The National tribune., 1909-03-25

captured the 40th Ala, 329 strong. The
| next day Schofield, moving Hascalr 5
Division far to his right, managed by a
swift dash to get possession of some
high ground, from which his artillery
was able to enfilade a good deal of Har-
dees line, take part of it in reverse,
and to sweep the road from Gilgal to
Marietta for a considerable distance.
Therefore, Johnston, who had cOntem-
plated and prepared for this contin-
gency as usual, abandoned about six
miles of his intrenchments. and with
drew his left flank about three miles
to the rear and to new line of earth
works behind Mud Creek
| Searching for Johnston's Left Flank.
Sherman's position now was one to
call for his supremest anxiety. Johnston
had his army we'll in hand in a strong
| position. and every manuver which
Sherman made only strengthened his
enemy instead of loosening his hold.
When, for example, SchOfield outfianked
Hardee. and forced him to retire from
| six miles of works, Hardee only fell
back three miles to still stronger works
behind Mud Creek, and where he would
be in closer touch with the main army.
Thomas and Schofield had followed up
Hardee with the greatest promptness.
They brushed away Jacksons cavalry,
which sought to impede their advance,
and their artillery was brought well to
the front to engage and silence that
which the enemy might show in posi-
ton. Schofield pushed on down the
Sandtown road, with Cox's Division in
the advance. hoping to be able to pass
Hardee's left flank. When the valley
of Mud Creek was, reached it was found
to be wide stretch of comparatively
level ground havnnl ttrbio
cipitous cliff. On this was Hardee's
left, with sufficient batteries in position
to cover a mile or more of the open
bottom land. Cox's men saw a bare
round hill rising up from the level
ground about halfway to Hardee's po-
sition, and, rushing forward under fire
of the guns, secured its possession, while
Cockerill's Ohio Battery galloped for
ward to the hill, took position just un-
der the cover of its crest, and opened a
well-directed fire upon the enemy's
guns on the cliff. Cockerill handled his
guns with great skill, using the crest
for a breastworks and showing only the
muzzles of his guns over it
AS Cockerill was silencing one after
another of the opposing artillery Cox
brought his division to the support of
the guns, and his men lay down in the
bottom. Preparations were made to
reach out still further in search of Har-
dee's flank, but darkness came on, and
with it deluge of rain which swelled
the creek and arrested the movement.
On the night of June Is Hardee aban-
doned the Mud Creek intrenchments to
fall back behind Noyes's Creek, with his
extreme right behind MONDAY Creek.
These three creeks are tributaries of
the Sweetwater, which runs into the
| Chattahoochee, and therefore form 4
pass leading thru the mountains direct
| ,.rI .o1y t,o
Kenesaw line in reverse. The abandon
ment of the Mud Creek intrenchments
aroused hopes that the way was secure
to continue the flank movement upon
| Marietta, but this hope was soon rudely
dispelled.
Johnston had his forces so we'll in
Ihand, with the short lines of the interior
of a semicircle to move upon. that 1t
became hazardous to advance further
toward the right. A thinness might de-
lveIop in some part of the Federal line,
which Johnston would instantly take
advantage of to pierce with disastrous
results. Schofield was therefore pushed
forward carefully, and with proper re-
gard for this at every step, in the hopes
that he, on his part, might discover a
1 thin place in Johnston's line that could
1 be pierced. Johnston's line was now
over 10 miles in length. and Sherman
was convinced that he did not have men
enough to hold it properly at all points.
At Noyes's Creek, which was running
full banks. the enemy had removed the
lplanking. and on the opposite side were
lartillery and dismounted cavalry, which
jtspoke out very sharply at the appear
lance of Cox's head of column.
Cameron's Brigade. which was in the
advance, gained a good deal of credit by
the skilful way with which it managed
to effect crossing. This brigade con.
sisted of the 65th ILL.,, cath KY, 63d
Ind. and 103d Ohio. 1t went into posi-
ton as near to the creek as possible
and fortified it. Capt. Philip. C. Hayes
of the 103d Ohio, with a detail from all
the regiments in the brigade, wal
lcharged with the duty of effecting a
crossing. and he succeeded in taking
the enemy by surprise, from which they
did not recover until the whole brigade
had crossed and gained the crest. The
enemy rallied, and attempted to recover
the position. but were not only driven
back, but all the woods on their flank
were cleared of the enemy's skirmish'
ers. So effectually was this done that
the Gath KY. and 63d Ind. pushed for
ward on a reconnaissance to find thai
all the Confederates had withdrawn a
least two miles.
JOhnstOn's Statement.
Gen. Johnston's Narrative" show,
how the matter was viewed from the
Confederate headquarters:
Before daybreak of the 18th the
Pine Mount was abandoned and Bates
Division placed in reserve. The Con-
federate skirmishers were vigorously
pressed from right to left. Loring's
attacked in open ground and far il
front by a full line. were driven in ant
their ground held by the enemy.
"a division of State militia organized
by Gov. Brown, under Mai. Gen. G. w