Book \ /' / ■\ T^ ^Uyti:inbcr iS, jSbJ. The Confederates opening- fire upon the Federal cavalry, who had begun the destruction of Reed's Bridge. The strength of Rosecrans's arm}% during the three days' struggle, was 64,392 men. Bragg opened with 33,583 the first day; but, during the second, was re-enforced by Long- street's corps, which had just arrived from Virginia, and which made his total force engaged 47,321. Longstreet's troops arrived via the Western & Atlantic Railroad, and deployed from the trains at Ringgold and Greenwood, just below, and hurried into the midst of the fray. As the result of this battle, the Federal army was driven back into Chattanooga ; and the Confederates occupied Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain, from which 16 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. latter they could overlook Chattanooga, and by the possession of which they were enabled to break Rosecrans's communications by rail with Nashville. They also re- occupied Bridgeport. Thus matters continued for two months, during which there was great suffering among the Federal soldiery, in Chattanooga, on account of the difficulty in getting provisions, stores, etc., across the country in wagons. By the end of that time, however, the Union army had been very largely re-enforced, and General Grant had come to Chattanooga and taken personal command. He also had with him Generals Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas, McPherson, Hooker, and other leaders of national reputation for marked ability. In the meantime, Bragg had sent Longstreet's corps to Knoxville, for the purpose of reducing that point, and repossessing East Tennessee. This movement had weakened his numbers at Chattanooga very materially ; so that when, on the morning of November 24, 1863, General Grant made his attack upon Bragg, with about 65,000 of the best-equipped and bravest soldiers in America, the latter con- fronted him with a line extending about seven miles from the crest of Lookout Mountain, across the gap between that and Missionary Ridge, and thence along the summit of Missionary Ridge, almost to the present Boyce Station, on the Western & Atlantic Railroad, with a total force of scarcely more than 35,000 men. During the forenoon of November 24th, Hooker's corps, covered by the fire of heavy guns on Moccasin Point, climbed through the clouds, concealing its movements, up the sides of Lookout Mountain, which was held by Walthall's brigade of Confederates. The Confederate force, during the early portion of the fight, consisted of 1,489 men. During the evening they received re-enforcements of about 600 more. The contest continued fiercely, amid the thick mists which completely enveloped the steep and craggy heights, until about two o'clock A. M. of November 25th, when the mountain was abandoned by the Confederates, who retired, in comparatively good order, down its sides across Chat- tanooga Creek Valley to Missionary Ridge. Several hundred of them, however, were cut off and captured. During the latter part of the fight the clouds drifted from the moun- tain side, exposing the majestic panorama to the eyes of the Confederates on Missionary Ridge. The view from the Ridge is said to have been magnificently grand, the flashings and blaze of musketry and artillery being almost incessant, while, like distant angry thunder, the reverberations rolled far across the hills and down the long valleys. On the morning of the 25th, the combat began all along the line for about a half a dozen miles. The evolutions of the Federal army, on the plain below, were described by the Confederates as being as regular as upon dress parade. The assault was impetuous ; but for several hours it appeared as if the Confederates would hold the position. Sher- man's attack upon the Confederate right met a masterly repulse at the hands of the lion- hearted Cleburne. The assault was renewed with desperate energy; but again Cleburne held his own, against fearful odds, hurling back the attacking columns with great loss, and capturing eight stands of colors. General Hardee, who commanded the Confederate right wing, was at all points along his front as the terrific struggle progressed. His troops had o 5 G) 18 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. repulsed the Federal attack upon them wherever made, and were cheering for victory at the very moment Grant's columns were breaking through the Confederate left center, and rend- ing the air with their enthusiastic shouts. General Cheatham, discovering the catastrophe, galloped to his left, and formed Walthall's brigade of his division across the ridge, and checked the Federals on his flank, and, with his command, held this point, while Cleburne also maintained his position till dark, when the entire right wing drew off, in good order and without the loss of a single gun in any of its batteries. Soon after the Confederate center was broken, about four P. M., the entire line, except the right, gave way ; and the result was a disastrous rout of Bragg's army, with a loss of about 40 pieces of artillery, 6,000 prisoners, and 3,100 killed and wounded. The loss of the Federal army in killed and wounded was 5,286 men, besides 337 missing. The next day there was a very spirited conflict near Chickamauga Station, on the Western & Atlantic Railroad. The Confederates were partially intrenched, but soon abandoned the position. That evening the head of Sherman's columns encountered the rear-guard of Bragg's retreating army near Graysville, also a station on the railroad. The fight was quite sharp ; but a dark night closed upon the combatants; and, during the night, the Confederates retired.* The next day Hooker, rapidly pursuing, found General Cleburne awaiting him with his division at Ringgold. Cleburne had stationed his forces on the ridge just southeast of Ringgold, and in the ravine by which the Western & Atlantic Railroad passes through it. The Confederates had two pieces of artillery masked behind Screens of withered branches in the ravine. The Federal head of column passed through the town ; but suddenly, in this mountain pass, discovered the Confederate forces in front, from whom a destructive fire was opened upon them. As they were thus thrown into disorder, the masked battery opened with terrible effect upon their flank ; and they were compelled to retire precipitately to the plain, in which the town is located. They here formed and made a determined attack upon the Confederates at all points. The fighting in the ravine through which the railroad runs, and in the counter ravine at the northern end of the short ridge extending from the pass, several hundred yards parallel to the railroad, was very desperate and bloody. The assaulting columns made some progress up the sides of the ridge, when the fire from the Confederate line became so destructive, and the rolling of huge rocks down the mountain slope threw the assailants into such confusion, and inflicted such loss, that they were compelled to give over the attack and await the arrival of re-enforcements. The Confederates afterwards retired unmolested. This vigorous resistance, on Cleburne's part, temporarily checked the pursuit of Bragg's army, and saved a very large wagon train, which had been parked at Catoosa Station, and which the Confederates were preparing to burn, in the event that Cleburne was driven back from Ringgold. * Graysville was also the scene of a hot fight between Wheeler's Confederate cavalry and the Federals, on August 1 6th of the same year. This was during the siege of Atlanta, and Hood had sent Wheeler to raid .Sherman's communications. 