The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-08-27
FIGHTING THEM OVER
WLat0Ur Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
BATTLE OF ATLANTA.


Woods July 2e 1854.
Tprrop NkTloNALT TRIBUNE: I'm III" Fight
ing Them Over column of your paper oi May
= C0mrade w. r.. LebCrt lst Iowa battery,
takes nearly two columns TO describe the mas
torly inactivity which his section observed
during that hot afternoon July ~ l0oA ana
which is so interesting that, having reg" IL
over "a second time, ] wondered II " high nr-
vate might not bring rad TO the campfire
and tell what De was doing over on the other
side of the big woods while the First Scr
reaut Acting Chief OF SectionH was waiting
10 fro the signal guns which were never
fired MyreFiment nth lowah with inc l"lh'
18th and 10th Iowa, formed the Third Brigade,
Fourth Division. Seventeenth Corps, generally
called CrDrker's Iowa Brigade, AS the four
regiments were brigadod together nom Oorltl
10 the close OF the war and first commanded
by Gen. NJ. NJ Crockcr
ON the evening Of July 90 1864 we were on
tho east side Of Atlanta, formed in line facing
west and advanced through heavy timber
driving the robri sllmish-lne back ui we
reached an open field rising slightly above rs,
with the enemy posted on the crest of the bill.
During tli7 advance our division commander
Gen W. O. Gresham. was wounded and carried
from the field and tho command ot the dlNls-
Jon fell by seniority ON our brigade commander
Col VIM Hall, Of the 18th Iowa.
We camped Tor the night in line oil battle
200 yards in the rear each line throwing up
n line oil breastwOrks partially, which were
completed soon after daylight The LcNt morn
ing.
The DIST dawned clear and bright aud soon
themusc opened. Forces Brigade, al Leggett
Division charged up the slope, which was an
open field on our left aud carried the crest OF
the hin in fine stya We had completed our
liroaslworks and laid a loose rail on the top,
Just 60 make il little higher when one OF the
hovs objected % ID, as nc said a cannon-bail
might strike Ii and tic spliuter klil ana
wound a lot of rs. Just then bullet struck
the rail iu front Of his head the rail arng
bis life. which ended THE discussion in my favor.
when Forces Brigade was half way up the
slope. or more, the 18th and 18th jumped over
their bTuastwoIks and started up the mil ln
order Ia keep the rebels from reinforcing their
troops in front OF Gen. Force. AS soon rs we
saw them start we ran across the open space 10
their breastworks. There was mo command
given for as TO move, but we saw them gong,
aud Joined the procession; but they lonnd the
enemy too strongly iutrcnchcd, aud wei sup
poricd bv artillery and were forced 10 retire
with heavy loss. by noon possibly before rs
i write from memory. firing had almost ceased,
as Gen. FOvcc was In fail possession OF the
crest of the bill, which should be called Forces
Hill. Then q detail was made OF % or 80 men,
Of which ] was one. We moved of a little 10
Lt
men charged the dead yet lying where they
fell. IN we went nearly to the crest OF the
hill, then Of q little 10 the right into body OF
thick timber aud brush. Here we halted and
waited what Tor no one knew, nor Tor what
purpose we were ordered there We must have
been very close to the rebel lines on the right,
where they had poured such a whitening ire
on the two regiments q our brigade bui an
hour before. We didn't dcpoy as skiTmisEers,
but kept in q bunch like a lot of lost sheep. j
don't remember whether wc carried tools for
intreuchiHg or not After an hours waiting,
during which some Of the boys fired their guns
ia the direction Of Atlanta Just 10 let the rcbs
know we were there, we turned around aud
marched down the lill 10 camp We saw no
enemy, aud If any saw as they evidently
thought we were coming into their camp 10
surrender. and so RETAINED from killing ms. MS
they doubtless might easily have done III this
should meet tile eye az anyone who can tell
me why this was thus, on what the detail! was
for j shah De greatly obliged
Returning % camp SIC found tie division. now
under tie command Of Giles A. Smith, under
orders 10 move 10 the left We started, and ]
distinctly remember passing Gen. Forces
hcadquar1crs-W supper ] tLluk-un the
north side of the MclDouOugb road, az the foot
OF the south side Of F0rce's Hill. Here VIC
turned 10 the left and south. up rather steep
hiil, covered with heavy timber Gaining the
IA
quarter Of q mile wide from north 10 SOUTH
aud half milo long from east 30 west, the
ground s.0piIg gently 90 the south, southwest
and southeast. We bore oH 10 tie left OF SOUTH
east. aud went into camp facing south, tho
right Lalf Of the regiment on the higher open
ground, The left whore ] was Co. q . on lower
ground aud lu q dense growth Of young iim-
Der our regiment llth I'D front, the 10th on
our leit aud across q road, being az least POO
yards between the right 81 The 10Th and the
left 0t cur regiment, the 18Th and 18th forming
iu 0BT rar lu heavy timber. We commenced
throwing up lrcaslwurl,H, continuing the work
Hii night li ! remember right, we were then
the extreme leit o. sherman army
Tho First Sergeant Acting Chief Of Section.
sage: We were aware that a strong force had
lea ATLANTA in sDuthcsstcriy direction, pre-.
EUmably t0 operate around the TANKS Of the
Fifteenth, Sixteenth, RHd Seventeenth Corps
From cur position the men Of the Seventeenth
lorps were seen preparing breakfast, tie bat
terry horses embarrassed a. the picket-rOpe
learned thc Seventeenth Corps were ns aston
isHCd ~ our position ia line OF battle as s.,
were at them"
D don't know The feelings Of but one mcmbe
81 thc Seventeenth Corps, the high privaU
Aforesaid, aud from bic point Of view whicl
about six feet four inches In high hocle,
shoes. Dee could not sec beyond IcggctIs Sec
onG Brigade mean The one on our right.
sec ilc 10Th iowa on ouF left Bot ] do ku0,
that 10 tEc Sergeant could see over the tops q
those ial trees aud down into the thick growt
Of young trees in our company he would hay
seen us preparing our breakfast and dinner
TOO; ANA more than that hc could have seen
detail. which included cur Captain. O. w. 4
Barr and about ouc-thiTd OF our regiment. sen
% o. ihg right aud front % throw up line ,
breastWorhs preparatory 10 making auOthc
move.
Now, this talk about knowing that tho rel
ell bad lcft their works and were crc,iu
around ms makes me sick There were a
ways some soldiers who knew Just what W.
going 10 take place VIII they p.ea-a tell m
why they didn't come down OF VI their pore
aud warn us OF our dHugerg AS Id was. "A
were 4u total Ignorance ol The approach on III
fCc tIil about noon. when Bob Buuuiug an
Bill Iumu.ci- two boys 0l my company. can
into camp from "a ioraFIHg expedition aud sal
that whsle they were up lu Hn apple tree
quarter d. "a m- south 81 our front they hear
the rcbe. officers giving the word OF c0mmau
They hurried 10 camp, aud soon the Ufdt
came Tall lu!" which We did with a. cage
mess which ] seem 10 see even now We hf
been digging and throwing uD Brlastworks 4
sumner without airy opportunity 20 use then
Save Tee stray shot VI a sharEs Hoolcr OF am o
chsI0ual sAe., from a battery. night after uigI
and day after day We bad t0ilod with pick m
shovel % throw up q liuc Of iutrguchmcut
only o. lind the enemy bad FALLEN back
But here they were coming 10 sec us behir
our own lines How GLAD We were % \
them, aud What a warm reception we Won
HH#afrf IA H..H 4