Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-08-04
whole brigade (Morls to be formed the right of Col
Mersy The remainder of Gen. Fulers division had been
sent to Decatur the 2ls to guard the wagon trains
ATTACK ON swEENY.

brigade formed the rlght oil Col
Mersy The remainder of Gen. Fuer's division had been
sent to Decatur on the 2lst to guard the wagon trains
ATTACK ON swEENY.
Gen Eullers brigade hardly in position when the
few skrmishes of the 18th Corps had been in the
front driven in, and close after them at the edge
the woods not three hundred yards distant appeared the
main rebel line. Gen. Dodge at the tune at the I4h
Ohio battery and ordered it to open them. In a
moment the shell flying with deadly certainty into
the rebel ranks 1t stopped for moment then seadied
itself for blow and came forward The quick eye OF
Gen. Dodge at that the line all too Tong for
his three brgades and if it not checked driven
back would turn his left and work unit Id mischief.
Riding amid the storm of bullets to the commander of the
6lst Ohio regiment Lieut. COL Adams he directed him
charge with regiment Passing to the regiment
2th Illinois,, he gave the order to Lieut. Col Van
Sellar Inspired by the presence and bravery of their
commanding General these two regiments moved out
with shout and coming around the point of ridge
expectedy the rebel force slaughtered them terribly,
and captured large number Of prisoners with two stands
of c0lors Never since the battle Of Cornth have wit
messed graDder battle than here this charge
The banner of beauty and glory half beautiful
when b0rue by bravehearted through the battle
smoke of an advance the enemy. Lieut.. Lad's aud
Capt Wekers batteries poured ceaseess vOleys into the
ranks plain before them in the open fields and The
woods beyond Meanwhile, Col Morrlps impetuous
brigade the right charged and drove the enemy before
it to the edge of the timber In this position without
support on the right and compelled to fall back-a
most hazardous movement yet by demoralizng
as the line was promptly reformed at its original position
ard again started TO drive the rebels back. Once
this gallant brigade crossed that bloody fed and
more it compelled to fall back under CALLING fire
but never despairiDg, the weakened line bravey rallied
the second time and held its position Severely it suffered
in these movements. Col. Morrill,, is commander. was
severely wounded in two places. Lieut. Col. Churchill,
Of the 9th Ohio received ball the lower metal button
Of his vest, disabling him for time.
Early in the engagement Gen. Dodge had sent to Gen.
Giles A. Smith to notify him OF the situation in his rear
his being the left division the line and ask him to
throw his reserve right angle with his line He had no
reserves The enemy soon pressed on his ak and
and compelled him to bend back. Soon this became i'm
practicable, and his men, attacked in rear jumped over
their works and fought in Hardly did they
pulse attack of THE kind until their new would be
attacked and again they would have to change sides the
works In this way portions of General Smiths division
changed sI times OF course all this not done with
out loss. Portions OF two regiments cut Off ard
two hundred of them captured Here, too Murays
Battery, I'd u s. Artillery temporarily detached from tho
Sixteenth Corps captured 1t had been ordered back
to Gen. Fuller at the beginning Of the action and while
the way was cut off and the pieces captured Over
captured
GEN. MCPHERSON KILLED
The event which will cast gloom the whoecoun-
try occurred about this time front ate rear) of Gen.
with Gen. Dodge Gen. Mcpherson had visited him. and
having ooks the ground and dispatched every of
his staff various erraDds said he would 60 and the
left Away he ealloped alone plunged into the timber,
where he met the rebel line ofbatte Too cowardly to
respect the bravery Of such officer the rebels fred
volley at the General His horse plunged asde the life
less rider Tell TO the eArth and the Army OF the tennessee
without leader Oh! why is the fate OF war
cruel1 Why he, the pride Of the army and the
ton cut down. McPherson-the humbest soldier in all
his army had learned to know him and love him the
Genial without familiarity, dgnfed without stiff formaty
he maintained the prooundest respect and the
est admiration Of all.
GEN. LOGAN ASSUMES COMMAND.
1t was dark hour when staff officer dashed up to
Gen. Logan aud whispered to him tbe sad dings for it
houp best TO not let the army know early in the
acten such bad The designs and strength Of the
enemy rot yet developed Precisely where to look
for a blow knew. The Sixteenth Corps had To-
pulsed the attack it's position and had bravey held its
ground The Seventeenth being pushed in, though
lighting with the stubbornness OF veterans they
Gey Logan's first order to send division Gen.
Dodges left to guard against rear attack This
taken from the Twentythird Corps aud the Fifteenth
Corps had to lengthen out to fill the space
CENTRE BROKEN AND RE-EsTABLIsHED.
The force came Morgan L. Smiths division, and after
Of the seyees gbs Of the campaign they drove back
bis division capturing the artillery among which was the
famous De Grss Battery genuine arterist is always
tender # his guns he would be of his children and
is said that Capt De Gras wept at the loss Of his guns
Gen Logan repaired in person to Gen. Dodge TO get
sisauce in reakpg the line and the guns. Gen Dodge
sent up Col Mersys brigade. 1t had already fought
battle and had endured the fatigue Of days watch
fness, but at thessopnd of danger moved OF without
word Arriving the ground the brigade went in with
yell, deployng it went up Company officers We'd
with each other in being fret to reach the works held by
the enemy The line was trumphantly carried and with
it large number of prisoners 1t Hoods corps which
had made the assault there.
RESULTS
The loss of the Sixteenth Corps will probably reach
thousand The Seventeenth lost fifteen hundred, while
the Fifteenth did not lose than FIVE hundred ms king
tots. of three Thousand. Judging from the front of the
Sixteenth Corps the rebels lost at least twice heavily
They left their dead and wounded in our hands
every where except where hs Seventeenth Corps
Hardees Corps made desperate effort TO gain our rear
but fortunately met by the udefagable commander
of the Sixteenth Corps and was hurled back Only with
he left of the Seventeenth Corps which cut off before
could maneuver did he gain any success Hood tried to
break centre partially succeeded with heavy loss, but
was by the timely arrival of Col Mersys brgade driven
back with greater loss. Altogether the splendid achieve
mens which we're expected to be accomplished utterly
failed.
col. sPRAGuE's DEFENCE OF DECATUR.
part of the plan consisted in sending Wheeers cava
ry to destroy the trains in The only guard
had for these three regiments of COL Spragues br
gade. posted in Decatur Of his engageme and
successful defence Of trains too much be said in
praise. His loss two hundred yet all unaided
wthsood The onset of two divisions Of Wheelers cavalry
and saved our treina.
Cen Force and Col Fry, (20h Ohio Of the Seventeenth
Corps wounded. Lieut. Col. Brown, 631 Ohio,
wounded The Adutsnt Of the regiment and Capt Thorn
we're killed Col Mersy, in going into poton to reake
the line Of the Fifteenth Corps slightly wounded by
the fall Of his favorite horse, which shot LIEUT. Col
Howard, I'd Iowa, painfully wounded Major Camp
bell 66th Illinois, seriously wounded Lieut. w. H.
Peters, 66th Indians, and Capt Heaten, I'd Iowa.
wounded truce for bnryiug the dead had to-day
".