The National tribune., 1891-07-16
BATTLE OLE ATLANTA.
Desperate Fighting by the Seventeenth Corps

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: in your issue
Of May IA Comrado Milton f. Smith, Goth H.,
Searcy, Ark, speaking Of the Army Of the
Tennessee, aud more particularly OF the Sew
/ enteenlh Corps. la connection with the battle
of Atlanta July p, 1864, says: " Gen. Nc
] Pherson had been in command Of that army
until July -, on which day Hood outflanEed
Mcpherson, and the Seventeenth CORPS falling
/ back left n gap between ii and the Fifteenth
Corps and in this gap Mcpherson was killed"
That Gen. Mcpherson expected TO find the
Seventeenth Corps occupying the ground
known ms the +" Gap there can be no doubI
lScc article by Comrado VIM. R. Lcbert, First
Sergeant, LIST Iowa battery, Archer Ncb., in
the issue Of May - Why was 10 not there?
Some order must have miscarried, the secret
history of which has not yet been disclosed.
The First Brigade, Third Division. Seven
teeuth Corps. formed the extreme left wing OF
the Army of the Tennessee, Gen. NJ. Il. Force
Of Ohio its commander. A position-tbe nat
ural KEY. a bald h!ll-had been captured from
the rebels by this brigade on the 2lst This
hill seemed 10 hc the objective on the 22a. for
the rebels made Eve or six distinct efforts 10
/ capture il from as but without success.
The rebels charged through the woods on the
left, their skirmishers killing Mcpherson, aud
/ following up quickly came the rebel line OF
battle surglng across the creek and mp the hill
side aud swinging around the left flank Of the
which Mcpherson rode to his death. and finding
themselves shut in, the Union lines sarren-
deIcd.
Comradc Smith erred in this. The gap was
between the Seventeenth Corps and the Six
teeuth Corps, which lay OF about one mile to-
ward Decatur Our regiment, the lGth WIS,
Mai DAVIS in command Iieut-Col. Reynolds
having hecn wounded on the 2lst, held the left
OF the line. The battle began by a tremendous
cannonade from Atlanta batteries, which emf
ladcd our line, Icing directed ~ q battery in
line with the Fifteenth Corps. The 18th and
I 10th Wis. bore the bruut of the rebel charges
ly reason OF holding the hill before described.
Later in the day volunteers were called Tor 10
plant our colors H 8n open field in the gap be-
fore spoken a. ] well remember that William
Starr member Of nay company, WAS one who
I responded. The C0.ors were sUou waving de-
EHucc 10 the enemy. il was like Haunting
/ red rag in the face Of a wild bull. Troops
formed on the colors-I think the Second Bal.
gadc OF the Seventeenth Corps; j may he mis-
taken as 60 the tr0ops--and the lattlc waECd
hot Men fought over the colors like demons
using hayonct and clubbing muskc,s, but the
Union hogs were there 20 stay. If tho Scgcn-
teeHiA Corps fell back on July D, 1864 j never
heard of IL. nor did not see il. The Sixteenth
Corps closed ia on the Seventeenth and the line
WAS made solid. Just before planting the c0l0rs
10 the field we were assailoG on front aud rear
( Aahh, sometime, I@Hiu@ on one SIDE OF tue
works and jumping them and fighting on the
other. The rebels planted their battle-4ags on
IN Carhwurk formerly occupied as a battery
about 80 yard, Ia advance Of the apex OF the
hin, and held on until night, when they charged
up TO the line. Several Of my company wcrc
killed during the nights fighting. Gen. Nc
Phcrson, the true and brave, was killed about
"a quarter Of a milo from the left OF the
Seventeenth Corps and directly in our 'front.'
have been over the ground since and know this
10 be a fact. He was she; on the hillside in the
woods while riding along the country road
looking for the Seventeenth Corps. An in
vcrted cannon MARKS the spot where he died.
There were fully 1000 rebels buried in front
of tie Third Division, Scyea!ccnth Corps
under flag OF twcr, on the 23d Of July. 10
WAS a bold move Of Hoods, aud had he been
opposed By less resolute less brave and uutricd
soldiers, might have inflicted great loss aud
changed thc history Of SAermans campaign
materially. But the Western boys believed
that they were playing a big part just then to-
ward ending the war; and had no idea but 10 do
or die under amy contugcucy.-W w. DE
HAVEN, First Sergeant Co. X, 10th Wis, Ma-
con, Ga.