The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-09-23

A. Smith, General Gresham having been
wounded in the advance of the preceding
day. Force advanced under cover of the
hill Itself. which being steepcst near the
base, protected the attacking line from
the eneinys fire at first. Soon he came
into the opening aHd dashed forward nj
the barrcadc In fr4nt of him. The III
trenchment was slight one, but Cler-
burnes men fought with their usual brav-
cry ana were only driven out after a sharp
combat and with loss on the federal side
OF two hundred and nifty killed and wound
ed. The hill was at once intrenched,
though subjected to sweeping fire from
'eI'eS north of the po-
stion, where their line was still intact
The heat was intense that three
staff officers in Forces brigade were pros
trated by IT and sunstrolIe added consid-
erahly to the list of casualties in the fed
eral lines
The hill was strongly fortified by it's
captors with traverses to protect the guns
and the fertilization was tested next day.
from the summit of the hill Atlanta lay
In fun view with the large rolling mill just
inside the defenses of the city and within
range of Legectts guns
To quote the learned historian, Jacob
u. Cox, who has given a vivid and real
istic description of the battle of Atlanta:
Both of Hoods tanks were now insecure
and he prepared TO retire from the Peach
tree line during the night. Colonel Prcst-
man, his chief engineer, had reported that
the works on the north side of the city
were badly located and selected a more ad-
yaneed line ON higher ground. The new
line was Staked or during July 21st and
latrencned during the night by portions of
taedtham $ and Stewards CORPS and the
Georgia troops under Smith. 1t began at
the former line where the Cross Keys road
enters the city, thence ran north about
three-quartcrs of a mile, then west 10 the
Chattanoo"a railroad. a similar advanced
lIIt WAS <GTtnW8Tj i'm front of 10
sons LEFT flank
Hood determined 20 draw into these
works all Of his army except Hardccs
corps OF Tour divisions and to send this by
a long detour to make an attack upon the
extreme flank and rear of McPherson's
Army OF the Tennessee, expecting to fol-
low mp any success il might gain by
marching out with Cheatham's corps upon
Schofeld and hoping thus to roll up Shcr-
mans army from the south. His original
orders. contemplated movement by the
hcDonough road some four or five miles
southeast ana then toward Decatur: but
B!air's corps with it's right at Ieggetrs
hlll had both its two divisions intrcnched
along the NcDonouEh road. with the left
refused so as to face the south. This
made a change of orders necessary. and
Hardee withdrawing in the night from his
lire two and a half miles north of At
lanta, marched through the city by n road
west OF the tntrcnchmcut creek which he
crossed al Cobb's mills. tiIcn turned north
east toward Decatur till his head of column
was within about two and "a half miles OF
that place. 1t was nov n little after day.
break and he waited for his troops to close
up and form facing the northwest Wheel
ers cavalry passed the line. ANA prepared
to operate stil further TO the east. The
column had met with tn usual delays Of
night marches. Clcburne's division had
lett the front of McPherson's works which
It was now to assault in the rear and had
fallen in behind Hardee's other divisions
In Atlanta about / O'Clock.
1.-THE cavalry moving through the column
in the dai ilness had made further annoy
ance ana delay; but considering that the
head Of the column had marched some nf-
teen miles, they had made good speed. Be
ginning on the left the divisions were in the
and. Bate. After short rest the order to |
advance was given. ana the confederate d.
visions entered the densely wooded country
that lay between them and the national
lines, moving at right angles to the road
they We're leaving.
Meanwhile with the breaking day Shcr-
mans camps were astr, and it soon
found that the intrenchments in front OF
Schofield and Thomas were abandoned. \
general advance was ordered. Schoheld's
head of column, which Sherman accolnp2-
MED, came i'm fun view of the town at the
Howard house. The fortihcarcns OF Attain
Ia were on the opposite hills. lust across
the deep valley in which Lewis's mill.
and the works were thick with men shovel
ing and digging if for life, T. r. ,sNir-
mshers holding the line of O. fk,