Cockerell was at length ordered forward and the attack began. According to
French's account, everything went as successfully as possible. He
represents the triple lines of intrenchments and Redoubts on the west side
as being captured one, after another, his troops resting but briefly at
each to gather strength and survey the work before them, and again rushing
forward in murderous hand-to-hand conflict that left the ditches filled
with dead, until they were masters of the "Second Redoubt," and the "Third
or Main Redoubt" was filled with those driven from the captured works and
further crowded by the refugees from the eastern fort and its defences,
who had been driven out by the attack of Sears. He represents the Federal
forces, their fire almost silenced, as being herded into the one Redoubt
on the west, of which French's troops occupied the ditch and were
preparing for the final attack.
At this critical moment, with the garrison and the precious stores, as it
were, in the hollow of his hand, French received word that General
Sherman, who had been "repeatedly signalled during the battle," was close
behind him with his whole army, and within two miles of the road he would
have to take to rejoin his corps.
On this point of Sherman's proximity to French as his reason for leaving,
we have not only full knowledge of the exact position and movement of our
troops to show that such was really not the case, but a brief piece of
testimony from the other side in the shape of a dispatch from Major Mason,
Hood's adjudant-general, from which it is evident that French, becoming
hopeless of success, had sought in advance to justify at headquarters the
failure of his enterprise. The date and hour of this dispatch, which reads
as follows, are of interest:
"CARLEY'S HOUSE, Oct. 5, 1864. 8:15 p. m.
_Lt. Gen'l Stewart,
Com'd'g Corps._
General French's dispatch, forwarded by yourself, is just received.
Gen. Hood directs me to say that he does not know where a division
could march at this time to give any assistance to Gen. French, but
that you will endeavor to send some scouts to him, and direct him to
leave the railroad and march to the West, to New Hope Church.
Gen. Hood does not understand how Gen. French could be _cut off_ at
the point he designates in his dispatch, as he should have moved
directly away from the railroad to the West, if he deemed his
position precarious.