The National tribune., 1884-01-03
EIGHT At ATLANTA.
Work Of the SeFeniy-eighth and
Twentieth Ohio that Day.
by owt. MT. CO. r aon OWL, s'5s,eyo 0.

Tic battle OF Atlanta, Ga, July %, 1864, has
been written by many able pens and from many
sfandpafnts As il was the most memorable
dav OF The war 10 me- have read ali | could
find and yet have seen nothing direct from the
REGIMENT or brigade to which j belonged and
believing their action or that day worthy
place in history, ] VIII endeayor to respond to
ysur solicitation for items Of war events ana,
as briefly as ] caa, give 4 bird 's-eye view OF
what / saw and remember
My place was with company A, 29th ONO
veteran volunteer infintry. Our brigade con-
sisted of the GSth, 18th ana goth Ohio regi-
meats On that day the 6Sth was detailed IN
the rear, and had a history Of Its own. The
7stii and 28th were on the advance line, south
OF Bald Hin. The 18th was about the length
OF one regiment south Of the hia, aud the 23th
Joined the let Of the 7ota, extending south
ward with lis left somewhat refused We
were IN The west edge Of timber, with large
cprn field il front,
ATEaETA n VIEW,
railc or SO northwest of us Heavy timber
also EXTENDED fragn our left westward shutting
OF car view Dorf :sv2ra. We took orr place on
this line during the afternoon OF the 2lst, ana
al night kept picks and shoyels busy preparing
carthEarGs.
IN ~ o'clock !. n The 2od. we had heavy
works, with trarerses. hea3-logs ana al tie
lstest improved means CT protection. Al the
mcrgiiRg we SAW J0hEgiCs passing cat OF AZ
santa or q qsick march southwark: bai, on ac-
eoant 81 the tilaaeg only j shcTt distance OF
their road was az uar Vlegs. There were many
ccSeciares about where ihs "plense would
Dc held. And lascr ia he Gay, when the Sc
cEct WIS divulged. every iaHn said: :" told
yca So knesT Il.
Vita nc il Was after dinAer. Therefore, l
place tie tine .! 1880 or ! O'Clock p IN when
T.Iz FIRST SHOT
was heard southeast OF as, probably half or
third or snila Vow. this was the first shot
Of the battle, and WAS at or by. the pickets OF
the 4th division, 18th army corps. j say this
Smphatically. because some writers have cl3imea
taat The 18th corps was first attacked and
foaght quite a while before the 17sh was en-
gagged He'd there been any musketry in two
or three miles CT us We would have heard it
which we did moi
And Il was not more than twenty minutes
after this first shot until the Johnnies were
coming through the woods like storm. Their
lines extended east aud west Of MS and they
struck our left-naEk broadside-yeiling firing.
bayoneis flashing. smoke binding, on they
cane literally walking over our left cOmpa-
mics, pushing them back along our line about
one-third the length of the regiment, where
sufficient force was gathered to withstand that
part of their line and break It. The part west
left Of their line-swinging around with q
frst saw them coming from the southeast we
had climbed our works and fired right-oblique
Al that part Of their line. Then, seeing them
coming from southwest, we went over the
works and
GAVE THEM A yoLLEY
which left many there in line and sent the
rest back TO cover of the south woods Hardly
was this done til we beheld another line fol-
loving the first which was received IN like
0f
works. and then the third line came for a SINH
I'm reception. We succeeded IN driving back
those parts OF their lines which extended IVES:
OF as, as they had an open field and no protec-
tion and extended, probably, not more than
the length Of one regiment west of as.
But the eastern part seemed to be large
body-a long Iine-and passed by Us as though
we were beneath their notice, although We
poured the full force Of our musketry in theil
flank is they approached, passed and receded
TX WAS z terrible iire they went through from
our brigade. as their left flank passed within q
few r0ds Of Us. The timber, however, protected
them somewhat
When these lines had gone By we heard them
fighting far down the line north and east 0,
us-a roar o. Tcnsketry aud artillery. We fell
the situation was awful. We were south o
the ChattAhcochie River; advanced seyera
hundred miles Ia the encmy's country, con
tending with asa equal force and they on fianE
and ammunition. Our little band was cut Of
from the main force. We now realized WIZ
Uncle Biliy's" thanking had driven Johnston
from stronghold TO stronghold, and the differ
ence between giving joke and taking one
Our works. Of which we bad felt proud, wer
nov Is valuable t. them as 10 rs.
To explain more fully where the first sho
WIS heard, the writer was sitting On lo
reading, and Immediately spang Up, and
io0king around. say many others attracted j
the same way. Their curiosity was soon re
warled, for il WIS followed by another an
another
sKIRRlsH FIRE. THEN A yoLLEY-
and in less time than TO speak it. all wer
rushing 10 and fro at the word Fall IN froI
all SIDES. That scene w0ald be difficult TO d.
scribe No questions were asked The fu
force OF the situation was wildly plain to al
aid depicted on every conntenance.
Who can measure time on such an occasion
] said IL was not twenty minutes after til
first gun until they were coming. We onl
had time 10 put on accoBternents, take arms,
load" and stand moment
Jast in advance Of them, ike birds fyin
from a stern, came number OF our sth divis
len, j think, Iowa boys. rallying on on
works, not dernpralizd. though just out Of IA
grasp q tie enemy. i5Ht asking FOR place wit
us. which was cbeerluily given, and used b
them 20 their utmost during the Afternoon
MIL. etl< AIc+1 - f4AA b-i+1E aEIk16iJl
and tie doubling back Of our left, we wei
probably ten men deep and il was a witherin
fire we gave those passing lines. The woI
was down III 'front.' I0u men In rear
careful where you shoot &C., gc-
After the first line had passed northYaI1
We saw
- IITTLE wEITE-HATRED BoY
IN the woods coming from the direction Of Il
9Th division over the ground whence the rel
had just passed. We called 10 him, and Wei
interested in bis race for life as the second liz
was after him close and he was coming ami
shower Of shot and from q roar Of musketr
lie wore our blue, aad must have been a drum
mcr. lie reached as safe, but ] saw no mo-
Of him. After the lines had passed. leaYi.
the part which We " bit Of" Of their left to q
terrain US, we soon convinced them that the
could not take us by front attack, and the
rallied To the part Of our works which they hs
taken from our left aEd TO tho trees cast ar
south Of u.s. where they kept upa constant fir
As they had full view OF the east part of O,
works our only use Of them was 10 occupy ii
west side. and thus they had the advantage
the trenches and crawling along the trcnche
they brought their flag within twenty feet
cur glorious old both Ohio banner. Many
them were directly opposite Us, keeping dow
60 load, when they would rise up and fire
our faces, and receive a charge in exchane
Now Is was baud 20 hand bayonets, butts
muskcts and fists were used men were pull
over the works from beth sides. One look
over and said. " Bows they are rihing O