The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-11-24
FIELD, FORT AND FLEET.
Wa, Checked Hood at Peach Tree
 Greek, Near Atlanta.
NJ. Quad. in Detroit rree frc.s.

NJ. Quad, in Detroit Free frc.s.
 Military critics on both sides have ad- r.,;ed that Hoods plans to win a great ,,e,ory at Peach Tree creek, near At an.a. were laid with great nice,y and l p,omised success. He had drawn Sher- I ran into trap. He waited until all was ready and then sprung the jaws. He rad not figured victory without hard igh,. bu, he figured too nicely on the e.fer,s of his owa troops. The miscon- .:ruction of orders caused his advance to .:nke half dozen feeble blows on long
 ne where Hood had planned one crush x blow al certain spot. Had every .ang gene as he planned for, Sherman -ast have been cut square in two.
 Much has been written 10 prove that Hoods sudden and powerful assault was 70, surprise. fit was not. then some 5f the federal commanders permitted of sery loose discipline. Newton's division was dealt one of the hardes, blows. As he confederate skirmishers advanced apon this command, they found men Asleep, mending their clothes, gambling and reading. Guns were stacked here ,adthere, and battery horses were munch- ng their forage. Had the confederate .k:fmish line along Newton's iron, been line of battle, he would have been run yer. As II was. 1t took five of his regi- r,ents, detailed as skirmishers. to drive ;ha, skirmish line back over the ridge.
 Butterfield's division now came up. and connected with Newton's right. and general advance was ordered, preceded l sy a heavy line of skirmishers. This line rad scarcely disappeared over the ridge ,efore vengefnl sputter ofmusketry was aeard, followed by tremendous cheering. This was from Hoods advance-the ad- ance which should have rolled over the ndge and down upon the blue lines be- lore they had been warned by the skir- aishers. The crest of the ridge was blue. The slope was gray. Newton was weak and strung out ; it seemed as if Hoods snole army was striking s,raigh, at him. L.ne upon line came into view. the men sayng their caps and cheering. the flags streaming above the thickcts. The pop . Yop" of the skirmisher's musket was :2ddenly drowned in the terrific crash of solieys. The green forest seemed ablaze T single moment, and men who looked pon the mighty advance from the crest T the ridge felt that the one poor. weak -!yision could not hold il in check i've minutes.
 Now, without orders from Newton. and Sl;hout waiting for orders, a battery Of en guns gallops to the federal front and ;alimbers on Newton's lief, flank. It IS splendid position for held artillery. Ranks which were wavering become firm ss the guns came up. Men ready to flee ]. panic suddenly become desperate l agh.ers. The ten guns have hardly un- .mbered on one flank before a pant of he First Michigan battery comes rush. sg up to take position on the other fourteen guns point down the slope against the confederate lines not over ioo feet away. They load with canister A.one, and next moment the earth IS rembling and the great trees quivering .nder the roar. Lying down in front of he guns-amids, them-on the Hanks. ne federal infantry pour in an incessan, re of muskety. The air is full of aallets fired from the confederate advance el. there are more horrible sounds sreams and shrieks and curses. Lines are checked by that fire as the progress travellers would be checked by d wall fly feet high.
 The slope Is covered with trees and hickets-here and there an open spot. here is no shelter from that rain of aallets and canister. Trees the size of mans leg are cut to pieces thickets are aowed down bush and sapling are Pcked ap by the bloody hand and sent Shirling through the air. For every gunner who falls wounded twenty in- antry are ready to take his place. Every nan feels that all depends upon the guns. lartridge-bearers are reinforced until here is solid line of men from gun to czisson, each with missile in his hand. A quarter of an hour of this bloody work and Newtons division Is saie. Against such a fire there can be no advance. lothing living can stand up against it.
 The writer viewed the ground in com ?sny with confederate who fought here. He said: As looked back ,pon line after line and noted the dare sevil demeanor of our men l felt tha, he force in our front would be walked over with hardly halt. The muske,ry are was pretty hot, bu, the bullets flew over our heads. hadn't man wounded n my company, although we were in the 'sont line, until the batteries opened iire. h ten minutes had scarcely a man left. We Lay down to escape the canister, but seemed to strike every spot Musketry, n such situation, picks off a man here and there. That canister killed four or I've at time, tearing gaps through three mes of battle and throwing our best 1oops into confusion. Had not a man 5een struck the terrific whistle of the mis- ales through the trees, and the binding sAowers of leaves and dirt thrown over aA would alone have thrown our lines nto confusion. The men breasted the sre with rare courage, and they stood aeir ground long after hope had de arted, but an advance was out of the saestiou- When we fell back it was rndgingiy and in fair order. but those sho lived to retreat beyond that awful