The National tribune., 1897-03-18

1 Il. In., anu enueu SUBSTANTIALLY w r. liz
1t was fierce attack by the enemy on
our extreme right flank, we'll posted and
partially covered. The most authentic
account of the battle is given by Gen.
Logan, who commanded the Fifteenth
Corps, in his official report to the AdJu-
tant- General of the Army of the len
nessee, thus:
HEADoUA RTERs FIFTEENTH CORPS,
BEFORE ATLANTA GA, July 29. 1864.
Lieut.-Col. WM. L. CLARKE Assistant AdJu-
tant-General, Army of the tennessee
present.
COLONEL: have the honor to report that
in pursuance of orders, / moved my command
| into position on the right of the Seventeenth
Corps which was the extreme right OF the
army in the field during the night OF the 27th
and morning of the 2Sth; and, while advanc-
| lug in line of battle to a more favorable posi-
tion, we were met by the rebel infantry OF
Hardee's and Lees Corps, who made deter
mined and desperate attack on US at 1l:3O a.
N. of the 2Sth yesterday.
My lines were only protected by logs ana
rails. hastily thrown up in front OF them
The first onset was received and checked,
and the battle commenced and lasted until
about 5 o'clock in the evening. During thnt
time six successive charges was made. when
were six times gallantly repulsed, each time
with fearful loss to the enemy.
Later in the evening my lines weSs several
times assaulted vigorously, but each time with
like result.
The worst of the fighting occurred on Gen.
Harrow's and Morgan l.. Smiths fronts, which
formed the center and right of the corps.
The troops coald not have displayed greater
courage, nor greater determination not to give
ground had they shown less, they would have
been driven from their position.
Brig.-Gens. c. r. Woods, Harrow, and Morgan
L. Smith, division commanders are entitled to
equal credit for gallant conduct and skill IN
repeling the assault.
Ny thanks are due to Maj. Gems. Blair and
Dodge for sending me reinforcements at time
when they were much needed.
My losses were 80 killed. 449 wounded, and
73 missing; aggregate, 572.
The division of Gen. Harrow captured five
battle-fags. There were about fifteen hundred
or two thousand mnskets left on the ground.
One hundred and sixty prisoners were capt
| ured, exclusive of 73 wounded, who were sent
to our hospital, and are being cared for by our
Surgeons.
Five hundred and sixty-fve rebels have up
| to this time been buried, and about two hum
| dred are supposed TO be yet unburied-
| A large number of their wounded were un-
| doubtedly carried away in the night, as the
| eneMy did not withdraw till near daylight.
| The enemy's loss could not have been less than
| G,000 or 1000 men.
more detailed report will hereafter be made.
lam, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
| JOHN A. LOGAN,
Major General, commanding Fifteenth Corps
Gen. Howard, in transmitting this
report, added:
! Iwish to express my high qualification with
| the conduct of the troops engaged. / never
saw better conduct in battle. Gen. Logan,
| though i'll and much worn out, was indeiatig-
| able and the success of the day is as much at
tributable to him as to any one man.
This was, of course,
THE FIRST FIGHT
in which Gen. Howard had commanded
the Army of the Tennessee, and he evil
dently aimed to reconcile Gen. Logan in
his disappointment, and to gain the
heart of his army, to which be was a
stranger. He very properly left Gen.
Logan to fight bis corps, but exposed
himself freely; and, after the firing had
ceased, in the afternoon he walked the
lines; the men, as reported to me,
gathered about him in tie most affection.
ate way, and he at once gained their re.
spect and confidence. To this fact / al
the time attached much importance, fol
it put me at ease as to the future conduct
of that most important army.
At no instant Of time did | feel the
least uneasness about the result on the
2Sth, but wanted to reap fuller results
hoping that Davis's Division would
come up at the instant of defeat, and
catch the enemy in flank; but the wood:
were dense, the roads obscure, and az
usual this division got on the wrong road
and did not come into position until
about dark. In like manner, thought
that Hood had greatly weakened hi;
main lines inside of Atlanta, and accord.
ingly sent repeated orders to Schofeld
and Thomas to make an attempt to break
in; but both reported that they founo
the parapets very strong and full manned
Our men were unusually encouraged
by this days work, for they realized tha
we could compel Hood to come out from
behind his fortified lines to attack us a
disadvantage. In conversation will
me, the soldiers of the Fifteenth Corps
with whom | was on the most familia
terms, spoke of the affair Of the 2Sth a
the easiest thing in the world; that, il
fact, it was common slaughter of tn
enemy; they pointed out where tn
rebel lines had been, and how the
themselves had fired deliberately, ha
!. shot down their antagonists, whose bodie
e still lay unburied, and marked plainl
s their lines of battle, which must hav
:. halted within easy musket-range {
e our men, who were partially protecte
by their improvised line of logs an
fence-rails. All bore willing testimon
to the courage and spirit of the foe, VIII
d though repeatedly repulsed, came bac
+ with increased determination some 81
u or more times.
&c To be continued