, 1864-06-03

At the crest Of the ridge where the rebels
made their desperate assaults upon Giles H.
Smiths brigadey~1 eax the body Of Col.
Stanton end twenty other dead rebels. They
we're in such exposed positions that they had
not yet been taken OFT Our troops buried
were all over the a1ope, which the rebels had
fred intending to sweep the crest Of the hill.
Portions of the field were covered by small
growth of young pines and oak. Clipped
and SCARED with bullets, they attested the
terrible storm which swept the field. An
intelligent prisoner, in reply to an Inquiry
why Johnston retreated, said, fisherman
1anked him ont Of Kcsacu"
The ncxt business to be undertaken was
the pursuit OF the rebel aTmy. AB soon Us
the troops could be brought up, orders were
Issued, and the army commenced moving.
The general order Of tho march Was as 1t lad
Cumberland, the center, and Ohio On tho left.
l neup, Of course, so much OF each army Oh
was used IN the Held. There were ditiicul-
tics growing ont Of the shape and peculiar
conformation Of the country, which made the
rttrcat comparatively safe, and surrounded
the pursuit with Obstacles and necessitated
great caution. From Resuca three good coun-
Try roads lead southwark to the Etowah
River in addition to the railroad. That On
the wet of the railroad crossed the Costa
naula at Lays Ferry (the point ut which the
1Gih corps moved over on the 15th), and
thence to Rome. The middle road crossed
the river at Resaca, bears southeast to New
Echoto, thence directly south to Kingston.
Following the road east from New Ecnota
few miles, the road from Old Town to Etowah
Is Iesched. These three roads run substan-
italy southwark, and By means Of crossroads
armies moving on them can be concentrated
at several points between Resaca and the
Etowah. Each OF these roads runs through
valley, and is separated from the osher BY a
range OF mountains, which keep the same
general course eouthWard. Johnston moved
ali lis heavy material and his wounded by
rail, so that in the retreat be Was unebcum-
bered with tue usual impediments. This ex-
planation will give the reader some Idea OF
tile difficulties attending the pursuit. OF
course it vas not known upon which road
the main force Of the enemy was m3Ving, or
at what particular point he might stand and
give battle.
AZ foon as the evacuation WINS known the
left and centre Was put In motion, and the
columns were eoOn in the roads looking
son marched On the Rouse road. the 10th
corps, Gen. Dodge, in advance. When the
1st division of the 10th corps, Gen. swce-
ne5't, wus about three miles south Of the
Oostanau1a, run into an ambuscade, or In
some manner became engaged. From the
beat information can get, It seems that the
troops were moved into large, open field
sheltered BY timber, with some irregularity
and . want of caution induced by tue belief
that the enemy in front WAS in no force. The
brigade commanded by Col Burke, o. the
C6tl illinois, was ordered forward to take
position on the lett Soon after it com
1nenccd moving Col Burke was MORALLY
rebels opened upon US with artillery,
and two Of our batteries which
bad been brought up tell back. In
fact the whole force Of Zen. Dodge fell back
until 1t met Osterhaus's division coming
up on ths double 1d quick y tasE
tie cause OF this temporary dis
aeter. There is wide difference
in the accounts Of officers who were enyag-
cd as well as those who witnessed the affair.
This much is true, there was fault some
where, and 1t was not with the men, This
affair used up The reminder OF the lny, so
tLat the column moved only nine miles, At
five the bcxt morning the 18th army. corps
natched, the 18th corps leading, Morgan 8.
Smiths division having the advance.
In our front WIS Hardee's corps, bis dlvi-
eIous WIS commanded by Gen. John Z Nor
pan and Gen. Walker. Tho valley through
which we passed WIS about q half mile IN
width, and presented frequent eligible posi-
tions for ueteusc. There were few resi-
0cnccs along the road; the plantations being
quite exclusive. One Of these nearly mile
III length, Was under the highest state OF
cultivation. Tho arabic ground being a1-
most entirely in wheat fields In fact SO
fur as re have progressed in Georgia, we
find all the corn fields OF last year eoWn with
wheat this season. But on no plantation
were there my male negroes, all had been
moved. That the removal was recent WAS
evidenced by the large extent Of cultivated
fields. 1t was also proof that the people
we're living in fancied security from the ap-
rIoaching Federal army. As no damage Waa
cone the crops along the line Of march, there
u Ill te large amount OF wheat in this valley
sufficient to Ut least feed the people for
another seasop. Gen. Lightbu1n's brigade
lad the adyanc. with tho 5th Kentucky
cavalry. The enemy resisted our advance
the march slow aud tedious. !
