Meantime, the Second Minnesota fulfilled the trust left to it by the Tenth Indiana. The stalwart farmers and lumbermen that composed it performed the duty allotted to them deliberately and with perfect success. They loaded and fired with ease and calmness, and seemed to think no more of the work they were doing than of handling a plow or plying an axe.
The widely-renowned Ninth Ohio did not join in the bloody strife in its earliest stages. At about half-past eight, however, its impatience for the fray was at last gratified, and it appeared upon the stage in solid line of battle, moving measuredly, and with the confident and determined air of veterans, through a broad, open field on the right of the road, to within two hundred yards, and began a fire upon some rebel regiments that were firing from behind a fence, with regularity and precision. It held the right alone while the action continued.
The rebels succeeded in bringing a battery of their artillery in position about nine o’clock, and opened upon the Federal troops shortly afterward with solid and hollow shot. Their balls and shells all went high over the Union soldiers, not one of whom owed his death or wound to the rebel artillery.
Captains Kinney’s, Standart’s, and Whetmore’s Ohio batteries were brought into position, and rendered effective service whenever an opportunity offered. In the heat of the engagement Captain Kinney ordered one section of his battery within sixty yards of the enemy’s line, and opened a deadly fire upon them, which added greatly to the success of the day.
The battle was now at its height, and the effect of the artillery, roaring through the conflict, with the crash of shells and sharp whistle of bullets, was increased by a storm that had broken out in the morning, and now poured a deluge of rain on the combatants. For a time, the lightning of heaven vied in sharpness with the flash of artillery, and rolling bursts of thunder went booming over the mountains, giving terrible effect to the whole scene.
BATTLE OF MILL SPRING.
Amid this storm, the opposing lines of battle were several times carried so close to each other that the fight was urged on with a hand-to-hand encounter, and the commanders on both sides came in dangerous contiguity with the foe.
Up to eleven o’clock, the fighting was confined almost entirely to an exchange of lead and iron. The Union right and left would advance on the enemy, fire, and fall back. Then the Secession forces would advance, exchange shots, each side holding its own ground and no more.
The Fourteenth Ohio and Tenth Kentucky, sent for as soon as the alarm had been given, being reported to General Thomas coming up with their battery from their encampment on the Columbus road, on a full run, he at last determined to bring matters to an issue. He directed General Carter to flank the enemy’s right with his regiments, which had been restive all the morning under the necessity of remaining idle spectators.