The National tribune., 1906-05-31
WASHINGTON THURSDAY,

snt. presume. amcng the captured
Confederate records. in Washington. i
regret / possess no copy for reference;
my memory. however, is quite clear as
to the result of the inquiry, which was,
In substance, THAI the Commanding Cen
eral had issued all necessary orders, and
was in no manner to blame; that ample
time had been allowed, and the road
left open long enough to have trans
ferred all stores, ETC., to a place of safe
ty in rear; and that the loss was to be
attributed to neglect of the Chief Quar-
termaster. The stores which had been
abandoned were blown up at about 2
o'clock on the morning of Sept. 2, and
the rear guard soon thereafter marched
out OF Atlanta. That night and the
morning of the Sd our troops filed into
position in Sherman's front, which was
then near Jonesboro. BY the 4th our
entire army was assembled at this point
on the Macon road.
Maj.-Gen. Gustavus w. Smith. COM
nlanding Georgia State troops. was di-
rected to proceed to Griffin and protect
our communications in that vicinity;
Gen. Jackson was ordered to keep active
scouts in the direction of Greenville;
Gen. Morgan to report to Jackson for
duty; Lewis's Kentucky brigade to be
mounted, and to use blankets in default
of saddles.
On the 5th Gen. Morgan was ordered
back to assume command of the cavalry
on the right; the corps commanders
were instructed to use every effort TO
gather up absentees; the Chief Commits
sary was directed to keep on hand five
days rations of hard bread: Maj. Beech
er, Quartermaster, to confer with Maj
Hallett, Superintendent of the railroad,
in regard to means to facilitate the
transportation of supplies. and to issue
shoes and clothing forthwith upon their
receipt.
On the 9th the Federals withdrew
from or immediate front, and moved
off in the direction of Atlanta. Gen.
Sherman published orders stating that
his army would retire to East Point
Decatur and Atlanta, and repose after
the fatigue of the campaign through
which 1t had passed. We were apprised
OF these instructions soon after their
issuance-as well as of nigh every i'm
portant movement of the enemy through
the vigilance of our cavalry, spies and
scouts and from information received
through Federal prisoners. Upon this
date it may be justly considered that
the operations round Atlanta ceased.
We had maintained defense. during i6
days. of an untenable position, and had
battled almost incessantly, day and
night, with a force of about $4,000
against an army of 10000 effectives.
flushed with victory upon victory from
Dalton to Atlanta. When we recall the
extent of the Generalization of the
troops at the commencement of the
siege, we cannot but recognize that the
Army of Tennessee was composed of
splendid material, and that its condi-
ton at Dalton justifieS the assertion of
its capability, by proper handling, of
having been made the equal of its coun-
terpart in Virginia. The non-fulfillment
,s,,a &c ut
tributable to the officers and men. The
fault lies at the door of the teacher in
whose school they had been trained;
therefore none of my countrymen can
hesitate to accord them the highest
praise for the patriotic and noble work
performed by them during the siege of
Atlanta.
How Sherman Might Have Done.
Having stated that our position at
Atlanta was untenable. / shall now un-
dertake to give proof of the correct
ness of my opinion by demonstrating in
what manner Sherman might have cap
tured the city in less than one-third of
the time he actually devoted to that
eEd, Notwithstanding the idle assertion
of Gen. Johnston that he could have
held Atlanta forever" also, to demon
strate that had / ventured to remain
longer than 15 days within the trenches
around the city Sherman could have
finally forced me to surrender, or have
put my army to rout in its attempt to
escape: and. lastly that he could have
attained his object with one-fourth the
loss he sustained during siege of 46
days., provided ne had availed himself
of the natural advantages afforded him.
The Federal commander chose well
his crossing of the Chattahoochee, as
he approached Atlanta, and the move
OF Mcpherson and Schofeld upon the
Augusta road was ably conceived and
executed. Thomas, however. should not
have formed line of battle along the
lower part Of Peach Tree Creek with a