20 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. One of the relics of this bloody struggle is the Jobe house, which stands in the northern end of the pass, on the west side of the railroad. On the day of the battle, some of Hooker's men took shelter in this, and, from the windows and doors, maintained a hot fire upon the Confederates on the ridge and in the pass. The latter in return kept a storm of bullets pouring upon the house, the numerous marks of which ere still plainly visible. The next day, the Confederates, who had retired to Tunnel Hill, were assailed by the Federal forces with a courage Bojcc Sta. MAP OF •CHATTANOOGA- AND VICINITY. almost amounting, it is said, to rashness ; but they held the posi- tion, and the Federals then re- tired to Ringgold, and afterwards to Chattanooga, tearing up the railroad behind them, thus leav- ing the beautiful Chickamauga Valley as a sort of neutral zone between the hostile forces. From that date, there was comparative quiet between the two armies for nearly three months ; but, on the 23d of Feb- ruary, 1864, the Federals made a movement in heavy force, with the intention of securing posses- sion of Dalton, if possible, while the Confederate army was weak- ened by the absence of Hood's corps, consisting of Cheatham's, Cleburne's and Walker's divisions, which had been sent to Mississippi to re-enforce General Polk. Just here it is proper to state that, during the winter, General Bragg had been relieved, at his own request, from the command of the Confederate army of Tennessee, and the Richmond government, in compliance with almost the open demand of Southern popular opinion, had appointed General Joseph E. Johnston to succeed him, and he had proceeded to Dalton and assumed command December 27, 1863. Later on. General Grant had been appointed Lieutenant-Gencral of the armies of the United States, and had transferred his head-quarters to Virginia; and had designated General Wm. T. Sherman as his successor over the Department of the Mississippi, which included Tennessee and Georgia. General Sherman entered upon his duties March 18, 1864, General Thomas having had temporary charge of the Federal forces at Chattanooga, after General Grant proceeded east, just as General Hardee had temporarily commanded the Confederate army at Dalton, after General Bragg's retirement. MA H WS N t i. ART PK NTINQ WQAKS, I 23 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. The Federal columns, February 23d, united in front of Ringgold, and advancing, attacked the Confederate cavalry, and, after a sharp fight, drove it from the village of Tun- nel Hill to the heights beyond; but were here checked by the artillery fire, and fell back. The next day, the Federal army advanced in three columns, and compelled the Con- federates to retire. The latter took position in Crow Valley (lying east of Rocky Face Ridge and north of Mill Creek Gap). The Federals encamped in the valley immediately west of the pass through which the railroad runs. On the morning of the 25th, the Federal skirmishers engaged Stewart's and Brecken- ridge's divisions in Mill Creek Gap, and desultory firing was maintained throughout the day. This culminated in a determined but unsuccessful attempt to storm the position that afternoon. During the same afternoon a very obstinate fight took place between the two armies, the divisions of Davis and Johnson attempting to drive the Confederates from Mill Creek Gap, while Cruft's and Baird's divisions, with Long's cavalry, attacked five brigades of Hindman's and Stevenson's divisions, east of Rocky Face Ridge, with the intention of defeating these, if possible, and then attacking in the rear the Confederate force which was holding Mill Creek Gap against Davis and Johnson; but at night the Federals gave over the attempt and fell back. During this same day, the Confederate guard, posted in Dug Gap, west of Dalton, was driven from it by a regiment of Federal mounted infantry ; but the next morning Granbury's Texas brigade made an impetuous charge, and recaptured the position. General Johnston says that in this engagement, " The Federal army had four divisions and si.x regiments — probably at least seventeen brigades; it encountered seven Confed- erate brigades on the 25th, and eleven on the 26th." General Thomas's report of these operations sustains General Johnston's estimate of the Federal force. There was no other engagement between the two armies, until Sherman opened the " Atlanta Campaign," during the first week in May, 1864. On the 2d day of this month, the Federals made a close reconnoissance of the Con- federate outpost at Tunnel Hill, under the protection of a strong body of infantry, cavalry and artillery. They also began repairing the Western & Atlantic Railroad, between Chattanooga and Ringgold, which had been torn up the previous winter. It may be here remarked that the Western & Atlantic Railroad was the means of securing the fall of Atlanta, and, therefore, to a great degree, the overthrow of the Southern Confederacy. It was Sherman's only channel for supplies for his immense army, and, during the campaign, he hugged it with a tenacity which showed that he considered it indispensable to success. His flank movement through Snake Creek Gap was to gain possession of it at Resaca, in the rear of Johnston at Dalton ; his move against Calhoun, south of Resaca, via Lay's Ferry, had the same end in view. Such, likewise, was his object, indirectly, in the skillfully-planned and masterly march and struggles about New Hope Church, and such was his immediate aim in the movement southwest of Marietta, after the failure of his grand and heroic assault upon Kennesaw Mountain. 24 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. One hundred and forty-five car-loads per day of supplies were needed for the subsistence of his army, during the campaign, and over this railroad they were transported from Chattanooga. To insure its preservation, as he progressed farther and farther southward, he placed garrisons to protect each bridge. Johnston, too, was fully alive to the supreme importance of this line to both armies, and, while his constant endeavor was to protect it behind him, it was also his most ardent desire to find some means for breaking it in Sherman's rear ; and thus forcing upon the latter the alternative of retreat or starvation. To this end he and the Governor of Georgia made the strongest appeals to the Richmond government for Forrest's cavalry to be brought from Mississippi and kept actively at the work of destruction upon the railroad bridges, etc.; using the argument that it was better to take the risk of Federal raids in northern Mississippi than to lose the opportunity of forcing into disastrous retreat the invading army which was driving its advance like a wedge of steel into the very heart of the Confederacy. These entreaties, however, were without success, and the Western & Atlantic Rail- road, despite Sherman's constant apprehensions of the realization of Johnston's wish, remained the chief means by which the invasion was sustained, and crowned with the fall of Atlanta. As a prominent Federal authority said, after the war, to a Western & Atlantic official, "The Union element cannot be too thankful for the fact that your road was in existence." "Then," was the remark, "the W. & A. road should be the pride of every true American, if by reason of its existence the Union was saved." At the date of the opening of the great Atlanta Campaign, Sherman had a total force of 98,797 men and 254 cannon, divided as follows: Army of the Cumberland, under Major-General Thomas, 60,773 men, and 130 field guns; Army of the Tennessee, under Major-General McPherson, 24,465 men, and 96 guns; Army of the Ohio, under Major- General Schofield, 13,559 men, and 28 guns. These were further subdivided into 88,188 infantry, 4,460 artillerymen, and 6,149 cavalry. Johnston had 42,856 men and 120 cannon ; the men being divided as follows : infantry 37,652, artillerists 2,812, and cavalry 2,392. He says of his cannon, however, that only about one half of them were effective for service, because of the bad condition of the horses, by reason of the scarcity of food during the winter. Within a few days Sherman was re-enforced by about 14,000 cavalry, which swelled his total effective force to 112,819 men. All of these figures are official. Added to these were the re-enforcements which the two armies received during the campaign, which were as follows: By Sherman, Blair's corps, 9,000 men at Ac worth, June 8th, besides " new regiments and furloughed men " not enumerated ; by Johnston, Canty's division of 3,000 at Resaca, May 9th, Loring's of 5,000, at the same point, May nth, and French's of 4,000, at Cassville, on May i8th — these three comprising Polk's corps — also Martin's division of cavalry, 3,500, May 9th, Jackson's division of cavalry, 3,900, at Adairsville, May 17th, and Quarles's brigade of 2,200, at New Hope Church, May 26th. =erffTTA^0J[iA7^ Oclte'wah r/=-^; iiMmmM^ ^■^p'>f^^'>- rf?, V ' / IRINGGOLD r k .iflf^t"^" ^^Am^ l#^ l^% S)'^ SCALE OF MtLES l^ (I n K-lV-tiV (Fort 5 „ y " H T Le L (b \ ®Spri4Pla._ , , Saata Laca o 3^^ \ ?/ 'A4\ atteejp t Rtejsaca Euir^ AVbeelor *lWl M rfJfff-^^ on Tanners Fefrryl. >-^ i^rancuite Gi^ ip0i^^' R.;.,ili;„,D 'CALHOUN, /*I»i M A Jj-} pas/ i orj-^ ' '^-r.. c H a/jIt'^o o/^-a' ' Ho >|B aok\vouaUARRIES '4 f-BraniLi^i- 1 R /^ T R^ W/Vf LOG ' «';i Ijur.c- ^ 'I -y»yB„u\,A .ii w~, fiH TON N I > Kouiisi! Silvcrfcreek /tUc iGillt-'uisBri'i i "'CLuiio fer ™:f I %->-AHato6na [JU' «if -Ulatylima IV.