Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-18

the wants and character of his men as r..
other in the regiment knew them; and 1t is
their unanimous expression that they will
not find again, long as the war may last
one who, in the day of battle, win lead
them so carefully. and yet So fearlessly.-
All! how many noble and precious lives has
this ruthless war crushed out and the end
is not yet! Not single summers sun has
gone down upon this army since the cam
paign began, but his last rays have rested
upon one new-made grave, where some SOL
dier sleeps his last sleep.
The vast importance of the advance which
the 23d Corps has made for the few days
past. toward the railroad, can not well be
exaggerated. The day when we lay hold
upon that that day the rebels if they have
not already left it, must lay aside their
hopes of holding Atlanta. Garrard's cav-
airy hold the Augusta Railroad in their
possession, and. with this last one in our
grasp, we throttle them as inevitably as
death. na
Already our batteries could knock tie
trains from the track, if only they could
find hillOck which would raise them above
the interminable trees. This they can not
for the present. Our pickets who are near
est the track report that they can hear the
hOarse puff of the locomotive as it "ex-
their bayonets through the thick bushes
into the saucy trains as they 90 by. The
crisis of the campaign is evidently close at
hand. OPT.
NEAR ATLANTA. August 10.
The movements of the enemy curing the
past few days are calculated to impress one
with the belief that Hoods policy is to
guard the railroad until the last moment,
and when it has been struck by our pro-
longated lines suddenly turn upon us. and.
by massing upon a weak point, break it and
throw us on the defensive. Since Friday
last our line has been slowly reaching out
parallel with the line of railway. and one
division of the 23d corps has swung round
upon and struck the enemy's flank, COM
pelling him to fall back. The situation at
present is quite favorable, and our line now
extends to within seven-eighths of a mile
OF the railroad. AS we approached it, the
enemy threw in brigade alter brigade. and
regiment after regiment. to cover our line,
but they have put in their last regiment.
and can extend 10 further without shorten
ing their line on their right Our line is
now fully fourteen miles long. yet we can
find troops enough to cover the railroad.
When that is accomplished. and the rebels
last railway communication is in on rposses-
sion, lie must either evacuate and march out
by the dirt roads on the southeast or give
us battle. One or two more days will devel-
op more fully Hoods intentions. Sherman
has his big guns.
THURSDAY, llTH,5 A. M.-We have passed
a sleepless night under the ceascless roar
of our artillery. that has been firing into
Atlanta. The din was the most terrific and
unearthly that have ever heard, shots TO-
lowing each other in such rapid succession
that it was impossible to count them. For
nearly an hour alta time the discharges from
our guns of various caliber were so rapid
that one almost imagined he was listening
to Il medley of thunders from the closds.
Your readers have all heard the racket
caused by the burning of bunch of fire.
crackers; inst imagine the report of as
many 40-pounders, and they can form an
idea of the nature of the music that has
called us awav from the arms of morpheus.
And only think, every disclare carrying
with it, to the rebel city, messenger of
death!
Our guns command the Macon Railroad
seven-eighth of miles distant, rs am in
formed by the Typographical engineer of
the 4th Corps. who learns that the rebels
have not ventured to use the road for three
days.