The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-08-06

A REVIEW OF THE PROGRESS OF THE ARMY
FROM CHATTANOOGA TO ATLANTA-rHE
DIFFICULTIES sURMoUNrED = THE BAT
TIES WON.
The New York Times prints an able arti-
Gle on the Georgia campaign, from which we
make the subjoined extract, 1t win give the
reader a clear and full idea, BETTER than any
he may have gained from isolated and often
clouded and contradictory statements of cor
respondents who have chronicled the move
ments:
sweeping glance at the track of the
Western Army will show what ii has accom-
plished. Starting from Chattanooga early in
May, Sherman first met the enemy In force,
thirty-one miles distant at Tunnel Hil under
which hill. through tunnel 1S00 feet long
runs the Georgia Railroad. The enemy was
briskly driven back from Tunnel Hill TO Dal-
ton, a distance of seven miles. He paused,
however, at Rocky-fa faced Ridge, the northern
defence OF Dalton, precipitous hill, which is
cleft by the narrow pass called Buzzards
Roost. Here, on the sth Of May, Sherman
attacked Johnston in an impreguable position;
butthe willy enemy was outgeneraled by his
adversary. While this feint was conducted
with such vgor that our loss was fully six
hundred men, Mcpherson, with his grand
division, embracing the 18th and 10th land
afterwards the l7thl corps, was already flank
ing Dalton by wide detour upon Snake Gap,
which leads TO Resaca, eighteen miles south
OF Dalton. No sooner was news sent him OF
McPherson's lodgment, than Sherman with
drew from Johnston's front, Fastening TO
Snake Gap with all his army. For his oppo-
nent there was nothing but % fall back on
Resaca, ffty-six miles direct from Chattanoo-
ga.
Here occurred the heavy two days battle
of the 14th and 18th of May, with a loss of
four or five thousand on either side, and the
capture by US of battery and nearly thou
sand prisoners. As its main result, Resaca
was abandoned, and our army pursued the en-
emy, skrmishng with and harrassing his
rear. AT length we occupied Kingston, twen-
ty-three miles from Resaca on the railroad Z
and detached column seized the important
town of Rome, fourteen miles away 10 the
west OF Kingston, with its stores OF provis- 1
ions and seven excellent and valuable iron
foundries.
The next stand Of the rebels beyond Kings
ton was at Alatoona, In its stronghold among
the Etowah Mountains, ninety eight miles
from Chattanooga. But again they were flank
ed out OF their entertainments and on the 30th
Of May, after a brisk fight, in which about
four hundred prisoners were captured, with a
few cannon and small arms, Sherman struck
the railroad once more near Marietta, twenty
miles below Alatoona. But, meanwhile, Me
Pherson had fanked Marietta by marching
his grand division tweEty miles TO the right,
as far as Dallas which is eighteen miles west
OF Marietta. There Mcpherson successfully
fought severe battle, or series of battles, on
the 25th, 9th, and 18th Of May. The loss of
the enemy was reported at $500, left in our
hands, our own loss being very much less
The result was the occupation Of Dallas, and
the establishment of base OF supplies and a
strong cover for our rear at Alatoona Pass,
with the possession, also, OF Acworth. From
Dallas, Sherman moved on Marietta, fighting
his way from day TO day, with severe en-
gagement on the 18th of June. The 10Th
and 18th were also days of battle, and on the
18th hot action, with heavy loss on both
sides, gave US Lost Mountain. six miles west
of Marietta, from which the enemy retreated
to Kenesaw Mountain, second bold detached
peak, three miles nearer the town.
On the 22d and 23d of June our forces
gained such decided and unexpected success
es in position, after heavy skirmishing, that
Sherman ventured even to assault the precip-
itous Kenesaw Mountain ITSELF on the 9th.
Two lines OF abattis were forced and hun
dred prisoners taken out OF their rihe-pits,
but we were bloodily repulsed, with loss OF
$500 men.
Again the tactics Of hanking were resorted
10, and again successfully. Marietta was ours
on the 30th of June, and, leaving kenesaw
ta.p Johnston was pushed across the Chatta-
hoochie, except that Hardee's corps sill held
a strongly-entrenched position in a bend of
the river. With great skill, and with great
rapidity, column was sent far up the stream,
and crossed near Roswell, thirteen miles
northeast of Marietta, and twenty miles due
north of Atlanta Here some very valuable
cotton and wooden factories were destroyed.
The enemy, 1anked on his right again, re-
treated, and our army crossed the long-sought
river on the 1lth of July. At once the left
was thrown forward, and, swinging about on
the rebel right, seized Decatur, which lies
only six miles to the east of Atlanta, and de-
siroyed at that point railroad communication
between Atlanta and Augusta.
Now, at last, the people OF the South were
thoroughly terrified. For a long time, they
had been consoled with hearing that John
ston was drawing tine Yankees on" and, at
each stage of the retreat, he "hsd the Yankees
lust where he wanted them" But when he
had got them across the chattachoochie, they
were found to be just where the Confederaey
except Johnston, did not want them. Ac-
cordingly, Johnston was superseded fort
night ago and, while he made his last retreat,
sorrowinlly and alone, Hood assumed his
command. Hood began his career by two
suddenly delivered attacks, on the 20 and 22d
Of July; the bloodiest and hottest battles ever
fought in Georgia. He chose his time, on
the Z0th, when our forces were not thorough
ly deployed in order of battle, having In fact
just crossed Peach Tree creek, stream which
gives the action its name. Pretended desert
ers were sent to our. lines, well loaded with
the story that Atlanta was evacuated. A
cloud oi sklrmishers was pushed forward ac-
eordingly, and met no enemy. Hood had
Withdrawn his own skirmishers, and now sud
denly drove his solid lines on ours Our ad-
vance came flying back as before a whirlwind,
and the enemy tore through gap which had
been but supertcially covered By good for
tune, but more by the admirable gallantrv Of
Hooker's corps tthe divisions OF Williams.
Geary, and Ward and OF Newton's division
the shock was met, and, after a hard fight
the enemy was driven to his entrencnments
leaving thousand prisoners in our hands
Our loss is officially put at 1000 and that O
the enemy must be nearly double, because II
was that OF an assaulting party, repulsed il
successive charges. Another similar battle
occurred on the 22d when the gallant McPher
son fell and again the rebel line, after des
perate charges at the mouths of our artillery
recoiled and fell back with grea. slaughter 4
its entertainments.
Such. then, is the campaign, so far as de
veloped into history. In a recent issue. tn
military value Of Atlanta was shown to b
very great In this review 1t will be seen how
skilful, arduous, and triumphant has been on
advance to possess that city, and with wha
obstinacy the enemy has resisted US. In thes
three months, direct advance of one hundre
and thirty-hve miles, measured on the rail