The National tribune., 1906-05-24

| son came Up and engaged the enemy
| With equa. SPIRIT and success.
The fof1owingo dispatches were re-
reived from Gems. Wheeler and Iver-
| son. Wheeler says:
I'VE have justEcanpleted the killing,
capturing and ureaSing up of the en-
| tire raiding partyJunder Gen. McCook-
| some $50 prisoners two pieces of artil-
| ery and 1900 horses and equipments
captured"
Iverson, the same date:
Gen. Stoneman. after having his
| force routed yesterday. surrendered
with 500 men; the rest of his command
| are scattered and flying toward Eaton
| ton. Many have been already killed
and captured"
Gen. Shoupe, recording these two
| kilograms in his diary. states that Iver-
son also captured Two pieces of artil-
lery, and remarks that the 1st day of
August deserves 10 be marked with a
white stone" He. doubtless in common
| with every SoutheEner. experienced
deep concern In regard to the Federal
prisoners at Andersonville. as it was
| reported that Sherman had arms in
readiness for their use. Fearful indeed
would have been the consequences had
they been turned loose upon the coun-
try in its unprotected condition.
Had the authorities at Richmond be-
'ieved that Gen. Johnston would have
abandoned the strongholds of the
| mountains, they would assuredly have
removed these prisoners before the Fed
erals crossed the Chattahoochee.
Gen. Sherman, in reference to his
plan of operations at this time, writes:
MY plan of action was to move the
Army of the Tennessee to the right rap
idly and boldly against the railroad be-
low Atlanta, and at the same time to
send all h,t ha ioh
and left to make lodgment on the
Macon road about Jonesboro."
Shermnn's Plan of Operations.
The flanks of the Federal army were
at this juncture so well protected by
the Chattahoochee and the deep ravines
which run down into the river that my
antagonist was enabled TO throw his
entire force of cavalry against the Ma
con road, and but for the superiority of
the Confederate cavalry he might have
succeeded to such extent as to cause us
great annoyance and subject our troops
TO short rations for a time.
After the utter failure of this expert
ment Gen. Sherman perceived that his
mounted force, about 10000 in num-
Der, in concert with a corps of infantry
as support, could not so effectually de-
stroy our main line of communication
as to compel us to evacuate Atlanta, as
the subjoined extract will indicate:
II now became satisfied that cavalry
could not. or would not, make suffi-
cient lodgment on the railroad below
Atlanta, and that nothing would suffice
but for US to reach it with the main
army"
Wheeler and Iverson having thus
thoroughly crippled the Federal cav
airy. L determined to detach all the
troops of that arm I could possibly
spare, and expedite them, under the
command of Wheeler, against Sher-
mans railroad to Nashville, at the same
time to request of the proper authori-
ties that Gen. Maury. commanding at
Mobile, be instructed to strike with
small bodies the line at different points,
in the vicinity of the Tennessee River
and also that Gen. Forrest be ordered
with the whole of his available force
into Tennessee for the same object. I
intended Gen. Wheeler should operate,
in the first instance, south of Chatta-
nooga.
1 was hopeful that this combined
would compel Sherman to re-
treat for want of supplies, and thus all
low me an opportunity to fall upon his
rear with our main body. 1 expressed
this hope in dispatch of Aug. 2 to
President Davis. In reply thereto, and
L presume also to a letter indited the
eHsuiHS udy' Dut OF winch possess no
copy, he sent the following telegram:
Richmond. Aug 5, 1864.
Gen. J. B. Hood:
yours of Aug. 3 received. concur
In your plan, and hope your cavalry
will be able to destroy the railroad
bridges and depots of the enemy on the
line to Bridgeport, so as to compel the |
enemy to attack you in position or to |
retreat. The loss consequent upon at
lacking him in his intrenchments re-
luires you to avoid that if practicable. |