The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-07-26
Inelae..ts Of fhe BattIe Before Atlanta.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
read the articles YOU published last winter for
She purpose OF throwing light the death of our
gallant and beloved general, Mcpherson, with
great deal OF pleasure. Among them in your issue
OF February ], Iss3. was from Henry Guekert
late OF company u, 1nlTty-IilHth -. v V l. In that
letter statements that ought 10 be cor
fecteG had tie honor 10 serve in Co II of the same
regiInent, with my esteemed comrade nddesire TO
call hls attention. well that OF the readers of
your valuable paper 10 the he mas made Ia
order 70 do 50. shall have TO refer briefly TO cur
movements and positions for al least two DAVIS
prior 10 the battle. Before doing So however, /
desire 10 SGT the cOnEade right IN regard TO his
command and officers We belonged not 10 the
ceNelittt-nAn army Corps, but the Sixteenth not
10 the First division but 70 the Fourth; not under
General Mower, but General Fuller a. division
commander General Mower did not command rs
tall after atlanta fell We did not become First
brigade, First division, Seventeenth Army Corps
untlI our return from tialcsyille, Alabama ia pIr-
suit Of Hood. Colonel Morrell, OF the Sxty-fourth
Illinois commanded our brigade IN the engage
ment The Thirty-lifth New Jersey was not with
rs, but with lis own brigade. lthe Second General
si,Iaeue commanding. al Decatur al least twelve
miles away. But TO return: After crossing the
lii.tl;-hOOctcc River al Roswell Factories we re-
manned "a camp Tor nearly a week recruiting
strength Tor the final great onset When we broke
camp we 5aOged by way OF Decatur for the purpose
OF tearing up the railroad IA that direction After
performing tlfls outy we again moved forward for
te purpose % taking our places IN the line Of bat
tie IA front OF Atlanta. We arrived at our place on
the rghi Of the army the evening of the 2ist of
July, IN the rear Of the Seventeenth Corps That
corps on that day had carried strong position In
their front. and when the morning Of the 22d
oawned they found the works in their immediate
mont abandoned. They advanced their lines and
occupied the works at once. This so shortened the
line that we were held IA reserve About O'Clock
a IA. were moved the First brigade Fourth
division. Sixteenth Army COr,1sl TO the extreme
right o. the seventeenth Corps and formed a. flank
support, Oar iiDe OF battle running nearly at right
angie TO the line Of the Seventeenth Corps On
cur front was heavy timber while the Seventeenth
Corps al least the right fronted comparatively
open Held. Our brigade comprised the Eighteenth
missouri, alxly-fOurTh Illinois, TAvetty-seyerth
nno lhlIt -tilIih ONO, AND battery r. Second u. :.
ftlklefy. Ase had remained Ia this position TIL
nearly II o clock m. when few scattering shots
70 our extreme rlgilt and aroused every one TO
the TACT that something wrong. When the
1ififg began, one 81 my company remarked
t1at some one wOuid have fresh meat for din
ner." Yes, says James Thompson. you will
ind II Is tN 0-segged meat In few minutes Poor
Fellow. lie was right Tor he lag dead shot
through the brain, inside OF thirty minutes Lieu
tenant-C0ioHei Mcdowell formed the regiment as
quickly as possible, and we moved by the right
flank file right the doube-quiek We ran for
perhaps IIie 70 our right and formed line OF
battle on the right into line. Here again desire
10 correct my friend. The Thirty ninth formed the
ngt OF our division, joining onto the left Of Gen
Sial SMeelcy-s Second division, Sixteenth Corps
which formed the extreme right Of The line The
twenty seventh Joined the left and was not
II reserve, but formed first line OF battle The
1.gleeiilh AissSourl was not yet MP; neither was
the oixiy-3Ourth Illinois dsoutlanv X of the
Thrty-niuth, depoyed as sbiIlnishers and
advanced. They were le; as soon as they mounted
The blli IN our 'front.' by deadly fire and forced
back with heavy loss. We We're igaa,,cliafelnr ar.
dcred TO charge, and did 30. We crossed The
the enemy out peli mel. We then fell i,asi;
and occupied the basin of p creek tina. flowed
past OF the edge OF the wood It's banks frttii.,.
SsaAi shelter fraSH the Iausseross bad il.t MIS-