Abou+ three In the afternoon, In drench-
ing min, the rebel cavalry drew up in line
l,eer the edge Of a wooded bottom. The 5th
Kentucky charged them through the open
field and they retroated into the timber. Gen.
Lishtbu1n pushed his sktr1nishers in after
them The rebels opened with artillery.
Lishtburn deployed the remainder Of the
brigade. Gen. W. s. Smith sent up the LIST
brigade, and put De Grasse's batterY in a po-
Bition to reply. Logan moved up HarroW's
division on the left and Osterhaus close up
behind Morgan l.. Smith. A lew shots from
our battery silenced the rebel guns, and the
1ear guard was OF aguin, after skirmi thing
abont mile. This brought Us to Rocky
creek and aecured the intersection Of the
road to Ada1rsvi1le-
Soon af1er the commencement Of tho skir-
mish on the Pine road, heavy cam onading
wss heard from HoWard's column in the val
ley east Of us. His fire Was heavy, especial
ly of artillery, and sounded almost like a
general engagement. The 4th corps, moving
down that road as the center column, had
oyertaktn the enemy and was engaged The
division Of Gen. Newton, formerly Sheri-
dams, was in advance, With the brigade com.
manded BY Col. Frank 7. Sherman 63th ILL.,
nois, In tie Immediate 'front.' Franks brig
ade, with Miller's brigade, were heavily en-
gsged for somo time, losing 165 killed aud
wounded, the ssth Illinois losing 81 and the
18th Illinois 55. The enemy were finally
driven into their fntrcnchments at Adairs-
vile.
The result of the days work left the center
in front of the enemy In AdairsVilie, The
bead of Gen. McPherson's column was rest
ing on the Adairsvil1e road, whence It could
strike Johnston from the west, and the 10Th
corps was at another cross road from the
Rome to the Adairsville road. Hardee had
passed over the mountain to AdalrsViile
where Johnston Was in perB"n. early IN the
morning the 18th corps moved BY the Rocky
Creek road towards Adairsyille. Gen. Dodge
moving OH the other cross roads. There
ere Indications that Johnston Intended to
make q stand at that place. Johnston saw
the trap and departed In the night time.
sherman's strategy was again successful. His
columns hal been 90 marched that 10 three
hours he Was able to concentrate them In
case the rebels would receive battle. Il 1t
were not trenching upon contraband terrific
| ry, I would give you q description, OF the
| splendid military pageant Of the grand army
marching into Adai1syille- Leaving Adairs-
vile, the right wing passed over very high
! mountain, Ieaching the Kingston road At
Woodyille about midnight. The center and
| left moved simultaneously on parallel roads.
When the right wing left the Rome road In the
morning, the2d cavalry division, Gen. Garrard,
moved forward On the Kingston Foad: Near
Woodland, his advance, the 4th Mtchig n
cavalry, found the enemy's cavalry IN consid'
cradle force, and disposed to wait bis ad'
vance. The valley IN which they were ma.
narrow, and the roadside considerable par1
! Of the way woods, SC that only sms1l force
could be used. The Two battalions Of the
9TH Michigan cavalry understood the busl
ntsa and acquitted themselves TIGHT gstlaatiy'
The rebels concealed themselves In tho oushea
and behind the fences and houses along tht
roadside, and fired upon our cavalry. But
nothing checked the tmpetuosity or coursg
Of the troop. It charged the rebels anc
drove them from eve1J hiding plsce, kiuet
and wounded a large number. OF them
| Tha eNf,n1n HaS ~ .snuR{nrHRtJob. 1he 2k1