American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-08-10

briar patches, and almost impossible I'M
der-growth, and would be, without bridg-
es, fatal bar to the escape Of routed
and pursued army. In the rear of Pal
mer, Hooker, and Newton, there had been
built over ten bridges rendering speedy
retreat feasible, provided access to the
bridges was not denied.
ASSAULT ON NEwToN's DIVISION.
Newton's splendid division, which dur
ing the campaign has lost more heavily
than any other in the army, held the left
flank of the corps advancing from the
north. The interval along which we had
no force was picketed by three or four
regiments of Newton's division, tNds re-
ducing his force in the trenches to less
than***men. The impression that an at
tack was impending ON the left gave New
ton more territory to guard than he had
troops to cover. His slender brigades,
eked out never so gingerly, did not fur
nish one line of men, though holding the
most delicate spot in our lines. His troops
were shifted from right to left, from left to
right, from center to Ganks and the re-
verse, to suit the emergency for the mo-
-ment
Repeatedly, during the morning, New
ton had received orders to advance to At
lanta, the impression seeming to prevail
in high quarters that as the enemy was
evidently massing on our left to deliver
battle, his lines in front of our rightmust
be vulnerable But the enemy had re-.
connoitered our ulines with extreme nicely
His movements to our left were ~ fcint !;
he knew our weak point precisely, and
having determined on an attabk, he was
quite right in aiming the full force of his
formidable blow where it fell Newton's
left covered the bridge across Peach-Tree
Creek, the road on which our trains were
gathered, and along which communica-
ton was kept up with the heavy masses
Of our troops on the lett.
Newton crushed, our trains were open
to them, and the army was completely cut
in twain, one fragment facing Atlanta on
the north, and one on the east. In that
case the whole Rebel army could be hurl-
ed against either fraction, and with Napo-
leonic vigor Sherman was to be whipped
in detail That part of our army on the
north, consisting of Hooker's and Pal
mer's corps and Newton's division, was
to be driven into the river; that done the
left, though too strong perhapsto to be. over
whelmed, could nevertheless be confront
ed and foiled
During the morning, as ! have already
said, Newton received repeated orders to
advance, but Hooker had not been able to
connect on Newton's right, and the latter
of course could not safely advance until
this was effected. About noon Butter
fields division, commanded by Brigadier
General Ward came up and occupied a
ridge on Newton'sright. Preparations to
advance were made Immediately. New
ton ordered five regiments to be deployed
as skirmishers, and about Up. M, the bu-
giles sounded the forward. Then broke
out the allegro of lively skirmish. A
thousand muskets sputtered, and woke
the primeval echoes Of the forests to the
siren song of battle.
Up the ridge our men slowly forced
their way, driving at every step waver-
ing line of Rebel sharpshooters, turning
at bay detcrminedly one moment, but
changing their minds the next, and stealth
lily gliding further to the rear. In half
an hour, our skirmishers had forced them
from the ridge entirely, with small loss to
themselves With the ruling passion Of
the campaign, as soon as KimbalPs and
Blake's brigades occupied the ridge just
carried the men fell to building barri-
cade of rails and earth. A fresh line cf
skirmishers was adjusted, and ordered for
ward to relieve the painting heroes who
had just taken military fee simple of the
crest.
This advance gave Newton still more
territory to cover, which twas simply i'm
possible for him to do, with his inadequate
force. He, however, made the hasty dis
positions in his power to command it, and
repe an attack, which, if made, might
be disastrous, if not fatal In taking ad-
vantage of the ridges, Newton's lines as
sumed asingular shape--that of the cap
ital letter T. Bradley's brigade was plac-
ed in trenches along the main Atlanta
Road, forming the perpendicular line of
the letter, and facing to the left; Wag-
ncr's brigade, commanded by Col. Blake,
of the 40th Indiana, was the left half ef
the horizontal top line; Gen. Kimball's
I n