Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-05-28


exclusive of the Georgia militia, of whom
probably $1,000 are bearing arms, and distri-
buted at Rome and Resaca. Their journals
estimate the strength of our army at 6O,OOO
They will be astonished after annihilate that
number of Sherman's Yankees to find their
work signally incomplete"
The subsequent operations in expelling the
enemy from Reseca are given below as detail
ed by correspondent of the Chicago Times
Other reports state our loss at 5000 The
Times would doubtless make the affair
appear as little damaging to the rebels as
possible Nevertheless its report is doubt
less in the main correct and is more full than
any other yet received:
REsAcA, Ga, May Il.
A series of operations have just been COM
pleted, and the rebel army has retreated from
the works around Resaca.
Presenting you have intelligence OF our
operations up to where the army left Buzz
gard Roost, | shall speak only of those sub
seouent to that, and in as brief manner as
possible.
On Thursday, May 18th, nearly the whole
army was in motion towards Snake Greek,
which lies about fifteen miles south of Buzz
card Roost, only Howard, with Woods and
Stanley's divisions, being left to threaten the
enemy in front .of Dalton. 1t should be OBJ
served however, that Gen. Mcpherson, eros
sing directly over from Villisnow, had passed
through Snake Greek Gap as early as Monday,
the 9th of May.
By morning of Friday, the 18th, the bulk
of our forces was assembled at Sugar Valley,
near the eastern mouth of the gap, cavalry
covering the operations of the infantry.
Gen. Fitzpatrick was wounded while attend
ing to this work
During the 18th the army was occupied in
deploying from the Gap, and getting in posi-
ton. Heavy skirmishing took place during
the day. Gen. Harrow's division of Gen. LO-
gan's corps met with considerable loss. BY
night the enemy's position was fully discov-
cred. Resaca is situated in great bend to-
ward the east. Across the neck of the Coos
awatte River, the convex portion of the pc
ninsula thus formed, extend continuous lines
of rebel works, with strong field fortifca-
tions, especially about the town. Both their
TANKS rested on the river, and the line of re-
treat was completely protected by these for
tifications.
By the night of Friday our army was in po-
sition around the rebel works, except How
ards forces, which had occupied Dalton the
day before, and were sweeping down the line
of the Altoona and Western Railroad to form
junction with the rest of the army.
On Saturday, the 18th, skirmishing began
early in the morning, and continued inces-
sanity throughout the day all along the line
About o'clock it was especially severe upon
the left of the 18th corps, many of our men
being picked off by rebel sharpshooters.-
About noon Howard effected a junction with
the rest of the army, and our whole force was
then in line,-IIoward's corps forming the ex-
treme left, Schofeld's coming next, HoOkers
next, Palmer's next, Logan's next,-Wood,
with two divisions of the 10th corps being
on the extreme right. Such dispositions and
changes were afterward made as the move
ments of the enemy or the evacuation of our
own plans required; but generally the line
remained as | have indicated.
About one p. NJ. an attempt was made to
break the centre of the enemy's line, or, at
least, to reeapture his outer works. Gen.
Judah's division of Schofield's corps, and
Newton's division of Towards corps, moving
over comparatively level ground, succeeded,
after desperate conflict, in compelling the
rebels TO abandon the position of their outer
line. We did not continue to hold this, but
our own line being somewhat advanced, our
artillery acting very effectively, we prevent
ed the rebels from occupying it.
Further to our right we were not so fortu-
nate. Portions of Jamieson's, Bairds, and
Weaver's divisions of Palmer's corps, in at
tempting to charge the rebels in front, were
compelled to throw themselves down an al
most perpendicular bank; wade creek waist
deep which ran at the foot of the bluff; and
then across valley filled with bitches, fully
exposed to a fire from the rebel works New
err did men 60 to work more CALAMITY, or con-
test more nObly; but they could not accom-
plish impossibilities, and, after severe loss,
were obliged to withdraw.
1t was now discovered that the enemy were
moving a heavy force up the Resaca and Fill
ton road, with the obvious purpose of turning
our left Hooker was Immediately sent to
checkmate his movement. Before he arrived,
however, the rebels had thrown themselves
in immense masses upon Cruft's brigade of
SANKEY'S division, and forced it, after SPLEEN
did resistance, to abandon the hillupon which
it was posted, and retire in considerable con-
fusion. The rebels, yelling like demons,
came running across the road and open field
| TO the west of it, when they were met by
murderous fire of grape and canister from
Simpsons old New York battery and the 9TH
Indiana. At the same time, portions of Hook
er's men, falling into an open space, took po-
sitiOn upon both sides of the valley and sup
ported Them Parts of Cruft's brigade rallied
to the rescue, and the rebels were repused
with great slaughter. 1t was night when the
contest ceased.
Meantime a fierce conflict had commenced
upon the right. Morgan Smiths and 0ster-
haus' divisions of Logan's corps, with Sprague's
brigade of Veatch's division of the 10th corps,
charged line of rebel rihe-pits a little to
the right of and in sight of Resaca, and in
| trepidly carried them. This was about p.
NJ. An hour afterwards the rebel leaders,
massing large force, attempted to regain
possession of these works. Coming boldly
up long hill to the very foot of the works,
they seemed determined to retake them or
perish but they were met with a determine
| ton as nrm as their own. The line of fire
| sweeping up the hill was answered by a line
of fire at the summit. The yell of the rebels
was drowned in the louder shouts of the Fed
eral soldiers and, after a struggle worthy of
| a good cause, the rebel host was hurled down
the hill, leaving its sides covered with wound
ed and dead. Our men continued to hold
this work, which the rebels never regained.
On Sunday morning firing commenced as
usual, but nothing of particular Importance
occurred until about l p. NJ. At that time
a determined charge was made by Hooker's
Corps, which now occupied our left-Pal-
mer's, Towards and Schofelds having been
shifted toward the right, to fill up the gap &C.
casioned by Hooker's withdrawal the day be-
fore. This charge was at first believed sue
cussful. The enemy were driven from a por-
ton of the lines, and Woods Brigade, of But