The National tribune., 1899-07-06

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on July % We remained in our breast
works three or four days waiting for them
ito come again, but they only kept up brisk
skirmish fire from their trenches.
Our regiment received orders on July 26
to he ready to withdraw quietly from the
works that night Our skirmishers kept
up brisk fire on the whole line, in order to
deceive the rebels as much as possible:
About o'clock in the morning we pulled
out and the Corporais and privates didn't
know anything about where they were
going or what they were to do, but had a
pretty good idea that there was another
scrap" on hand.
The night was very dark. Stumps,
roots and logs made very rough road to
pass over. Each man who had one placed
his tin cup in his belt in the rear, so his
file leader could have some little guide.
About o'clock on the morning Of July 27
we stopped in the rear OF the Fourth Corps,
and while we were eating our breakfast my
brother and several companions of the 18th
about the impending battle.
By this time the Coporals and privates
had learned the object of our slipping away
from the enemy the night before. Now we
were on our way to the extreme right OF
the whole army, and July % was the day
appointed for the Army of the Tennessee
to give the Johnnies a real good thrashing,
and then the city of Atlanta would be ours.
Some of the rebel prisoners said they only
had one more killing for yo' Yanks," and
we went to that battle-ground with no ex-
pectation but to show the Johnnies. if they
would meet us in open field, how We would
end that long campaign.
We reached our destination about a
o'clock p. m. The army formed two lines
Of battle, but did not advance. Orders
were not to make fires. We ate our hard
tack and pork without coffee to assist it
ri a ,slI1
and just as day began to show reused and
ate hasty breakfast.
The regimental colors were all unfurled
clear along the lines, and do not think
ever before looked upon our banner with
such enthusiasm as then. The lines
moved forward promptly, but slowly at
first. and carefully, with a strong skirmish
line in advance. The rebel pickets were
soon encountered about half past nine
o'clock, but our skirmishers had no trouble
in pushing them back, and still our lines
advanced slowly, keeping well dressed
| About 1890 o'clock the skirmishing
became more spirited and the bullets began
| to zip! zip! over our heads. But our battle
lines continued to advance, driving the
enemy until, about II o'clock, We gained
high ridge running parallel with our
| lines, and as we assembled it there hurst
upon our sight the rebel lines of battle down
in the valley, approaching us, with their
battle-fags bravely floating amid the
glitter of countless weapons
| When the battle opened, as it did soon
after, the 32d Ohio was in the second line
The first line had gained the ridge and
built temporary breastworks by throwing
rails and stones together, or even placing
knapsacks on the ground, and with half
canteens piling up the sand for little pro-
| lection. When the rebels got near enough
| to our lines for us to see the whites of their
eyes. the 32d Ohio received orders to right
face, forward, double-quick time, to the ex-
treme right of the battle line, as the John
MES were trying the same tactics they had
tried on July %, to overlap our line and get
on our flank and rear.
] remember, as we were passing to the
right, just little in rear of the line of battle,
seeing Gen. Logan on his black charger
right on the first line of battle, amid the
storm of lead and iron, calm as though on
dress parade. When we reached our des-
tination on the right we front-faced and
charged up very rocky hill.
When we reached the summit we saw
more rocks than rebels. ! rather think
they found out in some way that the 32d
Ohiowas coming after them, and skedaddled
down in front of the Fifteenth Corps, who
did them up nicely that afternoon.
The 32d held the hill all that afternoon,
losing few men, if any, because the rocks
make pretty good breastworks. The hard
est fighting OF the day was done by the
Fifteenth Corps.
About o'clock p. m. the battle closed,
the rebels having been defeated all along
Army of the Tennessee victors again, and
in the last hard battle near Atlanta. ID.
HoRD, Corporal, Co. b, 32d Ohio, Taylor
yille ILL.,