-.'l.. ;as" ^VoC*^* cjOphirX '^' cFl. oOrang^ , Buffiuglon Sclte^do^^^o Macedopia^l ^ ^ ' i\ CO 'ChcT.A-eeiy n^ickiSry Flat /^ | S ' MilU y/ } f ^^Viokcrysl. CC HoIlv/S|irjjlg3 ^^ Ic,. t f. ^ i ' ) O Preeiijaus^ilie ^' FieMs Cross ) LL ^,f :j..tock JArnol. OR as j Bi^CrecV, I Big SHa/nfyi -A~l M^ I 4 L tT O N WAITaEWS. NORTHRCP & CO ART-HRCNTINC WORKS. HrPFAr,U. V Y I \ (Dralietr.\vi>, ' ^ ^ H A:R aYl S O N^ti — -^^C^^^/^ Brownsvilk / c> '"Doijfelasville.?; ''' / !•„,,,. 'v° °i ^ G,l! A S Sk5^ Jutjias/lSftir y X Ephesus^o I /^ — ^ ,^\0?^Sand Town SSUtor yZ A R/r O L L I) _Jc^"^'"'?"''^X ^^•^J^C.mpbellI fttvl • ? ""^ 4-X_, \ ChaiclHlll/ lilS ''«'"!»"=Con».ii-.-. n, Last ^„rf «v« c/Alalam^ a„J ,H. iUrUUa anU Kor,„ C„.^,„ raiI.oa,ls /,„„ «„„ «„,7, si„c, the n.ar. 26 MOUNTAIN CAMPAK^NS IN GliOKGIA. While fighting around Kennesaw Mountain, General Johnston also received rc-enforce- nients of over 3,000 Georgia militia, which Governor Joseph E. Brown, the "War Gov- ernor" of Georgia, placed at his disposal. During the entire campaign. Governor Brown, now United States Senator from Georgia, and President of the Western & Atlantic Railroad Company, very zealously and energetically seconded General Johnston in every attempt to check and repel Sherman's invasion of the State. The highest number of men which Johnston had at any time was 59,248, at Kennesaw Mountain. Of the opening of this campaign. General Johnston says: "On the 5th, the Confederate troops were formed to receive the enemy; Stewart's and Bate's divisions, in Mill Creek Gap, in which they had constructed some slight defensive works — the former on the right of the stream, Cheatham's on Stewart's right, occupying about a mile of the crest of the mountain; Walker's in reserve; Stevenson's across Crow Valley; its left joining Cheatham's right, on the crest of the mountain; Hindman's, on the right of Stevenson's; and Cleburne's, immediately in front of Dalton, and behind Mill Creek, facing towards Cleveland. " On the same day the Federal army was formed in order of battle, three miles in front of Tunnel Hill, and in that position skirmished with our advanced guard until dark. It was employed . all of the next in selecting and occupying a position just beyond the range of the field-pieces of the Confederate advanced guard, on which it halted for the night. * * * "At day-break, on the 7th, the Federal army moved forward, annoyed and delayed in its advance by dismounted Confederate cavalry firing upon it from the cover of successive lines of very slight entrenchments, prepared the day before. Its progress was so slow, that the Confederates were not driven from Tunnel Hill until eleven o'clock A. M., nor to Mill Creek Gap until three P. M. In the afternoon the Federal army placed itself in front of the Confederate line, its right a little south of Mill Creek Gap, and its left near the Cleveland road." — (Johnston's Narrative, pages 304, 305.) General Sherman says of Johnston's position : " From Tunnel Hill, I could look into the gorge by which the railroad passed through a straight and well-defined range of mountains, presenting sharp palisade faces, and known as 'Rocky Face.' The gorge itself was called the ' Buzzard Roost.' We could plainly see the enemy in this gorge and behind it, and Mill Creek which formed the gorge, flowing toward Dalton, had been dammed up, making a sort of irregular lake, filling the road, thereby obstructing it, and the enemy's batteries crowned the cliffs on either side." — (Memoirs, Vol. II., page 32.) About four o'clock the next day, Geary's division of Hooker's corps assailed the Con- federate outpost in Dug Gap ; but two small regiments of Reynolds's Arkansas brigade, of Cleburne's division, under the command of Colonel Williamson, held the position, until they were joined by Grigsby's Kentuckians. The constant firing indicated a serious attack; so much so that Lieutenant-General Hardee hastened to take personal charge of the defence. The Federals were repulsed at this point, and at Mill Creek Gap, and likewise in their attack upon the Confederate posi- tion on the crest of the mountain, about a mile and a half north of the gap. I in ^ 5 o 28 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. General J. D. Cox, of Sherman's arm\', thus refers to this attempt on Dug Gap : " Geary's division of the Twentit-th Corps made a strong effort to carry the summit of Rocky Face at Dug Gap, but were foiled by the same physical difficuhies which baffled all other attempts along this palisaded ridge. The skirmishers advanced, scrambling over the rocks and through the undergrowth, till, already blown and nearly exhausted, they found themselves facing a perpendicular wall with only cliffs and crevices leading up through it, the narrow roadway which had been their guide being strongly held by the enemy and intrenched. A gallant effort was made to reach the crest, but the smaller force of Confederates was led b}' General Hardee in person, and held their natural fortress." — ("Atlanta," page 35.) On the 9th, another attempt, more vigorous and by a larger force, was made upon the outposts upon the crest of Rocky Face Ridge. This attack was led by Harker's brigade of Newton's division (Fourth Corps), supportctl b)' the rest of the division, and by Judah's division of the Army of the Ohio. The Federals were driven back with loss, after makine five assaults. Of this struggle, General Cox thus writes: "The view of the combat above was an exciting one. The line of blue coats could be seen among the rocks, nearly at right angles with the line of the ridge, the men at the top in silhouette against the sky, close up to the Confederate trenches, where their charges were met with a line of fire, before which they recoiled, only to renew the elTort, till it became apparent even to the most daring that it was useless to lead men against such barriers." — ("Aii.anta," pages 37, 38.) Similar assaults were also made, in strong force and with great vigor, upon Stewart's and Bate's divisions in Mill Creek Gap; but the Confederates maintained their position. On this same day quite an important figlit occurred at Resaca, between two brigades of Confederates, under General Canty, and the Army of the Tennessee, under Major-Gen- eral McPherson, who had made a flank mo\ement through Snake Creek Gap, for the purpose of capturing the town and railroad bridge, in Johnston's rear, which lasted till dark, and resulted in the repulse of the Federals. During the night. General Johnston sent down General Hood with three divisions, under Generals Hindman, Cleburne and Walker, and, finding these too strong for him, McPherson retreated to Snake Creek Gap and intrenched. Snake Creek Gap, which played so important a part in this movement, and in shaping the general results of the campaign, cannot be better described than in the following quotation, also, from General Co.x : " Snake Creek is an insignificant branch of the Oostanaula, running southward between high and rugged ridges, which, on the east, are nearly continuous with Rocky Face, and are known by the general name of Chattoogata Mountains. On the west the parallel range is called Horn Mountain. A watershed half way from Tunnel Hill to the Oostanaula separates the sources of Mill Creek from those of Snake Creek, and this divide is properly the gap. The whole pass, however, is known by the name, and is a wild and picturesque defile, five or six miles long. Hardly a cabin was to be seen in its whole length. The road was only such a track as country wagons had worn in the bed of the stream or along the foot of the mountain. The forest shut it in, and only for a little while at midday did the sun enter it. Near its southern extremity * * * it reached the more open country bordering the river, which here runs for a little way nearly west, and roads branch off to Resaca, eastward, and southward to Calhoun, turning the south end of s- o 3 PI 3q z 3 3 » O S > 30 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. the precipitous ridges, wiiich guard Daltoii on tiie west, Resaca itself stands in the elbow at the junction of the Connasauga with the Oostanaula, and on the north bank of the latter stream. Camp Creek, another small stream, flows into the river just west of the village, and the high plateau bordering it and the more rugged hills between it and the Connasauga a little further north, made it a very strong place for the intrenched camp which the Confederate commander had prepared there." — ("Atlanta," pages 35, 36.) General Sherman says of this engagement that McPherson : OF DALTON' officers. * * * A vigorous assault was made upon 1 1 indman's division ; but the