, 1864-08-12
Fk0M SHERMdN'S ARMY,
Operations Before Atlanta to Au-
gust 9Th,

lneftents Of the Battle of tho s8th-Rt,
mate Of Rebel Losses-0perasisns on
the ss'b-A Correct Statement
IF the Dt2th Of Gen. Me-
Phersez-rasualsies In
tho 18th Corps.
From our Special Correspondent
LIZ TIE Field NEAn ATLANTA. I
August ID, 4. h., 1884,
CAMP RuMoRs.
. still date from the tented fold near At
1nnta+ When. with due regard to truth,I car
state that we are in the beleagured cit1
where honses Of brick and stone are in the
sttad Of tente, and hie8 and bowers, where
the streets are constructed for the pursuits
Of pence and the convenience Of traffic, In
stead Of the movement Of troops, and guns,
and ordnance, is more than know. Thu
ctmps abound in newspapers giring full de-
tails Of the capture Of Atlanta, yet, as yout
correspondent writes most nncomfortably
on eultry morning, the rebel city is to ; be
seen only from tree tops, and the guns 0;
both armies proclaim yet future battles about
lis Qualifications. TIE simple announcement
OF the capture Of At1anta might have been
charged to the account of Madam Rumor.
But given IS 1t 6as in this instance, upon the
authority Of prcfessed ,eye-wituesses-men
In the service Of the pnblic press whose es
pecial business 1t is to see and know ali the
facts in precisely such events, with minute,
ness Of detail that gave it an air of authcn,
ticfty, 1t damages the character of the Drssa
for reliability J-at least, with our army about
Atlanta The truth Is about in the manner
following: Various stafsofIlcers sent te1e.
g7sms, coon after Schotield reported That the
enemy had gone from his front, stating that
Au:nta WIS captured. These telegrams were
stoWn about Nashville. There are about the
army species of peripatetic CORRESPONDENTS
Who oci late between the army and the ,l7ar.
soon as an action no matter OF what uiagai-
tude occurs, these correspondents without
"a ttipE to ascertain any knowledge OF
the affair except such as eau be
hastily obtained In the rear Of
the field, start for Nashville, and such
general outlines ss they may have learned,
principally supplied from the Imagination.
Besides these gentle9len Of the preas. thepe
is another class who 1--we, move, and have
their being at Nashville, ard I'VE never yfs-
ited the army in the field. The legitimate
business OF this claas In relation 70 army
news Is to forward dispatches from the field
Their il1egitimate business Is the writing OF
letters dated In the field and purportfng to
give accounts Of movements and engage
ments. These practices, which have been
INDUCED in more during the present cau-
patgn than any otner, are called enterprise.
Well tue telegrams commence by stating
that Atlanta had been taken BY Sherman.
rny1HA Art 1f4 r1o I Nnr
mentioned, At once eat down over their ale
In Nashville and prepared full and elaborate
accounts of the great event. They had just
come In possession of some Of the facts IN re-
lation to the battle OF the Goth. These facts,
somewhat eolored, furnished the details Of
the capture OF Atlanta on the ed. Names
and dates might BIZ given which would throw
more light upon the dlscredItable practices of
those who assumed to testify in relation to
eycnfs Of which they have no knowledge.
have stated enough, however, to explain the
history Of the last imposition upon the press
and the public. One fact will d ways test the
reliability Of news of any great importance
It By telegraph to the War Department, and
1t will be made public.
REnEL LOSSES.
The estimate which gaYe you Of the rebel
loss in the battle with the Fifteenth Corps,
on the 28th, are fnlly sustained by news from
rebel sources, prisoners since captured,
scouts. and the evidences Of the field. Con-
eidertDg the number Of men engaged only
two dtEtsfons-the character Of the ground,
the reckless persistence and bravery Of the
rebel assaults, aud the loss inflicted upcn
the enemy, 1t was one Of the most remarka-
BILE battles Of the whole war. The protec-
hons hastily and zudely constructed behind
Which CIR men fought, were rot up to the
knee: The rebels we're in great force, and
n a TCS auffr
the open field, more troops came up and re.
