Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-09-23

| Gate City. And now we were to follow
The thought caused joyous thrill which none
could know but those who for one hundred
and twenty days had been toiiing and march
ing through sun and rain, and had during that
lime fought through five bloody battles, to
reach the end now about to be so easily at
| tained.
1t needed 10 reveile to remind the men oi
the Sd brigade of the approach Of day on tie
morning of the 4th inst. Its stirring notes,
as they echoed up ard down thp war-scathed
banks Of he ChattahoOcbee. fell upon ears from
which the film Of sleep had already been
brushed away. The proud thought, Il have
helped to take Atlanta and now I'm going in
TO it, was more animating than early bugle
aud drum, and forstalled their complaining
prisons The troops were not only up be-
times bat quickly on the march, each man
pressing forward with eager step and joyous
heart, as ii some festive or holiday occasion
awaited his anxious feet.
By IL A. NJ, the colamn filed through an
opening in the breastworks, which our troops,
few weeks before, had thrown up in the face
of the enemy, and under the very muzzles Of
his guns. 1t was all abandoned now and the
debris of the deserted camps ami trenches
doomed gloomiy in the bright light of the
Southern sun. A hundred PAGES or so be
yond the Union works brought US to those of
the enemy And such works Let me, if |
can, convey some idea of the barriers which
the mistrusttul confederates raised up against
an assault by their daring antagonists. First
was a line of rihe-pits from 80 to 100 yards
in front of the main line. These we're occu-
pied by pickets. Next came lines-usuaiy
three in number-of bristliDg abatts. These
were partly formed by sharp stakes firmly set
in the ground aud prOrudiag outwardly, and
partly by heavy rollers constructed of tmbers
through which two rows OF long, wooden pins
were passed by means of holes bored at right
angles with each other. Next to these abat-
tis was d line of timber, ten feet high, set per-
pendcularly in the ground, with narrow crev-
ices, or ioop-hoes, between, for the mus
kerry. Close behind this formidable obstacle
was the main breastworks, from four TO six
feet in thickness. Add to all this the strong
redoubts built on the prominent points OF the
line, manned with artillery which swept with
a cross fire all the approaches from the outside,
and some idea can be formed of the kind OF
Notifications with which the rebels have COM
ple,ely encirced the city OF Atlanta.
The column halted lor q breathing spell in
the shade of the pine trees that grow in com
Portable profusion all about the suburbs of
Atlanta This gave US an opportunity to OBJ
serve something of the execution done by our
artillery. Along this portion of the line were
many handsome, suburban residences, once
models Of comfort ard the abodes of wealth
and la-bion Those that had stood between
lbe hostile iutrenchments were completely de-
moished. Others that stood behind the enc
my's line were runed monuments OF the waste
and devastation of war. Near one of the
rebel for;s, on a commanding site just Oppo-
site The position occupied during the siege by
the Sd brigade, was The wreck Of whal had
been beautiful edifice. Around it the hand
of industry and taste had strewn more of the
comforts, convepiences, and charms of civil
lied home than had seen almost anywhere 10
the South. But owing to its prominent po-
siion it had been learfulIy ridded by our ar
tillery. Its fine balconies were d penduous
wreck, its painted walls full of gaping holes,
its succeed ceilings mutilaled and stained. it's
marble manlle-pieces displaced and broken,
its broad, polished sIairways slrewn with rub
bish, its piazza hedged up with bricks and
broken timbers. The yard where rich palms,
ferns, flowers, and a great variety OF other
rare aud beautiful plants had blOomed in deli
cately cultured beauty. was pow 4 trampIed.
tangled Jungle Such is the fate which beialls
the homes of traitors; such is the retribution
which sooner or later must overtake their
crimes.
After few minutes rest the bugle rang out
its shrll summons, the soldiers spraDg to
their places, and keeping step 10 the inspiring
cadence of martial music, the column, with
colors flying and arms at right-shOulder- SHIFT,
began its entree into the city. MAJ ching
down Marietta street until near the r. R
Depot it flied up Peach Tree street. We did
rot expect of course that the rebellious citi-
zens OF Atlanta would prepare an ovation for
US, or receive US enthusiastically. Nor did
they. But in silent groups aud with sullen
OF expressioness teHances they watched
US pass. The bands entertained them with
the thrilling strains of Hail Columbia" and
Rally round the Flag" which, if they had
net forgotten The meaning of those inspiring
airs, must have either awakened some regrets
Of else smothered them with aggravated ha-
tired. But to the noble men who carried the
flag and kept step to the music of the Union,
there was something peculiarly gratifying in
The loud, prolonged strains of
''The Union forever, hurrah boys hurrah!
Down with the traitor, up with the star,
And we'll rally round the flag, boys,
: rally once again,
| Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom
! Il was wor,h all the toll and suffering O
| the comnaign to hear these Datriotic note,
echoing along the streets OF this boasted cita-
del of the rebellion. After passing through
the main portion of The city and reaching the
eastern extremity of Peach Tree street, our
troops were put in position behind some works
built for US (?) by the enemy. Almost the
entire Corps is now here and occupies the
various works around the city. 1t is 10 be
hoped that the star Of the brave old Goth may
be the guiding star that shall lead this erring
people into the sale way of loyalty to the flag
they have so causeiessly torn down and in
suited.
The city of Atlanta is beautifully located
! It's site is commanding and overlooks vast
scope OF country in almost every direction
but particularly to the northward and west
ward Standing near the southern extremity
of Peach Tree street, one beholds view
which is truly magnificent For distance
of twenty-five or thirty miles the country un-
folds itself like a map to The behoder. Far
away toward sunset the dark shadow OF Lost
Mountain looms up like that of Il lonely giant