American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-08-17
NUMBER 35.

in fair way to have escaped with good
part of it, at least. Unfortunately, how
ever, the rebels at Atlanta learned of his
movement in time to push a division of
infantry rapidly dow1 on the West Point
Railroad, and throw them in his rear, be-
tween him and the Chattahoochie. This
rendered matters desperate The con-
stant skirmishing with the rebel cavalry
in the front had exhausted their supplies
of ammunition, and hemmed in by three
divisions, and completely surrounded,
nothing remained for the General but to
surrender at discretion, or throw himself
desperately upon the enemy and attempt
to hew his road out with his good saber.
Accordingly he sent courier around
to each of his subordinate commanders
that they were at liberty to escape, if such
a thing were possible, as best they might.
lie declared it was his firm purpose to re-
main with his command as long as any
body of them kept together, and fight it
out to the end. Seeing that the case was
hopeless, several of the officers made the
attempt, and several of them succeeded.
Col. Jim Brownlow, of the 1st East Tenn
essee, called on all who wished to attempt
to cut their way out to follow him. Six
hundred of them who were dismounted
rallied around him, but they became SO
scattered and broken that only twenty
came out with the Colonel Others will,
doubtless, straggle out to light, one by one,
though the hunt for them will be desper-
ately y pushed by the rebels. Some who
had fed away ono horses would have es-
capped probably, but on riding into the
treacherous quicksands of the Chattahoo-
chee, they were overtaken and captured,
Major Purdy succeeded in bringing off
two hundred with him, and since then
enough stragglers have come in, [ under
stand, and reported at Marietta, to swell
the number Of the escaped to nine humid
red. Some few more will probably find
their way in yet, though their number
will be few
Colonel Brownlow expresses it as his
opinion that General McCook and his
Staff are probably captured, together with
about thousand of his command, either
captured or killed
Among the killed | have obtained the
names of Col Harrison, of the 8th Indi-
ana cavalry, commanding brigade, and
| Major Paine, of the 1st Wisconsin caval-
ry | have not been able to obtain the
names of any others. Meantime the col
umns under Generals Stoneman and Gar
rad pushed rapidly on, and day before yes
terday courier reported them at Macon,
and meeting no opposition.
1t will probably be allowable to state,
at this stage of the proceedings, that his
destinaton--at least one Of them--is
Americus where the rebels hold in con-
fnement 1900 or $4,000 of our prison
ers. A Lieutenant from the rebel force
at Atlanta, captured few days ago, when
questioned as to the chances of success
for a raidins party going on such an err
rand, gave it as his opinion that they
ought to succeed, as there was absolutely
no force of any strength to oppose them.
If the General has made as good progress
since as bafofe the courier left he has
stricken the chains from our prisoners at
Americus and Andersonville before to-day
IF in no other way, he can escape by way
of Pensacola.
subsequently intelligence Of the safe
| ty of Gen McCook and from twelve to
fifteen hundred Of his commend has been
received also Of the capture of Gen.
stoneman and a small part of his COM
mand.]