assail ants were repulsed." Later on during the day, Lieutenant-Gcneral Hood was ordered to attack the Federal left, with Stewart's and Stevenson's divisions. This movement began about six o'clock in the afternoon, and was conducted by the Confederates with athnirable precision and vigor, and before dark the Federal left was driven from its ground. Late in the afternoon, the Federals, under McPherson, however, drove Polk's advanced lines from the hill in front of his left, which commanded the Western & Atlantic Rail- road bridge over the Oostanaula. During the night, the Confederates, under the direction of Colonel Prestman, the chief engineer, made a road, and placed a pontoon britlge across the river, about a mile above that commanded by the Federal artillery. On the 1 5th, sharp skirmishing commenced early, along the whole line, and continued throughout the day. Several determined attacks were made upon Hind- man's position ; in the last, espec- ially, the assailants exhibited the utmost bravery, many of them reaching the Confederate in- trenchments. The Federals here charged across a broad meadow, from the cover of a wooded ridge, and assaulted the Confederates on the opposite ridge ; but, after a bloody struggle, were repulsed. Seeing that they would be sub- jected to a destructive fire in crossing the valley again, a large portion of them took refuge be- hind the steep sides of a sort of spur ridge in front of the main one, and there remained until after dark, before venturing back to their former positions. About noon, a strong force of I-^cdcral cavalry captured the hospitals of Hood's corps, which were located east of the Connasauga River. Major-General Wheeler, with Allen's and Hume's brigades, made a gallant attack, and drove off the Federals, however, and pursued them two miles, capturing two standards and some prisoners. >niMm& WQIII.&, BUFFALO, N. t. = .S ? o o' ,_ S "^ is I- 'I S. fj 34 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. During the forenoon, Major-General Stevenson was directed by Lieutenant-General Hood to advance and mask a four-gun battery some eighty yards in front of his hne of infantry, which was near the Western & Atlantic Railroad, north of Resaca. Before Stevenson had arranged properly to support it, General Hood ordered him to open its fire. This was done, and a furious attack was immediately made upon it by Hooker's corps, which was facing Hood's at this point. The guns were abandoned by the Confed- erates, and a very spirited fight for their possession ensued, which resulted in the Federals being driven back from them by the fire of the Confederates; but they found shelter in the neighboring ravine. From this position, their musketry commanded the location of the battery equally as well as did that of the Confederates. A very hot fire was kept up by both sides, which prevented either from removing the guns, and they were consequently left between the two armies until dark, and afterwards seized by tlie Federals. These were the only field trophies they captured during the entire campaign to the Chattahoochee River. At about four P. M. General Stewart, whose division was on the Confederate right, was ordered to attack the Federals, and endeavor to force their line back. General Stevenson was to support him with his division. Hearing of the Lay's P'erry movement, b\' Slicr- man, however. General Johnston revoked the order for this assault. The last order did not reach Stewart in time. His troops left their intrenchments and dashed forward in the face of a terrible fire. Not being supported by Stevenson, who had received General Johnston's order, Stewart's men were repulsed with loss. During the afternoon. General Johnston received notice that the Federals had secured possession of Lay's (or Tanner's) Ferry, nearly three miles west of Calhoun, and were crossing the Oostanaula River in force. His communications with Atlanta, therefore, being rendered too hazardous, Johnston evacuated Resaca during the night.* The Confederate army, in withdrawing, crossed the river on the railroad bridge and on the pontoon bridge one mile above it. General Stewart's division covered the retreat, remaining in position after the retiring of the other troops on their left had opened to the Federals the way to Resaca and their rear. General Stewart himself, it is said, was the last man to cross the pontoon bridge, which was then destroyed. The movement which forced this action on Johnston's part, resulted in a fight at Lay's (or Tanner's) Ferry, on May 14th, whereby the Federal forces secured a crossing, but took no further forward step. The course of the river, almost parallel to the Western & Atlantic Railroad, protected this advance from Johnston's power of discovery or successful resistance. On the 15th, Jackson's brigade of Confederates assaulted the Federals, who were encamped east of the Oostanaula, but met a bloody repulse. * There was also a vigorous fight at Resaca between the Confederate cavalry and the Federal garrison, October 12, 1864. The Confederates were repulsed. The next day a portion of Hood's infantry, under General Stewart, appeared before the town, and, in Hood's name, demanded its surrender. The demand was refused, and, finding an assault hazardous, Stewart moved northward against Dalton. =r ^ « Tl ^r oi S < 36 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. On the l6th, the Federals, under McPherson, advanced from the ferry, towards Calhoun, driving back the cavalry; but soon came in collision with a portion of Hardee's corps and, in turn, sustained a repulse. It may be proper here to state that after the war, in disinterring the dead at Resaca, there were found the remains of one hundred and seventy Confederates* and seventeen hundred and ninety Federals. General Sherman, in his dispatch to General Halleck, May 15th, said : "I cannot estimate our dead and wounded up to this hour; but it will not fall much short of three thousand (3,000)." Johnston fell back to Adairsville ; but, finding that the breadth of the Oothcaloga Valley exceeded so much the front of his army, properly formed for battle, that he could obtain no advantage of ground, ordered the troops to move to Cassville. During the afternoon of the 17th, the Federals struck the Confederate rear-guard at Adairsville ; but, after a sharp conflict with Wheeler's cavalry and Cheatham's division of- infantry, were checked. During the night the Confederates evacuated this position. Johnston, correctly supposing that the Federal army, in pressing the pursuit, would divide, so as to secure passage over more than one road, ordered a vigilant watch kept, with the intention of endeavoring to crush one wing before the other could come to its relief. The Federal movement being as he foresaw, he ordered Polk to engage, in front, the column coming down the road by the railroad, and Hood to attack it in flank when Polk's firing began in front. Hood, however, acting on erroneous information about the Federal movement, made a different disposition of his line. So much time was lost in correcting this mistake, that the intended attack was given over, as its success depended upon its being properly timed. This was one of the lost opportunities of the campaign. Of this movement. General Sherman says: "Thomas's head of column which had followed the country roads alongside of the railroad, was about four miles east of Kingston, towards Cassville, when, about noon I got a message from him that he had found the enemy, drawn up in line of battle, on some e.xtensive, open ground about half way between Kingston and Cassville, and that appearances indicated a willingness and prepara- tion for battle. "Hurriedly sending orders to McPherson to resume the march, to hasten forward by roads leading to the south of Kingston, so as to leave for Thomas's troops and trains the use of the main road, and to come up on his right, I rode forward rapidly over some rough gravel hills, and about six miles from Kingston found General Thomas, with his troops deployed ; but he reported that the enemy had fallen back in echelon of divisions, steadily and in superb order, into Cassville."