The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-06-08
From sherman to May S1st.

May Is, 1864. !
The movements Of this army have al
ready been chronicled up to and
through the battle OF Resaca, and the
precipitate retreat ofther rebels through
Kingston and Cassville, upon EtOwah
River, and AllatOona Gap. At the two
former places they offered slight OPP
position to our advance, which was
quickly swept away, and the pursuit
continued to Cassyille. Here the army
halted two days to recruit after its late
battles and marches, and then its indie
fatigable leader gave orders to take
twenty days rations and set out on a
march, supposed to be a flank move
ment upon Atlanta The right Of the
army went BY the way of Rome, the
centre crossed the Etowah at Gillum 8
Bridge, about twelve miles west Of the
railroad, while the left proceeded by
parallel o. roads at supporting distance
from the center. Why enemy did not
anticipate our crossing the river below,
and attempt to forestall it, is not clear
ly shown They did think it, but too
late After the army had safely crossed
at Gillum's Bridge, a rebel bearer of
dispatches was captured, with an order
from Johnston to his cavalry leader to
intercept us at the bridge, a. we would
probably attempt to cross it. General
Thomas at once clad one of his spies in
rebel uniform, instructed our pickets to
fire at him lover his head of course) and
sent him through the lines with dis
patch to Joe Johnston that he (Taylor)
had done so with loss to US of 1000
or so, and many prisoners. 1t was n
cruel joke upon the rebel, and procured
for the spy, besides, access to valuable
information from pretty high rebel
sources. The army then marched qui-
city on toward Dallas.
MAY 25.-The day passed off without
incident of note, till about five o'clock
in the afternoon, when the sound Of
brisk cannonade in the advance dis
covered a fight in progress. 1t proved
to be General Rockers corps, which
had held the advance on the march, en-
gagged with the rebel General Hoods
corps Early in the forenoon, while the
General and his staff were inspecting
the bridge over Pumpkin Vine Creek,
about half way between Burnt Hickory
and Dallas, he was fired upon by cav
airy picket which then Immediately
fled. After proceeding two or three
miles beyond the bridge, boldly in front
Of his entire force, his escort became
engaged with a small body calling
themselves the Louisiana Sharpshooters,
and killed their Major and few men
At noon the I'd Division General viii
liams which was leading the way, dis
covered that they had a considerable
body Of infantry before them, instead
of the few cavalry they had supposed,
Skirmishing Immediately began, the %
Division driving the enemy steadily
from their first line of works about two
miles, entirely unsupported. About
five o'clock they came upon a stronger
line. and, being fatigued, they were re-
lieyed by the Sd and LIST Divisions, (Gen-
erals Buttertield and Geary command
ing) The Sd divided, a brigade and a
regiment going TO the left, and the re
mainder to the right, and the lst taking
the place of the 2d After a short time
the 2d was broughtup at an angle upon
the right, and took part III the remain
der Of the engagement Advancing
steadily under fire of musketry which
those who witnessed it declare they
have seldom seen equaled in severity,
they proceeded within forty yards Of a
concealed battery, planted by sections,
which opened upon them a sudden and
discharge Of grape and can
ister. One company Of the 5th Ohio
approached as near to suffering absolute
as, perhaps, Is ever wit
messed A whitening volley of grape
from the battery Frustrated upon the
ground nearly the entire company, acry
nan and Hlc-clOSsr IN his place, and his face
70 the front, with almost the regularity Of
a sIirmish line. The rebel firing was
rapid and terrific. At this point the
gallant Colonel of the 9TH, J. II. Patrick,
fell mortally wounded, at the head OF
his regiment, and expired in a few min
utes lie was struck on the leg by
shell, and died before an amputation
could be performed The lst Division
suffered severely, losing near nine hun
dred men. Some companies Of the I'd
Division fired sixty rounds, and the Iii
vision, as a whole, maintained its posi-
ton against the entire rebel corps for
some time, and till others could be
brought to its assistance. The heavy
losses of the lst Division were occasion /
ed by the destructive fire of the central
battery, and it is worthy of the greatest
praise for the undaunted steadiness
with which it bore the fierce fire of the
rebel battery, until it was disabled by
the loss of all its horses, and nanny Of
of its gunners, from the close vOlleys
which were poured into it. The l02d
Illinois, armed with the Spencer rifle, /
claims the honor of reducing it to 81
lence, though it was most efficiently
assisted by others to the right and left
The enemy were driven entirely away
from the pieces, yet we could not take
them, owing to the proximity of their
lines; and thus they remained on neu-
trail ground, claimed by neither, and
useless to both. The Goth Illinois played
a prominent part in unmanning and
another section of the bate
~ in the same manner Their sharp
shooters picked off forty of It's gunners,
who had the temerity to elevate their
heads above the breastworks.
But 10 enumerate the instances of in
dividual heroism and good conduct, in
this brilliant episode, would be to i'll
troduce the name and history of every
man, and company and regiment, in
the 10Th Corps. A narrative with so
many chapters is impossible | asked
repeatedly for special instances of dsr-
ng and merit, but could find none, so
was the behavior Of all alike.
It was a special pleasure of the officers
10 speak Of the magnificent enthusiasm
With which the men went in, and the
,teadiness they exhibited under the
calling fire which met them. General
Thomas publicly declared that he had
lot, at any time, seen men bear them
selves more brayely than these. Let
his verdict suffice for every one who is
anxious for the good name Of the 10Th
Corps.
Few prisoners were taken on either
side. The loss on our side was, proba-
bly,, greater than that Of the enemy,
TO about 500 killed, wound /.
ed and missing The substantial fruits /
Of the days work are a gain of two |
miles OF ground, giving as a favorable 1
position, two pieces of artillery. and a
better arrangement of the line for sub !
sequent operations
fFt..