The National tribune., 1886-10-28
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
THE FIFTEENTH CORPS.
II Was Neither Defeated nor Driven in The Battle
of Atlanta

N ] :. i
q great amount Of information and misinfor-
NATION concerning the battle of Atlanta, July
20 ls64 furnished 10 the columns of your eN-
cellcnt journal by officers and men Of every
grade, from General To private, all Of il inter
osting and most OF il contributed in the spirit
of truth and fair play, according TO the oppor-
tunities enioyed by the individual writers
There has been considerable controversy over
that portion of the battle which took place at
the point where the railroad passed through
the outer Confederate line of intrcnchments
east OF Atlanta, which line had been abandoned
by the enemy and occupied by ShermGn's
troops.
Ia getting into position the left wingof Sher-
mans army, composed Of the Fifteenth, Six
teenth and Seventeenth Corps, had somewhat
changed its original alignment The country
was covered In many portions with quite heavy
timber pine and deciduous varieties, and the
heat aud dust were sitting. The Sixteenth
and Seventeenth Corps at that time consisted
of two divisions each; the Fifteenth of four
divisions, though only the First Second and
Fourth were then with the corps in the field.
The original intention of the Confederate
commander was TO attack at daylight on the
22d, but FOR some reason the attack was delayed
until about noon. As the left wing Of the Fed
erRl army moved toward the south and east,
feeling for the enemy, the two divisions OF the
Sixteenth Corps, under Gen. q. M. Dodge, was
crowded out Of their proper place and forced
10 the extreme left of the army, and, unfortu-
nRtely moving too far, left gap of several
hundred yards between their right and the
left OF the Seventeenth Corps, under Gen. Blair.
Into this gap Hood poured powerful force of
infantry, backed by numerous batteries, with
the view Of cutting of and capturing the Six
teenth Corps. Here the first attack COM
menced.
The Fifteenth Corps under Gen. logan, was
posted TO the right of the Seventeenth, with its
extreme right touching the Army Of the Ohio,
under Gen. Schofeld, a hundred yards or more
TO the north right of the Georgia Railroad.
According TO the report OF Iieut.-GOl Jesse j.
Phillips, commanding Second Brigade Second
Division, Sixteenth Corps, made to Capt. L. III.
Everts, A. A.-G., Second Division, Sixteenth
Corps published in The NATIONAL TRIBUNE
of Oct. 2 this ground 10 the right of the rail-
road was held by the Third Division Of the
Fifteenth Corps which think can scarcely be
possible, rs the Third Division, commanded by
Gen. John T. Smith, was on detached service
guarding the railroad in rear of the army, with
headquarters about Gainesville.
The Second Division of the Fifteenth Corps,
commanded by Gen. Morgan J. Smith, held,
according TO the best information i can get, the
extreme right of the Fifteenth Corps, with one
brigade living to the right of the railroad
There were two Chicago batteries, Battery III,
Capt. DeGress, 20pound PARROT guns, and
consolidated Batteries and b, l2-pound Ma
poleOns In the works at this point; Battery A
south Of the railroad track and Battery ii
north of It,
The First Brigade Of the Second Division,
under Col. James s. Martin, of the lllth H..
had lis right resting on the railroad The 55th
ILL.,, 18th Ohio and 9th Mo. infantry were occu-
pying the abandoned rebel parapet. The l27th
I'll. was in reserve q few PAGES in the rear, and
the nth III and one gun Of Battery A were
on the skirmishline.
When the attack was made on the left of the
Army OF the Tennessee all the regiments of
the First Brigade, Second Division Fifteenth
Corps except the lllth III. on the skimish-
line, were, by orders from corps headquarters,
directed 20 fall ia and 20 on the dOuble-quick
mile and a half toward the left, TO the assist
ance Of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Corps
the commanding General evidently thinking
that Hoods attack would be confined TO Sher-
mans extreme left, and not anticipating an
attack at any other point. This withdrawal of
the First Brigade left Batteries and ii with
out adequate support.
About the time the brigade had reached the
point OF attack on the left near where Gen
Force was wounded division OF brigade OF the
ConiedcTates made a sudden dash IN column
Through the railroad cut deployed right and
LETT upon Batteries A and III, and captured
both. AS soon as word could reach Logan,
who bad assumed command Of the Army of the
Tennessee upon the fall of Mcpherson, he or
deTed the return Of our brigade 10 its original
position at the railroad, with instructions TO
retake the line and hold il. The brigade came
back al d run, and when near the lost batteries
met Capt. DE Gre5s, who begged the boys TO re-
cover his guns The line made charge, forced
the CoutCdeTates out Of the works aud recap
tured all the guns OF Batteries and H. except
the one belonging 10 Battery which was
taken on the skirmish-li line and carried away by
the Johnnies but this same gun was rccaptured
lon ID 4 H.. -
IL De- probable That the Second Brigade Sec
Ond Division, Sixteenth Corps, may have as
sisted ln the recovery of these batteries as stated
but one thing is certain the Second Division OF
the Fifteenth Corps was not driven from its
line, because large portion of it was more
than mile away sent TO the assistance Of that
portion Of the army which was first attacked
~ Is also certain that the Second Division, in
the MAN, recovered us line temporarily occu.
pied by the enemy iu its absence. The l27th
III. was iu the thickCst of this fight at the rail
road cut and lost considerably IN the action
The enemy occupied the line but q short time
al the larihcst. No portion OF the Fifteenth
Corps was defeated or driven from its works
during any campaign lu which ID participated,
5bdcr Gen. John A. Logan the corps was the
peer Oh any equal number of troops That ever
followed q gallant leader 10 the field. aud Old
soldiers should be extremely careful about cir.
culatug reports deICgat8Iy 10 any portion 81
The magnificent army which fought aud dc.
ieaied q most valiant enemy iu bis own chosen
positions during a campaign of l25 days dura.
ton al1 finally compelled him 10 release hi.
hold upon The key OF the South, the beautiful
city OF Atlanta.
This article is not written % dcsp0n one lau
rel Leaf ln The crown ol q single soldier who
wore tbs blue, but simply 10 do deserved ustic,
IN feeble way 10 thu gallant Second Division
q tue ngFlrdclgated Fifteenth Corps. ~
DUkaNl, Lieutenant, l21th lll, Second Diyis
lOu, Fifteenth C0TUs ST. Charles. Il