The National tribune., 1909-02-04
The Movement Begins.

began the LSoufederates were to be
pressed hard and rersistentiy at all
points, so that they could not detach
from one army to help another. II was
therefore agreed between Grant and
Sherman that the Army Of the Potomac
Sherman from Chattanooga on the
same day. May 4. both armies to push
forward increasingly until the enemy
In front of them was destroyed.
The movement began precisely as or
dered. Sherman himself marched with
the Army of the Cumberland directly
upon Johnston, behind the high granite
wall of Rocky Face Ridge. On the
same day Cen. Schofefd, With his 15.-
600 availabIes from the Army Of the
Ohio, wars to march down from East
Tennessee by the way Of Cleveland to-
ward Red Clay, Ga, where he would
threaten JohnstoRs right flank. 1t was
very necessary that this movement be
made with the greatest discretion, since
Sehofield was far out Of reach of sup
port and II was possible for Johnston
to suddenly drop everything, fall upon
him and overwhelm him. The Army Of
the Tennessee was the farthest away
bs the question OF rations compelled 1t to
be distributed along the railroad to
Nashville, and it was thus longer in
concentrating than the others. 1t was
depleted by the loan TO Gen Banks for
his Red River Expedition Of a magnid-
cent division CT 1900 men, under that
splendid old fighter, A ]. Smith.
Johnston offered no resistance to the
army moving out OF Chattanooga, and
May 7 Gen Thomas had the Fourteenth
Corps advanced from Ringgold to Tuu-
mel Hill, where il came in touch with
the Confederates. The Fourth Corps,
under Gen. Howard, went from Catoosa
Springs to DR.. Lees house, where II
Il 1o fra
Schofeld's Twenty-third Corps at Red
! Clay. The Twentieth Corps, under Gen.
; Joe Hooker. moved by Lee & Gordon's
Mills into Degwoed Valley, near Trick
um, where it was about three miles
( south and TO the right of the Four
teenth Corps MeCook's Division of
cavalry covered Schofield's front, and
advanced as far as Varnell Station
AS the Army Of the Cumberland
moved out Of Chattanooga, Mcpherson
came up with two corps of the Army
of the Tennessee, and moved far to the
right aad south. aiming upon Villa
now. All these movements were made
with the greatest pGnctuality and pre-
cision, and inspired the troops with
high hopes. No one knew better than
the common seldier when the army of
which he was a small unit was well
handled, and now the men Of the diff
ferent component parts were filed with
the most unbounded enthusiasm to see,
as they crossed the nights, troops miles
away to the right and left moving
steadily forward, in accordance with
an evidently weH-arranged plan.
So far the only fighting had been a
brush with the enemyis cavalry for the
I Possession of Tunnel Hill. and suffi-
ciently spirited TO check Palmer's al
vance until the Fourth Corps deployed
on the eBemy's left, when the cavalry
retired thru the gap at Mill Creek. be-
| hind Rocky Face Ridge
Up Asas.st the Granite wan.
On Nov. the Fourteenth corns
found itself sgusrrsiy confronting the
cloEd-reaching palisades of the Rock .
| Face Ridge. Only imperfect ipforma-
ton had been gained ~ to the exact
| position Of the enannx and th~ r,<..~