, 1864-07-29

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we're nevertheless. open spots mud cleariogs, |
and many sandy slopes aud ridges OF land
covered by 6cautY vegetation; also steep de- |
clirIties &n1 barren, pinc-skirtsd bills, ut the
foot of which, four miles from the city,
fcy&d d small stream called "fe8ch Tree
Ssf tsFs s. whence ess 5e @ GILL; and I'd rdts aosd
ed good positions for both attack and de-
fsnse: and quietly waiting on the south side
OF the creek, and behind the timbered eleya-
tions. the a6th Corps lay still under direct
orders from Gen. Hooker.
Dv some u,eanB-oWing probably to Its CO.
oreyation with Mcpherson on tho left-the
Esd Corpa did not connect with Howard's
small command, now consisting Of only the
ID Division, under Newton, in which were
the 73d, a4tb, SGtb, 74tb, 5lst, eth, 83th and
1COth Illinois volunteer infantry, the eth
Wisconsin, 4oth and a. Pm Indiana, es, 9Th and
tucky-mostly small regimenta. This d.
vision had been previously detached in sup
port of Gar1aril's cavalry In their excursions
across the river On our left flank, and had
witnessed the destruction by fire Of the cot
ton. wcolen and starch factories at Roswell
ted about firing these mills, as they We're
running or pretending to run under tho pro-
lection Of the French and English flags a
peremptory order from Sherman, However,
settled the business, and the female opera
Hye6, to the number Of 500, are now in Mari-
eta A facettous, though demoralized fel.
low, insisted on viewing them as commiss ary
stores, aud seemed to think they should be
issued to the troops.
This same division, being In advance after
our passage of the Chattahoochce, skirmiahod
along the road and at small stream, where
the retrfatirg rebels burnt bridge, killed
and wounded about twelve, among 1hom
~n n foh hat Tay,$n IN fof1r
weucded while altemt tttng to escape after he
bad signa]led to surrender. He gave his
watch and purse to the soldier who shot him
This command, headed By Gan. kimbalrs
let brigade, now pushed for sard, having de-
pIoyed SO skirmlshers the I'D Illinois, 9th
lad driven, the rebels that afternoon
from two lines of slight defenses and
were now advancing Us they supposed
t'on to Atlanta" when Gen. Newton por-
cefved the enemy preparing for Charge, and
noticed his heavy works aud batteries In the
timber, and Immediately in our front. The
advanced troops, and all Others that could be
hastily got together, were quietly ordered to
tear down so1ne old log buildings, and make
substantial line, as soon as s-possible. But
before this could be donc, the rebels made
four charges On the |ane division, driving In
the ski1nlish line under Col Conrad, Of the
18th No., and pouring In fire from both
UhukR H1lu luAllIE 6ULt 9llbuAEl6+
In the meantime, tie 1st Ohio battery, d,
planted on the left of the 1st brigade, aud
battery n, Of the 1st Il1inois artillery, open
cd fro to the right and lett, oblique, and en-
ah!ed the division to maintain Its gronnd.
Afterwards, In view ofthe exposed condition
from tie Goth, and infantry from the 14th
corps, filled up the gap between Newton and
schoGelJ, thus completing and strengthen
Ing tie line at TINT point The reinforce.
ments Of artillery were from the Sd division,
Goth corre, aid consisted Of Capt Geary's 1s'
Ohio battery-C, and Capt. Smiths lively
little battery Of three inch titled guns, batte.
# /, 1Et Mich artillery.
At the time OF the attack on Howard,
| Hooker had also pushed forward, Joined
| Newton's left, and was y Ing quietly on the
| south side Of the creek, With his line Of sktr
| ulishers about 500 yards in advance, Bntter
tleld's (now Ward's) division Was on ths left
Geary in the centre, and Williams Oh tut
right The enemy. either pressed by Nc
P6eIson and Schoneld, or resolved to cap
| ture our skirnishtrs, made afurious and sud
| den charge upon the line, in the open groun.
