The National tribune., 1902-09-25

Ine DaIIle OF atldUtd CUHtiHuCu lui Ihto
the night. Confederate forces on no held
ever exhibited higher courage or persist,
ence. They were the assailants here, and
were determined to succeed. But they
were successfully met and resisted. Fol.
lowing is statement from Gen. Dodge:
GEN. DoDGE's REPORT.
"Hearing the shots, Immediately sent
orders to the Second Division to go into
line on the ground it then occupied, facing
east and south: At the same time or
dered Gen. Fuller to post one regiment to
cover the right flank of the Second Divi-
sion. The Second Division had hardly
gone into position when it was discovered
that the enemy was in heavy force IN our
front. Gen. Fuller perceiving this. or
dered out his entire brigade instead of one
regiment, and went into position on the
right of the Second Division. Two batter
les Oh, 1st Mo-, and 18th Ohio Battery
We're posted in the center of the Second
Division.
Scarcely was the line formed when the
enemy in three columns emerged from the
timber on our left, front and right. My
whole line Immediately became hotly en-
gagged, and the fact of the enemy occupy
ing the timber between ME and the Sew
enteenth Corps was clearly demonstrated.
/ saw that l could not prolong my line
to connect with the Seventeenth Corps,
lOHS Dcil VI lying pSt"Vch my
right and its line of battle, that faced
west. l sent an Aid to Gen. Giles A.
Smith notifying him of the position of
the enemy, and requesting that he would
refuse his left in order to form a con-
nection with my right. Seeing that the
enemy was pressing in column still be-
yond my right and far down the line of the
Seventeenth Corps and its rear, l sent
another staff officer to Gen. Smith, who
found him hotly engaged and then unable
to connect.
"The enemy pressed forward in my
front and left, exposing the flank of his
center column. Detecting this, l at once
pushed forward the 18th Ill. and S1st
Ohio which caught the enemy partly in
flank. Our fire in the front and flank was
so destructive that he soon gave way. A
charge was ordered. and his two columns
in my front and left were broken and
driven back to the timber. Gen. Fuller
at the same time ordered charge on his
front, which was CALAMITY made, and
the enemy driven from it. The enemy.
pressing past my right in the timber, had
not ere this been fully developed. Gen.
Fuller's advance soon drew a heavy fire
on his right flank. He promptly drew
back the regiments that had charged,
changed front to the rear under Calling
fire, and moved on the enemy in the tim
Der. clearing that point.
Lie USUtiUS Ou lily TlSHt, OF TdtHeT Ill
rear of my right. continued heavy, and l
Immediately made preparations to con-
meet as near as possible with the Sevens
teenth Corps, so as to bring the enemy
entirely in our front. Ascertaining where
the left of the Seventeenth Corps rested,
it having refused its line in order to
check the column passing in its rear, my
right was swung around, using the left
as pivot, until my command occupied
line facing little west Of south, and
a short distance to the rear of my first
line. Temporary intrenchments were i'm
mediately thrown up.
Maj.-G Mcpherson fell on the right
of my line about one hour after the COM
mencement of the battle, but it was not
known to me for some time after. As
soon as i ascertained that fact l sent
staff officer to yMaj.-Gen. Logan to re-
port the exposed condition of my left,
and request that troops be sent there;
also reporting the gap between me and
the Seventeenth Corps. A brigade (Col.
Martins) of the Fifteenth Corps was i'm
mediately sent to the left, arriving Just
as the enemy again made his appearance
on my extreme left; but his demonstra-
tion was weak and soon repulsed."
ATTACK on THE SEVENTEENTH CORPS.
Gen. Blair, all the while in the thickest
OF tie fight, and critical observer of
everything that occurred on that event
full day, gives graphic account Of the
battle The following quotation is made
from his official report:
when / reached my headquarters,
coming from the front with Gen. McPher-
sen, / received information that an at
tack had been made on my hospitals in
rear by small party of the enemy's
cavalry and that Col. Alexander, my As
sistant Adjutant-General, had taken a
small company of infantry and gone to
their assistance. l sent to Gen. Leggett
for regiment of infantry to protect the
hospitals and move them nearer to the
front. In half an hour or less there was
sharp skirmishing in the rear and in
front of Gen. Dodge's line, and it became
evident that the attack was something
more than cavalry raid on our flank and
rear. With this impression l started to
go back to my command, and witnessed
the first furious assault made on the Six
teenth Corps, and its prompt and gallant
repulse by that command.
1T was a most fortunate circumstance
for the whole army that the Sixteenth
Corps occupied the position / have at
tempted to describe at the moment of the
attack, and although it does not belong
to me to report upon the bearing and
conduct of the officers and men of that
corps, still / cannot withhold my express
sions of admiration for the manner in
WHICH Iuls cOmIfldHu met ana repulSed the
repeated and persistent attacks of the en-
emy. The attack upon our flank and rear
was made by the whole Of Hardee's
Corps. the divisions of Bate and Walker
falling upon Dodge's command, and the
divisions of Cleburne and Cheatham (un.
der command on that occasion of Gen.
Nancy striking my left flank and swing
ing around through the wide interval OF
gap between my extreme left and the
right of Gen. Dodge, and reaching my ex
treme right, and occupying the breast
works constructed by Gems. Leggett and
Smith in their advance upon the bald hill
and as far to the right of it as Gen
Leggetts command extended. At the same
time the enemy advanced upon my line anG
that of the Fifteenth Corps on nv right
from the direction of Atlanta, with Hood.
old corps; commanded on this occasion by
Gen. Cheatham. The Seventeenth Corp.
was thus completely enveloped. and at
tackled from the front, flank and rear. a,
DEATH OF GEN. MCPHERSON.
"Gen. Mcpherson was killed in attempt
ing to reach my command by the enem,
as they swung through the gap betweei
my left and Gen. Dodge's right, on tn
road which passes through the woods il
rear or my line. / was but a short dis
tance from him at the time, and saw hin
enter the woods and heard the voile,
which probably killed him and the yell
of the rebels which followed his fall
sent word Immediately to Gen. Logan
commanding the Fifteenth Corps, that
was satisfied that Ger. Mcpherson ha
been killed or had fallen into the hand