The daily Chattanooga rebel. [volume] (Griffin, Ga.) 1864-1865, 1864-07-27
THE DAILY REBEL.
WEDNESDAY MORNING. JULY 27. 1864.
MORNING EDITION.
Letter from the Army at Atlanta.
SrspAY,.JuIy 25th. 1856

TAe passu9e Of lAe CKauahoorAec--fAe line q
defenee--GoV. -Bronn's forees-Asrements an
fighting Of the 22d-lS1<, an.' Graaf--7z
battle Of the 24sk-G Gsnr Ralker's deafh--,.Spir
IL Of the Army-LseideH's.
Nearly two weeks have elapsed since We
,..tsaiso,,eiIse. PussHge q tns
stream was effected at midnight. The haifful
moon rode grzndly the heavens in the
mi6s, of cumuii OF white clouds. Thoughtful
soldiers looked up sadly on its pale face, during
that night of retreat They frit that the death
struggle for Atian,, should be made on the north
bank of the Chaitahoochee. have seen the vel
low oon beams give an unnatural iu;ser to the pal
lor of death, and watched their shadbvs reflected
in the usterless eyes OF the fallen. Even thus sad
were the faces Of our soidiers. THE night on
which we crossed The river, silently. 80 sadly.
will not soon be forgotten by the Army OF Ten
uessee. The pontoons were covered with isaves
and sand TO render noiseless the tread of arr,ed
legions. and to silence the heavy rumbling of ar-
tillery and wagon trains. Our mcTement was rs
silent and sad, the ceaseless march of him,
whom fancy paints armed with tire sickle, and
with vacant scuIi and Heshless har,is- reapng the
harvest of dead humanity
When the river was between and the enemy,
forces were assigned postions, protecting the
threatened csE, on its nozthern and eastern ap-
proaches. Cheatham's Division held the crossing
of the Gesrgis railroed, on the south side of the
burned bridge. Ba.e Is was assigned position
north of the bridge, while the great body of our
troops moved along the banks of Psachtree creek.
in the direction of Decatur, six miles north east
from Affairs a. on the railroad leading to Augusta.
Durinx the movements of which I can now give
only general outline, many collisions occurred
wif,. the enemy. In one of these the Georgia
State troops the first of Gov. Browns late leves,
were asssiled. No body of unframed soldiers
ever conducted. themselves with greater courage,
none have displayed n more commendable spirit.
At one time, when eEfladed, in their hurriedly
Constructed earthworks, they maintained posi-
tion from which experienced soldiers would
tainly have fed. They. on the contrary, evoked
Encouragement and hope from the usual prelude
TO Caster. Thay believed The enemy's line bro
gen, ane ,',as ahsy had penetrated his scenter
TneY nIeo 70 IT, right mad Ieft and finally re-
p1isec 'aeir s'ssuan'"- They were surprised no
little, when ordered to wI-lr.v Tb.;p .o,.
tempt for cavalry brigade. which / nAaa "a, q.
igness, sent 20 their support, and which suddenly
retreafsd, knows no bounds
On the GOTH our line Of battle was ged. 1t
is not prudent ewes now, while the enemy con-
fronts rs on ev~y hand, to define the movements
Of corn. or divisions. the enemy had already
crossed .ae Ckattahoochee, eight ten miles north
of tho railroad. Four Army corps were on the
OF PeacHtree creek, WHICH from ssse
northeast to the river, within five SIX miles OF
Atlanta On the 2Isf re-crossesl the creek with
Tyseris brigade; moving south towards Atlanta |
All the bridges we're burned. We again estab- |
lished our iines ard waited the advance of Sher
mans columns On the banks Of the creek, at |
many points along its tort.ous course, the hills |
beyonc commanded those on the south side of the |
narrow stream. Al such places the enemy spec |
dily effected crossing. The firing of our pickets
was continuous. Two years ago, the events of
that afternoon would have been described as bat
tie-scene in interminabie letters.
On the afternoon of Wednesday, Hardee's corps
advanced on the enemy. At three o'clock the fir
ing was general along whole line. While
Walkers and Cbeatham's divisions, andsa part of
Stewards corps, advanced the cnemy's front, |
Bate'a division was wheeled its left. and drove
the euemy in its front aeross the creek. Walker
on Bates left met, it scents, with more obstinate re-
sistance. In the advance made by his division
Brig Gen. Stevens severely if not mortslly
wounded. Cheatham's division, commanded by !
Brig Gen. Nancy, met with the same success, dri-
wing the enemy into their works. Stewart took
Of the front line Of the enemys works,
and captured many prisoners but could not hold
.hem because of the strength of their second line
His loss was heavy especially in Fcathcrsson bril-
gade. Bate who was right, SWING around
On his left and moved steadily forward till nightfal
when he was ordered to halt, which he did when he
lad gained the Buekhead road. The enemy hav-
ing been rspaised at all points and subjected to
heavy losses, osr troops drawn off to their
t.enchments The divisions of Bate and Cheat
ham, after few hours rest, moved on the next
crulng at o'clock, four five miles to the right.
Bate re.urned the same eyensgg to bis original po-
- ~,fsa IT I,-.la .t,ai
- miles, and on next mprnih tFriday) turned the
left In the line of battle, east OF At
lauta. Bates division occupied the extreme right
Walker was on Bates left. With this division
your correspondent, went upon the field. The po-
siton assigned TO Eats, tte line moved fprwaId,
was In many respects unfortuaats. He had not ad
narrow rnorasses and overgrowR with briars, more
than q mile and hall, when oar scouts and pick
ct. announced the presence of the enemy. The
movements of the enemy's wagon trains wese dis
tnctly audible. Cur position had been discovered
Tae difscules incideat to our advance had oonfus-
ed and broken our lines. To hal. and reform was
an indispensable nscessity.
Yhen walker and Bate had moved forward q
fourth ofs uails, the firing besams geaerai. We
a.s. crossed an open Geld and sseesdssg q gentle
decljvitv catered the woods in whioh ths snenay
awaited ne In their entrenehed lines. Bats on The
right while In shs very face OF the enemy, uadssr
sre. crossed creek and waded through mtii pond
covering several acres. The ground was boggy and
the urasrxxowth dense. Hia lines were much bro
kea when he eaasrged in the very presence OF the
eneuy's gpns HeFe be Was 90 nssr the enemy,
tha. he eoald aot rsform ais lises In truth the
smpesuea. spirit Of bis Esn rsnSered any hsliing
of ths line iaaposslble. They rare immsaiaasly nm
dss hsevy Ora of nnskstry and srsisrys bss stili
p.sssea forpa.d. The enamy abandoned their
ssrbwolks sSor . tins, bnt discovering shas thsys