The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-06-17
A SHNGUINHRY CONFLICT.
Battle of New Hope Church as Viewed b
One In the Ranks.

Battle of New Hope Church as viewed by
One In the Ranks.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I do not
know why Gen. Sherman should pass the
battle of New Hope Church with such slight
mention as he gives it in his Memoirs. 1t
was important enough to the enlisted men
engaged. / remember well the part played
by the Seth Ohio On May %, having just
passed the Alatoona Range, we were ordered
to move forward on the Dallas road. Our
First Brigade, Second Division, Twentieth
Corps, was in front-the 2Sth Pa. first the
Goth Ohio next Shortly after noon, with
out warning, a volley was fired into our adj
vance from a rebel picket on the bank of
Pumpkin Vine Creek. We routed the enemy,
and found bridge ON fire; we soon ex-
tinguished it. These pickets kept up rum
ming fire, to delay our progress as much as
possible. We gave hot chase, and captured
a score or more of them.
After we had advanced three or four miles,
skirmshing all the way, we struck the main
force of the enemy. Some delay was made
in getting up the First and Second Divis-
ions of our corps We could not dislodge
the enemy who stubbornly held the crest of
hill and improvised rife-pits. As rein
forcements came to both armies, the fighting
became more general.
Heavy clouds completely overcast the sky.
The lightning was terrific. The rain poured
in merciless torrents, and still the deadly
conflict ragged. About midnight, lille max
ing movement to the right, our regiment
ran plump against the rebel line. They
opened fire at less than 10 PAGES. A hand
to-hand conflict ensued for several minutes.
Just which party gave way no one attempts
to say.
We continued our movement to the right
short distance, and crouched as best we
could to await daylight. About o'clock
| the battle was opened on our right, and we
fastened to support our Second Brigade.
Here large ravine ran nearly due east and
west. Across this the Confederate forces
had thrown up rife-pits, felled trees, and
| piled up rocks, making formidable work.
It was with difficulty that our artillery
| could be brought to bear on this point, and
| then with little effect.
We charged three times, but human en-
| durance was not sufficient for sach task.
The enemy had direct fire from behind
those works, with an enflade by artillery
| and musketry from either flank, under
| which nothing could possibly survive.
"Johnny Reb the Private" rebel SOL
der who wrote humorous little book after
the war, says he was in this place five days
and nights, and that 5000 men could have
held Sherman's whole army then for q
| month, if no flank movement had been
| made. He estimates the killed of the YAM
kee army in front Of He'll Hole at 1900
Gen. Sherman, in his Memoirs, does not
give any estimate of our loss in this six days
battle. Yet, in his official report for the
month of May, he gives the losses of the
| Army Of the Cumberland (the Fourth, Four
teenth, and Twentieth Corps, commanded
by Gen. Thomas) at 1924 killed and 1862
wounded; total, 1856. This army did most
of the fighting at New Hope, McPhersons
army being on our right, at Dallas and
Schofeld's Army of the Ohio on our left,
near Allato0na Pass
So meager has been the written history OF
the battle of New Hope Church that most
people have been led to believe that it was
a nero skirmish along Pumpkin Vine Creek.
In truth, it was the most sanguinary con-
test fought in the Atlanta campaign between
Dalton and the Chattahoochee River
THOMAS A. BURNS, Co. A, 66th Ohio, Yer
! sailles, O.