The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-04-02

as we'll, ''veteranized'' for
three years, or during the war.
In the Spring of 1864 the Seventeenth
Corps Joined Sherman at Chattanooga,
where he was preparing for the Atlanta
campaign. However, l had been sick in
hospital at Mound City, ILL.,, and was not
able to rejoin my company until just after
the battle of Peachtree Creek, where
Sherman defeated Hood, driving him into
Atlanta. l was proud to learn that the
Seventeenth Corps had won imperishable
laurels in that engagement, but regretfu!ly
found that there was not one commis-
stoned officer in Co. Il. / was promoted to
Second Sergeant, acted as Orderly, and
for a time was in command OF the COM
pany. my duties in consequence being o.
in arduous and miscellaneous character.
ATLANTA.
We had been moved around to the
northwest of Atlanta, and, July IS, we
were moving slowly through the woods
and field toward the city. Suddenly our
skirmishers encountered solid line OF
Hoods army advancing toward us. The
Confederate General was making move
ment similar to the one he made against
our left at Peachtree Greek. The Eff
teenth Corps was on our extreme right.
and this time Hood struck BLACK Jack
Logan. The fighting was extremely des-
perate, the battle opening about l p. m.
and closing at q.
The 18th Iowa was lying in reserve,
about 300 yards east, in plain view OF the
fight. About 3 o'clock the enemy broke
portion of the line, causing regiment to
withdraw. Gen. Logan sent to Gen. BEL
KNAPP for regiment to close the gap.
Then was our time. Gen. Belknap took
the 18th Iowa and went double-quick to
the point indicated. Hating in ravine,
h., a., IL la nrIar
us to fix bayonets and charge. The rebels
fought bravely, but we drove them back
and closed the gap. The Confederates
made daring assaults along our line, but
were invariably repulsed. In that battle
Gen. Howard commanded the Army OF the
Tennessee, he having succeeded Gen. Nc
Pherson, who had been killed in 4 pre-
battle, Gen. Howard walked along the
entire length of the line, congratulating
the troops upon their signal success.
Sherman kept moving his lines nearer
the rebel Notifications, crawling up under
cover of darkness and digging pits III
which we could conceal ourselves during
the day. In the 10 or II days manuver-
ing we ascertained beyond a doubt that
the Confederates had strong Notifications
all around Atlanta. Both sides INDUCED
in a great deal of sharpshooting, and
think that in the game we lost two men
where the rebels lost one. DR.. Fisk, As
sistant Surgeon, lying on his cot in his
tent, was killed by musket ball fired by
some rebel sharpshooter.
Upon one occasion we were ordered to
be in readiness to march by 8 O'Clock at
night. There was no beating of drums,
no blowing of bugles. The orders were
spoken in whispers. The wheels of wagons
and artillery were muffled. We then
marched to the rear, perhaps half mile.
The direction cbDnppi nn1 a
marched west and southwest, led by the
pioneers. All this time skirmish line,
with here and there a piece of artillery,
confronted the enemy, to make them
think we were ''all there as usual. About
daybreak We heard the whistle of loco
motive south of u.s.. Then there was
cheering instead of whispering, and in an
astonishingly short time ''Sherman's bum
mers'' were strung along that railroad for
miles, and what they did to it was a.
plenty.
We learned subsequently that the train
was a Special going into Atlanta. the
passengers being notables who expected to
join in a celebration of Sherman's retreat
lorthward.
The enemy had one road left running
Into Atlanta from the south. Within As
hours they Were deprived of that one. too.
We marched upon it in broad daylight 1t
Is unnecessary to say what We did with it.
Gen. Hood withdrew into the city. and
soon thereafter retreated southwark, Sher-
man pursuing as far as Lovejoy Station.
.Ien. Sherman moved US back TO At
lanta, ana in general order said that
since starting on the Atlanta campaign
We had been 81 days unde. fire, and that
he would give q some much-needed rest.
sTIIg AFTER HOOD.
We had rested some eight or 10 days.
when we received orders TO march, Hoods
army was in our rear attempting to cut
our communications. The enterpfiSin2
Hood had attacked the garrison at ALA
toona. an important strategic point Being
defeated there, he continued to move
nOrthward.
1 think it wss the next day after leav-
ing Atlanta that we marched 30 miles,
hating at shutdown to camp for the night
We supposed. We had scarcely eaten our
regulation" supper-hardtack, ''s3w-
belly and eoffee-when our division, then
commanded by Gen. Giles A Smith, was
ordered to march. We were Informed
that Hood was trying to capture Resaca
The pioneers blazed the way for us across
an exceedingly rough country to a railway
station 1G miles distant. There we
boarded stock cars that carried US 60
miles north to Resaca, in time to save the
place.
On the next day. four or five miles out
battle at Snake Creek Gap. Their resist
ance at this point, however, was merely to
hold our advance, that they might facili-
tate their retreat through the gap, or pass.
which is narrow and about 10 miles long.
Their pioneers followed in their rear. fell
ing trees across the road TO retard our
pursuit. Gen. Sherman sent detach-
ment around with a view TO intercept the
rebels at the upper end of the pass, but
the detachment got there too late. We
continued 70 march northward, but we
never saw Hoods army again.
N A Low GREEN VALLEY.
We were now ordered over into north
ern Alabama for a little rest in some
rich valley where We could find forage and
plenty of good water. We found just that
kind of q place. 1t was delightful. The
people were exceedingly hOspitable, and
treated us with kind consideration. In
that little valley / saw a lady, so years
old, who said she was born there and had
never seen q town.
One night while j was stationing q
picket guard along the mountain side n
big bear was scared from his lair and
started down the mountain, it appearing
TO me that he took his tail in his mouth
and rolled down. An old settler told me
that when the bears of that locality
wanted TO descend mountain Or hill
they lust doubled 'emselyes up and rolled
down." as they could go easier and faster
in that manner than on their feet.
When we regretfully left that pleasant
Alabama valley we again marched in the
direction of Atlanta. AT Kenesaw Noun