The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-07-10

ported by Gen. Butterfeld's Division.
with Geary's Division in reserve. In this
order the three divisions moved upon the
enemy In the advance Gen. Rutterfield
directed his brisadeS toward the TANKS Of
Williams's Division, thus extending and
Strengthening Gen. Williams's line, which
became heavily engaged The Union
forces fought with great gallantry, and
drove the enemy for some distance. The
main body of the Confederate forces We're
strongly massed in an intreDched position,
with both infantry and artillery. To meet
the attack of Wiliams's Division. Gen.
| Williams kept up the fight until after 6
O'Clock p. H.. when Gen. Hooker ordered
Geary to relieve Williams's Division.
Gen. Geary's troops had been in the
| reserve for a short time; this gave them
4 breathing spell, so that when the order
came for them to relieve Gen. Williams
Division they promptly responded.
OF this movement Gen. Geary says:
The movement ordered for my division
WAS made with great rapidity. through a
dense woods swept by very heavy artil-
lery and m,Isketry fire. The discharges
of canister and shell from the enemy We're
heavier than in any other battle Of the
| can paign in which my command was en-
gagged, the troops Of Gen. Wiliiams's Divi-
sion were relieved by this movement. and
Cchna ms Brigade and portions Of
Ca-idy's Brigade engaged the enemy
furiously at short range, driving him
again until after dark; when my COM
mand was halted close under the enemy's
! batteries and the Entertainments near New
| Hope Church. The night was intensely
dark, and very severe thunder storm,
! with cold, pelting rain, added TO the
| gloom. 1t was, therefore, impossible to
| form 4 regular line with the troops, and
all the disposition of them we could
make was by the fitful flashes of light
! ming. Breastworks were thrown up as
/ fast as possible during the night, and the
! dead and wounded were all cared for be-
! fore morning"
| The effort to capture New Hope Church
and its crossroads did not succeed. That
| position had already been fortified by or
der Of Gen. Johnston. The main line Of
works was on a hill where forts with re-
entering angles were constructed for II
pieces of artillery; it was from the guns
| of this fort that Gen. Geary's Division
was cannonaded in their movement TO re
lieve Gen. Wiliams's Division. On the
part of the Union forces not a cannon
was fired. This battle was fought in so
dense forest that the Union artillery
could not be brought into action The
sole dependence of the Union soldiers was
upon the muskets and their indOmitable
valor.
While the battle of May % was raging
at New Hope Church, and the roar of
cannon could be distinctly heard by Gen
Thomas, he continued his march south to-
ward Dallas over a number of roads. As
the heads of columns converged towards
| Dallas and Il suitable defensive position
was sought to he established for the night
| there was considerable confusion. but cv-
cry officer and soldier in the entire com
mand from right TO left knew his duty and
was prepared to perform it. Strong
guards were thrown out to prevent sur
! prise. Night came on, and with it came
terrific storm of lightning thunder and
| rain; no buildings, no tents, no shelter of
any kind was at hand to protect these de-
voted men from the cold, drenching rain:
officers and men alike simply submitted
TO the inevitable without complaint. Gen.
| Sherman, who commanded that great
| army, like the rest, sought repose on the
ground without cover, by the side of a
leg. Under such conditions these men,
| like the mariner at sea in a storm, wished
| for the morning.
Thus ended May % with~the left wing
Of the Army of Georgia. They had
crossed the Etowah River two days be-
fore without opposition, and now they
were confronting their old antagonist with
confidence. The result of this days move
ment gave direction to future operations.
and reduced the sphere of military activi-
IL,
sherman to hold onto the route over
which he came from the river, so that if
1t became necessary for him to do so, he
could bring forward supplies from King
stOn.
When the morning of May &c dawned
both armies were on the alert, ready for
action. Gen. Sherman decided to renew
the battle for the possession of New Hone
Church, and 10 concentrate Gen. Thomas's
whole command against the enemy ut that
place. To that end Gen. Thomas was or
dered to change the direction of his march
eastward to New Hope instead of south
ward to Dallas. Gen. Mcpherson with
the Army of the Tennessee and Gen.
Daviss Division of the Army of the Cum
beriand was to be left to deal with the
rebel forces which might be assembled at
Dallas. Gen. Thomas promptly turned
his head of columns eastward; Mai. Gen.
Stanley's Division Of the Fourth Corps