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


their formations were. In the forest the
thickets fairly wilted and disappeared uni
der their feet, SO closely were they packed,
and so irresistible their progress, They
came on withoutskirmishers, and as if by
instinct, struck Geary's right faux, where
gap existed, that Williams division was
endeavoring to close. Tho fourregiments
forming the right brigade were enveloped
on their flank and rear in moment, and
cruelty enfladed. Subjected to half a
dozen cross fires, the brigade fell back
hastily to the trenches it had left in the
morning. To remain would have been
annihilation.
Portions of Col freland's brigade were
also torn to pieces by the withering cross
fires, and fell back, after repeated gallant
efforts to reform their line to return the
fire on flank and rear. The moment was
desperate one. The enemy were almost
within grasp Of Jieut. Bundy's battery
on the right, but he wheeled one section
from front to right, and by double-shot-
ting the guns with canister, succeeded in
repelling the greedy yermin in dirty gray.
His gwners however, were shot down one
after another, until detail,of infantry.
men from the Goth New York were called
for to work them. The fire from the en-
emy here was withering. A sergeant in
this battery fell pierced with seven balls
4 corporal received nine, seven Of which
passed through his heart
SO btterwas the enfiladingfre to which
Gearys position was exposed, that the
caissOns Of the guns that had been taken
to the rear for safety, were driven back to
the front to escape more deadly FIRE than
was sustained at the ordinary point of
danger. But the remainder of Geary's
brigade stood frmas arock. The enemy
in vain charged itfom the frontand right
flank Until nightfall the unequal con-
test was waged, but Geary held his hill
infezibly The enemy sullenly left his
front during the evening, firing spiteful-
ly as he retired.
The regiments that had fallen back were
reformed and sent into action again on
Gen. Williams left, aiding materially in
checking the Rebel column that was pour
ing through the untoward interval and
flooding Geary's rear.
| have seen most Of the battle-felds in
the South West, but nowhere have | seen
traces of more deadly work than is yisi-
bic in the dense woods in which Geary's
right was formed Thickets were liter
ally Graded by bullets, and the large
trees, for 20 feet on the trunk, hardly a
square inch Of bark remained. Many
were torn and splintcred with she'll and
round shot, the enemy in their attack on
Geary and Williams, usingartillery, which
they did not bring into action on other
portions of the line. Kuapp's Pennsyl-
vania Battery was engaged from begin
ming to end on Goary' left flank, and con.
tributed vastly to his success in holding
to his position, as it were, with his teeth
Capt. Elliott Of Geary's staff, was instant
" killed during the action The Gener-
ais staff has suffered heavily during the
campaign, hayinglost five Of its members
since the movement against Dallas.
The 33d New jersey, which was ad-
vanced to fortify hill on the skirmsh
line, lost more than half its number in
the first onset Gen. Geary was on the
hill with it when attacked, and had bare
ly time to reach his main column.
ATTACK ON GEN. WILLIAMS.
The Rebel attack rolled along the left
until Gen. Williams's line division was
fully engaged 1t had advanced to close
upon Geary, Gen. Knipe's brigade in the
center, Gen. Ruger's on the right, and Col.
Robinson's on the left 1t fought from
O'Clock till long after dark in dense for
est, without yielding a foot. 1t was a
fair stand up fight, in which Williams
division lost more heavily than any other
in the engagement
When they first advanced against Col
Robinson's brigade the Rebels held up
their handsasif to surrender, upon which.
seeing our lads hesitate, they instantly
poured volley into thom. These wretch
ed and cowardly tactics were practiced on
other portions of the line
The brigade of Col. Anson MCook, on
Palmer's left was at one time heavily en-
gagged, the 10th and 10th Wisconsin los
ing about so men each. The remainder
of Palmers Corps was not engaged, and
so rapid and conclusive was the fighting
that it was not needed to assist Hooker.or
Newton.
1t is estimated that every man in Hook
er's corps expended over 100 rounds Of
ammunition. At the beginning of the
fight the ammunition trains were on the
north bank of the creek. but they were
rushed over before the. troops had gener-
ally emptied their boxes.
The enemy retired a mile or more dur
ing the night, falling back to his works
around ATLANTA. Hoods inaugurar was
not very felicitous. The battle of Peach
Tree Greek must rank with the most bril-
liant. successes of the war. The failure
of the Rebels to destroy our right wing
was owingto the indomitable pluck of the
men. They couldn't afford to be whip
ped, and such being the case, Gen. Hood
was unhappy in supposing that he could
worst ten thousand Of our lads with his
whole army, even after (to borrowa phrase
from Confederate classics getting them
Just where he wanted them"
j. W. NJ.