The National tribune., 1897-03-11

going on near us (down about the distil
leryl, and occasionally round-shot from
IL or 24-pound guns came through the
trees in reply to those of Schofield, and
we could hear similar sounds all along
down the lines of Thomas to our right,
and his own to the left; but presently
the firing appeared little more brisk
Especially over about Giles A. Smiths
Division), and then we heard an occa-
sional gun back toward Decatur.
asked him what it meant. We took my
pocket-compass (Which always carried !,
and by noting the direction of the sound,
we became satisfied that the firing was
too far to our left rear to be explained
by known facts, and he hastily called
for his horse, his staff, and his Order
lies.
MCPHERSON WAS THEN IN HIS PRIME
(about 81 years old), over six feet high,
and a very handsome man in every Way,
was universally liked, and had many
noble qualities. He had on his boots
outside his pantaioons, gauntlets on his
hands, had on his Major-GeneraPs uni
form, and wore sword-belt, but no
sword He hastily gathered his papers
(save one. which | now possess into a
pocket-book, put it in his breast pocket,
and jumped on his horse, saying he would
hurry down his line and send me back
word what these sounds meant. His Ad-
jutant- General, Clark, Inspector-Gen-
eral, Strong, and his Aids, Capts. Steele
and Gle, were with him. Although
the sound of musketry on our left grew in
volume, was not SO much disturbed by
it as vthe sound of artillery back toward
Decatur. / ordered Schofeld at once to
send brigade back to Decatur (some
five miles and was walking up and
down the porch of the Howard House,
listening, when one of McPherson's
staff, with his horse covered with sweat,
dashed up to the porch, and reported
that Gen. Mcpherson was either killed
or a prisoner" He explained that
when they had left me few minutes
before they had ridden rapidly across to
the railroad, the sounds of battle IN
creasing as they neared the position oc-
cupied by Gen. Giles A. Smiths Diyis
ion, and that Mcpherson had sent first
one, then another of his staff to bring
some of the reserve brigades of the Fif-
teenth Corps over to the exposed left
flank; that he had reached the head of
Dodge's Corps (marching by the flank
on the diagonal road as described), and
had ordered it TO hurry forward to the
same point: that then, almost if not en-
tirely alone, he had followed this road
leading across the wooded valley behind
the Seventeenth Corps, and bad disap-
peared in these woods, doubtless with
sense of absolute security. The sound
of ,musketry was there heard, and Nc
Pherson's horse came back bleeding,
wounded, and riderless. / ordered the
staff officer who brought this message to
return at once,
TO FIND GEN. LOGAN
(the senior officer present with the Army
of the Tennessee), to report the same
facts to him, and to instruct him to drive
sback-this supposed small force, which
had evidently got around the Seven
teenth Corps through the blind woods in
rear of our left flank. soon dispatched
one of my own staff (McCoy, think to
Gen. Logan with similar orders, telling
him to refuse his left flank, and to fight
she battle (holding fast to Leggett's
HilD with the Army of the Tennessee
that L would personally look to Decatur
and to the safety of bis rear, and would
reinforce him if he needed it. / dis
patched orders to Gen. Thomas on our
right, telling him of this strong sally,
and nay inference that the lines in his
front had evidently been weakened by
reason thereof, and that he ought to
take advantage of the opportunity to
make lodgment in Atlanta, if possible.
Meantime the sounds of the battle rose
On our extreme left more and more
furious, extending to the place where |
stood, at the Howard House. Within an
hour an ambulance came in (attended by
Coils. Clark and Strong, and Capts. Steele
and Gile), bearing McPherson's body. /
had it carried inside of the Howard
House, and laid on a door wrenched
from its hinges DIR. Hewitt, of the
army, was there, and / asked him to ex-
anime the wound. He opened the coat
and shirt, saw where the bali had en-
tered and where it came out, or rather
lodged under the skin. and he reported
that McPherson must have died in few
seconds after being hit; that the bali
had ranged upward across his body, and
passed near the heart. He was dressed
just as he left me, with gauntlets and
boots on, but his pocket-book was gone.
On further inquiry learned that his body
must have been in possession of the enemy
some minutes, during which time it was
rifed of the pocket-book, and I was
much concerned lest the letter I had