The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-02-18
SHERMAN'S MEMOIRS.
(Continued from first page. )

Ol1LN MAN " M LVlS1l\Os
Continued from first page)
rection. Its possession would be threat
to Marietta and Atlanta, but could not
then venture to attempt either till | had
regained the use Of the railroad at least
as far down as its debouche from the
Allatoona range Of mountains. There
fore the movement was chiefly designed
to compel Johnston to give up ALA
toona.
On the 25th all the columns were
moving steadily on Dallas-McPherson
and Davis away off to the right, near
Van Vert; Thomas on the main road
in the center, with Hooker's Twentieth
Corps ahead, toward Dallas, and Scho-
field to the left rear. For the conven-
fence of march, Hooker had his three
divisions on separate roads, all leading
toward Dallas, when, in the afternoon,
as he approached bridge across Pump
kin Vine Creek, he found it held by a
cavalry force, which was driven off, but
the bridge was on fire. This fire was
extinguished, and Hooker's leading di-
vision (Geary'O followed the retreating
cavalry On a road leading due east
toward Marietta, instead Of Dallas.
This leading division, about four miles
out from the bridge, struck heavy in
fantry force, which was moving down
from Allatoona toward Dallas, and a
sharp battle ensued. / came up in per-
son soon after, and as my map showed
that we were near an important cross
road called
"NEw HOPE"
from a Methodist Westinghouse there Of
that name, l ordered Gen. Hooker to
secure it, if possible, that night. He
asked for a short delay, till he could
bring up his other two divisions, viz, of
ButterfieId and Williams, but before
these divisions had got up and were de-
ployed, the enemy had also gained cor
responding strength. The woods were
SO dense, and the resistance so spirited,
that Hooker could not carry the posi-
ton, though the battle was noisy and
prolonged far into the night. This
point, :" New Hope" was the accidental
intersection of the road leading from
Allatoona to Dallas with that from Van
Vert to Marietta, was four miles north
east of Dallas, and from the bloody
fighting there for the next week was
called by the soldiers " Hell-Hole."
The night was pitch-dark, it rained
hard, and the conveyance Of our col
umns toward Dallas produced much
confusion. / am sure similar confusion
existed in the army opposed to us, for
we were all mixed up. slept on the
ground, without cover alongside of
log, got little sleep, resolved at daylight
to renew the battle, and to make lodg
ment on the Dallas and Allatoona road
if possible; but the morning revealed a
strong line of intrenchments facing us,
with heavy force of infantry and guns.
The battle was renewed, and without
success. Mcpherson reached Dallas that
morning, viz, the 26th, and deployed
his troops to the southeast and east Of
the. town, placing Davis's Division of
the Fourteenth Corps, which had joined
him on the road from Rome, on his left
but this still left gap of at least three
miles between Davis and Hooker.
also, Gen. Schofeld was clos
ing up on Thomas's left.
Satisfied that Johnston in person was
at New Hope with all his army, and
that it was so much nearer my objective,
the railroad, than Dallas, I concluded |
to draw Mcpherson from Dallas to
Hooker's right, and gave orders accord
ingly; but Mcpherson also was cou-
fronted with heavy force, and, as he
began to withdraw according to his Or
1ers, on the morning Of the 2Sth he was
fiercely assailed on his right; a bloody
battle ensued, in which he repulsed the
attack, indicting heavy loss on his as
and it was not until the 1st of
June that he was enabled to withdraw
from Dallas, and to effect close juno
ton with Hooker in front of New Hope.
Meantime Thomas and Schoield were
their deployments, gradually |
overlapping Johnston on his right, and !
thus extending our left nearer and nearer
to the railroad, the nearest point of
which was Acworth, about eight miles
distant. All this time continual bat
tie was in progress by strong skirmish-