The National tribune., 1897-03-25

tnstl tuG 2OlSS VA SAN NhiSA As~NA
defeated McCook would at once be on
the railroad about Marietta. AT the
same time Garrard was ordered to occupy
the trenches on our left, while Schofield' s
whole army moved to the extreme right,
and extended the line toward East Point.
Thomas was also ordered still further to
thin out his lines, so as to set free the
other division (Johnson's) of the Four
teenth Corps (Palmer's), which was
moved to the extreme right rear, and
held in reserve ready to make bold
push from that flank to secure a footing
on the Macon Railroad at or below East
Point.
These changes were effected during
the I'd and Sd days of August, when
Gen. McCook came in and reported the
actual results of his cavalry expedition.
He had crossed the Chattahoochee
River below Campbellton, by his pom
toon-bridge: had then marched rapidly
across to the Macon Railroad at Love-
Joys Station, where he had reason to ex-
pect Gen. Stoneman; but, not hearing
of him, he set to work, tore up two
miles of track, burned two trains OF
cars, and cut away FIVE miles of tele-
graph-wire. He also found the wagon
train belonging to the rebel army in
Atlanta, burned 500 wagons, killed 500
mules, and captured ~ officers and $50
men. Finding his progress eastward,
toward McDonough, barred by a su-
perior force, he turned back to Newman,
where he found himself completely sur
rounded by infantry and cavalry. He
had to drop his prisoners and fight his
way out, losing about 600 men in killed
and captured, and then returned with
the remainder to his position at Turner'S S
Ferry.
THIS WAS BAD ENOUGH,
but not so bad as had been reported by
Col. Brownlow. Meantime, rumors
came that Gen. Stoneman was down
about Macon, on the east bank of the
Ocmulgee. On the 4th of August Col.
Adams got TO Marietta with his small
brigade of 900 men belonging to Stone
mans cavalry, reporting, as usual, all
the rest lost, and this was partially con-
firmed by a report which came to me
all the way round by Gen. Grants
Headquarters before Richmond. A few
days afterward Col. Capron also got in,
with another small brigade perfectly de-
moralized, and confirmed the report that
Gen. Stoneman had covered the escape
of these two small brigades, himself
standing with a reserve of 700 men,
with which he surrendered to Col. Iver-
son. Thus another of my cavalry divis-
ions was badly damaged, and out of the
fragments we hastily reorganized three
small divisions under Brig.-Gens. Gar
rard, McCook, and Fitzpatrick.
Stoneman had not obeyed his orders to
attack the railroad first before going to
Macon and Andersonville, but had crossed
the Ocmulgee River high up near Gov
ington, and had gone down that river on
the east bank. He reached Clinton,
and sent out detacbments which struck
the railroad leading from Macon to
Savannah at Griswold Station, where
they found and destroyed IL locomotives
and over a hundred cars; then went on
and burned the bridge across the
Ocenee, and reunited the division before
Macon. Stoneman shelled the town
across the river, but could not cross over
by the bridge. and returned to Clinton
where he found his retreat obstructed
as lie supposed, by superior force
There he become bewildered, and sacri
feed himself for the safety of his com
mand. He occupied the attention Of
his enemy by a small force Of 700 men
giving Coils Adams and Capron leave
with their brigades, to cut their way
back to me at Atlanta. The formel
reached us entire, but the latter wa
struck and scattered at some plac'
farther north, and came in by detach
ments. Stoneman surrendered, and re
mained a prisoner until he was ex
changed some time after, late in Septem
Der, at Rough and Ready.
I now become satisfied that cavalr,
could not, or would not, make suffici
ent lodgment on the railroad belo,
Atlanta, and that nothing would sufic
but for Us to
REACH IT WITH THE MAIN ARMY.
Therefore the most urgent efforts to tha
end were made, and to Schofeld, on tn
right, was committed the charge of thi
special object He had his own corp
(the Twenty-third) composed of HOY
infantry and 81 5 artillery, with McCcok'
broken division of cavalry, 754 men an
horses. For this purpose | also place.
the Fourteenth Corps (Palmer) unde
his orders. This corps numbered at til
time IL, ,2S6 infantry and S26 artillery
bat Gen. Palmer claimed to rank Ger
,, Schofeld in the date of his eommissio
I as Major General, and denied the latter
I right to exercise command over him.
Gen. Palmer was a man of ability
Z but was not enterprising. His thre
, divisions were compact and strong, we
commanded, admirable on the defensiv,
: but slow to move or to act on the offer
II