The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-07-07

entrenched, and by fink movements eau sed
the rebel iorce. 70 NIKE the attack, and in
every single charge hey were repulscd and
sometimes drivsa be5 end their own en-.
trenchments Win innense Slaughter on
their part, and inaictis.k but Sigh. losses on
our army. Our casualties up 10 this wri.
ting in Killed md wounded win mt exceed
ten thousand men. while that Of the rebels
has been more than double that Of ours.
Several night attacks have been made, one
N which the "0ld Secqnd's par ticipateds-r
The scene was one Of fnry. carnage and sex-
estement. At the hour of midnight the reb.
els msssed their forces and attempted to
charge McPherson's command, hut were
handsomely repulsed, along the whole, line.
The enemy aed in confusion, leaving their
killed and woun led IN our possession. It
certainly Was one Of the widest scenes that
! ever Witnessed, the whistling Of bullets, the
,vhizzing Of solid shot. the screaming Of
shells and the yelling o. the comh.tants, an
combined, formed = union Of sights sad
sounds that is impossible for me to describe.
It was but . few nights since, that another
lof these night attacks was made on our right,
heavy, somhre clouds were gathered in the
sky, and IS night closed around the strug-
Cling foem n, storm broke equal in fury TO
Ethat which ragged in the forest, and though
the pelting rain drenched the combatants,
the angry howl and roll Of musketyy did not
su,side, the fighting continued Car into the
night the blaze Of the rafting. musketry,
ard the bursting Of the shells from the mon.
shr ffeld guns. at times ilinmiDed the whole
lire. a..a -. 2
Sherman's army is divided into three de-
partmepts, viz:-''Derartmcnt Of the Ohio, y
conmasded by, SchoRsld, Department Of
the curberland." By Thomas. Department
Of the Tennessee BY Mcpherson. Other
| sshordbate Generals Of the army are re Hook
| e. Howard. Logan, Palmer. Dodge and
others Mcpherson and Hooker. ,re. great
fivoritet Of the army. firm and infexible Of
Will, amid dangers brave ard fearless, they
| pssesslthat char n in their impetnous man =
/ ner that thrills and imbues others with the
sme ardent confidence that inspires them
selves, and viii not admit defeat eye j. among
its contingencies. g. = Sf'sN1' 2
At present we are encamped near ''lsig
Shanty.r Georgia. a small towr situated on
the Chattanooga & Atlanta r. R. one hun.
dred and ten miles south Of Chatsanndgsa
The general health Of the army is very
good, and the troops have the utmost con-
ffence il our commanding Generals.
There is no diversion Of opinion among
the men, but . unanimity Of feeling exists
that vii; not admit Of. even the thoughts Of
defeat. The country over which we have
been lighting is . hiliy. mountainous one,
and is almost destitute Of vegetation Of al
kinds. The traveller would say. from pres
ent appearances, that the '.sunnv South, the
Imperial South, the Mistocratic Sonth, the
land of fam women and brave men," is get.
ting to be il delapidated and delnoralized
condition.
Our troops are. gradually advancing and
the rebels are slowly falling back though
stubbornly contesting every inch Of ground
they lose. 49,.
We are in receipt Of cheering news from
Grant, whose invincible columns seem to be
menacing the rebel capital. which will soon
have to yield to the dictates Of an "Uncon-
ditional Surrender"
We have as yet received but little news
from the North concerning the nomination of
Abraham Lincoln for re election TO the next
Presidency. ''0ld Abe" is favorite OF the
army. and we are all going to, support him
at the ballot box. and if necessary The car
fridge box, with the assurance of his re-eiec-
ton and whom ! trust we may hail as the
next President of the United States.
l will now close by afixing s. X. s,