Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-07-28
THE WAR IN GEORGIA.
The ADVANCE BEYOND THE CHATTAHOO.
CHE, AND FIRST BATTLE NEAR ATLANTA


Correspondence of the Cincinnati Commercial.
NEAR ATLANTA July 20-2 p. M.
READERS are already familiar with the particulars O
Newtons passage Of the rver how Howard made aorced
march to Roswell crossed to the right of Johnston who
had become SO mystfed at Shemsns apparent inactivity
that he negecedto look to his TANKS So rapidly had
Howard thrown Newton that the Roswell factories
and Government property all destroyed and Dodge
corps encamped upon the south bank ere Johnston
aware oft Schofed crossed before the enemy could offer
opposition With his flank exposed contest the
OF our other corps would have been madness he gave
BACK and Sherman transferred his whole army to
the rebel works from which Johnston few days before
promised to drive the invader into the river with loss
less than fifty men. Our crossed Sunday (the
l0th) Mcpherson had taken advantage of time, and
while our right was making the south bank he swing
Ing ms left Dodges divson) round via Cross Keys to-
ward the Atlanta and Augusta railroad
On Monday forenoon the whole line advanced McPher-
son was the left Scho6eld the left CENTRE Howard
on the centre Hooker the right centre and Palmer
the right. The Fourth Corps encountered Wliams's
Kentucky brigade of cavalry at Johnsons house, Min
me creek three miles from the river Bradley, of New.
tons division, had the advance with the 25th Ohio and
50 Kentucky under Col Opdyke, as skirmishers. The
rebels opened with artillery and carbines, but were
driven back by the skirmshers and Goodspeeds Ohio
battery in half hour with the loss Of lieutenant
colonel Killed and twenty men wounded. Our loss was
six wounded. The 82d Ohio and 18th New Jersey
from Hookers corps. supported skirmahers the
right On being driven. the rebel cavalry retreated
across Minnie creek and burned the bridge. stand
was made the south side, but skrmshers cross
ed the stream and drove them out in disorder No
more opposition encountered and the Fourth Corps
arrived at Buckhead at four o'clock p NJ where line of
battle was formed in hastily constructed works. and
halt made for the night At dark Hookers main force ar
rived ana COOK position on the right OF the Fourth Corps
Schofeld had moved parallel road and encountered
but slight opposition His left at night, rested near De-
catur, five miles from Atlanta
IN t,a h. unr
parties on the various roads in our 'front.' comprising The
10th Illinois, Col Barnett aud The 9th Indiana Col Sa-
NOUS from Stanleys division with CROSS brigade sup
porting distance, the 18th and 74lh Illinois, oath Wscon-
SIM and details from other regiments of Newtons DIVISION
and the seth Ohio and Seth Indiana from Woods DIVISION
Ihe were pushed to reach the creek
and half miles this side of Atlanta. Wood finding the
enemy enrenched pretty strong works the south side
of the stream which about fifty feet broad and six
feet deep, Newton went with little hndrance to his ad-
vance, while Stanley who struck the river farther up saw
no force in bis 'front.' Hooker also made
to point farther down the creek and finding the bridge
destroyed threw skrmshers and engaged the enc
mys cavalry, who fled before his approach. At noon
Wood received orders to advance upon the and eff
feet crossing Selecting Beattys brigade under Colonel
Knfer, Wood depoyed to the right of the road about
half mile The creek here takes winding course through
ravine plantation, that the rebel works were In
uIf view Detailing the 18th Indiana and 9th Kentucky
skirmshers Knefer moved cautiously down under CO.
YER to the creek, which lined with small growth of
bushes. few men SWAN the stream, threw down string
and the skrmshers they passed depoyed to
the right and left and advanced the rebels works
Many of Kneers command finding the process of cross
ing tedious oTded the stream in time to carry
the rebel works under annoying artillery fire from
rebel battery and participated in the capture of thirty or
forty prisoners Gibbons brigade endesvored to cross 10
'front.' but the position exposed that it waited
Skmishng continued until evening between Knefsr and
the rebel infantry under Bales the latter continually o,no
ground. Troops never fought better than ours The
thought OF getting into Atlanta seemed to spur them on to
dare auy thing During the evening the bridge was re-
built by HAGEN, and the division passed over
On "Wednesday morning Gen. Thomas ordered Gen
Howard to move by the left flank and cose the Gan he
tween him and Schofeld. Woods division was retired
from the position Of the previous day. and Newton filled it.
with orders press steadily forward upon the direct road
to Atlanta Stanley moved down the road leading to At
anta-and formed junction with schoHeld at ~ O'clock
noon After some little delay in bridging south branch
Of Peachtree creek Schoed had the day previous form
ed ajuncton with Mcpherson at Decatur MeetioQ moth
ing but caysy, Mcpherson, Tuesday and "Wednesday
swung his left around to within three miles of the city az
ter having torn up over SIX miles of Atlanta and
railway, between Stone Mountain and Decatur with the
aid of Garards cavalry Schofed immediately advanced
upon road running direct to the city, aud when within
three miles encountered the skirmshers of the enemy
Pushing rapidly forward his skrmshers and batteries he
developed the strength Of the enemy who with infantry
had taken strong position In breastworks Howard
immediately advanced Newtons division upon the rebel
the creek by Kneer. Kimbal with his brigade led the
charge upon the works carrying them about two O'Clock
and taking number of prisoners SkirmshnQ continued
along the whole line until evening with oss of twenty
thilty men and the gaining Of numerous ADVANTAGE
On the 18th Gen. Bragg and JEFF. Dsvi. r,e. ~ Iob,
son's Headquarters and on the Ice, nratr,,a o ~,
of war was held between JAWS Jobnston Rraaa Gn
Brown and Hood On the 18th Johnston ssued bs fare
wen 70 ths army On the 18th Bragg Davis. and John
sion took Their departure for Richmond and
followed an address from Gen. Hood For several DAYS
previous 70 these addresses reports were rife put
10 circulation by deserters that troops from Johnsons
army were being sent to Mobile Charleston and VIRGINIA
But little credit given to these stories as IL was 40
leyed the rebels had fallen back Stone Mountain Mo
fheoB however developed the fact that tbpy lad not
disappeared 10 that direction and the destruction of the
Atlanta and West Point railroad by Stoneman's cavalry
rendered it very improbable that any norton
Of the enemy hsd retreaed in that direction Bnt when
our advance msde and we failed 10 find any foroe
other than Hndmans and Batess divisions aud ops brig
ade of Reynolds coupled with the report of scouts who
saw troops shipped South the impression was strengthen
ed that Johnston was merely the courier of his army
and that they going from Atlanta Hood ia covering
the removal Of the army and Government property and
he remains much longer 10 front he must be captured
Atlanta is already nearly evacuated Men, children hu.
man and other chaels being hurried South and the
Atlanta Appeal alone 10 stand at the post of danger
Our loss since crossing the YER about seventy We
The Atlanta Appeal reports that Rousss has made
visit into Alabama and cut the railroad at Opeka and
Lockspoka. The former s the junction between the
Montgomery aud Atlanta and kontg merry and Macon rail
roads, closing the door TO reinforcement Of Mobile