— (Memoirs, Vol. II., pages 37, 38.) On the 19th of May, Johnston took position near Cassville for what he intended should be the great battle of the campaign. Of this he says : "The Confederate army was drawn up in a position that I remember as the best that I saw occupied during the war — the ridge immediately south of Cassville with a broad, open, elevated valley in front of it, completely commanded by the fire of troops occupying its crest. The * There is now a Confederate cemetery just above Resaca. Several hundred .Southern soldiers here "sleep the sleep that knows no waking." IV A R SCENES ON THE W. & A. 37 eastern end of this ridge is perhaps a mile to the east of Cassville. Its southwest end is near the railroad, a little to the west of Cass Station. Its length was just sufficient for Hood's and Polk's corps, and half of Hardee's, formed, as usual, in two lines, and in that order from right to left. The other half of Hardee's troops prolonging the line, were southwest of the railroad on undulating ground, on which they had only such advantage as their own labor, directed by engineering, could give them. They worked with great spirit, however, and were evidently full of confidence. This gave me assurance of success on the right and in the center, where we had very decided advantage of ground." — (Johnston's Narrative, page 322.) Durinij the afternoon, the Federal artillery commenced firing upon Hood's and Polk's troops. This, with a heavy skirmish fire, continued until dusk. ^m, ■4''""' ' CAPTURE OF A FEDERAL WAGON TRAIN. Near Cissville, Ga., May 24, 1864. The beautiful villigc of Cass vdle was between the two Imes The contest about the village was very severe especiall) between the battel les which were posted on the ridges confionting each other Shaip skirmishing and fighting oc curred on the streets Many of the houses were riddled with bills and the fine college buildings, especially, were pierced through with shot and shell. Some of the dwellings were also fired by these and consumed. 38 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. At a council of war, held that night, Generals Hood and Polk expressed to General Johnston their fears that they could not hold the positions assigned them, because of a possible enfilading fire from a Federal battery on the opposite ridge. General Hardee stated that he could hold his position, although it was a less favorable one, so far as the nature of the ground was concerned. Johnston was very unwilling to abandon the position without a battle; but finally, in deference to the judgment of two of his three Lieutenant-Generals, consented to do so ; and accordingly fell back to the Etowah River, and crossed it the next da}'. On the 22d of the month. General Wheeler was instructed to go north of the river with his cavalry, and ascertain the move- ments of the Federal army. He soon received information that Sherman was moving westward, as if to cross the Etowah near Stilesboro and Euharlee, and on the 24th, in the vicinity of Cass- ville, encountered the troops guarding a large supply train. A sharp fight ensued between Wheeler's cavalry and the Feder- als, which resulted in the capture of 182 prisoners, about 200 wagons, with army stores, etc. The Confederates brought across the Etowah River 70 of these loaded wagons, with their teams, contents, etc., and burned the rest. The information secured by Wheeler showed that Sherman had evidently determined not to move directly against the very strong position at Allatoona Pass, on the Western & Atlantic Railroad; but to pro- ceed, via Dallas and Burnt Hickory, against Marietta. This movement was a difficult one, being through a rough, densely-wooded countr)-, with few roads and these very indifferent, and, furthermore, away from the railroad, his main channel for supplies. On the 23d, therefore, Lieutenant-General Hardee was ordered, by General Johnston, to march, by New Hope Church, to the road leading from Stilesboro through Dallas to Atlanta, and Lieutenant-General Polk to move to the same road, by a route further to the left. Lieutenant-General Hood was directed to follow Hardee the next day. Hardee's UATTHEWS, NORTHnuP & C 40 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. •corps reached the point designated to them, that afternoon. Polk's was then withir; four or five miles of it, to the east, and Hood's within four miles of New Hope Church, on the road to it from Allatoona. On the 25th he reached New Hope Church early in the day. Learning that the Federal army was in close proximit)-, its right at Dallas, and its line extending towards Allatoona, General Hood was ordered by General Johnston to form his corps parallel to the road by which he had marched, with his centre opposite the church. General Polk was instructed to place his in line with it, but about five miles from this position, on the left ; and General Hardee was ordered to occup\' the ridge extending from General Polk's corps across the road leading from Dallas toward Atlanta, his left division, Bate's, holding that road. During the afternoon, Hood's advanced lines, consisting of one regiment, encountered a portion of Hooker's corps. A gallant fight ensued; but the Confederates were driven back to Stewart's division. Late in the afternoon, heavy cannonading was opened upon Hood's center division, Stewart's, opposite New Hope Church. This was soon supple- mented by an attack in line of battle by Hooker's corps, in such deep order that it pre- sented a front equal only to that of Stewart's first line, of three brigades. The firing at once became general, and the Federal advance was very steady and resolute, until within some fifty paces of the Confederate lines. Here, however, they paused, and then fell back. They again advanced, and pushed as near the Confederate line as before ; but so desperate was the resistance, and so hot the fire of musketry and artillery, that the assailants were again compelled to retire. While the combat was rap^^ - a shell from one of the P>deral batteries burst between -Generals Johnston and Hood, who were standing but a few yards apart, near the church; but fortunately neither of them was hurt. In this action portions of two Confederate brigades (Clayton's and Baker's) were partially sheltered by some fallen timber, which, finding near their line, they had hastily thrown into position. The other brigade ( Stovall's Georgians) had no protection. The night, which came on, was very dark, with heavy rains; and there was much con- fusion in both armies, as they were endeavoring to assume position, facing each other, among the thickly-wooded hills, and each industriously working, though in the darkness, to strengthen its ground against any sudden assault by its enemy. General Sherman says : " I slept on the ground without cover, alongside of a log, got little sleep, resolved at daylight to renew the battle, and to make a lodgment on the Dallas and .\llatoona road if possible, but the morning revealed a strong line of intrenchments facing us, with a heavy force of infantry and guns. The battle was renewed and without success." — (Memoirs, Vol. II., page 44.) That morning, the Confederates found the Federal line extending much further east than it was the day before. In the afternoon, quite a sharp fight occurred between a large body of Federal cavalry and Avery's regiment of Georgia cavalry. Although desperately wounded. Colonel Avery continued to command, and maintained the contest until the arrival of re-enforcements, ^who held the position. 2 ^ ^ I 3 IS 43 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. The Federals kept rapidly extending their line to their left, the Confederates being forced thereby to counter movements, which soon brought on another engagement. Late in the afternoon of the 27th, a bloody struggle ensued between Cleburne's division of Hardee's corps, aided by a portion of Wheeler's dismounted cavalry, and the Fourth Army co'rps of Federals, under command of General Howard, in columns six lines deep, near Pickett's Mill and the road leading from Burnt Hickory, The latter assailed the Confederates with great cour- age, and pressed forward with fortitude under fire, which will ever be remembered with admiration by those who met them. The two forces, neither having intrenchments, were once within twenty paces of each other; but, at length the Federals were compelled to give way before the terrific storm of bullets; and fled for refuge to a ravine near by. About ten o'clock that night, ascertaining that many of the Federal troops were in the ravine before them, the Confederates charged and drove them out, taking some 232 prisoners. The scene of the struggle was in a dense wood, with thick undergrowth, broken by hills and ravines, where nothing could be observed at a distance, and where neither side could see what was going on, except at tiie immediate point of conflict. The acknowledged loss of the Federals in this combat was about 1,500 men. Cleburne's loss was 85 killed and 363 wounded. Among other trophies, the Confederates cap- tured some 1,200 small arms. General Johnston records the following touching incident of this fight : "When the United States troops paused in their advance, within fifteen paces of the Texan front rank, one of their color-bearers planted -his colors eight or ten feet in front of his regiment, and was instantly shot dead ; a soldier sprang forward to his place, and fell also, as he grasped the color-staff ; a second and third followed successively, and each received death as speedily as his predecessors; a fourth, however, seized and bore back the object of soldierly devotion."