neWed the assault. During the battle the
I'd Division, with 1850 men for duty, fired
lao, COO rounds Of ammunition. The othrr
Division fired m equal amount The guns
became so hot that Pre- mature discharges oc-
Cured, md the men poured water from
theiI5canteeps into their barrels to cool them.
think that omitted to state that during
the battle Col. Phillips brought over four
regiments from the Sixteenth Corps, aud
tour other regiments were sent by Gen. Blair
TO su pport the Fifteenth. Tho battle at the
time they hEriyed was substantially settled,
tsr nnt he The troops moyea up with a1asrlty. At
to relieve some Of the regiments which had
been most hotlv at work. They sent him
word that they Ibid not wish to be relieved
ifit suited hun as well-'' Their wishes were
acqu1esced in, the feinforcements going into
line with those who had been winning field.
Through the open field, across which they
came, small Tirulet ran down a rayIne
through our lines. Wounded men dragged
themselves to 1t to Quench. their fefeflsh
thirst, OTHERS sought protection In it. Across
It Jay the G5th Illinois, and ON the eastarn
slope Of Its ascent the 30th Ohio. Every
loot OF the IaTine was covered By the rifles
OF these regiments. Men fell WHO Sought It's
cover, ana the stream Vas red aud ran with
blood. There is no imagination about this
When saw 1t In the morning the water was
ktill dtsco1ored with blood. One fine look.
lng yonng SOLDIER. Of about twenty years,
had been wounded in the artu. As he stoop:
I'd to dip water he was struck again and fell
eead, with his cup in his hand, md his face
In the brock.
The Louisiana brigade, composed of the
9TH, 18th, Goth and 30th 1ouisiana regiments
vas almost arnihllated- The 30th lost nll
It's field officers, killed on the field, and tue
rank and file e.eithcr killed, wounded or taken
stand. Col. Shields OF this 1egi-
hent was an officer ii the Mexican War, and
IN Ohfonn by birth. The S0th Mississippi
went into tbs field I'll strong, and came ont
With 101.
PROMOTIONS.
r The President has recently made a few
promotions in this army Of which you may
rot have been informed. Big. Gems. Oster-
haus and uovey, OF Indiana. hare been made
breret Major Generals; both were absent
from the field. Colonel Charles Walcott,
18th Ohio, Col. sprague Of the 35th New Jer.
icy, Col. L c. Br-dley, 0: the 5lst Illinois,
and Col. Celknap, Of the 18th Iowa, have
been promoted to Brigadiers. Walcott has
well and thoroughly earned his promotion Ia
bis campaign. &c IS one Of the best SOL
aisrs 1t The corps: OF Col Bradley can
only speak according to Interpolation which
&c has in the army, having been with anoth-
r army. In: that respect he stands high.
3prague earned his stsr By tho gallant lght
+ Fhieh be made at Decatur on the 22d, ia coy-
ring the trims Of the army of the Tennes-
zee. Gen. Ransom having reported for duty,
las betn assigned to the command Of the 4th
Gen. RanEom il in excellent
lealtb. Gen. Morgan L. Smith has been
obliged to leaye the field; lis wound re-
.eiyed TT ChiclasaW Ba OF, aggravated by
he labors and exposure OF the campaign,
AVE ihcapacitated hin for fu=ther field ser
ice at present. Gsn. ]. A. !: Ltghtburn
on Of the 18th army corps: Il
The President has assigned Gen. Slocum to
he command Of the 10th Army Corps and
Zen Stanley to ths command OF the 4th
.orpe. Gen John Macarthur is assigned to
he command Of the post Of Mariet,a.
All the wounded Of the battle Of tue 28th
,are been removed to the general hospital at
Marietta. -.
OPERATIONS on THE 29Tu..
On the 29th JEFF c. Davis division of the
9TH corps came up and connected with the
light Of the 18th corpg. BY the 18th corps
he day Was occupied in The, burial of the
7ebe1 dead left on the field Ward's division
of the 20th corps moved up on the right and
rear OF Davis making refused Line to cover
The right iabk. On the 90th Gen. Howard
advanced the Army Of the Tennessee about
half mile, moving into strong position with
/ tr1hing loss,
MOVEMENT OF scuoriELD's CORPS.