The National tribune., 1891-08-13
BATTLE OF ATLANTA.
Another COmrade Correcis DE Haven % 10 Position
o. Troops July %. 1864.

Another COmrade Corrects DE Haven % 10 Position
o. Troops July -, 1864
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: COmrade De
Haven, in your issue Of July lG is in error as
10 the position Of Gen. Forces Brigade IN the
battle of Atlanta, July p 1854, and as 10 the
surroundings attending the death Of Gen. Nc
PbcTsOn.
The writer belonged 70 the First Brigade,
Fourth Division OF the Seventeenth CorIs, aud
al the Sine was standing by the roadside at the
extreme left Of Forces Brigade, when McPhur-
son rode by, smiling 10 his death, which he
met a minute later thin 100 yards from that
point. Hc was accompanied by no ono except
one member 81 IBIS stan and ore Orderly, whom
Ae led on "a galOp about 20 yards ] heard the
Volicy distinctly The battle was not yet on,
I and There W8s not more thau halld0zen shots.
There YVES no cauuouadiug except from the
works about Atlanta, which was nothing un-
usual. The Orderly gall0pcd back a moment
I later much excited, calling out that MclAcr-
SOD was killed. Our brigade vas resting not
over 100 yards 10 the fCur Of whore I was
standing. the boys not even expecting a battle;
I but within I'D minute after the incidents aboye
/ related occurred Wc had formed in line Of bat
1 tle, tic whole division forming % the left oi
I Forces Brigade and az a rght-augle. We were
4 az oucc ln ono u. tie hardest fought battles u
/ The whole camf gn. il was an opcn-lc
I hand tp-laud fight as FAR as our brigade was
concerned, Gud lasted fully two hours, and ]
ana Tree 70 confess that the portion Of tho army
/ lu our immediate vicinity Was OuifaHkcd aud
/ surrounded ly iHc enemy oycrp1wcrcd By
numbers 40 least 10 ~ one, and, according 10
/ my best recollection, badly whipped
j had the misfortune 10 DO among those
i who were captured, and WIS taken back Over
/ that portion ~ tic Geld covered ly our front and
/ that OF tAo Iowa Brigade, which WAS immcdi.
1 aie.y On outright. and my impression ~ TIC time
/ was that Tie oacwys dead ;hcn on this ground
4 cqua..cd !n number tic whole number Of thOs,
/ two bIiKaIls engaged in that action. ] only
/ take issue with lOmra4o DE Haven SO far d.
/ wherein DE states that his division Was on IN,
4 extreme lett aud get % the right Of tie spo
/ whore Mcpherson fell, while ] know Ol Ger
tginty that thG loHa brigade, Gs well US ours
was 10 Tie left % that particular spot.
Our brigade worked the whole Of the nigh
| Of the 2lst in erecting oaTthworlzs, aud wa
relieved on The morning Of the pa by some @
/ tho Third Division aud those works wcr,
calamity defended and held by that division
until the fight WAS over, aud Hood skulke,
back into Atlanta.
am not certain AS 20 the points Of the com
pass, but according 10 my recollection on tina
morning the line Of the Third Division face,
west toward Atlanta, and our division took up
position resting the left Of that division, an,
facing The south, making line at right angle,
IL was at the point OF the junction Of thos
two divisions that the gallant Mcpherson, il
his anxiety for correct information, inadvert
eutly passed, and nothing, not even q picket
post was between him aud Hoods army, 70