The National tribune., 1892-12-08
BATTLE OF ATLANTA.
a ComTade Tells the Part the Fifteenth
Corps Took ia The Action.

a Comrade Tells tbe Part the Fifteenth
Corps Took ia The Action.
n Picket Shots of date Sept % COM
i rade. speaking of the battle OF July %,
- 1861, III front Of Atlanta, leaves the im-
preston probably unin Intentionally on the
mind of the reader that the Seventeenth Corps
did all the lighting on that day. | admit they
did the most of it. but not quite all. Gen. }.
A. Williamson's Iowa Brigade First Brigade,
First Division. Fifteenth Corps took hand
toward the last. that has always seemed to me
to have helped to turn the tide of victory to
the side OF the Union army. We were stationed
on the extreme left of the Fifteenth Corps aud
the 4th Iowa. on the left of the brigade, con-
Meeting with the Seventeenth Corps. From
our position in the line we could see the line OF
the Seventeenth Corps for as much as hall n
mile We could see our line being forced
gradually back by the enemy, but lighting
stubbornly over every foot of ground,
When our line had given way to, say, within
quarter of mile or less of where we were
stationed, the order came for us to charge the
enemy. The line Of battle ran from southwest
to northeast. We crossed to the south side of
the breastworks, such as they were, and Kept
on that side until we struck the rebel line,
when they made it pretty warm for US, ana so
we got over on the north side of the works ana
continued up that side forcing the rebels out
of the works and capturing quite number.
Fer time we fought each other on opposite
sides of the works. Our Lieutenant-Colonel
(Nichols) was wounded in the charge, but kept
at the head of the regiment
While we were making this charge the part
of the Seventeenth Corps that we could see had
formed new line, and was gradually reganing
the ground which they had lost, and finally
occupied their old line, with what little help we
had given them. There is one other incident
that / wish to speak of in connection with this
battle, and in which the 4th Iowa was more
directly interested than any other one regi-
ment, so far as know. Immediately after the
charge, and when our line had been re-estab-
lished, the regiment was ordered back to the
right short distance and little in advance
of the main line, into an old fort, by whom
built or when / don't know, it being over
grown with grass and weeds. The walls dirt
were about as high as a mans shoulders, semi
circular in form, and about large enough to hold
100 men comfortably, but into which the entire
regiment was crowded We had only settled
ourselves for little rest, when we were called
to arms by rapid muskct-fring in our front,
and the pickcts came in on the run and said
the rebels were coming in force. We prepared
for business at once and gave those fellows as
warm reception as they ever had, think.
They came to within 80 feet Of the fort, but
they had to give up the job. After the charge
had been repulsed, some of the boys went out
to see what execution had been done Well,
they found good many dead rebels, and among
the number the commander of the brigade-a
Texas Colonel One of the boys got his sword.
They probably thought they could take in that
little squad in the old fort, but they didn't.
Now. for fear some comrade will say that fellow
thinks his regiment or brigade did all the fight
ing and won the victory, | wish to say, in-con-
clusion, to any such that am only telling what
happened under my own observation. Prob
ably the troops on our right and left were
doing as much rs we were No doubt they did
all that was required of them. What | saw !
know happened. What did not sec no doubt
happened also.-WILLIs II. BOOTH, Co. 7, 4th
Iowa, First Brigade, First Division, Fifteenth
Corps, Carrollton Mo.