Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-05-26

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close to the side of the emnence held fast to their position
The firing last ceased and just as the sun was about 70
90 down Sherman, Thomas Elliott, and other Generals
up to the summit OF the height aud through their
glasses viewed long and aenSey the rebel WORKS around
Resaca
1.-The sun had not risen ON the morning of the 1ith
Saturday when the sklrmishDg recommended; aud unt
r. M there not single minute ia which the drop
ping sound of musketry could not have been heard IL
halt past twelve, perhaps, when the rebels opened
IRE of both small and artillery upon the lett
of the Fifteenth Corps At the time the noise OF
battle could be distinctly heard away to the left This
last was readily understood
After entering Dalton the day before, and finding
nothing there ruined and deserted town, Howard
with Wood and Staneys divisions, had moved rapidly
souhward, to effect junction with the remainder Of the
army The rebels making feeble effort TO prevent
this, and hence the firing upon the left. ny noon the
pckets of Howard communicated with those OF Schoheld
or rather with Newons division OF his own corps which
had marched down the western eide OF Rocky Face and
passed through Snake Greek esp, IN company with
| Schofed. Half hour later the lines communicated,
and thus the entire army was again united aud IN order OF
| battle surrounding the enemys Works-Howard being
upon the extreme left Sch0fed next IN order, Hooker
next Palmer next Logan next, and Dodge on the right
Whoever would form general idea OF the field OF
battle has only conceive OF river the Oostenaula,
with great bend at the middle OF the semicrcle thus
formed is the of Resaca, through which runs the
Western and Atlanta railroad The rebel works extend
generally north aud south in front of the town. bending
and at the exremes to rest both Hanks
upon the river Outside Of this arc, and in
rounding it, extend lines little stream called Camp
Creek flows through narrow valley with precpltous
| bluffs each side For more than mile our lines ex
tend side of this valley and the rebel nes on the
other The opposing armies shoot at each other across
this valley country Astounding ia steep hills thicky
wooded with almost impossible ravnes and with here aud
there cleared patch of ground make the remainder OF
this great theatre of warfare where two mighty armies
| were about to enact another tragedy .1
"rhe rebel army divided into three great corps
Hardees the right Hood in the centre and Polk on
the left All the renior brought up from Mobile
Savannah and other parts distributed among these
| three
"About one O'Clock it was determined to attack the
enemys CENTRE partly for the purpose OF directing his at
tention from the lett of the Fifteenth Corps where rs
have said, he had commenced fierce fire. but mainly to
test his strength aud determination and possible to drive
| him from his works upon this part of the field E
| 1.-THE attack commenced by Schohed, who with
Newton, advanced gradually up TO the enemy's works.
Wood and Stanley pressing closely the extreme rebel right
Further to right Carns aud Kings brgades of John
sons division assaed the enemys lines in front of them
with great vigor and determination Never field more
stubbornly contested Officers Wed with the in acts
CT daring Judah's division of Schofelds corps bazed
like volcano all round low bill upon which were the
rebel works they designed to But every instant
their ranks were thnned by showers Of bullets aud grape
shot hurled amongst them by the rebels, who fought with
comparative security inside their rifle pits Our line wa
vered Turchins brigade OF Baird division ordered
to the rescue As portion of Johnson's had done,
they hurled themselves down the almost perpendicular
bluffs of which have spoken, waded through Camp creek
deep at the foot AID attempted To charge across the
valley under most hurdArous fire. The charge un-
successgthe bulk Of the brigade Withdrew but cou-
pie Of regiments crossed the valley, and taking shelter
under the very bluffs upon which the enemys works were
constructed lay there in comparative security until the
| friendly light on, when they quietly withdrew.
"Col John G. MitchePs brigade, of DaVss division,
was now sent TO the assistance of Iurchin 1t gal
anty into the fight does any body of troops with Col
Mitchell for leader But the relentless storm from the
euemys works fell upon it also; the Colonel himself
rowly escaped death, shell exploding at the feet of his
horse huge fragment knocking to finders the field glass
which hung Mt his side and which alone saved his life The
| order finally given for the whole line to withdraw,
which it did in good order. The enemy had been driven
from portion i his outer line OF works, aud although
did not occupy them at that time the fire Of artillery
effective that the rebels never reoccuped them
Joe Johnston determined to the offensive
in and began masug hs troops upon his right
with the design of turning left The movement would
probably have been successful had not been discovered
In time and prevented. To Lieut. W. L. Shaw, Of Gen
Eiotts staff the honor of the discovery hslongs From
hill upon the right of cur lines, his keen detected
the rebel columns moving toward our left Hooker
instantly dispatched to breast the coming storm but before
he could it burst upon portion Of line Crufts
brigade of Stauleys division occupied advanced position
TO tho Of the Tion and Resaca rosd which Stanley
had been ordered 10 hold Upon this brigade the rebels
fell in immense numbers and alter gallant rAstance it
was broken and pushed back As it emerged from the
WOODS Gtsr the road and some open fields
west Of the same tho enemy pressed after 1t with terrific
yelis. 1t seemed az the lett really about to be
turned but Smonsons old battery the 9TH Indiana
posted 1T the western edge Of toe field aud the rebels
advanced poured into them destructive fire Of grape
and canister that notwithstanding they rushed with deter
mined bravery within hundred feet Of the battery they
we're fnaly dr. back in great disorder brigade Of
Houkers which had arrived at the nick oil time, con-
tlbed greatly to this result aud manuly supported the
battery.
Just she battle ended upon the left, terrible con
ct broke out upon the right During the afternoon por-
fons oi Logans Corps aud Spragues brigade Of the Six
teeat Corps had disoiged the enemy from line Of works
almost exactly front Of the Just after dark the
reb Ii made desperate effort TO regain them With long
lines Of infantry whose fixed bsyonets glttered in the
moonlight they charged up the hill upon which the works
were stuaed and forced their way to the very foot OF the
buwsrss But deadly FIRE from the Union lines moved
hepn down. until at last they up the rutess contest
and a with precipitation aud terror down the heights
II Sas nearly o'clock before the storm OF battle ceased
To rage
EARLY on Sunday morning thu skrmshing recommended,
but not until about half past that any thing OF
Importance took place 1t should be observed here that 10
order fiji up the gap occasoUed by Hookers withdrawal
the day before, the whole of P4mrrs Corps shifted
10 the right rather expanded TO twice
much ground u did the day before Hooker
upon the extreme left and about T. NJ commenced
general assault upon the works immediately ia front
With dauness bravery his advanced to the attack,
and Wards brigade Of Butterf Ids division stormed .
small and captured four pieces Of artillery. tre-
mendous fra long line If rebs rife pits, behind and
around the fort compelled the greater portion retire;
enough remained to hold the aud prevent the
rebsls from recapturing the works In thi fight, Col
Harrison 10th Indiana who assumed command OF Wards
brigade upon the latter being wounded particularly dis
tnuisbed himself.
Our plan Of battle for the coming day TO the
bulk Of forces upon the wings Of army assaiug
the rubss on both TANKS at once while our centre
held by single line Had this design been known 10 the
enemy he might have attempted to break our centre dur
ing the night Consequently the utmost vigilance