: ithout any protecttoE, and while the rest 0
the 20th corps la: buck in the woods. Atte1
q slight check, in which Genr.'s division
gave Way on the right, aud Newton on tn
1eit, the Sd division, without waiting 70
| Hoohef's direct orders, sprauE up out of th
| voods, Immediately formed In splendid Lin
and rushed to.the front to resist the attack
The first brigade, Under Col. Harrison, 0
the Goth Indiana. Tss on the right, Coburn'
{2d) brigade In the centre, anu Srl brigade
under Col. Wood, on the left Railing an
most destructive yol1ies wefc exchanged a
very short range The battle at this poln
became a succession Of shocks caused b.
the c1osencss OF the struggle and the charge
and countercharges, making sWaylng liu
as the advantage chapged from side to slde
/ xf.af- fI1t1 z1rr$ N&7@ /,
pressure and hnally gnye way. along th
| whole liue. 1t was close, solid and stan
up 1ig1t; one OF the most 6eTere oftlc rhul
csmpaigr, hud certuioly not eclipsed In poiu
OF Gashirg bravery, determined courage q
eubstapt'al results By any engagement oftb
war. The fight began about J O'clock ?, i
or d lasted till ~ o'clock. The 3rd division
nov in command OF Brig. Gen. Wsrd, {du
iny tie absence OF Mai, Gen. Butterheldl cal
tured seven battle flags, one hundred OIL
tllrcr unhurt prisoners, besides great nu1
ber Of wounded, not less thun two huudre
more. Among the rebel dead and wounGe
prisoners were an unusually great number {
officers ofalj grates,
The loss in s,1led and wounded in tue ST
division, goth corps. amounts to five hu1
or:d and tiSty. Tbat OF the other two d
visions upder GeaIy and Williams Tas som
hat less. The loes III the whole c1rpe Hi
be Hbout ], 400 killed and wounded,
During the latter part OF the engagement
| courier arrived from Geo. Sherman otiDgir
news that Mcpherson, with Schoaeld az
, two divisions Of uoHard's command had a
; yarced within milo and half of At1nnt
aud was In fair way to capture q large boz
Of the enemy. Capt. Tebbetts, M active at
dashi1g a. b. G. On Gen Wards staff, Gu,
yeyed the cheering nc*e from Gen. Tnom,
to Gen. Hooker, who Immediately comm
G nicatcd 1t to the Whole line. The men T
: ceised it with tremendous shouts, and rushG
/ forward full Of enthusiasm and falth In the
6 own inyincibility. Nothing could stop 1hcr
t and the rebels became completely deuore
izet, and threw down everything and ran
lust as. they could, leaving their dead NJ
: wounded on the field. It was compile
and substantial victory.
= It Hss evidently the enemy's intention
break through our right BY anticipating o.
I | Advance, ard making IN unexpected and f
q rious charge, But they did not quite do
l. though ut the first attack the reEult look
2 rather doubtful, and the enemy Ind at ol
q time driven and fanked Nswtou's divisit
= ers in many places, and .epuleed Geary'st
l. vision. The fighting was so close and Il
:. tlut the dead and wounded lily literally
u piles il Hooker's front; and our amhulauc
were employed through the night quite,
Rnf usn ID eoesing ons ge G TsSs %a 1s 5ns ear sy
front OF Gel Harrson's brigade,
The Sd division behaved With is usual e
ltnl1y, and though without artillery, bold
r met the rebels at every Charge. Brig. Ge
y Ward, an old Var horfe frDIn Kentucky,
= ceired the special thanks Of Gca. Hooker I
u what he had done that day. Gen. Ward o
e the whole diyision have the greatest reas
T. to feel proud. Gen. WIS stalf Was partic
Ee lsr1s sctiyc. In fact the whole Army Of I
4, Cumberland will always remember with 81
d isfaction the battle Of Peach Tree creek ne
u Atlanta on the 2lst Of July, 1854. Gen. Hoo
. er rode along the line next morning and
e ceiyed the wild congratulations of his trooI
g One I1ishman carried away with enthusias
: tain Hookcr!"
t. A renewal Of the fight was expected
!, moonlight but did cot take place. Tod
q there was some sklf,nishiug near the city q
!, & little artillery practice. Though we exp:
q to take Atlanta from one day to another.
J. hare 71ct cot II yef-].ilg correspondents to
:, contrary s:ithetapding. Everybody Is
I good spirits. The troops are enthusiastic 4
q hopeful. The mail still goes from Marie
!, and 1eaycs this afternoon. Ihope to giyey
i +. cfdtuts and casualties in my next lett
q To-day there is the ueual picket firing 4
8 capnoradipg. The whole rebel loss befc
0 The Army of the Cumberland cannot be Il
J. | tban five thousand, I have heard Hotbi
. frcm the 14th curI8.
: FR0tl GEN. sroEEa1aN'S Col
5 AliKD.
l