The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-01-30
At KENESAW MOUNTAIN.
FOUR COMBATS
General Howard's Account of the Great
Engagement.

The Kenesaw mountains-sometimes called
the kenesaws, as suppose on account OF an
apparent cross-break in the range giving ap.
parentIy two mountains-b the highest eleya.
tion In Georgia west Of the Chattahooehee.
From its top Sherman at later date com
municated With Gen. Corse, 10 miles north.
ward at a crossing OF the Etowah The same
mountain, shapely and attractive, Is pointed
out TO visitors from high buildings In Atlanta.
IL Is the natural watershed, and was In 1864
upon lie sides mostly covered With trees
From It's crest Johnston and his officers could
see our movements. which we believed 10 be
hidden, and have recorded accouuts concern
Ing them in wonderful detail. The hand
some village Of Marietta, known 10 Sherman
Ia bis youth, lying eastward between the
mountain and the river could be- plainly seen.
II not too extensive 10 defend. .John.t N could
not easily have found stronger military
position Tor his great army.
Before entering seriously upon the battle,
or rather the actual fighting of Kenesaw let
US endeavor TO get before our readers the
relative positions Of the two great opposing
hosts, Cnion and Confederate. Prior 10 the
battle Of Cnlp's (or Kolbs) Farm. which was
fought by Hooker and Schoneld against Gen.
Hood, the entire Confederate army had
taken substantially Its new line; that Is 10
say, the Confederate right, which abut,ed
against Brush Mountain on the north. took
10 Kenesaw, and passing down the southern
slope, continued on 70 the neighborhood OF
Olley's Creek. II was virtually north and
south alignment, probably not continuous.
The bent line was convex toward Us. Its
right was protected somewhat by the rough
Brush Mountain and Noonday Creek. Its
center had Noses Greek 10 front OF It, but
the strength Of this almost impregnable part
was In the natural fortress which that portion
OF the kenesaw gave.
The intrenchments. barricaies er breast
works everywhere whatever you call those
Confederate protecting contrivances. were
excellent. They had along the fronting
slopes abundant 'slashings;" that Is, trees
felled toward US With limbs embracing each
other, trimmed or untrimmed. according to
whichever condition would be worse for the
Yankee approach. Batteries were so plcced
as to give against US both direct and cross
fires.
To my eve Kenesaw there at the middle
bend OF Johnston's long line was more DIM
cult than any potion of Gettysburg's Gene
terry Ridge, or Little Round Top, and quite rs
impossible 10 take; especially where the works
were thoroughly manned and strongly held,
as were the Marye Hights Of Fredericksburg.
From extreme TO extreme point, that Is. from
the Confederate Infantry right to tho actual
left 10 straight line, must have been six
miles.
The reports show that johnson had Jus. be.
fore the battle Of Kenesaw received reinforce.
ments from the Georgia militia under q. W.
Smith. His numbers at this terrible battle
are not now easily discovered or estimated
but standing so much as Johnston did on the
defensive behind the prepared works. his
losses were hardly ever as great as ours; 50
that think at Kenesaw he had, after q. W.
Smiths arrival, as many men rs at Resaca.
My judgment is confirmed by .he Surprising
ly long defensive line which he occupied.
Hood at first had the right, covering ali the
nhaa nd Al.
and the north and the wagon and railroads
that ran between Brush Mountains and the
| kenesaws.
Loring, the Confederate commander who
now replaced Polk, for his custody and de-
Tense had all the Kenesaw front. including
the southern sloping cres. and the grouna
beyond the Marietta and Canton wagon.
roads.
Hardee's Corps began there, crossed the
next highway (the Marietta md Los. Noun.
tain road, aud gradually drew back till his
lett was somewhere between Kolb's Farm and
lions church, that part OF his force looking
into the valley Of Oliey's Creek. I presume
rs have already intimated, that the Cen
federates did not have continuous intrench-
rnents all along the front. There was no NE.
cessity for such abundance; but they did
have more than the usual number OF lunets
and advanced works on spurs and command.
Ing hills" so writes Gen. Cox.
AGooD REDouBr,
crowned with a few cannon on a convenient
knoll, associated With another on neiyhbor-
ing hight OF like description, will usually en-
abe general 10 defend much territory
against attack.
Both Sherman and Johnston understood
this and were never willing to thrust
column between the knobs into the laws OF
such a trap. Confederate Jackson, a dis
tineuished cavalry Colonel. using artillery
and cavalry, watched and extended the LETT
Of the kenesaw line down by Oi'ey's Greek,
while the swift-fnoving Wheeler in a similar
manner took care Of the right and the open
country eastward, embracing all that threat
ened region north Of Marietta.
Without, just now. In actual detail, bring
Ing forward ou. armies into position before,
the Confederate's Kenesaw line. will say.
&c nerally; Blair, with his Seventeenth CORPS
had come up from the west. He brought
enough men 70 compensate for sherm ans
previous losses; so that, like Johntson Sher-
man had about the same numbers a. az Re
SAGA. The army OF the Tennessee, with our
Blair on the le.t faced Hood. A short dis
tance beyond, eastward, was Garrard's cav
airy, trying to keep back the Confederate
cavalry Of Wheeler.
Thomas, with his three Union corTs. touch
ed the middle bend opposite Lorlng and part
OF Hardee. Hooxer's Corps made Thoulas's
right; then came, on the extreme right the
Twenty-third Corps and Stoneman's cavalry.
under ochoteld. The Union right, already
oy the 2O'h OF June, reached as far south a.
Olley's creek The whole infantry stretch
OF sherman's front was az that time fully
! eight miles.
There are four distinct combats which
ought TO come into this battle Of Kenesaw;
for both hosts were there. vis-a-yis. for the
struggle:
ist, the Combat with wheeler's cavalry near
Brush Mountain;
ID. the cavalry combat against Jackson;
Sd. the battle OF kolbs farm the 22d OF
| June;
iIh, the determined attacks and repulses
at different points ell along the Eenessw line
| during the 27lh OF June.