The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-05-31
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
The Fight for The Battery at Peach Tree Creek.

The Fight for ihe Battery st Peach Tree Creek.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Between the 18th and 18th days Of July, 1864 the
army under the command OF General sherman had
succeeding In forcing crossing over the Ciatta-
hoochie River, and Immediately took up a strong
position. the lines being extended IN such a
manner as 10 threaten tie en2nsy's coInmu-
nicsiions on or about the time the above move
ments being effected, II became known
that General Hood had superseded General Jos
Il. Johnston in command of the hostile army
comforting But although Hood was we'll
known a fighting general sherman did not hes
State 10 the offensive; Tor az an early hour
on the 20th. ms entire army moved forward The
right wing OF sherman army, under the command
of General Geo. IL Thomas, consisted OF three
army corps, ana IN TINS movement We're tslacea IN
the order named: Newt0n's division of Towards
Fourth Corps the left; Hool1er's Twentieth
Corps next IN order 10 the right, and John y. Pal
mer's Fourteenth Corps holding the extreme right
OF the advancing line OF battle. There was some
diminishing during The advance In the early hours
of the morning. but towards midday the enemy
had retired out of sight. The unbroken stiffness
which followed caused skinnishers TO feel their
way very cautiously, and there was every indlo4a-
uon that liie enemy were awaiing oar approach ia
ambuscade. Upon reaching Peach Tree CreciS-a
narrow sluggish stream, with abrupt banks cloth
ed with an almost impenetrabie undergro~th,
which, without bridges would toe a fatal bar 10 the
escape of routed and pursued arIny-lt became
necessary i5r our troops 10 Bait nl several bridges
could be thrown across. This brought The army
corps of General Hooker into line along the north
bank of the creek, and in the following order:
Williams First division on the right. General John
W. Geary's Second division in the center, with the
Third division, commanded by General Ward, on
the left.
The positions Of the three brigades commanded
by Gcaly, ~ they were formed previous to the
crossing Oi the creek, were as follows Colonel
Jones brigade on the right Colonel lroiand's brig
ade Joined Colonel Zones left and ours. the First
brigade he'd the Jeff Of the Second divisions line
Before advancing ms main line, tes'y ordered Tor
ward a sIaa force. consisting OF the Iwenty-ninth
Ohio the TWeHty-eigilth Pennsylvania, detaoh-
ment OF the ThTty-third New Jersey. and four guns
%
Tree Creek. As soon rs this small force had crossed
the creek if moved forward over several wooded
ravines until it reached a small hill which
overlooked narrow open valley on its front and
left though directly on the right front was heavy
timber, connecting with wooded ravines on our
right and rear The open valley Ia front and 20 the
Jeff extended FAR to the left a. we could see. The
opposite ridge was crested with a thick under
growth OF b2sAes, and had suspicious look. Lieu
tenant buHdys four guns We're hastily brought for
ward and were placed in position covering the
valley The Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania took
position the batterys left. and the Twenty ninth
Ohio the right its left flank resting the bat
terry The Thirfv-third New Jersey detachment
was at once deployed and as skirTnishers they adj
vanced towards the opposite ridge, Geary and his
staff following close up in their The main line
aade out OF a RAJ! fence and Bundy prepared his
guns for action
LEATHER BREEcREs AT WORK.
The sl1innishers having crossed the valley, had
now arrived witlina very few wards of the thcket
which crowned The opposite ridge. Suddenly the
well-known rebel yell resouned across the valley,
"a
enemy emerged from cover and charged at the
noubIe-oGick III close pursuit of skirmishers
and General Geary and staff. Lieutenant Bundy
Familiarity known to the whole army as :" Leather
Brooches , opened rapid and effective fire with
shell, which threw the enemy into considerable
disorder. Yet this firing did not check this immense
body OF disciplined soldiers in their close pursuit,
of our general and the sllrInshers. General Geary
and stat soon reached the position of his two re-
serve regiments, but their steeds were leaping
over the hastily constructed barTicade Captain FL
hoti, chief Of staff, fell from his horse MORALLY
wounded GeGry shouted: ." A general engage
meni! a general engagement Men hold your
ground VIII send support 10 YOU A prolonged
cheer rang out defiance 10 the foe. and believe
this was enough TO satisfy the general that his
were determined 10 make stubborn fight. What
remained of our skirrnish line came in. They
were closely followed by the enemy, who pushed
the attack ~ th recklessness seldom witnessed on
any battlefield The two regiments met the on
slaught with weil-directed volleys and Rundys
gums, donble-shoited with grape dealt de-
st-uction ana dismay within the enemy's ranks.
