The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-09
The caralrr Fight at peentur. Ga.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:

2
In your Chronology for August s. 1854 you
mention the action of the Second cavalry divis-
ion, Army of the Cumberland, at Decatur, Ga.
This is 4 mistake. You viii see, by reference to
the History of the Seventy second Indiana"
image 353,) that On the afternoon of August 1,
1864, the Second division moved camp TO with
in three miles north of Atlanta, dismounted,
and left horses and pack mules camp and gar
rison equipage, except what they could carry,
and late in the afternoon marched two miles
south east till they struck the lines of the
Twenty-third Corps, which they relieved, tax
ing their places in the trenches. Mlnty's bril-
gade Joined on 10 the left of the Twentieth
Corps, which occupied the line right north of
the city. The position of Minty's brigade ex-
tended nearly due east for half mile while
our brigade (Miller's) took up the line TO the
left of Minty, running around in semi-circle
nearly to the east and northeast. These two
brigades were dismounted, while the other
brigade of our division (Long's) kept up a chain
of pickets on horseback from our left clear
around to the Chsttahoochie, distance of
twelve or fifteen miles, which position we occu
! pied just two weeks TO day, and, with our
/ Spencers were able to do as much shooting as
a whole corps armed with single-shooting guns"
On August l4th, late in the evening, we were re-
lieyed, and the engagement spoken of occurred
| on the 18th.
The following account is taken from the
History of the Seventy-second Indiana, page
367: I'VE got good nights rest, and were
up long before daylight on August 18th, and
ready 10 move out by sunup, supposing that we
would go back TO the rear to see about Wheeler.
But instead of that, we moved out at s a. M,
going to Decatur, ten miles from our camp.
This place was abandoned by US more than two
weeks ago, since which time it has been IN the
hands of the rebels. When our advance got
there they found it occupied by the rebels, and
our scouts captured two of their yidettes. After
getting TO the town the brigade was sent out
in detachments on different roads, the Seventy
second taking road running SOUTH which we
followed mile and half ran out to the rebel
picket-p0Sts, and drove them back mile fur
Their, where we stirred up the whole nest, and
they came on TO US by the thousand. As there
were none of our brigade near US, we concluded
discretion was the better part of val0r. and fell
back, the rebels closing up on our rear guard
lively; some members OF company ID showing
great GOODNESS and courage in keeping back the
rebels. The rebels were not only following u.s.
but pushing ahead on another road trying to
cut us off from Decatur. After getting back
past the intersection of the roads, we stopped
and formed line of battle on high ridge, half
a mile south of town, and dared the rebels to
come on. 1t began TO rain just as we COM
menced 10 fall hack, and by the time we got
our line of battle formed it poured down in
torrents, and continued so until night We
had good position, with an open field for
mile in front Of us, slopiRg from our line nearly
two-thirds of the way across it. The rebels
were saucy, and formed their line of battle in
the open field IN front of US and in plain view,
and sent forward their skirmishers who began
TO fire upon US when about half way across the
field, their shots falling short fifty TO 100
yards. Then we began to laugh at them and
tell them to come closer; that their guns were
no account; TO ccme and get a piece of corn
bread; and a hundred like expressions They
heir Cd hr,Fo
volley from our Speneers fattened them out on
the ground in minute. Then we had the
laugh on them again, and kept halooing at
them to get up out of the mud. This exasper-
ated them SO they made second attempt, but
few shots from our lines sent them to grass
again. The railroad from Decatur to Atlanta
ran from the right of our position in the woods
through deep cut for more than half mile
TO the southwest, and by some means We were
made aware of the rebels coming up through
that cut TO our right rear, and company G.,
with some skirmisheTs from company ID, was
sent over on the railroad. This move was none
too soon. as they had scarcely gone a quarter of
a mile before the rebels opened on them, wound
ing Geo. Passale private, company q, severely
IN the chest; but our men had the advantage
OF the timber and the railroad bank, and held
the rebels at bay. just as the firing began on
our right tho rebels made another attempt to
advance in our 'front.' and, although it was still
raining as hard as it could pour, we could see
them SO plainly, and our men opened on them
with such deliberation that they scarcely got
dozen rods till they were all fat on their bellies
again. They then tried shooting at us from
their positions on the ground. A few shots
went over our heads, aud few struck the
fence in front of US but most of them dropped
far short of their mark no rebel dare stick up
his head for second but he was glad to get it
down again. All this time we were keeping
up lively conversation with the rebels, doing
most of the talking ourselves, however. We
held our position till it began to get dark, when
We fell back slowly to town. mounted our
horses, and moved slowly to camp, getting in
just at midnight" b. F. MAGE
MONTGOMERY, IND.