The Portland daily press., 1895-01-12
GENERAL HOWARD'S BRAVERY.
Illustration of Hard Fighting in the
Battle of lis Days.
Circumstances of the Death of Bishop
Leonidas PoIk--Reading Lincoln's Proc
Iamation to Militant Confederates.

teen Days" is the title Gen. }. 3. fuller
ton would give to that wonderful series OF
operations commonly called 1.-The Atlanta
Campaign" 1t was continuous hghting
from May to September, and it embraced
battlefield 1876 miles long. There is nothing
in history to compare with it. The fighting
began at Tunnel Hill. 1t ended at Attain
ia. Every foot of ground was contested.
Every day had its battle, and more than
once the firing continued from shutdown 10
sunrise.
From his diary, of which the st. Louis
Globe Democrat publishes Interesting ex-
tracts, Gen. Fullerton told the story OF
1.-The Battle of One Hundred and Eighteen
Days, before gathering of old fighters, ex-
Confederates as we'll as Federals, at the
Army and Navy Club. He logan by asking
If they knew that whils the walls OF their
club house were adorned with portraits IN
oil. with engravings, with photographs OF
the heroes of the war, there was not SILL
gle picture of Gen. George Ii. Thomas
among them. YET said Gen. Fullerton.
ssThomas was the faultless soldier of the
war He was the one General who never
made a military mistake. He was the only
one of our great generals who gained his
nosi;ion without personal or political inf1u-
ences A Virginian, he was sepal ateu from
his family and repudiated. by his State, be-
cause of his fidelity to the Union. he was
the only man who was never relieved of his
army. He was never defeated. He saved
three armies.
This battle of lis days began in May with
the very hardest kind of fighting, IN the
toughest country you ever saw. Thomas
had examined the region. and knew IL
Thoroughly. Some miles below where john
ston's army was posted in its first strong
positior. Snake Creek Gap cuts through
the mountains. Thomas knew ii was possible
to send troops down parallel valley, pass
through Snake Greek Gap, strike the rail-
road in Johnson's rear. and bag him. tie
tried to get Grant to let him make the at
tempt, but Grant said he must wait. When
sherman came, Thomas laid the plan before
him. Sherman wouldn't listen to it at first.
After some time he sent rMC Pherson doWS
to pass through the gap, with Instructions
to strike the railroad, break it up, Withdraw
to the gan. and then hit Johnston a lick AS
he retreated. Meanwhile Thomas, with the
Army of the Cumberland, held the front
and centre. and was to attack Johnston
and push him pack. That was the position
Thomas held and the work he had to do all
throue the ll8 days. Thomas attacked, as
directed. Howard was called on to make the
NOV ement We had to go through narrow
nass. inst large enough for railroad track,
q wagon road. and a small stream. In
front of lis was small hill. Behind that
we didn't know what We would find, save
that we knew Johnston's army was there.
.Howard-well, he is the bravest man per-
sonally ever knew. He went through the
ga to that hill for good position to direct
he troops. / said to him just before we
started:
General, you are corps commander.
Won ought not to expose yourself in this
way
SC ooh no. said he, come on
"Well. we suarted-four of us. Before we
got to that little hill the General had bull
let through his coat, the orderly was shot
in the leg. the color bearer was killed, and
my saddle was gone. What we found De-
yond that hill was a great amphltheatre
with the stream damned, and all around
on knobs and behinc works were artillery
and infantry. AS soon as our troops pene-
trated that great pit the storm opened IRON
all sides, 1t was a trap. To make any I'M
nression upon such a position was beyond
human mower. Our troops went as far as
they could, and then stopped and fought.
found myself where l could neither go
forward nor backward. 1 WAS between two
fires. So lay down behind big pine tree.
and--answered some correspondence thab
had been accumulating After about three
hours it became dark enough for me TO get
back to our lines.
..ln trying to dislodge Johnston from that
position we fought step by step along
mountain sides. The troops were so near
together that they could talk to each other.
Once somebody on our side called out;
Hold on, Johnny. and hear the Presi-
dents proclamation.
s'Firing ceased. and big sergeant
stepped out in front of our line and read
proclamation from MI. Lincoln extending
amnesty TO all Confederates who would lay
down their arms and come in. When the
reading was finished both sides yelled and
whooped. aad the fighting went on again.
"There came down to the front one day
pleasant gentleman from the Christian Com
mission, Capt. Stimson,'' said Gen. FULLER
ton. at was while we were in close quar-
ters at one point of this Atlanta campaign.
He said to me soon after he arrived:
Fullerton, I should like LOOK at the
rebels
".All right said 1. There's no trouble
about that. l can arrange it,
Il took him our behind the breastworks
and said to him:
Now. get your glass all ready, and
when say the word Well jump on top and
take look
81 gave the word and up we went. Capt.
Stimson olapped his glasses to his eyes. Out
a little way we could see the Confederates
swarming about like SO many huge ants
building new Fertilization. Ping? went
bullet, and Stimson dropped. 1t had gone
through his lung and into tree behind him.
wrapped him in blanket, and had just
started him back on a stretcher when it
occurred Go me:
Perhaps Stimson's friends at home
would Ike to have that bullet for a SOU
yenir.'
81 climbed on top of the breastworks. got
out my knife. and began to pry at the bull
let. .Ping! sang another, and went into
| he same tree six inches above my head.
eff Stimson's family want that bullet
| they'll have to come after it, thought /,
and got down.
ut was strange what chances We took