The National tribune., 1902-10-23

the ridge, except at the extreme right Of
Gen. Cox's front. Gen. Reilly now adj
vanced with his brigade through the tim
Der Tor the purpose sa o. ho1e the ene nd
rapid, and reached almost to the breast
works of the enemy, but tire whole front
of the works was protected for nearly
100 yards in depth by an ENHANCEMENT of
the underground, which had been half cut
off, bent down and securely interlaced,
SO that it was almost impossible to ad-
vance. Gen. Bates's Division of Hardee's
Corps occupied the works. They poured
a destructive fire upon the assaulting col
umn and forced it to halt. This near ap-
proach of the Union forces to the Con-
federate works gave an opportunity to as
certain the character of the line. 1t was
found that the enemy's intrenchments ex-
tended along the ridge covering Gen. COX's
Division front with loop-holed head logs
and brush distractions in front. These
facts We're reported to Gen. SchOfield, who
gave orders that no further assault should
be made. Two regiments of Reilly's Bri-
gade were left to support the skirmish line
to prevent the enemy sending any portion
of their force outside their works. The
balance of the brigade was withdrawn.
This was bloody day for Gen. Reilly's
Brigade; the loss was more than 800 in
killed and wounded. The Sth Tenn, COM
manded by Maj. Jordan, of the 104th
Ohio, and the Tooth Ohio, commanded by
Col. p. s. Slevin, were particularly dis
tinguished for gallantry. Col Slevin was
severely wounded. Lieut.-Col. Motley,
commanding the skirmish line, and his
officers and men, received high praise for
their cOOlness and courage.
The rebel works proving too strong to
be carried by direct assault, Gen. Scho-
field promptly decided to try another plan.
Gen. HaskelPs Third Division of the
Twenty-third Corps being on the right Of
the line, was detached and ordered to find
and turn the enemy's left flank.
Gen. Haskell crossed the main branch
of the Utoy Creek about a mile and a
half to the right of the Union position,
and drove a large force Of the enemy S
cavalry, and swept around opposite the
point where the enemy's left rested on
Utoy Creek, but darkness and heavy
| rain-storm came on. and Gen. Haskell was
compelled to halt his column. The next
| morning Gen. Haskell found that the enc
| night, and had drawn back his left into
| his main works.
THE TwEyTY-THIRD CORPS CROSSES UToY
| CREEK.
| The right Of the Union line was now
| pushed forward from the center of the
Second Division Of the Fourteenth Corps
the line of the Fourteenth was extended
to Utoy Creek about two and half miles
| from East Point, while the Twenty third
| Corps crossed the creek and reconnoitered
| toward the railroad, between East Poin,
and Ee Oak, station on the West Point
| Railro ID about seven miles southwest OF
East i'oint.
The fact was developed by this recon
raissance that the enemy's line, strongly
fortified and protected by abatis extended
| beyond the railroad and far beyond thu
reach of a single corps, if it kept in toucl
with the balance of the army.
The Twenty-third Corps established .
line upon the south bank Of Utoy Creek
it was strongly intrenched and formed /;
safe right flank for the army.
These active operations for the seiZur'
of the railroad began on Aug. 4, and prac
tically ended on Aug. 8, when the Twen
ty-third Corps established its new line
The enemy had so far been able to defea
railroads south of Atlanta. Gen. Schc
field caused demonstrations to be mad
daily along his front, and there was som
skirmishing along the whole line, but nei
. ther army undertook to assault the work
! of the other; each had found to their sor
row that well-fortiied line, suitably an
, ranged for artillery, protected in from
by the usual means to embarrass and dc
lay an assaulting column, and well-mar
ned by veteran troops, could not be carries
by a direct assault.
There was pause for four days
j, Nothing occurred along these strongiy-for
tilted lines to startle either officers or men
Gen. Sherman was then revolving in hi
mind the question Of withdrawing tn
major part of his army from his work
around Atlanta and marching in fore
against the enemy's line of communica
ti0ns. he had come to the conclusion tina
his cavalry force was not of sufficien
strength to take and hold the railroad
south OF Atlanta and destroy them suffl
GENTLY to prevent their quick repair an
use. The campaign SO Tar had been
! splendid success.
81 The losses on the Union side had beel