The National tribune., 1897-12-09

and Ready, where ours meet and carry
them beyond Our lines.
(Having had the misfortune to lose the
little book in which ] recorded my Eek
pcTences" from Sept. II TO Nov. |, shortly
after the war ended ] wrote up as well as
could from memory the principal move
ments of the army during this missing
period, emitting OF course many details
and incidents Of the march and the diff
culties which we had To encounter. II the
Yankee who got my diary should ever see
this and return il TO me Iwili-Wcll, I'll for
give him and ask no questions about how
he got it,
Sept. IL TO Nov. 1.-Our truce expired on
the 2lst and il was soon apparent that act
i've operations would be resumed in "A short
time, but OF course we were ignorant OF
what the movement would be. OF one
thing we were certain, that we were in no
condition to- meet Sherman in the open
field, and that il must be another retreat
or an attempt 10 get in his rear, cut of his
supplies and force him back TO the Tennes =
see River.
President Davis visited us on the 25th.
and the next day inspected the army
When riding along the lines many OF the
men called out loudly Give us John
ston, "Send Gen. Johnston back and we
viii whip Sherman yet" and many similar
remarks to which the President made no
reply.
On the 2Sth we were formed i'm line. and
not until the head OF the column started
northward did we know what direction we
would take. We crossed the Chattahoo-
chez on the 10Th, and our corps was de
t3ched from the main army, Loring's Di-
vision striking the railroad at Acworth
where We captured a blockhouse, with $50
prisoners.
French s Division attacked Allatoona, and
after desperate battle was repulsed by
the garrison under Gen. Corse. We then
followed the railroad, tearing up many miles
track, demoiShing cars, and destroying
everything which could be of any use to
the Federal army.
On the 10th Of October we passed through
the battlefield OF New Hope Church This
battle was fought on the 25th Of May, when
the trees were in full leaf, ard by getting
on an elevated place we could see the line
of-hattle stretching out for miles, and
trace the exact position OF the two armies
by deadened timber from one quarter to
half mile in width.
had often heard it remarked as being
strange that 50 few men were killed in bat
tie, considering the number Of shots fired
but here vas visible solution Of the mys-
terry. The trees between the lines were
literally torn TO pieces on both sides, and
while quite number of bullets struck as
low as d mans head, large majority OF
them ranged from 10, 20 and 20 feet from
the ground, proving that most of us, under
the excitement, aimed too high.
On Oct. II Sherman crossed the Chatta-
hoochee with 900 men and followed on
our trail, but Gen. Hood being unwilling to
risk d battle, kept moving on, and after
chase OF several days Sherman gave il up,
returned TO Atlanta, and shortly afterwards
started on his memorable March tc the
Sea"
We reached Dalton on the 18th, where we
captured 600 prisoners, 800 OF whom were
negFos, and these were the last Federal
troops we saw until We arrived at Decatur
Ala.
from Dalton we turned in a southwest
erly direction and marched to Gadsden
Ala, where Gen. Beauregard met us and a
consultation was held TO decide whether
we should follow Sherman fas he wouldn't
follow us) or go on into Tennessee II was
finally decided to 20 on and leave the
enemy unmolestcd in their march through
Georgia, rather an unusual thing for two
opposing armies to be going as fast as
they could in opposite directions.
Accordingly the head of our column was
turned northward again and after a few
DAYS Of hard marching through Sand Mount
aims we struck the tennessee Valley above
Decatur, then down the Valley we went,
and at Decatur found a garrison strongly
| fortified. We expected To have TO storm
! the works, but j presume Ger. Hood
! thought il not of sufficient Importance to
| Justify the loss il would necessarily entail
| TO take the place.
But, we remained here two or three days,
/ during which time ] had a little adventure
which came near proving serious to me.
! Our company Was sent out on picket and
was placed, say, 300 yards in advance
! OF the company, IN the edge OF an old field.
/ The country was open for half Il mile or
more, and seeing no sign of an enemy
walked out a short distance into the field
to get the benefit OF The morning sun, and
taking a seat, thought | would have a
good easy time until my relief came around.
But i'm this | was disappointed, for>I had
scarcely got comfortably fixed when zip,