Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-05-26

the best judges to be about fifty thousand,
exclusive of the Georgia militia, of whom
probably $4,000 are bearing arms, and distri-
buted at Rome and Resaca Their journals
estimate the strength of our army at60,oO0.
They will be astonished after annihilate that
number Of Sherman's Yankees to find their
work signally incomplete"
The subsequent operations in expellingth
enemy from Reseca are given below as detail
ed by correspondent Of the Chicago Times.
Other reports state our loss at 5000. The
Times would doubtless make the affair
appear as little damaging to the rebels as
possible. Nevertheless its report is doubt
less in the main correct and is more full than
any other yet received:
REsACA, Ga, May II.
4 series Of operations have just been com
pleted, and the rebel army has retreated from
the works around Resaca
Presuming you have intelligence of our
operations up to@where the army left Buz-
zard Roost, I shall speak only of those sub
sequent to that, and in as brief a manner as
possible.
On Thursday, May 18th, nearly the whole
army was in motion towards Snake Greek,
which lies about fifteen miles south of Buz-
zard Roost, only Howard, with Woods and
Stanley's divisions, being left to threaten the
enemy in front of Dalton. It should be OBJ
served, however, that Gen. Mcpherson, eros
sing directly over from Villisnow, had passed
through Snake Creek Gap as early as Monday,
the 9th Of May.
| d. e H. ~ IL, I'LL
of our forces was assembled at Sugar Valley,
near the eastern mouth of the gap, cavalry
covering the operations of the infantry
Gen Fitzpatrick was wounded while attend
ing to this work.
During the 18th the army was occupied in
deploying from the Gap, and getting in posi-
ton. Heavy skirmishing took place during
the day Gen. Harrows division Of Gen Lo-
CAMS corps met with considerable loss. By
night the enemy's position was fully discov-
cred. Resaca is situated in great bend to-
ward the east Across the neck of the Coos
awatte River, the convex portion Of the pc
ninsula thus formed, extend continuous lines
of rebel works, with strong field fortifica-
tons, especially about the town. Both their
| TANKS rested on the river, and the line of re-
treat was completely protected by these for
| tifcations.
By the night of Friday our army was in po-
| sition around the rebel works, except How
ards forces, which had occupied Dalton the
day before, and were sweeping down the line
of the Altoona and Western Railroad to form
| a junction with the rest of the army
On Saturday, the 18th, diminishing began
| early in the morning, and continued inces-
| sanity throughout the day all along the line.
About O'Clock it was especially severe upon
the left Of the 10Th corps, many of our men
being picked off by rebel sharpshooters-
| About noon Howard effected junction with
the rest of the army, and our whole force was
| then in ine,-Howard's corps forming the ex-
| IRENE left, SchOfeld's coming next, Hooker's
next, Palmer's next, Logans next,-Wood,
with two divisions of the 10th corps, being
on the extreme right Such dispositions and
changes were afterward made as the move.
ments of the enemy or the evacuation of om
own plans required; but generally the line
remained as | have indicated.
About one P. NJ. an attempt was made to
break the centre of the enemy's line, or, at
| least, to recapture his outer works. Gen
Judah's division of Schofelds corps, and
NewtonS division of Towards corps, moving
over comparatively level ground, succeeded,
after desperate conflict, in compelling the
| rebels to abandon the position of their outer
| line. We did not continue to hold this, but
| our own line being somewhat advanced, our
| artillery acting very effectively, we prevent
ed the rebels from occupying it.
| Further to our right we were not so fortu-
nate. Portions of Jamieson's, Baird's, and
| Viewers divisions of Paimers corps, in at
tempting to charge the rebels in 'front.' were
| compelled to throw themselves down an al,
| most perpendicular bank; wade a creek waist
deep, which ran at the foot Of the bluff; and
then across a valley filed with bitches, fully
exposed to a fire from the rebel works. New
er did men go to work more CALAMITY, or con-
test more nobly; but they could not accom-
plish impossibilities, and, after severe loss,
| were obliged to withdraw.
| 1t was now discovered that the enemy were
moving heavy force up the Resaca and Fill
ton road, with the obvious purpose of turning
| our left. Hooker was Immediately sent to
checkmate his movement. Before he arrived.
| however, the rebels had thrown themselves
in immense masses upon Crufts brigade of
! SANKEY'S division, and forced it, after splen-
did resistance, to abandon the hill upon which
| it was posted, and retire in considerable con-
| fusion. The rebels, yelling like demons,
came running across the road and open field
to the west of it, when they were met by a
murderous fire Of grape and canister from
| Simpsons old New York battery and the 5th
! Indiana. At the same time, portions of Hook
ers men, falling into an open space, took DO
stion upon both sides of the valley and sup
ported them. Parts of Cruft's brigade rallied
| to the rescue, and the rebels were repulsed
with great slaughter. 1t was night when the
/ contest ceased.
Meantime fierce conflict had commenced
upon the right. Morgan Smiths and Oster-
haus' divisions Logan's corps, with Sprague's
/ ~. ID, 8 Iro,A ,lDt
charged line of rebel rifle-pits a little to
the right of and in sight of Resaca, and in
| trepidly carried them. This was about 7 P
NJ. An hour afterwards the rebel leaders,
massing large force, attempted to regain
! possession of these works. Coming boldly
up long hill to the very foot of the works.
| they seemed determined to retake them or
| perish but they were met with determine
| ton as firm as their own. The line Of fire
sweeping up the hill was answered by line
| OF fire at the summit. The veil of the rebels
was drowned in the louder shouts of the Fed
| eral soldiers; and, after struggle worthy of
good cause, the rebel host was hurled down
! the hill, leaving its sides covered with wound
| ed and dead. Our men continued to hold
this work, which the rebels never regained.
| On Sunday morning firing commenced as
usual, but nothing of particular Importance
occurred until about l P. NJ. At that time
a determined charge was made by Hooker's
Corps, which now occupied our left-PaI-
mer's, Towards and Schofelds having been
shifted toward the right, to fill up the gap oc-
casioned by Rockers withdrawal the day be-
fore. This charge was at first believed sue
eussful. The enemy were driven from a por-
ton of the lines, and Woods Brigade, of But
terfelds Division, stormed small fort and
took battery of four guns. The rebels.