Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1864-08-03
Gagef6elS aBSberttiistr i
Special Correspondence of Savannah Republican
From the Army of Tennessee
=. ATLANTA, July %, night

Special Correspondence Of Savannah Republican
From the ARMY of Tennessee
- = ATLANTA, July %, night.
a great battle has been fought and splen-
- / successes achieved. But the end is not
yet, and for prudential reasons I do not now
give you all the details. Yesterday our lines
were Withdrawn to the entertainments around
the city. The enemy advanced, and plant
ing their guns, .commcnced to throw shell
among the women and children. Gen. Hood,
with that energy which is his characteristic,
Inatured his plans at once. Atlanta was to
be defended at every hazard and any cost.
Evacuated by its citizens mere she'll of its
former self-there was nothing in it as mere
locality which required sacrifice of lie; but
the morale ofthe army had to be preserved
an&the country relieved of the monster pres
sure bearing so heavily upon its Gate City.
To strike Sherman in front would have been
impolitie and disastrous. Gen. HOOD, there
fore, determined to beat him at his own game,
that is, to flank his lines. TO this end. he
issued orders after nightfall for sHardee to
move from his position on the centre, and
with Wheeler's cavalry proceed to the enc
1ny's right march quickly and deal. tremen'
dous blows. His instructions were to strike
..bout II o'clock noon. This movement Was
unavoidable delayed until .. Meanwhile our
lines had been extended 80 as to fill all our
works, and skirmishing commenced, inter.
spersed with almost incessant vollies of ar
tillery. Our batteries were massed In such
manner that those portions of the fortifica-
tions on which they were placed were i'm
pregnable.
The morning hours passed slowly and SOL
emnly. Every face bore look OF desponden-
cy. Shells were dropping in tho streets, and
sad groups Of women and children, with
temporary supply Of provisions, were wend-
ing their way to the woods. During the night
struggling rufiians had broken into the stores,
robbed them ofsuch of their contents as they
wanted, and scattered the remainder. through
the streets. During the morning these de.
moralizing scenes were rercpeated. Abandoned
women broke into the millinery shops, and
mon in the uniform of soldiers gutted and
pillaged premises from roof to cellar in scar
of whiskey and tobacco. The Office of the
Southern Express Company underwent this
process before day, and enjoysd the mel=n-
choly privilege of seeing boxes papers, and
everything mentionabfe thrown, in ''coniu-
sion worse c5nfounded," on al sides. Idwell
on the subject with peculiar dissatisfaction,
becaure of my own losses, which leaves me
minus Of everything, from. toothbrush to
blanket, except the clothes in which | stand
While this indiscriminate pillaging was in
progress, wagons, stragslcrs, citizens loaded
with plunder, were hurryiug out of town,
fully impressed with the idds that Atlanta
vas about to be abandoned Under these
circumstances it is no wonder that the ofii-
GERS Of the army were in q measure dospon-
dent, and regarded the fortunes Of the day
as decidedly unpromising. Not until evening
did this mood change. Then it was ascer-
tanned that we had struck the enemy one of
the seveIest blows of the war. Hardee and
Wheeler sweeping silently around the Fede-
raj left, pounded upon their flank, and press
ed so steadily as to bear down all opposition.
Whole batteries with horses and equipments
fell into our possession, Notifications with
frowning ,abattis- of sharpened pixies were
crossed in the teeth of murderous hire, while
indiyidual gallantry was censpicscus in the
captrre of flags and prisoners. Wheeler, with
his cavalry, cooperating with hardee, per,
formed deads of valor that have removed
every prejudice which unjustly has attached
to their past career. Charging as infantry
they drove the enemy from one of his line: OF
Qualifications, captured several hundred prls-
on,,rs, burned considerable amount Of camp
eou;pssge, and CALLED their antagonists ct ey-
ery steu. Contemporaneous with the superb
movement of IIardee, Cheathsm with Hoed's
old corps advanced from the entrenchments
they had previously occupied, drove the Yam
kee skirmishers from their front, and then
with q yell commenced one of the greatest
charges of the var. Up hill and down. through
the woods, across the fields, talterlng here
and there before the FIRE OF the enemy, but.
only for moment, these brave men OF len
nessee, Yirgisia, Georgia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama and
Louisiana, dashed on, ana like Their brave
competitors for the honors of the lid auranc
ing on the right, evercame every obstacle III
their path. Thus for a mile and half, per-
haps more, following the Federals over their
works, they met with uninterrupted success.
nernisstep only wrested from US the com.
pleteness of the victory. a brigade is said
to have broken-I will no. mention names.
Into the gap thus created, a body of the Yam
KEGS rushed, and seizing u strong position
held it until portion of our lines were COM
PEELED to retrace their steps to prevent an at,
tack on the flank. In other words, the mis-
hap destroyed that perfect chain of commu-
rication designed to be established between
Hardee and the corps Immediately adjoining.
Since nightfall, however, learn that this
desideratum has been accomplished.
Stewards corps on our left was not exempt
from the dangers or the glories of the field,
and although not participating SO extensively
in the aggressive movements Of the day, had
occasion daring the afternoon to repel the
vigorous demonstrations of the enemy.
Such in general terms is the situation to-;
night. The results of the day have been
more than gratifying. While the battle has
not been so decisive as was contemplated in
.he plano of the commander-in-chief, it has
nevertheless crippled the enemy, humbled
his pride, destroyed his morale, nearly ami
Inflated some Of his commands, partially de-
stseyad his organization, and reduced his
numbers, and it is believed to something
like an equality with our own. On the other
hand our men have learned that they have q
leader on whose judgment they can imp plicit-
To- raly, that hrsa,tworka sre not en- fearful IN