The National tribune., 1906-05-03

be replaced by recruits. because all the
recruiting depots had been drained to
| reinforce either Lee or Johnston.
could therefore hut make the best dis
| positions in my power with the re-
| duced numbers Of the army, which op-
posed force of 100000 Federals buoy
ant with success and hope. and who
were fully equal TO 100000 such troops
| as confronted Johnston at Dalton by
reason of their victorious march of 100
miles into the heart of the Confederacy.
The Battle OF Peach Tree Creek.
Accordingly, on the night of the 18th
and morning of the 10Th, formed line
of battle facing Peach Tree Creek: the
left rested near PAGES Ferry road and
the right covered Atlanta. l was in
formed on the 18th that Thomas was
building bridges across Peach Tree
| Creek; that Mcpherson and Schofied
We're we'll over toward, and even on,
F., the Georgia Railroad near Decatur. l
| perceived at once that the Federal COM
| mander had committed a serious blum
| der in separating his corps or armies
| by such distance as to allow me to con-
centrate the main body of our army
upon his right wing, whilst his left was
| so far removed as to be incapable of
| rendering timely assistance. Gen. Sher-
mans violation of the established max
! i'm that an army should always be held
well within hand, or its detachments
within easy supporting distance, af-
forded one of the most favorable occa-
| sionS for complete victory which could
| have been offered, especially as it pre-
sented an opportunity, after crushing
| his right wing, to throw our entire
| force upon his left In fact, such
| blunder affords a small army the best,
| If not the sole. chance of success when
contending with vastly superior force.
Line of battle having been formed,
| Stewards Corps was in position on the
left, Hardee's in the center, and Cheat
| hams on the right. Orders We're given
to Gems. Hardee and Stewart to OBJ
serve closely and report promptly the
progress of Thomas in the construction
of bridges across Peach Tree Creek and
the passage of troops. Gen. Cheatham
was directed to reconnoiter in front of
his left; 10 erect, upon that part of his
line, batteries so disposed as to COM
mand the entire space between his left
and Peach Tree Creek, in order to
completely Isolate McPherson's and
Schofelds forces from those of Thorn
as and, finally, to thoroughly intrench
his line. This object accomplished, and
Thomas having partially crossed the
creek and made n lodgment on the east
side within the pocket formed by
Peach Tree Creek and the Chatta-
hoochee River. / determined to attack
him with two cOrps-Hardee's and
Stewards, which constituted the main
body of the. Confederate army-and
thus If possible, crush Sherman's right
wing, as we drove it into the narrow
space between the creek and the river.
Maj.-Gen. G. w. Smiths Georgia
State troops were posted on the right
of Cheatham, ,sand it was impossible for
Schofield or Mcpherson to assist Thom-
as without recrossing Peach Tree Creek
in the vicinity Of Decatur, and making
on the west side detour which neces-
STATED march OF not less than 10 or
12 miles. In order to reach Thomas's
bridges across this creek. / Immediate
ly assembled the three corps command
ers Hariee. Stewart and Cheatham, to-
gether with Maj.-Gen. G.. w. Smith,
commanding Georgia State troops. for
the purpose of giving orders for battle
on the following day, the goth of July.
Hosll's Plans.
7 here quote from my official report
written soon after these events:
"On the morning of the 10Th the
dispositions of the enemy were sub
stantially as follows: The Army of the
Cumberland, under Thomas. was in the
act of crossing Peach Tree Creek. This
creek; forming considerable obstacle
to the passage of An army, runs in a
nOrtheasterly direction, emptying into
the e9Chattahoochee River near the rail-
road crossing. The Army of the Ohio.
under Schoield, was also about to cross
east of the aBuckheadroad. The Army
Of the Tennessee, under. MCPHERSON
was moving on the Georgia Railroad
at Decatur. Finding it impossible to
hold Atlanta without giving battle, i
determined to strike the enemy while
attempting to cross this stream. My
troops were disposed as follows: Stew
arts Corps on the left, Hardee's in the
center, and Cheatham's on the right
intrenched. My object was to crush
Thomas's army before he could fortify
himself. and then turn upon Schofield
ana Mcpherson. To do this Cheatham
was ordered TO hold his left on the
creek, in order to separate Thomas's
army from the forces on his (Thom