
Kansas Veteran Volunteer Infantry," a 112-
page book written by Col. Martin following
- the close of the war and published by him
in 1869.