The National tribune., 1906-05-24
XIV.

manders 10 Cut Lines of Ccmmunfc:'
tfon-Capture of StOueman.
The following extract frcln letter OF
Gen. Blair to Maj. J. E. Austin, of New
Orleans, who served with great distinc-
tion in the Tennessee Army from the
beginning to the close of the war, will
be read with interest, as the writer
commanded a corps in McPherson's
army during the battle of the 22d of
July. This letter was in response to
one from Maj. Austin in relation to
different events connected with the
Georgia campaign and touching the two
battles under discussion
Clifton Springs, February, 1875.
"Of the affair at Peach Tree
Creek I know very little, and that only
from the report of the officers engaged
I'm it. Our troops there were under COM
mand of Gen. Thomas, who had about
$4,000 men. Our losses were very Sc
we're. and the fighting was very heavy.
"On the 22d of July my corps held
the extreme left of our army. We were
well intrenched along the McDonough
road, running about north and south.
The reports which we got from the
front early in the morning indicated
Mcpherson, under whom l served, with
several other officers and myself, rode
out to the front to observe what was
going on, and, if possible, to make up
our minds as to the nature of the move
ment which was being made. We ap-
preached the city near enough to see
plainly that a large body of troops were
moving out of the city toward the south,
and great numbers Of the citizens, in
90 +l.n 1o-a. 4I,x
tops of the houses, as if they were ex-
pecting some movement to take place
which they were desirous of seeing; yet
the Confederate intrenchments, imme-
diately in front of us, were full of men,
who, however, did not fire upon US, al
though we were very near them and in
plain view. Mcpherson said that he
believed that the enemy were abandon
ing the city and were in full retreat,
and that the citizens were on the tops
of the houses expecting to see our army
enter the city. AS we rode back to our
lines Gen. Mcpherson repeatedly ex-
pressed his opinion that the Confeder-
ates were retreating, and would aban-
don the city to US. / rode with him to
his headquarters, and after I had been
there some half hour we heard skir-
nishing in our rear, Immediately in the
direction of Decatur. Gen. Mcpherson
ordered me to send back to the rear
two regiments to protect our hospitals.
executed this order, and as these regi-
ments were moving 60 the rear one d.
vision of the Sixteenth Corps, which had
been ordered by Gen. Mcpherson to take
position on my extreme left, made its
appearance in rear of my position, on
q road known as the Clay road, and at
right angles with the McDonough road,
along which my corps was intrenched.
The Attack Opens.
"Just as this division halted, about
500 yards in rear of my line, heavy
Diminishing commenced on the ex-
treme left of my line. I hastened to-
ward the front of the line, and as I
reached skirt Of timber which inter-
yened between me and the line, 1 saw
Gen. Mcpherson, accompanied by one
orderly. enter this piece of timber in |
front of me. In few minutes 1 heard
q heavy discharge of musketry, and Nc |
Pherson's horse came out Of the timber |
riderless.
"The division Of the Sixteenth Corps, !
10 which / have alluded. in a very few
moments became heavily engaged, and
] became aware of the fact that my
whole position had been turned, and
that the enemy were pressing with
full force upon the rear and flank of
my position. Gen. Mcpherson had been
Killed in attempting to reach my line, |
on a road over which he had ridden
away from that line short time be-
fore, in the full belief that the enemy
were in retreat.
81 was only able to reach the line by
making detour to the right. and
reached 1t at a point where 1t Joined the
Fifteenth Corps, TO find the whole OF
my line fighting from the reverse of
my intrenchments
THE Confederates were very much !
scattered, and, l dare say, fatigued by |
their long and swift march, and did not |
make very vigorous attack. The di- |
version created by the division of the
Sixteenth Corps was also a very great
assistance to Us. We had hardly got
rid OF the attack in our rear before we
were assailed from the direction of At
lsnta, but this attack was easily re-
pulsed in my front, although it was
more successful on the front of the
Fifteenth Corps, which was broken and
driven from its intrenchments by large
body OF Confederates who had collected
IN the rear of a large house which
had been allowed to stand a short dis
tance In front Of our line. II stood on i
the main road from Decatur to Atlanta,
and for some reason had not been de-
stroyed, as IL should have been. A large
of this house. and when this attack was
made they precipitated themselves on
the line of the Fifteenth Corps, driving
them from their intrenchments.
When l saw that the Fifteenth Corps
had been driven from their intreuch-
ments, knowing that the position of nv
corps had been completely turned | was
convinced that / should not be able to
maintain my position; but the Fifteenth
Corps rallied gallantly, and recovered
their lost ground.
although the attack upon us was re-
newed again and again, both from the
front and rear, we were still able 10
maintain our position. Late in the day
1 drew out my forces from the line
which they had occupied and took up
q new position, extending from the hill
where nay right had formerly rested and
extending toward the position in which
have described the Sixteenth Corps to
have occupied in my rear. This new
position prevented the enemy from tax
ing me in the rear.
we had barely time to throw up a
very light rife pit before the enemy
attacked us with great vigor In our new
position, and, when night closed I'm
upon us, the fighting till continued. and
the lines were so close that 1t was inn
possible for a person looking on TO tell
one line from the other, except for the
direction Of the fire from the muzzIes
of their guns.
On the next morning at 10 O'clock
we mad truce for burying the dead.
AS we had given up the greater mart of
the ground over which the battle had