Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-08-31

August 18th, 1884.
DEAR LEApER:-For some days your
numbers have been lying in Chattanooga
awaiting General Wheeler's approval for
transportation to the front. Previous to
his supervision of our "cracker line it
seems thew have been making independent
trips to the various Army Corps, carefully
avoiding Stoneman's cavalry, as though
conscious of its impending fate Today
however, they came en- naasss. Looking up
affeetionately from time to time at the files
before me, I am startled at first by the an
nouneement, HGLoRIoUs News from
GRANT n assault OF PETERsBURsH COM
MENeED,R SC, but the date of August lst
has the effect upon my nerves that catniP
tea had long years ago.
As write occasional billet doiaz, In the
shape of sixty four pound shells dropping
around, remind us that we are not forgot
ten by the rebeTlious characters across the
hollow. From our signal stations, trains
loaded with troops could be seen during the
entire morning, moving out of Atlanta, on
the Macon road, to intercept and frustrate
the flank movement on our right wing
Surprising the enemy had materially weak
ened his line in front Of the 4th Corps,
General Sherman ordered reconnoisauce
in force to be made at nye O'Clock this eve
ming. As our troops engaged the enemy's
skirmishers the huge eartb-works around
the city, heretofore apparently deserted,
literally swarmed with enthusiastic "gray-
backs" Down into the valley they came
yelling like demons; or as a genius at my
side expressed II, 'as though somehow
they'd managed to get so10 belly for dinner"
After hours heavy sldrmishing, both par
ties occupy their old picket posts, OF "go-
pher holes" as the boys term them, wait
| ing for darkness to concal their withdrawal
TO their respective lines. Conclusion OF
the afternoons work-a few dozen killed
and wounded, and the "Johnnies' in town
yet,
While the firing was heaviest and the
ambulance train was bringing In its VIC
TINS a tender-bearted Lieutenant, hugging
the safe side of the bresstworks, remarked
feelingly; @What pity that this butcher5
cannot be stopped, and the war ended in
some other Wsyr A Captain standing
near answered, Suppose thatsyou go down
| on the skirInish line and make that same
remark to the bows now, and see if you don't
come back with lead in you" He didn't
go.
1 have taken some pains to ascertain the
general sentiment of the army on the COM
ing campaign. The vast majority of the
soldiers will, of course, support Lincoln
SO far as my observations extend, the Ere
mont men are the disappointed aspirants for
promotion, who formerly voted for Lincoln,
and would now, had their cherished dreams
| of straps and stars been realized.
Among the satellites Of Mcclellan are,
first, the few 81 mpathizers who entered the
army by draft or mistake; second, those
whose knee-joints are decomposed by salt
petre in the atmosphere; and third, few
well-meaning ones, who can only see the
little Generals politics through the haze
of that affection which he we'll knew how
to engender in his troops, and which was
ever the sole basis of his military reputa-
ton.
Atlanta is unhealthy just now. notice
OuN nOust viii ClCNGAA LdhaNO hNALAAatblS
in one sideg still the air is impure; too
strongly tinctured with nitre. "a reliable
woman" who came into our lines yesterday,
states that shell entered house in which
wore eloePing an old man and boy, sew
cred the legs of the one from his body, and
cut the other in twain. Still the great city
stands, and will stand until Sherman can
find gate in the rear more accessible
than any as yet developed among the brist-
ling fortresses of the front.
go to Marietta tomorrow, where viii
mail this, unless Wheeler Is again on the
railroad above. Our communications are
more seriously threatened row than at any
previous time during the campaign. Con
sidering that the very existence of the
army depends upon IT, the railroad guards
should be doubled. But let us refresh
ourselves with the opiate that consoles
millions: Sherman knows what he's
about" j. B. II.