Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-05-28

ston is running, and the latter knows pre-
cisely what the enemy and himself are
about.
If excuse or explanation were requisite
to some, the mysterious motives of our re-
ticent Commander-in-C Chief In shifting with
the enemy, it would be made patent to the
simplest understanding that he desires the
very developments that are now being
made on the part of the Yankee general,
Every advance by the left flank exposes the
more the flank and rear of the enemy.
Every advance carries him so much further
from his depot of supplies, which, if the
road has been destroyed. would materially
Inconvenience the campaign Of the invad-
ing party. 1t Is an accepted principle In
military science that river Is much safer
in ones front than his rear. When the en-
eny has crossed the Oostenaula he will be
in imminent danger of destruction; for we
believe Johnston will hurl his army en-
ntdSSe upon him.
We have conversed with many Intelligent
soldiers among the wounded who came
down last evening. When they left the field
Sunday night the Oostenaula river was our
line; our army ,cds on this side Of the riuer and
that of the enemy on the other. Itwas said
that one corps OF the enemy, perhaps, had
crossed at the ford west of Calhoun. The
Ressacca bridge was burned Sunday MORN
ing. In the fighting on Sunday our whole
army was not engaged. Indeed, the greater
portion Of it has not yet been under fire,
having been held in reserve for some pur-
pose, known only to the God of battles and
Joseph Z. Johnston.
Our men fought all day Sunday behind
the works they had thrown up Friday night,
and had strengthened the night previous.
AT four o'clock In the afternoon of Sunday
fh hur NVoc a nrana,.al oh IN no rf In
which the divisions of Cheatham, Stewart
and Stevenson participated. The enemy
came up in line, were scattered by heavy
volleys from our intrenchments, and as they
fled our men were ordered to charge, and,
leaping over the works, they drove the
Yankees quarter of mile, when they run
upon the reserve in line of the enemy, and
were compelled to fall back to their original
line. In this charge most of the men were
wounded who came down on Monday.
The loss of the enemy since the fight
opened on Friday last Is calculated Mt five
to our one. They were charging against our
intrenched lines from the beginning, and
the slaughter of Yankees is said to have
been terrible. They were literally moved
down as they came up, and were repulsed
every time charge was attempted.
We conversed with an intelligent officer
who assures us that the spirit of the men is
unparalleled in the history of the Army of
Tennessee. He declares that i General
Johnston ,ciI let the men loose they aoiH a1hip
the Yankees on ground of their OloR choosing.
The Yankees have already been punished
severely, and the fearful losses of the last
few days will be calculated to diminish
little the pluck which seems to have charac-
terized their recent charges upon our in
trenchments.
There was no fighting of consequence in
the neighborhood ofCalhoun Monday morn
ing when the train left. There was heavy
attack made upon our lines on Sunday
night about ten o'clock, which was repulsed
with heavy losses to the enemy.
from the Atlanta Intelligencer, May I'll
We have just returned from the battle
field at Ressacca, and proceed to lay before
our readers the most reliable news from
that quarter.
On Saturday morning our forces were
placed in position at Ressacca and to the
left of that place, the line extending sever
al miles to the southwest and beyond the
Oostenaula. Early in the morning a rapid
engagement commenced along the entire
line. The artillery firing has not been sur
passed in rapidity and extent on any day
during the war. An incessant and continu-
GUS firing of musketry was kept up be-
tween the closely approximated lines of in
fantry.
There was no disposition on our part to
change the front. In the evening the enc
my made three desperate and persistent as
saultS on our works at Ressacca. They
were repulsed with severe loss on their side
and few casualties on cur part. During all
of Saturday night constant cannonading
was kept up, and OH Sunday morning the
1inac xt-fthtt, n hn1f ia Nf
each other. Desultory firing began early
and continued as general skirmish
throughout the entire day. There was rap
id cannonading in the morning, but it be-
came slow, and almost ceased at nightfall.
The number of casualties was larger than
those reported on Saturday. Brig. General
Tucker, of Mississippi, was severely wound
ed in the arm, but is doing well at the
house of friend in Marietta. There are
few deaths in comparison to the number
wounded.
One of the notable incidents that occur
ed on Saturday, was the method by which
the enemy's assausts were received. We
had in the rifle pits several lines of men
ranged behind each other. The rear lines
loaded the muskets and passed them to the
front lines. The enemy still continued
their assault after the artillery volleys, and
were astounded to find themselves met by
a ceaseless volley Of musketry that stagger-
ed and finally dispersed them. The slaugL-
ter was very great.
At noon on Saturday the Yankees plant
ed battery on an eminence south of the
river, one and half miles from Calhoun
on the Villenow road. They fired at a
group of cavalry officers who were making
observations from an open spot on hill to
the right of Calhoun. They threw but five
or six shells, one of which struck an old
house in the center of the village. when the
battery was silenced by two Of our bat
teries, which got destructive cross fire
range from two commanding eminences.
On Saturday twenty three hundred Of
the enemy's cavalry approached within two
miles OF Rome before they were discovered.
Col. Jackson dismounted his cavalry, and,
into rapid skirmish with them,
soon had them retreating. No more DEM
occurred there.
The army remains as buoyant and conf |
dent as ever. Our officers, and especially |
the general officers, are very cheerful and |
certain of success. The Yankee army is |
at over one hundred thousand |
men, and they are fighting with desperate
doubtless presulning we are |
In small numbers. Our army has never
been handled so admirably before. 1t is |
splendidly apportioned, and an unabated
confidence exists in General Johnston.
A mcst notable feature of the field is that |
there is no struggling. The prompt and ef-
ficient measures which have been taken to
guard the rear has prevented it.