The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-05-31
wading, while skirmishing with the ene-
my. from bank to bank.

my, from bank to bank.
The bottom was rocky and very rough
in many places the channels between the
rocks we're SO deep that only the heads
of the men were above water; and in
very many instances miss-step caused
ihe men TO go under, heads and all.
On climbing the southern bank we
captured between 40 and 30 Of the
enemy, took position about quarter OF
mile from the river, and
ERECTED BARRICADEs,
which We held until dark, when New
tons Division of Infantry, of the Fourth
Corps relieved us.
From the 10th to the 10Th the brigade
was engaged in scouting and skirmishing
up the river, which we crossed on the
18th, and at once pushed forward toward
Gross Keys.
In his Memoirs (Vol. 2, page 70) Gen.
Sherman says: "On the 18th ordered
Mcpherson, with the Fifteenth Corps, to
move up to Roswell, to cross over, pre-
pare good bridges, and make a strong
fete-du-pont on the other side"
Van Horne (Vol. 2, pages 10 and I'D
says: "On the 10Th * x Gen.
Sherman gave orders for the advance
toward Atlanta on the following day.
AlcPherson's army had been previously
transferred from the extreme right to
Roswell. y x x
"The next morning Gen. Mcpherson
crossed at Roswell and moved toward
the Augusta Railroad, east of Decatur.
X x Garrard's cavalry acted with
Gen. Mcpherson -
During the night of the 18th, with
the First and Third Brigades, | marched
from Cross Keys, and next morning
struck the Atlanta d Augusta Railroad
about 90 miles east of Atlanta, drove
off the rebel guards, and destroyed five
miles of track, including bridges.
On the 18th / moved down the rail-
road, and after a sharp skirmish gained
possession of Decatur, and then destroyed
the railroad as far as Stone Mountain,
and thoroughly secuted the country for
over 10 miles in every direction, max
ing it
DECIDEDLY UNHEALTHY
for the rowing scouting parties of the
enemy.
On the Dist the division marched
through Decatur, arriving at Rock
Bridge, 81 miles distant, on the Augusta
Railroad, early the following morning.
After a halt of two hours we pushed
forward to Coyington, at which place we
DESTROYED extensive cotton factories and
q large quantity of rebel COmmissary,
Quartermaster and ordnance stores
Between Olcofauhatchie and Yellow
Rivers the Second Brigade captured two
railroad trains. ] desired to dismount
my brigade, 90 to Augusta, 100 miles
distant, and destroy the great powder
mills at that place, but Gen. Garrard
thought it too risky.
J The railroad was destroyed for about
I've miles east and west from Covington,
and on the 23d we marched via Law
yenceville to Decatur, where We arrived
about midnight, and there learned of the
death of that splendid soldier, McPher-
Jon, on the previous day.
This was the first time during the
campaign that the flank of the army
had been unprotected by cavalry, our
absence leaving it entirely in air.
Hood quickly took advantage of the
fact, and it cost us 1921 men killed,
WOUNDED AND MISSING,
including the noble Mcpherson, one of
the most promising commanders Of the
war
Gen. Sherman says in bis Memoirs
(Yol. 2, page 79):
Unluckily for us, l had sent away
the whole of Garrard's Division of Cav
airy during the night of the Goth, with
orders to proceed to Covington, 80 miles
east, to burn two important bridges across
the Olcofauhatchie and Yellow Rivers,
10 tear up the railroad, to damage it as
much as possible from Stone Mountain
eastward, and to be gone four days; SO
that Mcpherson had no cavalry in hand
TO guard that flank.
The enemy was therefore enabled,
under cover Of the forest, to approach
quite near without being discovered
indeed, his gkirmish-line had worked
through the timber and got into the
Geld to the rear of Giles A. Smiths
Division, of the Seventeenth Corps, un-
been; had captured Murray's battery of
Regular artillery, moving through these
woods
ENTIRELY UNGUARDED,
md had got possession Of several of the
hospital camps"
On July 27 the division, with my bri-
gade in the advance, marched TO Flat
Rock, on Flint River, for the purpose of
occupying the attention of Wheeler's
cavalry, and thus cover the movements
Of Stoneman's Division of Cavalry,
which, passing several miles east of us,
marched directly for Macon.
That night my pickets were driven in
from both tanks and the front; our rear
was protected by the river. The 4th
Mich, dismounted, moved to the 'front.'
drove the enemy back, erected rail
breastworks, behind which they lay all
L ].