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HOOVER GAP WAS AN INPORTANT TELEGRAPH STATION DURING THE CIVIL WAR OR THE GREAT WAR OF NORTHERN AGGRESSION AS IT IS KNOWN HERE STOP FOR SIX MONTHS AFTER THE BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO ROSECRANS UNION ARMY AND BRAGGS CONFEDERATE ARMY WERE POSITIONED WITHIN 20 MILES OF EACH OTHERE STOP NEITHER HAD BEE VERY AGGRESSIVE STOP DESPITE URGENT PLEADINGS FROM WASHINGTON TO MOVE SOUTH TOWARD CHATTANOOGA ROSECRANS WAITED STOP BETWEEN THE ARMIES WAS A RIDGE THAT WAS PIERCED BY FOUR GAPS ALL DEFENEDED BY ENTRENCHED REBELS STOP ROSECRANS DECIDED TO MAKE A FEINT TOWARD THE WESTERN GAPS AND THEN PLUNGE HIS ARMY THROUGH THE EASTERNMOST ONE HOOVERS GAP STOP
LEADING THE ARMY TO THE THREE MILE LONG HOOVER GAP ON JUNE 24 1863 WAS A BRIGADE OF 2000 MOUNTED INFANTRYMEN LED BY COLONEL JOHN WILDER STOP THE INFANTRYMEN WERE ARMED WITH SEVEN-SHOT SPENCER REPEATING RIFLES STOP THEIR INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO ENTER THE GAP AT A TROT SIEZE THE ENEMY PICKETS AND WAIT FOR REINFORCEMENTS STOP INSTEAD WILDER LED HIS MEN INTO THE GAP AT A GALLOP AND SWEPT THE ENEMY BEFORE THEM STOP THEY RACED THE THREE MILES THROUGH THE GAP AND STOPPED ONLY WHEN THEY CAME TO THE EXIT ON THE OTHER SIDE STOP WILDERS BRIGADE DISMOUNTED AND USED THEIR REPEATING RIFLES AND SIX CANNON TO REPULSE REPEATED ASSAULTS BY TO CONFEDERATE BRIGADES STOP THE ASSAULTS CONTINUED UNTIL 7PM WHEN UNION REINFORCEMENTS CAUGHT UP TO WILDERS TROOPS STOP
THE SECRET OF WILDERS SUCCESS WAS THE HEAVY FIRE OF THE REPEATING RIFLES STOP THEY WERE THE FIRST OF THE WESTERN ARMIES TO BE EQUIPPED WITH THE MODERN WEAPONS STOP A MEMBER OF THE BRIGADE WROTE TO HIS WIFE QUOTE OUR MEN DO ADORE THEM AS THE HEATHEN DO THEIR IDOLS CLOSE QUOTE STOP YOU ARE SEEKING A 35 MM FILM CANNISTER STOP
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