Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1865-03-15


men. routed Gaaard's division Of Federal cavalry
on eur right On ths21st, Hoods corps was trans
ferred from right to loft Wheeler's cavalry taking
charge Of tho positonit had left On the 22d Lieu.
tensnt General Hood reported that Hndmans and
Stevensons division, of his corps, being attacked
drove back the enemy, taking line OF bis breast
works, but were compelled to withdraw by the IRE
Of fortified artillery. On tho 24th, Hardees Skin
mishers formed line of battle as did Stevenson's
of Hoods corps, on the 25th. On the 9th, after
furious cannonade Of several hours, the enemy
made general advance, but was everywhere re-
pulsed with heavy loss. The assaults were most
vigorous on Cheatham's and Cleburne's divisions
of Hardees corps, and French's and Feathesstone's
of Loring's. Lieutenant General Hardee reports
that Cheatham's division lost in killed, wounded
and missing, one hundred and ninety Ave. The
enemy opposed to it, by the statement of staff OIL
Ger subsequently, captured two thousand the loss
of Cleburne's division, eleven; that Of the enemy
on his front, one thousand and Major General Lo-
ring reported two hundred and thirty-six OF his
corps killed, wounded and missing and the loss OF
the enemy, by their own estimate, at between two
thousand five hundred and three thousand, which
he thinks very small -,
On the LIST Of July, Major General Smiths divi
sion ordered to support the cavalry on our left
Their effective total was about fifteen hundred. On
the ID, the enemys right being nearer to Atlanta
by several miles than left the army all fell back
during the night to Smyrna church. On the 18th.
Major General Smith reported that he should be
compelled to withdraw on the morning of the 9th
to the line of intrenchments covering the railroad
bridge and Turner's ferry. The army was, there
FORE ordered to retire at the same time to that line,
to secure our bridges. The cavalry crossed the
Chsttahoochee-W heeler observing it for some
ocko Too ho1n
The enemy advanced, as usual covered by in
trenchments Skirmishng continued until the 9th.
Our infantry and artillery were brought. to the
southeast side of the river that night because two
Federal corps had crossed it above Powers ferry
on the 9th and entrenched. Lieutenant General
Stuart took command Of the corps on the 7th.
The character of Peachtree creek and the numer-
GUS fords in the Chattahoochee above its mouth
prevented my attempting to defend that part of the
river. The broad and muddy channel of the creek
would have separated the two parts Of the army
It and the river below its mouth were, therefore,
taken as our line. A position on the high ground
south of the creek was selected for the army, from
| which to attack the enemy while crossing. The
engineer officers with large force Of negroes, were
set to work to strengthen the Notifications of Allan
Ia and to mount on them seven heavy rifles, Dor
| rowed from Major General Many. The Chief En-
gineer was instructed to devote his attention-frst
to the works between the Decatur and Marietta
roads, to put them in such condition that they
might be held by the State troops, SO that the
army might attack the enemy in flank when he ap-
preached the town-this in the event that We
should be unsuccessful in attacking the Federal
army in its passage of Peachtree creek.
T. After the armies were separated BY the Chatta-
! hoochee, sklrmishng became less severe. On, the
14th division of Federal cavalry crossed the river
by Moores bridge near Newman, but was driven
back by Armstrong; brigade, sent by Brigadier-
General jackson to meet it.
On the 18th, Governor Brown informed me, oral.
y, that he hoped to reinforce the army before the
end of the month with near ten thousand State
, troops.
On the 18th, the main body of the Federal army
Powers ferry. At 10 o'clock P. NJ, while 4 was
giving Lieutenant Colonel Freshman, chief engi.
neer instructions in regard to his work Of the next
day on the Notifications of Atlanta, q telegram was
received from General Cooper informing me by di.
e rection of the Secretary Of War, that as I had
failed to arrest the advance of the enemy to the
vicinity of Atlanta, and expressed no confidence
that coAld defeat or repel him, was relieved from
the command of the Army and Department of Ten.
nessee, which would be Immediately turned over to
General Hood This was done at once. On the
morning of the 18th, the enemy was reported to be
advancing, and at General Hoods request, I con.
tinued to give orders until afternoon, placing the
troops on the position selected near Peachtrea
creek.
In transferring the command to General Hood, ]
explained my plans to him: First, to attack the
Federal army while crossing Peachtree creek II
we were successful, great results might be hoped
for, as the enemy would have both the creek and
the river to intercept his retreat Second funsuc
cessful, to keep back the enemy by intrenching to
give time for the assembling of the State troop.
promised BY Governor Brown to garrison Atlant,
with those troops, and when the Federal army ap.
preached the town. to attack it on the most exposed
/. flank with all the Confederate troops
These troops who had been for seventy -four day 8
in the immediate presence of the enemy, l.borins
and fighting daily, enduring toll exposure and d.a-
ger with equal cheerfulness, more confident and
high-sprited than when the Federal army presented
itself near Dalton, were then inferior to none who
ever served the Confederacy.
! Under the excellent administration of Brigade,
General Mackal chief Of staff, the troops were vol
equipped and abundantly supplied The draugh,
animals of the artillery and quartermasters depart
| ment were in better condition the 18th of July
! than on the 9th Of May. We lost no material il
the retreat except the four field pieces mentioned
j in the accompanying report Of General Hood.
| commenced the campaign with General Bragg,
army, Of the Missionary ridge, with one brigad,
! added (Mercers) and two taken away baldwin,
and Quarles's) That opposed to us was Grant,
d"J VI "AiSSAoNoAy iu6Hs su0u ~ 0tSoGJ
| thousand by our principal officers, increased, as
have stated, by two corps, division and severa
thousand recruits-in ALL At least thirty Thousand
snen. The cavalry of that army was estimated BY
I Major General Wheeler at fifteen thousand.
The reinforcements which joined our armJ
amounted to fifteen thousand infantry and artille
~ and four thousand cavalry. Our scouts report
ed much greater numbers joining the Unitet
States army garrison and bridge guards from Ten
nessee and Kentucky relieved BY tone hundred
days men," and the Seventeenth corps, with tv'
thousand cavalry. ). g..
The loss of our infantry and artillery from th,
9th of May had been about ten thousand in killet
and wounded, and four thousand, seven hundred
from all other causes, mainly slight sickness, pro
duced by heavy cold rains which prevailed in tn
latter half of June. These and the slightly wound
ed were beginning to rejoin their regiments, Fo
want of reports, am unable to give the loss or tn
services of the cavalry, which was less under m!
eye than the rest Of the army. The effective strength
was increased oy about two thousand during tn
camnaipn :,