Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-25

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tho Sxscuson Of Ekss orders. temiiisi4 wefs fwse
broueht into contic yitb largely superior forces OF
.he amer "a infantry Thief behaved we'll, thoroughly
executed the part assigned TO them, and when the
army fell back to the chattahopchie they were the
last infantry withdrawn to-the fortified position-
Gen. Johnston, in letter TO G0y. browD, PAD
handsome and I think well-dcseryed compliment
to them for their conduct beyond the rter, anu
their services in beating back the enemy In their AZ
tennis upon the various crossings. The day We
reached the Chattahoochie, we were assigned to
your corps of the army. lou soon. placed .us
in reserve, which il was thought would give
some opportunity for drilling ana dlscipining tne
command, no opportunity having offered for TINS
previously. In the meantime, The reserve militia
or Georgia was ordered out by Governor Brown,,
and was ordered to Popln Spring, near the At
lanta and West Point Railroad, for the purPoSc oil
recognizing, arming the reserves, &C. We had
not been there three days before you found it neces
sary to order MS into the trenches the east side
Of Atlanta. You had In the meanwhile been as
signed 10 the command Of the army, and instructed
me To- report TO you direct, instead Of through
corps commander. There were at this time about
two thousand q O00) effective muskets In the COM
mand. We guarded some two miles OF the line,
having ON them, however, about eight pieces of
Co,.adetate artillery. On the 32d OF July, while
ia rdse w. attacking the enemy on our extreme
;ht in ,he direec.:..l Of Decatur when you order
ed the troops on my lea 10 advance, W'nou'
waiting for orders closed the intervals IN my me,
formed line Of battle in the trenches, anu moved
the militia forward the parapets more than
mile against the enemy's strong works In our 'front.'
They we're directed upon q battery which mad an
Moved us very much. Captain Anderson, who had
served with my command beyond the Chaitahoo-
chic, volunteered to move his battery with u.s.
He took position in clear, open ground, WITHIN
about 400 yards OF the embrasnre battery of the en-
envy, supported by the militia upon his right and
LETT Within two minutes the effective fire OF the
eneIsy was senced in front, and after this they
ONLY occasionally ventured TO show themselves ~
the embrasures, put their heads above the para
pets Ny troops we're eager 10 be allowed to charge
The battery but the brigade upon my left had given
way and the falling back was extending Still far
Their TO tho left. Hardee's fire, on my right, had
ceased, Just after we moved out oil Tue trenches.
onsidered it useless to make an Isolated attack,
ana therefore held the position and awaited further
developments. In about two hours lrecciyed orders
from Won directing me to Withdraw to the trenches.
We lost only about fifty men killed and wounded
The officers and men behaved admirably. Every
movement promptly and accurately made.-
There was not single stragger. few days after
this affair of the I'D of July was ordered againto
Poplar Spring. but was scarcely established III camp
there before We had again to be placed in the
trenches ON the left OF the Marietta road and from
.- 'i.'o until tue end OF the siege continued under
close fire night and day. We hsu ron ONE
norton of the lines to another, and had our iuh
share OF all the hardest places extending rom the
left of the Marietta road across the Peach Tree
road TO our extreme right. .A--.t u
The militia although but poorly armed, very few
having proper equipments, more than two-thrds OF
them without cartridge-box.s, almost without ani-
balances or other transportation, most oil the Ne
serves never having been drilled ut all, and the
others but a few days--all performed well every
service required OF them, during an arduous and
dangerous campaign. They have been in service
about one hundred days, during at least fifty of
which they have been under close tire the enemy,
MOSTLY night and day. Tney' have always shown
willing spirit whether in camp, on the march, work
ing on Notifications, guarding trenches or upon the
Open battle field. They have done good aud sub
siantial service in the cause OF their country and
have established the fact that Georgia Is willing and
ablc TO do something effective in her own name, be-
sides furnishing more than her quota to the Confed
crate armies proper. The greatest number of efiec
tive muskets in the trenches at any one time was
about 5 900 When Atlanta was evacuated, the re-
serve artillery OF the army passed out through my
lines and my men were formed as a rear guard
The whole was safely brought TO Griffin, under
your orders The march from Atlanta TO Griffin
satisfied me that over fifty are not, as class
fitted for military duty. lhave, therefore, strong
Is advised, the Governor t. withdraw them from
continuous active service
There being lull in active operations, the Gov
ernor has. with my Recommendation and your con-
currepce withdrawn the Georgia militia from Con-
federate sci vice. and furloughed them for thirty
DAYS. Tis export is hastily written, without &C
cess 10 the records and papers Of my Adjutant
Generals Office but all omissions can be readily
sunplied bv the returns, &C., already forwarded to
yuur office Before closing, cannot refrain from
alluding to a subject which, under ordinary cir
cumstances, forms no part OF the reports of sub
ordlnates to their commanders. l. aude tothe
oucry of the press and people against yourself be-
cause of the evacuation OF Atlanta
itadh ~ without consent EnOXl-
EDGE the civil and military officers of the State of
Georgia when called upon 10 fake up arms in de-
fence of their homes, almost unanimously elected
me their leader and, as their leader, | wish in
ta,s report say to you, and place officially on
record this opinion, viz; Had your orders been
properly executed either upon the goth of July at
Peacbtree creek the 22d oil Jnly on our right, or
IN the 3Oth of August ut Jonesboro', Sherman
vonld have been ioled and Atlanta waved, at least
G,r some time TO come and am not alone in this
opinion.
commanding peculiar organization, the ranking
officer ofthe forces of the State in which You were
operating was invited TO, and participated in,
your councils. had every opportunity of knowing
what was going on. Your plans were fully ex-
nlained 10 your Lieutenant Generals, your Chief of
Artillery, Chief Engineer and myself. Opinions
and views were called fIr, and then specific orders
were given. | have never known one Of them 10
dissent to any plar of yours that was attempted to
be executed. never a doubt expressed as to the
meaning and intent of yonr orders, nor sugges-
ton made by Them of plan they supposed would
he better than that you ordered. IL they are not
now unanimous, there is but ONE, if any, who dis
sents from the opinion expressed above, viz: Slr-
man would have been beaten had your orders been
obeyed on the 2Oth Jhly, 22d of July ard 3Oth u
August. .- Box
Whatever the press or the people may say, the
militia of Georgia are now more than satisfied with
Won as their Confederate General, and when they
again enter that serVce in defence of their homes
WILDE glad to hail you as their Confederate Chief
tSigned) G.. w. SMITH,
.tr Major General.