^ (Narrative, pages 330, 331.) On the morning of the 28th, the Confederates, having formed the idea that the greater portion of the Federal army had been withdrawn towards the position in front of the Confederate right, determined to seize the works opposite their left, and thus turn Sherman's right; but, after meeting hot resistance from artillery and infantry, were repulsed with a loss of several hundred men. This assault (by Bate's division of Hardee's corps) was made upon Logan's corps, consisting of Harrow's, Smith's and Osterhaus's divisions. Three guns of the First Iowa battery, which had been run out near the skirmish line, were captured by the Confeder- 44 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. ates; but they could not take them off. The assaulting columns were caught by both a front and a cross fire from the breastworks. The Federal General Cox says that " the enemy" charged up to the intrenchments "with the most determined courage, and, though suffering terribly, was not driven back till he had inflicted considerable loss upon us, some of our bravest and best officers being among the killed and wounded." He further says: "The night following (May 29th) another effort was made against McPherson, and the alarm ran down the whole line. Nearly all of Johnston's batteries opened from right to left, and skirmish lines were pushed up close to Sherman's works. The night was dark, and along the centre, where the valley was open, the flashing artillery from the hilltops, and the flying and bursting shells made a magnificent spectacle, but it ended in display. It drew fire enough from McPherson to prove that he was still there, and this was probably all that the enemy intended by it." Of the general operations during this period, the two great commanders bear witness as follows: "The Federal intrenched line was extended daily toward the railroad in the direction of Allatoona. We endeavored to keep pace with this e.Ntension, to prevent being cut off from the rail- road and Marietta. But, from the great inequality of force, two or three miles of the right of ours was occupied by dismounted cavalry in skirmishing order. The enemy's demonstrations against this part of our front led to skirmishing with Wheeler's troops, in which the latter captured above a hundred prisoners between the ist and 4th of June. The infantry skirmishers of the two armies were incessantly engaged at the same time, from right to left, when there was light enough to dis- tinguish and aim at a man." — (Johnston's Narrative, page 335.) " Meantime Thomas and Schofield were completing their deployments, gradually overlapping Johnston on his right, and thus extending our left nearer and nearer to the railroad, the nearest point of which was Acworth, about eight miles distant. All this time a continual battle was in progress by strong skirmish lines, taking advantage of every species of cover, and both parties fortifying each night by rifle-trenches, with headlogs, many of which grew to be as formidable as first-class works of defence. Occasionally one party or the other would make a dash in the nature of a sally, but usually it sustained a repulse with great loss of life. I visited personally all parts of our lines, nearly every day, was constantly within musket range, and though the fire of musketry and cannon resounded day and night along the whole line, varying from six to ten miles, I rarely saw a dozen of the enemy at any one time, and these were always skirmishers dodging from tree to tree, or behind logs on the ground, or who occasionally showed their heads above the hastily con- structed but remarkably strong rifle-pits." — (Sherman's Memoirs, Vol. II., page 45.) On the 4th of June, the Federal army being concentrated principally on its left, near the railroad, and covered b)' its long line of intrenchments, the Confederates abandoned Allatoona and Acworth, and fell back to a new position, near Kennesaw Mountain, their left wing resting on Lost Mountain, and their right extending east of the Western & Atlantic Railroad and behind Noonday Creek. Of this change of base. General Sherman says: "On the 1st of June, General McPherson closed in upon the right, and, without attempting further to carry the enemy's strong position at New Hope Church, I held our general right in close contact with it, gradually, carefully, and steadily working by the left, until our strong infantry lines had reached and secured possession of all the wagon roads between New Hope, Allatoona and Acworth, when I dispatched Generals Garrard's and Stoneman's divisions of cavalry into Allatoona, 3 ?« m S" 5f <= i, > ^ S S 46 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. the first around by the west end of the pass, and the latter by the direct road. Both reached their destination without opposition, and orders were at once given to repair the railroad forward from Kingston to Allatoona, embracing the bridge across the Etov/ah River. "Thus the real object of my move on Dallas was accomplished, and on the 4th of June I was preparing to draw off from New Hope Church, and to take position on the railroad in front of Allatoona, when General Johnston himself having evacuated his position, we effected the change without further battle, and moved to the railroad, occupying it from Allatoona and Acworth for- ward to Big Shanty, in sight of the famous Kennesaw Mountain. * * * * "^^'ith the drawn battle of New Hope Church, and our occupation of the natural fortress of Allatoona, terminated the month of May, and the first stage of the campaign." — (Sherman's Memoirs, Vol. II., pages 46, 49.) Thus fell Allatoona, which General Sherman calls " the sate throu"" '7- '■*-'■ From a Picture Drawn bv a Confederate Participant. called this point the "Dead AnKle." because of the frreat number of the Federal dead who fell immediately before it. They come like the tornado's dash, Which terror spreads, and woe, But quickly, ah \ on them doth flash The lightning of our blow They come, ten thousand strong and lithe, They fall like wheat before the scythe. l\ 64 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. meantime pouring back volley after volley in return ; and finally intrenched themselves beneath this fearful tempest — it being safer to remain than to flee. Once, under General Harker's leadership, they attempted to renew the assault ; but, almost at the very parapet, Harker fell, mortally wounded, and the whole line was swept back before the awful iron hail which was poured into their faces. At one or two points the charging columns pressed forward to the verj' ditches before the breastworks, and some of their dead were found against the works themselves. The fall of General Harker was greatly deplored by ofificers and men alike. Gallant, dashing and generous, he had conspicuously distinguished himself on every field of battle from Chickamauga to Kcnnesaw inclusive ; and, of all the field officers in the Federal army, was probably more admired for plucky courage, and more highly esteemed for genial, sociable personal traits, than any of his comrade leaders. In the midst of the viclc'e attending this last dash, a United States flag was planted on Cheatham's works. A Confederate captain instantly sprang to the top to gain possession of this. The Federal color-bearer faced him bravely, and a hand-to-hand struggle ensued between the two over the flag, which resulted in the Tennesseean's being shot dead by his antagonist. But the ne.xt instant a dozen bullets, fired from within the intrenchments, riddled the intrepid color-bearer, and he fell, slain, with his hand tightly clasped around the staff of the banner he had defended so well ; but which now became the trophy of the exultant Confederates. Near this same point a Confederate sergeant leaped over the works, seized the standard of the 27th Illinois regiment, wrested it from the bearer, and brought it triumphantly back with him. For this daring act General Hardee presented the flag to its captor. Just after the repulse of this second desperate assault, the dry