But, as oflen as The enemys front became broken
il was replaced by fresh troops, who charged our
line with increased desperation. But our brave
boys never fought better than in this defense. On
the rebels e1ne-a dense mass of reckless meni
The fight nov trembed in the balance The din of
musketry. tbe sulcn roar OF the guns and the de-
FAINT Shouts o. the conlbatanfs betokened conflict
between desperate men. where neither side was
disposed 10 give place TO the other.
A dense smoke had now settled over the field so
that those WHO fighting IN close proximity TO
the battery were unable TO see the whole length of
their regiment, which extended towards the right
Suddenly firing commenced on our right and rear.
number Of nc were called upon TO work the lat
terry. and these gums were instantly turned to
our rear, and 10 once opened with grape in that di
rection 10 check the flank movement of the enemy
who had succeeded IN getting foothold under
cover OF the woods, on our unprotected right The
Iwenty-ninih ohio. being extended tothe extreme
right discovered this flank ovenent soon enough
20 change front tie right but this gallant regi-
ment was sseses by grestly superior numbers How
ever, the main portion Of il succeeded in cutting
their way out and thereby were enabled to reach
our main line Of battle AS matters appeared
there very little hope Of getting these guns of
the field The enemy, without delay, came up the
hil towards the battery from the rear as they did
also IN front and from the right. and our few re-
manning men were being shot down with startling
rapdisy. Bat Lieutenant BunGy under whose corr
mana We agere low fighting. made every effort to
repel the enemy. ia hopes OF being re-eorced from
our main line. We stil diseharging these
gums heavily EAUtted with grape into the enemy's
ranks, and the rebels becoming furious with rage
rushed towards as regardless Of the storm Of grape
that was decimatng their ranks, shouting :" Give
theo--c hanks no quarteT.N This state of affairs
OF course caused every surviving W no able
70 defend the guns 10 renew his efforts with the
Determination 10 sell his life dearly as possible
As q result. hand-to-hand encounter ensued
This was Our tnal effort 10 Dosgf the enemy back
Gould we have succeeded IL reloading the gun and
have given the enemy = few more loads Of grape
we should have saved battery. In this en-
counter tire writer wounded Confederate
officer shouted: Surrender. or no quarter - and
our situation being desperate. the remaining
around the battery, including the battery also fell
into the eneiny's hands. We were Immediately
marched towards the rebel rear However we had
White stars coming 70 the rescue, among which
was our own gallant regiment. who. with their
brigade. charged the rebel line. and we saw them
feezipinie our lost guns THESE reoaptured guns
were instantly turned against the enemy and the
sweeping discharge OF grape wounded even some
OF those VINO were taking Us as prisoners TO the
rebel rear. AS We were passing through the rebel
lines, we saw that Hoods Old corps. including
Hardeeis army corps were both concentrated n
this point iB their attack on General Gcary's diyi-
sion Of Ho0isers corps. The woods were full OF
wounded rebels, who were getting of the field in
the best manner they could. In this manner ended
the WFltcr's active career soldier. 1T his
lasi battle bet other dangers more 10 be dreaded
were soon 10 be realized. aud t.is starvation
~ one Of those loathsome military prisons hell
GIL earth, some times styled AudeTsonviiIe
HENRY i. CLARKE
Late Serg't CO. j, 10Th o. V. V. /.
Disputed Actions Of the Twentieth Corps.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUxE: