General Joseph E. Johnston was removed from command and General John B.
Hood was appointed in his stead. Dr. Crawford was ordered to remove to
Montgomery, Ala. In reference to the battle of Resaca I omitted to state
that I received a letter from my friend B. S. Jordan, whom I had
appointed as local agent to forward supplies for the general hospital,
that his brother, Jas. P., a Capt. in the 57th Ga. Regt., and a dear
friend of mine, was dangerously wounded. I at once set out in quest of
him and found him lying on a pallet on the platform of the depot. He was
suffering, but when he saw me he brightened up. I said, poor fellow, are
you wounded badly? He said, Yes, and indicated the place. Now I have to
refer to a little incident that transpired at the time when Capt. Jordan
had organized a Company and was about to leave for the front: This was
in 1862. When I had already experienced one year's service in the 1st
Ga. Regiment. I said, Well, James, don't you let me hear of you being
shot in the back. He was indignant. Never, replied he, emphatically. But
when he indicated his wound, I remarked at once: Shot in the back, as I
expected. Suffering as he was, he laughed heartily and said I want to
explain; I said, No explanation is necessary, the evidence is before me.
He remarked, Yes, but I want to explain how it was done. I said
evidently by a musket ball in the hands of a Yankee, and so I teased him
until he nearly forgot all about his wound, which was in the fleshy part
of his hip. Captain James P. Jordan was of a noble and chivalrous
disposition and his Company had seen much hard service. He explained
that they were ordered forward on a double quick to charge the enemy in
their immediate front, when owing to some obstructions his Company got
out of line, turning towards them to align them a ball had struck him
and he was carried to the rear. I carried him to the Vineville hospital.
Dr. Crawford extracted the ball, and when his Uncle Burrell heard of his
being there he had him removed to his home and well taken care of.
It must be remembered matters were getting very squally; every available
man and boy was called to the front. The battle of Atlanta was fought
and lost at a great sacrifice to both sides, on July 21st, 1864, Gen. W.
H. T. Walker on our side, General McPherson on the Federal side, were
both killed. The City was sacked and laid into ruins as a result of the
most uncivilized warfare. General Hood changed his tactics, and after
the engagement at Jonesboro he swung to Sherman's rear, expecting by
that move to cut off Sherman's supplies and reinforcements, and Sherman
having now no army in front to oppose him marched through the length of
Georgia by rapid strides to the sea, Savannah being his objective
point.