Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-09-08
From the Twenty-Sseend Regiment.

y
the Drajt-Agpeat to I'll the Old Regiment.
Correspondence Of the State Journal
AT TUE FRONT, NEAR ATLANTA, CA
August 10th, 1854.
| wish | was as confident of Gen. CIR ;ut's
success at Petersburg and Richmond as am
OF SheTman's capture Of Atlanta; but l do
not believe it is all Gen. Sherman wants;
he Is evidently after bigger fish. His plan is
obscure at present, but his style OF strategy
is not the less sure in the end. He knows
his business, and, what is more, keeps his
plans to himself, or at least from the public.
Everything during the campaign goes to
prove that Gen Sherman had an object, but
no settled hobby, Ia Mcclellan, the failure
of which would upset the whole programme,
and lead 20 change Of base" or a base
change. He has adopted means to meet the
emergencies of the campaign, as they devel
ope themselves, and which no General could
have foreseen, no more than you can make
all enemy do in every case as you would have
him. The military chessboard is more COM
plicated than one might imagine at first
One variation changes the whole game. 4
thousand events have occurred during this
great advance, which the quick, perceptlve,
energetic and cautious Sherman's abilities
have taken hold of, and made good come out
OF them. 1t is safe to say that he has done
more, and lost as little, as any General of the
war.
1t is needless to describe our General; he
is regular "Yank,' long, lank and lean ;
you will notice a quick, nervous movement
of his person, and a peculiar brilliancy in his
glances, and one does not have to look twice
to see whether he is pleased or perplexed-
He is what you might call lightning"
and comprehend quickly, and is as quick to
decide. But it is not my purpose to write a
biography.
We are gradually crawling upon the rebel
stronghold line after line of breast-works
have been built, until now we can shoot a
pistol ball into the rebel works from various
points in our lines. Our lines are shortened
by Strengthening, and thus are made stronger
Some 32-pounders have been put in posi-
ton during the past few days, and also a
great many 20-pound parrots. The smaller
guns are interspersed along the line in good
positions. The rebel artillery is kept silent
most of the time, but occasionally heavy
duel is fought and tie rebels always quit
first. Skrmishing is quite brisk betimes,
and occasionally dash is made and some
"Johnnies" are hauled in.
A great many deserters have come into our
lines during the past week. There was a
truce in front of the 10th and 18th corps and
the rebel pickets, the latter deserving at the
rate of so to 100 day Day before yester-
day the 21st Wisconsin and some other troops
on picket in front of the 10th corps had a
parley with the rebel pickets. 1t was ar
ranged to have sham fight and that the re-
bells should be captured. Towards night our
skirmishers advanced, firing blank cartridges
I~o1, En,,, +hn l., &C
| ammunition and retiring slowly to their re-
serve. When the fight became apparently
very hot the pickets were reinforced by more
| of the disaffected, and finally quick advance
| was made by the Johnnies," and our pick
cts brought them in at the rate of four h1l1a-
dyed and ttye,etg-seUe,e This affair was conduct
| ed by the enlisted men on both sides, the Off
GERS having nothing to do with it. Not man
was hurt Over two thousand deserters have
come in within the past few days. They re-
| port great portion at the army discouraged,
| and since the Mobile affair the officers begin
| to show signs of uneasiness. The rebel Gen
erals have taken measures to relieve those
dlsaffected and have put rebel soldiers in their
stead, consequently there are not so many
desertions. The deserters also report mutt
ny in camp. Some Virginia soldiers, whose
| time was out, wished to be discharged. 1t
| was refused, and they in turn refused to do
| duty. Quite an outbreak occurred, and sew
| eral deserted the next day and came into our
| lines. One squad had eighty men and off
GERS. Notwithstanding all this the discipline
| of the rebel army is such as to make it eff.
| cient.
! | called upon the 9Th Wisconsin battery
yesterday and found them in good position
4 in the 18th corps. The 9Th boys manage to
| keep rebel fort in their front silent most
| of the time. The health of the battery is
good. Capt. Gardner is sick in the field hos
pital of the division, but is getting better.
| The 10Th, 31st and Sd infantry regiments arc
| in the line doing their share of delving. The
22d is also in the front line, and has lost from
one to two men IA day on the skirmish line
| for the past week.
The skirmish line of the Sd Division, goth
Corps, advanced some two hundred yards
day before yesterday. At about 4 o'clock
A. NJ. three men from each pit advanced
cautiously and dug new pits, the line keeping
up rapid fire over their heads. When the
new line of gopher holes" were finished, the
| whole line advanced silently and occupied
them. Just before daylight down came Mr..
Sharpshooters of the rebel persuasion to oc-
cupy their tavorite positions behind trees,
but they went back somehow they did not
like the quietude of the place. Tho rebels
put battery in 'posish" (after trying to
drive our boys back with their skirmishers, J
and commenced Smelling US, but no less than
four guns to their one opened Oh their bat
terry, and soon shut it up.
There are several 20-pound Parrot guns in
position. One in particular was called "Sher-
mans time-keeper." Day after day this gun
sent its missiles forth at intervals of 10 and
10 minutes. "Our boys" gave it the name l
have mentioned. A great many of our COM
rades have gone to sleep" to wake 40 more
On earth, who have heard that old gun in life,
in death its tones to them were a requiem.
A few days ago we missed its deep voice, and
soon after learned that it's muzze had
dropped off, So we bid it adieu as one of
the past
We are confident here from the reports
that the rebels have not been reinforced to
any great number, il fact no more than con-
valescents and detached squads.
The cars run up to our lines, bringing US
the mail regular, as general thing, and Fsthe
papers" are brought to our camps by enter
prlslng newsboys.
L notice quite a number of citizens among
the Quartermasters, Commissaries and" Bum
mers." Why are they here? Methinks
there as a reason. Last year it was just so
when a draft was expected. These fellows
Will find it poor place to escape the forth
| coming draft.
The rebels have fortified down as far as
East Point and across to the river. Our
right, the 23d corps, rests on the Chatta-
hoochee, below ''Sand Town" Our line is
running nearly north and south and is twelve
or fourteen miles long, one continuous line
of earthworks lined with iron and steel, with
brave hearts to use the material to advan-
tage Here we are, drawing closer every
day around the doomed city and army of the