The National tribune., 1891-07-23
The Position Held by the Seventeenth Corps July

q.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your issue
Of MAY read an article from the pen Of VIM.
r. Lebort, First Sergeant LIST Iowa battery,
entitled "Gen. McPherson's Death-The Great
Battle OF July % 1864, Near Atlanta, Ga" 10
which am constrained TO rebut i'm an article
as 20 the position Of the Seventeenth Corps ut
the commencement of said battle.
Apropos, will state that my experience in
battle especially with one in the ranks,-that
is, in Immediate contact with the opposing
forces in the front line-is that no one sees
the movements Of the army only in his imme-
diate front aud those of his own organization.
i have had the man that stood next in my rank
shot down by my side aud / did not know IL
until my attention was called to il by an OIL
Ger, being too busily engaged i'm performing
my own duties TO note passing events; but
with a soldier as i was,-that was among the
young ones Of that great struggle, and noted
everything that took place when circumstan-
ces admitted of IL. and was impressed indelibly
on their minds.-I noted at the time and re-
member since that the position of the Army Of
the Tennessee was about as follows, on the
22d day Of July. when that battle commenced.
But TO get at IL correctly, will go back day
or SO.
On July 20, 1864, the Army of the Tennessee
occupied Decatur, Ca, and advanced toward
Atlanta, the Fifteenth Corps on the line Of the
Augusta Railroad. the Seventeenth Corps sOuth
Of II, while the Sixteenth Corps was left at De-
catur, destroying the railroad track, designed.
liz, probably as a reserve, aud that night found
the Fifteenth Corps in line Of battle astride
Of the Augusta Railroad, with tho greater part
OF il south Of the road, the right OF the Sew
enteenth joining the left OF the Fifteenth, with
its lef: flank in air. the lines as formed circling
from right TO left, and facing west-northwest,
confronting the outer line of works of the enc
my around Atlanta.
The Third Division. Seventeenth Corps was
facing a hill occupied by the onemy's works,
and it was learned by the officers that from its
top could be seen the city Of Atlanta and Gen.
Blair. commanding the Seventeenth Corps, or
dercd Gen. Leggett commanding the Third
Division, 10 dispose of his division that night
so as 10 assault the hill on the morning of the
2lst. / belonged to this division, and Temem-
Der that night so well how we were masscd in
a rayinc. The First Brigade, having formed
for the assault, was commanded 10y Brighten.
NJ. f. Force, and our brigade (the Secoud) was
formed for a support, and were 10 advance on
its left. There was "A woods 60 our left, as we
were there formed and possibly part Of the
division advanced through IL. The company /
belonged 20 was sent up a blind wood road TO
the left and front as picket that night, and
remained there until after the division had
taken the hill with orders for every man 10
Early in the morning we conld hear the
division preparing for the assault and all at
once shot or SO was heard. and then roar Of
muskctTy, which lasted a short time and then
ceased. short time afterward word came to
us that the division had carried the hill, aud
as a consequence making that line of works
unteusble TO the right aud left Of US for the
enemy, and hence the Fifteenth Corps marched
up aud took peaceful possession Of the works
Ia lofr Au 10 Cl,a In
Fourth Division Of our corps was thrown out
Of line, and 1t took position TO the left Of US,
and as a consequence ours (Third Diyisionl
Joined the left OF the Fifteenth Corps (Gen.
Walcotts Brigade was the only one Of that
corps. believe, that did not abandon their
position temporarily on the 22d.) The Fourth
Division Of our corps was now on the extreme
left Of the line. with its left flank in air. and
this was virtually the position the enemy fOund
the Seventeenth Corps in the next day, July
o.
About noon, not in camp, but in the reversed
works, which we had carried by assault from
the eucmv, aud lost about 400 men in doing so,
and making il easy for the Fifteenth Corps "a
ad vance and occupy the works in their front
after We had compelled the enemy 10 abandon
them: not in cschclon, as it would appear from
W r. Lebcrts article, but far advanced 10 the
front, throwing shells into the city Of Atlanta
not where Gen. Mcpherson did not expect ia
find Us, but just where we had been placed by
his orders. But Gen. Mcpherson did not ex peci
10 fnd the enemy between US and him.
Now what troops they were that this Ser
geant Of artillery saw in camp so peacefully
disposed, / cannot conceive, unless he lad ate
too mach pork aud beans for supper aud had
the nightmare.
On the evening Of the 2lst aud morning
Of the 22d troops Of the enemy were seen
toward Atlanta, marching south, from the bill
on which our division was stationed, aud that
we had carried by assault on the morning OF
the 2lst. Some thought they were eyacuatiup
Atlanta. and others that they were designed %
attack US on the left flank, and history SAYS
that the fact was reported 10 those in command
aud as a precaution against such an attack the
Sixteenth Corps was ordered 10 take position
on our left as soon rs il arrived from Decatur
aud il was marching in column 10 take this
position with head Of column about three.
quarters Of a mile from the left Of the Fourth
Division Of our corps when the rebels struck
them, and through this gap Cbeatham's Divis
ion attacked US in the rear, and consequently
was between US aud the position OF Sergt w
II. Lcbert, and hence why Gen. Mcpherson
rode right into the rebels on his way TO oui
/ lines
To close this already too lengthy article. ]
will say comrades ought 20 stick more closely
10 facts thaE 10 fancy in airing their views and
i experiences Of aud i'm this mutifarious wal
/ drama, and let all remember in their writing
/ that the Seventeenth Corps stands second 1,
none Ia that its record shows no defeats an,
10 variations from its objective, the enemy
and never turned its back to an enemy, or wa
found wanting in the parts IL had TO play
/ w. = AgREs, 90. A, 18th Ohio, Third Division