The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-02-02

awaited an attack. 1t came very soon for
Hardee, hoping to crush Howard before he
could receive reinforcenents, threw upon him
as quickly as possible he weight OF his own and
Lees column He failed 10 effect his purpose.
The Nationals thus attacked were veterans and
had faced equal danger on many field. For
two hours there was desperate strife for VIC
tory. II was won by Howard. Hardee re-
coiied, and in his haste 10 escape destruction
left 900 Of his dead on the field aud 800 Of
his badly wounded ia Jonesboro." Hardees
entire loss was estimated al $500 men. How
ards WAS about 500
C. A. Logan. in his Memoir On Gen.
Logan. says, referring % this battle: Ii
appears from this narrative that Gen.
Logan, with the Fifteenth Corps. fought
another battle, with the results which
had been previously obtained on the 22d and
2cth OF July, aud that upon this occasion the
engagement was commenced and terminated
without the knowledge Of the General Chief,
other than that conveyed TO him by the vic
toTious guns Of the Fifteenth Corps Gen.
Howard. % whom the credit is given. had no
suspicion even OF toe movement"
BBt LOSING continues: BY o'clock in the
afternoon ali was IL readiness for an advance
tAug 81. when Gen. JEFF &. Dayiss Division,
Fourteenth Corps charged and almost instantly
carried the Confederate line Of works covering
J0nesboro on the north. aud captured Gen
four-gun battery"
Gen Logan, in his order above quoted, says
The Fifteenth Corps never meets the enemy
but 20 strike and defeat him. On the Ist day
OF September the Fourteenth Corps attacked
Eardee. You at once opened FIRE on him, and
b. yCur co operation his defeat became a rout."
Auo moss We quote from our diaries, kept on
the ground, and from the story Of the 55th H.,
as narrated By Capt. II. :. Mouse, Of that regi-
ment: AT Jonesboro there was evidently a
larger force intrenched Guided By the sound
Of cur labor upon the ride-pits on the evening
OF the 39th we at once set about constructing.
constant FIRE was kept up in the darkness.
which proved very annoying"
Al dagn If Aug 81 we speedily discovered
that our position had serious faults, not dis
ceTnible the night before. The enemy's sharp
shooters commanded the ground in our imtne-
date rear, 80 70 make IL hazardous 10 move
out Of the shelter Of our works; they being
constructed on the slope north Of the stream
as indicated on the accompanying map. The
First Brigade was at once ordered TO move for
ward and take possession Of prominent hill
about half mile 10 the front as again indicat-
ed on the niap-57th Ohio on the right, 55th III
on the left; the Goth Ohio, 10th III. and 9Th
no. continued the brigade line 10 the north
The enemys skirmisbers stOutly resisted our
advance, but by 9 O'Clock we occupied the
crest, and while half the brigade pushed back
the enemy aEd held them IN check the resi-
piled rails and logs, Of which there was luckily
considerable supply within short distance
into a rude, low breastwOrk. Lying behind
this, with bayoncts and tin plates-anvthint
that could serve as a t0ol.-the men dug int,
tie hard gravel to increase their protection
The position commanded both the Confedcrat.
and our own lines az well as the field over whicI
the Fourteenth Corps charged the next day
especially that part Of the line occupied b.
the 18th and 54th gave Us a grand view Of al
srHr- rfrrrfrc
sight on the part Of the enemy that they ha,
not occupied and fortified il before our arrival
The railroad and village Of Jonesboro the for
mer about 500 yards distant only Law below Il
plain view. Battle-lines twice the length q
our brigade came out Of the woodland by tn
railway, and a strongly intrenched line, full
manned with infantry and artillery, stretche
from cur front southwark.
Luckily few picks and shoVels soon reaehe
Us, aud for two OF three hours every man pu
al his energy into the work Of protection
BY noon we were sheltered behind a continu
Gus line Of ieldWorks, but far inferior in high
and sOlidity TO those we had become accus
toned 10 construct ia the advance uDon Al
lanta. In our immediate front low brush an
small trees masked the situation somewhs
from the hostile batteries; behind rs the hi
slOped gently down 10 little brook and roat
The dnsky lines of men in the valley in ou
front were constantly leDgthening by the CON
ing loaded trains from the city. Two Confed
crate corps-Hardee's and 5 ID. Lee's-wer
confronting the Federal Fifteenth, and GU
weak brigade, detached by a wide interv:
from any support on the right flank and utterl
without support on the left, formed an attenr
aied line Of this important salient, awaiting a
assault for which We could see the preparation
going on below. The Dads were too enormon
and the Division General evidently recognize
the fact, for AT the last moment OF grace iy
little regiments were hurried forward from III
distant Seventeenth Corps. three of which WEI
posted IN the pine grove a short distance froi