leaves, etc., in the forest, before General Cleburne's intrenchments, were set on- fire by the bombshells and gun-wad- ding and began burning rapidly around the Federal wounded. This horrible scene was observed by the Confederates, who were ordered instantly to cease firing, and one of their commanders (Col. W. H. Martin, of Arkansas) called to the Federals, and stated that, as an act of humanity, his men would suspend further battle until the assailants could carry off their wounded, who were in danger of being burnt alive. The offer was accepted, and the Federal wounded were rescued from the awful fate which threatened them ; and then the combat was renewed by the two sides with the most determined zeal. In the meantime, along the entire line for miles, there was maintained between both armies a tremendous fire of artillery and musketry. From the crest of Kennesaw Mountain, this is said to have presented an imposing panorama. General French says of it . " We sat there, perhaps an hour, enjoying a bird's-eye view of one of the most magnificent sights ever allotted to man — to look down upon an hundred and fifty thousand men arrayed in the strife of battle on the plain below. As the infantry closed in the blue smoke of the musket marked out our line for miles, while over it, rose in cumuli-like clouds the white smoke of the artillery. Through the rifts of smoke, or, as it was wafted aside by the wind, we could see the assault made on Cheatham, and there the struggle was hard, and there it lasted longest. So many guns were trained on those by our side, and so incessant was the roar of cannon and the sharp explosion ^ — ^ ' 5";! HP -I > ■? w z! ■ S:S i O S z S' s > " s ^ 5 66 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. of shells, that naught else could be heard. * * * The battle, in its entirety, became a pageantry on a grand scale, and barren of results, because the attacking columns were too small m numbers, considering the character of the troops they knew they would encounter." In this great struggle the Federal army numbered about or over 100,000 men, the Confederates had about 55-000 present; the Confederate loss, in killed, wounded and missing, was 808 men; that of the Federals has never been exactly reported, but it is conceded that it went up into the thousands. Sherman's generals, after some three hours, withdrew their shattered battalions from nearly all the points of assault, and, for one time, there was a confessed failure of a great move in the campaign. But wasting no time in idle regrets, the Federal commander ordered a strong move- ment down the valley of Olley's Creek, toward the Chattahoochee. June 29th, he wired General Halleck in reference to this: " I am accumulating stores that will enable me to cut loose from the railroad for a time and avoid the Kennesaw Hill, which gives the enemy too much advantage." July 1st, he again wired him; "By this movement, I think I can force Johnston to move his whole army out from Kennesaw to defend his railroad and the Chattahoochee, when I will (by the left flank) reach the railroad below Marietta." Johnston, however, seeing that this movement towards the south would result in breaking his communications with Atlanta, evacuated Kennesaw Mountain and Marietta during the 1st and 2d of July, the last columns withdrawing in the night of the latter. While the evacuation was going on, under General Johnston's orders, a terrific bom- bardment of the Federal positions was maintained from the batteries on the crest of the mountain, with the idea of distracting the attention of the Federals, and leading to the belief that possibly a sortie was contemplated from some portion of the Confederate lines. During the afternoon of July 2d, the Confederates withdrew their guns from Kennesaw Mountain. Major Storrs, of General French's command, who was in partial charge, describes this feat as follows; " It had been predicted that our batteries could not be safely withdrawn in case of retreat. An order came one day to remove them between sundown and dark; or else spike the guns and destroy the carriac^es Routes were trimmed out straight down immediately in rear of each section, and every -un arrived at the base of the mountain by dark, without attracting a single shot from the enemy" We had been keeping our embrasures covered with brush to conceal our movements when preparing to deliver a shot, so that everything was hidden. On the left, the upper part of a \ 68 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA, man's body while standing, could be seen by the enemy, and so Lieutenants Harris and Murphy, of Gnibor's battery, with their men, crawled on their hands and knees while withdrawing the left section and lowered those two pieces over a declivity by means of ropes." From Marietta, Johnston fell back to a new position, which had been prepared by Colonel Prestman. This consisted of what General Sherman calls one of the strongest pieces of field fortification he ever saw. It ran from the Chattahoochee River, south of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, up through the hill country, across it, thence joining the river again some two or three miles above,— its entire length being several miles. Sherman thought that in the hurry of evacuation Johnston's army would be in considerable confusion ; hence, pressed his col- umns forward with great energy, to crush the Confederates, if possi- ble ; but it was soon demonstrated that Johnston had prepared against this very contingency by throwing up a long east and west line of intrenchments, which cross- ed the railroad at Ruff's Station, and also another, crossing it at Smyrna. These delayed the Fed- erals so very much that the pursuit accomplished nothing in the re- sults Sherman wished. Sherman's opinion of John- ston's shrewdness and forethought in this matter was expressed in a dispatch, wherein he said : " We ought to have caught Johnston on his retreat, but he had prepared the way too well." There was a sharp fight at the works at Ruff's, July 3d; and the 4th of July was celebrated by quite a struggle at the intrenchments at Smyrna, in which the Federals were repulsed. General Noyes of Ohio here lost his leg, and General Sherman says: " I came very near being shot myself." The Federals, however, made a strong demonstra- tion against the line near the Chattahoochee; but, being met by a heavy fire, were compelled to draw off. During the next few days, with a strong array confronting the Confederate fortifications, several columns were also thrown out by Sherman, north and south of Johnston's position, for a number of miles each way, which resulted in securing the possession of one or two crossings over the Chattahoochee. Accordingly, after some fighting at several points, Johnston evacuated this position, and crossed the Chattahoochee River, burning the railroad bridge. K m p) Q r- "- m (/I ^^ I -3 UJ 5? -^ ■< g H » m S o 3 o o- -n 15 ; - m M > <» iT -t - " m S S" D. s / •S c 1 i- 3 3 . 70 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. The tjyo armies, now almost in the suburbs of Atlanta, began preparing for what would have been a tedious siege, when, on the 17th of July, General Johnston was relieved of the command of the ami}', and General Hood appointed to succeed him. This change of commanders by the Confederate government amounted to a change of programme; and Sherman, being almost intuitively aware of it, changed his tactics accordingly, and, instead of assaulting or making offensive movements against the Confederate lines, assumed a strong position on Peachtree Creek, northward of Atlanta. On the 30th of Juh', General Hood made an impetu- ous assault upon the Federal army; but the Confederates were worsted in the battle, and sustained considerable loss. The heavy battle of the 22d of July, between Atlanta and Decatur, in which General McPherson and the Con- federate General Walker were killed, gained rto advantage to the Confederates; nor did the battle of Ezra Church, on the 28th of July. The mistake which was made in removing the pru- dent and sagacious Johnston, and abandoning his defen- sive tactics, substituting therefor an aggressive policy by an army which had scarcely more than half its enemy's numbers, is one which, in the present day, finds almost no one to defend it. " But turn the page, let War's dread name Be buried with his dead; • O'er every scar let peaceful Fame Her downy mantle spread: Beat into useful plowshares now The once blood-dripping sword, And from each council-chamber vow To banish fierce discord ! " So let us cease the recital of the deeds of strife and of