Acknowledging the failure of the assault, but acting under the
conviction that it would be fatal to rest long under the influence of a
defeat, General Sherman determined to again try a flanking movement, and
in consequence every effort was put forth to make it a success.
Accordingly on the 1st of July, General McPherson was relieved by
Garrard's cavalry in front of Kenesaw, and the relieved command was
hastily moved to the right. General McPherson commenced his movement on
the night of July 2nd, and the effect was instantaneous. On the morning
of the 3rd Kenesaw was abandoned and the first dawn of day saw our
skirmishers appear on the mountain top.
Marietta was evacuated, and General Sherman entered it in person at
half-past eight in the morning, just as the enemy's cavalry vacated the
place. The orders were to push the enemy, with the hope of catching him
in confusion as he made the passage of the Chattahoochie river. But
Johnston had provided against this and had covered his movement well. On
the 7th of July, we had effected a crossing of the river. At the same
time General Garrard had moved rapidly on Roswell, and destroyed the
factories which had supplied the rebel armies with cloth for years. Over
one of these the nominal owner displayed the French flag, which of
course was not respected. On the 10th of July at day light, Johnston
retreated southward, leaving the army of the union undisputed masters
north and west of the Chattahoochie river, along whose grassy banks we
remained quietly in camp until the 16th of July, though the time was
employed in collecting stores at Alatoona, Marietta and Vinings Station,
strengthening the railroad guards and garrisons, and improving the
bridges and roads leading across the river. On the 17th, everything
being in readiness, we were again ordered to advance, and formed a
general line along the old Peach Tree creek road. Our brigade crossed
the creek on logs and impromptu bridges in face of a heavy fire from the
enemy, who occupied intrenched lines ready to receive us.
On the afternoon of the 20th about 4 p. m., the enemy sallied from his
works in force and fell in line of battle against our right center. The
blow was sudden, and somewhat unexpected, but after a severe battle they
were repulsed, leaving on the field about 500 dead, 1000 wounded, 7
stands of colors and many prisoners. His loss could not have fallen
short of 5000, whereas our loss was covered by 1500 killed, wounded and
missing. On the 21st a reconnoisance was made of the enemy, in his
intrenched position, at a general distance from Atlanta of about four
miles. On the morning of the 22nd this whole line was found abandoned,
much to the surprise of the union army. We thought, for a time, that the
enemy had concluded to give up Atlanta without further contest. Gen.
Johnston had been relieved of his command and Gen. Hood substituted. A
new policy seemed resolved on, of which the bold attack on the right was
the index. Our ranks without opposition swept across the strong and well
finished works of the enemy, and closed in upon Atlanta until they
occupied a line in the form of a general circle of about two miles in
radius, when the enemy was again found occupying in force a line of
finished redoubts, which had been prepared for more than a year,
covering all the roads leading into Atlanta. Here it was, that under the
leadership of their new commander, Hood, they made a desperate assault
on our lines, but only to be repulsed with terrible slaughter. But this
battle of the 22d of July cost us 3,722 killed, wounded and prisoners,
and among the dead was Major general McPherson. The enemy left on the
field an aggregate loss of 8000 men. And so the days passed, fighting
and erecting breastworks, until on the 1st day of September, when as we
were in front of Jonesboro, a small town below Atlanta, the rebels came
out of their works and offered us battle. The enemy attacked with Lee
and Hardee's corps and after a contest of over two hours withdrew behind
their works, leaving over 400 dead on the ground, and his wounded, of
which about 300 were left in Jonesboro, making his loss not much less
than 2,500. Orders were at once given for all the army to turn on
Jonesboro. About 4 p. m. of that day Gen. Davis, our corps commander,
was all ready, and we assaulted the enemy's lines across open fields,
carrying them and taking as prisoners Govan's brigade, including its
commander and staff and two four-gun batteries. The next morning the
enemy was gone. He had retreated further south. About two o'clock that
night the sounds of heavy explosions were heard in the direction of
Atlanta, distance about twenty miles, with a succession of minor
explosions and what seemed like the rapid firing of cannon and musketry.
These continued for about an hour, and again about four a. m. occurred
another series of similar discharges, apparently nearer to us, and these
sounds could be accounted for on no other grounds than that of a night
attack on Atlanta by General Slocum, or the blowing up of the enemy's
magazines. Rumors began to arrive, through prisoners captured, that
Atlanta had been abandoned, and that Hood had blown up his ammunition
trains, which accounted for the sounds. On the morning of Sept. 2nd a
courier arrived from Gen. Slocum, reporting that the enemy had evacuated
Atlanta, blown up seven trains of cars and retreated on the McDonough
road, and that he, Slocum, held possession of the city. On the 7th of
September the entire army went into camps grouped about Atlanta, our
brigade having reached the city on the night of the 3rd in charge of
nearly 1700 prisoners captured at Jonesboro, was posted in the suburbs
of the city. Thus was completed and sent down to history another of the
great campaigns of the war.
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