The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-30


9th Of July, in front of Atlanta, 1 was sit
ting at my headquarters conversing with
some of my staff. A person, whom l did not
recognize in the cleaning, approached. He
called his name (Which, in the lapse of
years. / have forgotten) and. to my sur
prise he turned out to be the aid who
was wounded on the 9th of May. 1 con-
graduated him on his rapid and unexpected
recovery. CThe truth is | had believed he
would surely die.) He replied, Il am here
general, and have come to thank you for
my life but for the whisky you gave me-
!, would have died before | got back to
the field hospital He made the famous
march to the sea" and through the Caro-
linas and Virginia to Washington.
ADVERSE CONDITIONS.
Resuming the battle narrative 1 remark
that on account of the adverse circum-
stances and conditions under which the at
tack made knew that the only hope
of success consisted in making the attack
with the greatest possible vigor, dash and
ferceness. Hence I instructed the com
mander of the leading brigade to press his
brigade forward, when the movement COM
menced rapidly and vigorously. At 4:30
o'clock p. m. precisely, 1 gave the order to
attack, and, with its front we'll covered
with, skirmishers, the column moved for
ward. and never have troonS marched 70
a deadly assault. under the most adverse
circumstances, with more firmness with
more true soldierly bearing, with more dis
tlnguished gallantry.
on, on, on through the thickest Jungle
over exceedingly rough and broken ground
exposed to the sharpest direct and cross
ire of musketry, as well on both TANKS &C
IN front, the leading brigade (the Second1
moved, followed by the other two brigades
IN close supporting distance, right up to the
enemy S main line Of works Under the I'M
WaVering steadiness of the advance the fire
from the enemy's works began to slacken.
and the troops behind those works first be-
gan perceptibly to waver and then give
in
that, as far as any opposition directly in
front was concerned though that was ter
fDIe enough, the enemy3s strongly-fOrtified
position would have been forced but the
flank fire, particularly on the left flank of
the column. which at first was only en-
echarpe became, as the column advanced
first enilading and finally took the first
line of the column partially in reverse
causing the column to halt 1t from
this fire the supporting division on the left
should have protected the assaulting col
umn, but it failed to do so.
Under such a fire no troops could MAIN
tain the vantage ground which had been
gained, and the leading brigade, which had
driven everything in it's front was COM
PEELED to fall back short distance to Sc
cure it's TANKS (Which were crumbling away
under the severe fire. by the irregularities
of tho ground.
1t is proper to observe here that the bri-
gade of the Twenty-third CorDs which had
been ordered to take post so as to cover
the right flank of the assaulting column
failed, by some mistake, to get into po-
[ may also observe here that on account
of the denseness of the jungle and the
irregularity of the surface l was unable to
follow the movement of the corps on horse
back, and was compelled to dismount and
follow the head of the assaulting column
On foot.
From the position taken by Hazen's bril-
gade when it retired short distance from
the neemys works a deadly fire was kept
up. which was evidently very CALLING to the
foe. Hazen's brigade was engaged about
fifty minutes. 1t had expended the sixty
rounds of ammunition taken into action by
the men; it had suffered terribly in killed
and wounded, and the men were much eX-
hausted by the furiousness of the assault,
as well as by the long and tiresOme march
preceding the attack. Consequently. l or
dered this brigade to be relieved by the
First Brigade. Col. William II. Gibson,
Forty-ninth Ohio commanding.
THE ASSAULT RENEWED.
So soon as the First Brigade had relieved
the Second Brigade, I ordered Colonel Glib
son to renew the assault. 1 hoped that.
with the shorter distance the brigade would
have to move, after beginning the assault,
to reach the enemy's works, and with the
assistance of the knowledge of the ground
gained in the first effort, a second effort
might be successful 1 trusted also some
arrangements had been made to protect the
TANKS of the assaulting column This had
been partially but by no means effectually
done.
At the signal to advance the First Bril-
gade dashed handsomely and CALAMITY for
ward to the enemys works. Men were
shot down at the very base of the rude but
strong parapet. But again the terrible fire
on the TANKS and especially the enfilading
fire on the left, was fatal to success. In
addition, the enemy had brought up fresh
troops and greatly strengthened the force
behind his intrenchments. This fact had
been plainly observed by our troops, and
was subsequently fully corrObOrated by
Confederate prisoners.
The First Brigade, after getting so near
to the enemy's works, and after almost
Brigade to fall back a short distance-some
seventy or eighty yards--tO seek shelter
under cover of the inequalities of the sur
face. Thence it maintained a sturdy con-
test with the enemy, combining him to his
works till its ammunition was expended
q observe here, owing to the circuitous
route through dense forests pursued by the
division in its quest for the enemy's right
flank, it was impossible to take any ammu-
milton wagons with the command. After
the point of attack had been selected,
road was opened and the ammunition train
brought up; but it did not come up until
The First Brigade had suffered very Sc
Verely in the assault. This fact, in connec-
ton with the expenditure of its ammuni-
ton, induced me to order this brigade to
be relieved by the Third Brigade Colonel
knef1er, Seventy-ninth Indiana, command
ing. Colonel Knetier was ordered to sim
ply hold the ground already gained with
out renewing the assault. The purpose of
holding the ground was to cover the bring
ing off of the dead and wounded. Colonel
Knefler's brigade at once engaged the en-
envy sharply and confined him to his in
trenched lines. Meanwhile every effort was
being made to bring off the wounded and
killed This work of much difficulty.
The ground was unfavorable for the use of
the stretchers darkness was coming on
apace, and the whole had to be done under
the fire of the enemy. OF course, under
such circumstances, the work could not
be done with the completeness desirable,
and the subsequent evacuation of the posi-
ton by the enemy revealed from the nu-
merous and extensive places of sepuIture
JUST outside of his lines, that many who
were at first reported as missing were
killed in the terrific assaults.
1t is proper to remark that when the
Second Brigade was relieved by the First
Brigade a portion Of the troops of the for
emy's works; so. also, when the First Bri-
gade was relieved by the Third Brigade a
detachment OF the former held on near to
the enemy's lines. These gallant officers
and soldiers remained on the field. bravely
keeping up the conflict till the Third Bril-
gade was drawn off at 10 o'clock p. m.
About 10 O'Clock p. m. the enemy rushed
over his works and pressed forward rapid
Kneher's brigade In the long conflict
which the brigade had kept up it had eX-
pended it's ammunition to within two or
three rounds. Reserving it's fire till the in
distant, the brigade poured in a terrible
and destructive VOlley, and was then hand
sOmely and skllfully withdrawn, with the
portions of the other two brigades that had
remained on the field, by its gallant and
most sensible commander.
The enemy was brought to a dead halt by
the last Voley. Not the slightest further
pursuit was attempted by him Thus ended
cisely at 4:30 o'clock p M, and ragged in
the height of it's fury till o'clock d. m.