The National tribune., 1909-02-25

wardly a country road a mile east of
that from Adairsville, to be in position
to fall upon the flank of the Federal
column when it should be engaged with
Polk. An order announcing that we
were about to give battle was read to
each regiment and heard with exulta-
ton. he replied that an Aid-de-Cam
Gen. Hood marched back about two.
and formed his corps facing TO our right
and rear. Being asked for an explana-
ton, he replied that an Aid-de-Camp
had told him that the Federal army
was approaching on that road. Our
whole army knew that to be impossi-
| BILE. 1t had been viewing the enemy in
| the opposite direction every day for
two weeks. Gen Hood did not report
his extraordinary disobedience, as he
must have done had he believed the
story upon which he professed to have
acted. The time lost frustrated the de-
sign, for success depended on timing
the attack properly.
Mr.. Davis conceals the facts to i'm
pute this failure to me thus: The battle,
for causes which were the subject of
dispute, did not take place.
Instead of his attacking the divided
columns of the enemy, the united Fed
eral columns were preparing to attack
him. There was no dispute as to facts.
AN attack, except under very favor
able circumstances, being impossible,
the troops were formed in an excellent
position along the ridge Immediately
south of Cassville, an elevated and open
valley in front and deep one in rear
of it. Its length was equal to the front
of Hoods and PoIk's and half of Har-
dee's Corps. They were placed in that
order from right to left.
''As I rode along the line while the
troops were forming, Gen. Shoup, Chief
of Artillery, pointed out to me a space
of $50 or 200 yards, which he thought
might be enfiladed By artillere~on a hill
a half mile beyond Hoods right and in
front of the prolongation of our line.
IL the enemy should clear away the
thick wood that covered it and estab-
lish batteries. He was desired to point
out TO the officer who might command
there some narrow rayines very near.
in which his men could be sheltered
from such artillery fire, and to remind
him that while artillery was playing
upon his position no attack would be
made upon it by infantry. The enemy
got into position soon after our troops
were formed, and skirmished until
dark, using their field pieces freely,
During the evening Licut.-Gens. Polk
and Hood. the latter being spokesman.
asserted that a part of the line of each
would be so enfladed the next morninp
by the Federal batteries established on
the hill above mentioned that they
would be unable TO hold their ground
az hour, and therefore urged me to
abandon the position at once. They
expressed the conviction that early the
next morning batteries would open upon
them from hill, then thickIy covered
with wood and out of range of brass
held pieces. The matter was discussed
perhaps an hour, in which time | he
came apprehensive that as the COM
nlanders of two-thirds of the army
thought the position unrenable. the
opinion would be adopted by their
troops. which would make 1t so. There
iore yielded Lieut.-Gen. Hardee
whose ground was the least strong. was
full of confidence. Mr.. Davis saws CRiss
and ran Vol. ii, p. 533) that Gen.
Hood asserts. in his report and in a
book. that the two corps were on
ground commanded and enfladed bv
the enemy's batteries. On the contrary
they were on a hill, and the enemv
were IN valley, where their batteries
We're completely commanded by ours"
Johnston and Davis.
1t will be observed that much of the
above Is devoted to the rancorous dis
pute between Johnston and the Presi- |
dent of the so-called Southern Confed- |
eracy. Davis and Bragg assailed John
ston, bitterly for not fighting at Cass.
vile, and they had the strong supporr |