ruin, which, over twenty years ago, were enacted with the thunder of cannon, the waving of banners, and all the "gorgeous panoply of war," amid the craggy mountains, and forest-covered hills and valleys, and b}- the rushing rivers of North Georgia. High in the Temple of Fame glitter the names of Chickamauga, Ringgold, Resaca, Allatoona, Kennesaw Mountain and Atlanta, and of the heroes, who, around them, fought for their Union, their cause, and their flag. Whether mistaken or true were their teachings let us presume not to judge. Sufficient it is that over two hundred thousand men, upon these fields of carnage, bared their breasts to sustain their convictions, and eighty-eight thousand shed their blood in defence of what the)' thought was right. The long struggle is ended ; the wail of humiliation is hushed, and the huzza of proud triumph is over; the cypress has draped the coffins of the vanquished, and the laurel has crowned the victor's brow. DEATH OF GEN. J. B. McPHERSON. In Batlle of Atlanta, July 22, 1864. The " lost cause " is but a memory : its last trumpet-note has died away upon the air, its last tattoo has beat, its cannon, dismounted, no longer boom forth even the funeral minute guns. Its starry-cross flag, sanctified by the blood of the loved and the brave, is cherished only as a relic of a past day, glorious to fame, but forevermore departed. The reality of its existence was like that of its lone bark, the Alabama, which fearlessly went forth upon the world's broad ocean, cleaving a way to historic glory ; but, finding among all the nations no friendly fleet to join her, at last, before the guns of her enemy, went down beneath the stormy billows, carrying with her, her power and her flag ; but leaving behind a name whose like the stars have never shone upon. So beneath the waters let the heart-burnings over the strife and woes of the past be buried. The tempest of blood which drenched our land has ceased; its sulphurous clouds have rolled away, and the beams of the sun of reconciliation and restored union are lighting the sky over mountain and dale. The echoes of the storm are fast being stilled in the ears of those who once invoked it ; but yet, like the voice of thunder, they roll forth to the world the defiance of American manhood to whomsoever dare strike " the ^2 MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNS IN GEORGIA. old flacr " or " the land we love " ; and in the hearts of those who once strove, there rules, . for the'dead of either side who gave their lives for their convictions, the sentiment which | one wrote of the humble grave in AUatoona Pass, ere he knew under which flag its occupant had shed his blood : I " In the railroad cut there's a lonely grave i Which the track-men hold sacred to care : They have piled 'round it stones, and for it they save j Every flower, when their task calls them there. I " Away from the home of his love, | Away from his sweetheart or wife, .. Away from his mother, whose prayers went above, He gave for his country his life. > " We know not if, wearing the blue, he came 'Neath the ' bright starry banner ' arrayed, . And, dying, that it o'er the mountain of fame ' Might forever in triumph wave, prayed. i " Or we know not if, 'neath the South's cross flag '• He rush'd forth, his country's defender, Valiant, smote those who her cause down would drag, i And only to death did surrender. ' " That, God only knows ; and so in His hand . Let the secret unfathomed e'er rest ; ' But this we know that he died for his land, • And the banner he thought was the best. " Heav'n pity the dear ones who pray'd his return, Heav'n bless them, and shield them from woes, Heav'n grant o'er his grave to melt anger stern, And make brothers of those who were foes ! " I THt: OPINIOXS OK GEN. WM.T. SHERMAN AND GEN. JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON ABOUT THE "Mountam Campaig-ns in Georgia, or JVar Scenes on the W. & A." FROM gea: w. t. shermax. 912 CIarrison Avenue, Jos. M. Brown, Esq. St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 18, 18S6. Western &• Atlantic R. R., Atlanta, Ga. My Dear Sir : I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 14th, with the embel- lished pamphlet entitled "The Mountain Campaigns in Georgia," and take great pleasure in complimenting you on having made so condensed and valuable a souvenir of the old State Railroad from Chattanooga to Atlanta. The maps are admirable, the illustrations are characteristic, and the text as near the truth as can be compressed in so small a space. I am willing to endorse what you record — that the Atlanta Campaign of 1864 would have been impossible without this road, that all our battles were fought for its possession, and that the Western & Atlantic Railroad of Georgia "should be the pride of every true American," because, "by reason of its existence the Union was saved." I infer you have prepared this costly pamphlet to induce travel by this route, and I will add that the scenery will fully repay every lover of nature's beauty and sublimity ; that every foot of it should be sacred ground, because it was once moistened by patriotic blood ; and that over a hundred miles of it was fought a continuous battle of one hundred and twenty days, during which, day and night, were heard the continuous boom of cannon and the sharp crack of the rifle. I sincerely wish for you, and all like you, all success, prosperity and happiness, in these days of peace, made possible by the deadly struggles between Chattanooga and Atlanta in the summer of 1864 With great respect, vour friend, W. T. SHERMAN. FROM GEN. JOSEPH E.JOHNSTON. Washington, D. C, Jan. 18, 18S6. Jos. M. Brown, Esq. My Dear Sir: Your letter of the 14th, and the beautiful "War Scenes" that came by the same mail, were received this morning, and I thank you for them most cordially, not only for the pleasure they have already given me, but because you put before the public an excellent historical sketch in so attractive a form as to secure for operations most interesting to me the attention of our Southern people. I have seen no publication relating to the war so attractive in style and appearance. With friendly regards to your brother, I am. Yours verv trulv, J. E. JOHNSTON. lEJa'13 NlAlN @PAiqNf ........ :y estern & Atlantic Railroad # Grea t Kenne'sa w Route. The above line runs through the beautiful and historic scenery described in this publication. It traverses the granary of Georgia, a region of wonderful mineral resources, and of such equable temperature as ■to afford pleasant homes all the year round. It is the great connecting link between the Western and the South Atlantic railway systems. Its rock-ballasted road-bed, forty years old, its iron- bridges, steel rail, elegant equipment, union depot terminals, carefully trained corps of employes, and progressive management, are guarantees that it will, in the future, as in the past, more than meet all requirements of the public. This road has long been a favorite with the Pullmans, and its through sleeping-car service between Cincinnati and Jacksonville, Fla.,. Nashville and Atlanta, Chattanooga and Atlanta, its luxurious parlor (chair) car line between Nash- ville and Atlanta, and its first class thoroughfare-car lines between Atlanta (via Nashville) and Little Rock, Ark., afford the luxuries of travel to its patrons. Further information can be secured by applying to U. S. Senator Joseph E. Brown, President, Atlanta, Ga. C. T. Watson, Treasurer, Atlanta, Ga. R. A. Anderson, General Manager, Atlanta, Ga. Jos. M. Brown', Traffic JIanager, Atlanta, Ga. J. L. Dickey, General Freight Agent, Atlanta, Ga. Chas. E. Harman, General Passenger Agent, Atlanu, Ga. Julius L. Brown, General Counsel, Atlanta, Ga. C. H. Harvey, General Western Agent, 56 West Fourth St., Cincinnati, O. W. C. Price, General Southwestern Agent, Kansas City, Mo. Tim H. Moore, Contracting Agent, Nashville, Tenn. George M. Brown, Rate Compiler, Atlanta, Ga. W. H. Trezevant, General Southern Agent, Atlanta, Ga. .1. H. Boston, Agent, Marietta, Ga Thos. McGill, General Northwestern Agent, 194 Clark Street, Chicago, 111. J. T. Hosford, General Traveling Passenger Agent, 194 Clark Street, Chicago, 111. J. P. Beckwith, Florida .^gent, 71 West Bay Street, Jack- sonville, Florida. S. L. Rogers, Passenger Agent, Chattanooga, Tenn. E. W. ScoFlELD, Soliciting Freight Agent, Chattanooga, Tenn. James Maloy, Passenger Agent, Atlanta, Ga. Chas. B. Walker, Traveling Passenger Agent, Atlanta, Ga. Jas. A. Adair, Union Depot Ticket Agent, .Atlanta, Ga. R. D. Mann & Co., Ticket Agents, No. 4 Kimball House, Atiar.;?., Ga. WAR JCENE5 on the' ^'^-