Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-09
CAPTURE OF ATLANTA.
Notable Ineident DESCRIBED by Geo,
John ceburn, who Also Makes
q Correction

Few men have led a more useful life
than Gen. John Coburn, of this city. A
Just and wise judge, q useful membes
OF congress and q publc-spirited c5ti
zen, the encomium Of well done, taos
good and faithful servant" NAV wed
be credited to him, now, though he A
. yet In the full flush of lusty manhso4
and probably will be spared to the cen.
munity for many years, saws the Lad
annapolis Press. He resigned a seat an
the bench to fight his country's battspa
Returned to his first sphere Of ussess
ness after the war, he was elected Il
the house OF representatives, and while
q member OF that body successfxasz
Fought to have Spanish retained n
the curriculum at West Point, to hs.xe
headstones placed at soldiers Rrazes
and to deny promotion to soldiers va
were 1nebriates. He also promoted n.
soldiers Orphans home.
1t is not generally known that Il A
70 Gen. Coburn that the honor Of har
ing captured the city of Atlanta dor
ing Sherman's march to the sea rhs,.ra
be accorded. Let Gen. Coburn ten kis
own story OF the surrender. He sazns
Dur1ng the march to the sea WA
serving directly under Gen. William @
ward, one Of the ablest generals Of ths
civil war. The day previous to the saz>
render he had sent out Col. Higgins %
make a reconnaissance in force, but Rlz.
gins had been driven back with cousld.
cradle loss. / was then ordered to faks
out large force Of men and ascertstz
nj hA
could push on toward the CITY. We
started before daybreak and wenE En-
toward Atlanta. We proceeded alo1a
cautiously until we came to the eoa,
1ederate breastworks In front OF tAs
city. Meeting no opposition, and In ox>
Ger to avoid any ambush ordered
skirm1sh line to proceed cautiously
and learn If possible the force of mes
behind the breastworks. In hak a
three-quarters OF an hour the detacA.
ment returned and reported to me thaf
the works were deserted. I then e.
dered the whole force to proceed to tn
city of Atlanta, and sent on ahead
small detachment commanded by Caak
Scott, brotherin-law Of GEN. Has>
rlson, and Frank Crawford, of TeErs
Haute, and other officers. The enfkrs
force followed this detachment
when we had penetrated the citY n
few blocks one of my orderlies oaNed
my attention to a group OF men ID q
side street, standing under q trcs eaA
waving white flag. I rode up towsra
the party with my stan and was con.
fronted by Mayor Calhoun. He sur-
rendered the city to me and axked PRO-
lection for life and property. askea
him II there were any armed men In the
city. Yes, said he, Gen. Ferguson Is n
command of a brigade OF mounted mea.s
Well replied, you see we are gsins
into the city, and IL we meet opposite
we shall fight If our progress 10 is.a-
Peded, II Gen. Ferguson stays and
fights, / cannot promise you protectioa.
In that event do not know what WIN
happen. We shall not offend peaceahss
citizens, and there shall be NO molesta,
ton OF property. We are not on Loot
Ing expedition
Il accepted the surrender of the cs<x.
and rode on with my staff. Going fsssS
ther into the town found THAI Gen.
Ferguson and his entire brigade had
hed without firing gun, although Aks
force was much larger than mine.
saw Mayor Calhoun once more and toSx
him where my headquarters would be.
and assured him that If any of my mea
were guilty of conduct unbecomiss
union soldiers, II he would report the
circumstances to me would see thaa
the offend ers were punished. 1 at oass
sent messenger to Gen. Slocum, wAs