, 1864-08-01

brcaetWorks thus cleared, other reg1menh
speedily rushed and, forming solid column.
enssgsa a1ong the inside Of our Tofks, hss
thinking, no doubt, that when they hsd
once d1slodged them from their works they
would make no further stand. Tbs "a D1vl-
ston, the center Of the corps. had been weak
ened bJ detaching half Of Colonel Martina
lelt, and was consequently wholly dislodged
from It's position. Falling back . short dis.
tance Into the woods, they halted, reformed
and began to deliver upon the rebels, who
rnehed RI on apparently regardless OF them nn-
cupied the right. This division Immediately
swung around its lett, and poured q croas-
fire upon the head OF the rebel columr,
and at the same time the I'd Division;
now fully reformed In the woods, ana
sssrsSnsthsnea ssrSss by the return Of tns lo;,o as
the donble-9uick, IN a. abroilipg sun. chargd
upon their flank and drove them quickly
over the works in confusion. Just as tte
rebels. while charging along the works, hio
renche9 the lst Division, they came out y
confronted another about half q mile dIststt,
on which rested the left Of the ESD lmne-
di2tely tour pieces Of CockrIlI's battery, one
section Of the I'd Missouri, two tWen;y-
Pounaer PARROTS, aud two tWelye-po1nter
MepoeotPs 1t Of Captain Froeieks hta nattgSy Ss
EeoANA~A3
rebels terrific enflading fire Of shel1s at
short range. The effect was admirable. The
rebels Were scattered in the utmost coltu-
sion. The charge upon their flank coming
aDont the same time, put them utterl! 10
BATTERIES LOST AND RETAKEN.
In terrific charge upon the I'd Regular
battery, nearly every horse was shot, and all
the pieces taken for the moment The men,
however, rendered it impossible for the reb-
els TO draw them OF, By rapid fire from the
sharpshisootsEs. is and charging IL turn they
Artillery, was at the railroad, two pieces below
1t and four above, and all were captured
when the rebels charged over the bank upon
them. The two below the railroad were
retaken, but the remaining four were dragged
out through roadway and conveyed away
rdorm. Battery H, lat. Ill, commanded by
Capt. De Grass, twenty pound PARROTS, Wero
all taken and rctaken. The Captain, though
mere beardless boy, CHING to bis guns to the
Inst extremity. emptYing the contents Of bis
revolver upon the rebels, and only leaving
with bis own hand. ALI his horses were shot,
one whole team. consisting Of eight, falling
in their traces, Just as they had stood in line;
and Is ths capts!a II. looked upon the wreck
child. he had made the rebels pay dear
price for their brief possession, as one Of the
gums Was bursted by being charged With
three 1oada Of canister. As soon as he re-
turned, and could unspike the guns. he gave
the rebels parting salute, which1, they
would, no doubt, have been most willing to
omit.
The 17th corps captured three stands OF
| colors, the 10th four; the 18th Iowa captur-
| cd the colors Of the 45th Alabama, the S1st
Ohio brought off another, aud the seth Ohio
third.
The number of prisoners raken ahould e.
tured two regiments entire, and the 18th and
18th captured about 50more. Among these
was Colonel Hardee, from which there
straightway sprung rumor that General
] Hardee was mortally wounded and had fallen
into our hands, some even being prepared to
say that they had seen bis body ID one Of our
hospitals, or at lenst, had> eeeu those who
had. A Major and several other officers
were also taken
FIGHT At DECATUR.
While the attaek Was raging so tnrfously
on the left, the rebels had dispatched strong
body Of men By wide circuit, to surprise and
attempt' to retake The village Of Decatur.
New jersey. and s5th Wisconsin, brisade
Of the 10th Corps, aud appears to have been
attacked by twice It's own number,
Having taken the precaution to station men
along the Decatur Road, 10 prevent REIN
from being ssnt Gut from TIE
great fury and carried It, Our forces were
driven entirely out into the woods, but they
speedily reformed and charging IN turn, dis
possessed the rebels after hard fight, IN
which they lost about three hundred men,
and held the place against all opposition
There was some artillery employed on both
sides, but how much or what sort I cannot
learn. Lieut.. Col. Brown, Of the esd Ohio,
was mortally wounded and Ad5utant Farr
killed. The post could not have been con-
sidered as Of any particular value to the
rebels, except as point for rendezvous tor
small parties to sally out upon our trains.
The design Of creating diversion In our
rear, no doubt formed q principal reason for
the attack.
OTHER ATTACKS.
The rebels appear to have preconcerted q
series Of petty attacks upon our rear during
tention from the main business In trout. A
train OF one hundred and twenty wagons,
: loaded with three days' ratlous for the Army
Of the Tennessee, Was attacked near Deca'
tur, but escaped with the loss Of no more
than two or three wagons. A regiment, also
stationed at the bridge at Roswell, was fired
upon by force Of cavalry, but repulsed them
and held the h5dge.
RIGHT WING.
This part of the army WAS extended 80 al
around toward the west side Of Atlanta thai
was 90 distant that even the sound Of it,
cannon was not to be heard In presence o
the upronr In our front, but signal ofacert
report that during the engagement in the af
ternoon they were pouring Into the devoted
could be seen rising, up In thick clouds
What the effect or extent OF 1t all Waa, fur
the1 than to extend the right Of our llne
around as far As the Chattanoosa Railroad,
and beyond, I am not informed.
REBEL LOGS.
1t ia scarcely to be expected that any state
ments Of the rebel loss should be accurate,
but thus much it Is safe to say, that the reb'
els lost fur more than ourselves. They Wert
the aesaultfug party, which always suffers tht
open field, hut when The assaulted army Ii
behind works, even slight as outs were, the
disparity Of loss is necessarily Increased.
have little doubt that their losaea for the day
were five thousand men. Their prisoners re.
port that Gen. Walker Was Killed, and that
made In the afternoon, and subsequently
died. As to the former there Is much doubt,
but in regard to Gen. Hood, 1t appears to be
the generally received opinion that he was
killed.
AGGREGATE LOSS.
.. hare already stated the difficulties which
prevent, at this early day, thoroughly reli
able etatement Of the losses, but after taking
the estimntes Of the division surgeons ane
combining them, I am inclined to set dowr
} the aggregate loss on our side at about twen
ty-three hundred. Official figures will doubt
less vary from this somewhat, as missing
men will yet be brought in to diminish it.
| AID few killed will probably be recovered
to increase It, but beleYe they will moi
greatly departtrom 1t.
orE1cEna KILLED AND WOUNDED BEFonE ATLANTA
JULY -; 1861.
, Major General j, B. NcPherson. killed.