Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-07-20
From the Forty-secOnd Regiment.
ON CHATTAHoocHIR RIVER,
EIGHT MILES KRoN ATLAsrA,
July I0th. 1864

OH 0hAIIAHootutE RIVER,
EIGHT Mills KRoN ATLA.TA,
July l0th, 1864
Editors Journal;
Once more, perhaps, our army may
lie still leng enough for me to write Jon
letter
Well, here We are in full view Of the
city Of Atlanta, which is said TO be nine
miles distant from this placs, Last night
Johnny Rebs. took it into their heads
to cross the river and leave to Us, undis-
putedly, ell the territory on this side.
The Railroad bridge was burned Abou.
o'clock this morning,
We have one Corps of troops South 81
the river and I judge that others will
follow soon, but do not Of course kuow
certainly Our General works quietly
and in his own way, bat that way is such
as TO inspire the troops win eonndenee
in him beyond anything have ever Wit
messed in the army yet, but enough Of
that, for truly We have no righsto spseu-
late on what the army does, or what the
Generals order, the opinions of the Cop.
perheads to the eontrary no,withs,ana.
ing. a
Since last wrote yea the Forty-ssea
oud has done and Suffered much, not
suffered truly in losses By wounds or
deaths from the enemy but in privations
and hardships that seem almost beyond
endurance, when we look back, bat tn.
brave boys have chserfuily borne all,
and are now in good spirits; and had they
a short rest would be ia az good fxhting
trim as ever.
last wrote you at Kingston. Since
then we confronted the enemy at Pump
kinville, and for seven days and nights
/ the Forty Second, with the balance Of.
our Brigade, held the extreme left Of the
army, uadsr c constant fire by day and
| night, at close range At some points
/ on this line our akirmishers were not
| twenty stRps from the rebels, aud we
we're obliged all the while to keep our
heads behind the works, Il we we're at
! all solieitous for our personal safety.
Here we had quite q number killed and
wounded, aud great portion Of the
/ time the rain fell in torrents on our - de.
voted heads, and the soldiers bed
was one of mud, literally so. At no
time did the men have uudisturbed rest
| for two hours and half during those
seven days and nights.
Finally, after the enemy had demon
stratsd that be was out.generaled, be re-
tired to his works on Lost Mountain and
on line with that mountain. Here
again he was made to retire, giving up
possession of 9 Big Shanty and taking
a very strong position in the Kenesaw
Mountains, where be already had very
strong Qualifications built No troops
could hare stormed thess works without
a loss Of life beyond what the world ever
knew in an engagement, for they vera
built strong, well arranged for en-
| flading an advancing column, both With
small shot and artillery. But thati is nos
or has not been Gen. Sherman's method
of lighting The country being very
broken and billy, BESIDES 9 perfect mass
of thick undsrbrush was everywhere in
our way, some fourteen or fifteen DAYS
were consumed in getting in eondi-
ton to make safe work Of fank move
ment Finally the time arrived for the
movement to be made The left Of the
line was drawn back from the foot of
the mountain, and a new line established
The troops began moving rapidly to onr
right, and at once the enemy retired, giv,
ing up his strong works, his ehoics
position and the beautiful little
town Of Marietta "a very val
liable place 70 US, as most of the people
had gone on further south to seek their
rights, and left US TO occupy their
houses as hospitals, their store rooms for
Quartermaster and Commissary goods,
&s., &c.
Here we found some Of the people
who had run before us from Dalton; and
it seemed they had actually run :he
breath out of themselves. Seeing them
and learning that they had run from ths
Yankees thus far reminded me of a story
of an early settler of nv county Who was
exceedingly fearful Of snakes One day
the aforesaid citizen went forth to search
for bis horse, which was IN the woods
grazing. The bride was thrown over
bis shoulder and on he wentin the search
sor his horse, when at last, looking over
bis shoulder and on TO the ground behind
him, he discovered what he supposed 10
be snake FLOWING close at his heels.
At once he Get of in trot, but still his
snakeship followed on. Faster and iaster
our friend run till at last, out of breath
almost and nearly exhausted, he Jumped
over a log, that lay IL bis way, fell fat az
he did so, and exclaimed, "b-b-b- bite and
De id" After having run SO far from
the Yankees, those Dalton citizens looked
as ii, clear out of breath, they were rezdy
10 make ike exclamation.
Marietta is beautiful little place, and
has been place Of considerable educa-
! tousl interest, but the advent Of the