New-York tribune., 1911-11-05
Capture of Atlanta
Continued from fifth page.

scene or a crucial Dattle, WHICH,, OOuDlitSS'
sherman wished it could be, Mcpherson and
his veterans of many conflict were pick
ing their way down through the narrow
twilight gorge between beetlug cliffs and
over the dry bed OF the creek. When the
latter came out upon Resaca. six miles be-
low. he found that two Confederate bri-
gades had arrived before him and were
strongly intrenched. Mcpherson, unaware
OF the strength of the forces in Resaca' III
obedience to previous orders, drew back
and awaited further instructions. Sherman
now convinced that Dalton was not TO ne
won by force from JohnstOn's army OF 6o-
OOo-odd. followed Mcpherson through the
dim. rough highway, leaving Howard
corps and Stoneman's cavalry to Keep
Johnston occupied and to follow him II lie
left Dalton. Johnston was not long WIN
out knowledge of Sherman's departure anu
General Polk. who had just come mp from
the South TO Resaca, with thirteen hrlsaoeS'
sent him word that he had seen laree
force pouring out Of the gap on the west
I, WAS now MAY 1e That night Johnston
began the first Of his series OF mastery
-otroerada rnovements The next day found
him ready 20 meet Sherman's army Wl','li'
line of works previously prepared lof
such an eventuanty. ,o
sherman was no more successiui me-
than at Dalton. despite the hVely oruSn1
with the enemy. Continuing TO teei ms
uav 70 the right. with the idea OF cu'''Is
Johnston's communications with 'he sou'"'
,vhue holding his attention In 'front.' ne so'
.orre troops across the Oostenaula River
This was the first OF the water barriers
which would have to be passed over ."
Tho ,vav 10 the heart of Georgia. johnston
once more retired. this time to the south
side Of the river, burning his bridges oe-
hind him. Three years of warfare hdu
,sueht the Union army how 10 do thihsS
expeditiously. and the building OF DrldseS
and the digging of intrenchments 'while
Won wait" were only part OF the day
xyork Therefore the fact that johnston
had burned his bridges did not worry or
s.on sherman lie simply replaced them
and moved on after his foe.
Johnston did not stay his feet at Calhoun
or Adairsvine, as he had expected to DO
for he found that the country was not as
described on his maps. So he pressed on
toward the Etowah River, the second
water barrier on the way to Atlanta, divid-
ing his army at Adairsvile. Hardee fol-
lowed the NdllEOdu u TNiiSoNOAf "iiN'O w.
line was Joined by branch from Rome.
Hood and Polk advanced across country 70
the left 10 Cassville, a village about two
miles north Of the railroad. Thomas fol
lowed Hardee, while Hooker and Schofeld
marched in the footsteps of Hood and Polk'
Here. Johnston thought was his oppor-
tunity TO defeat Shermans army piecemeal
but through lack Of cooperation between
Hood and Polk, whatever chance he had
failed Hearing the booming of Thomas's
guns as Hardees soldiers moved out OF
Kingston before them, he feared he would
have the whole of Sherman's army TO face
at one time. This was a little too much
Although he had issued an address TO the
army. in which he had stated that retreat
ing was over and decisive battle was TO
be fought with the enemy, at the urgent
importantly of two of his generals he
withdrew across the Etowah River, leaving
a field which he thought admirably adapted
10 his purpose General Sherman. into
whose hands copy Of Johnston's general
order had fallen. was astonished when, on
the morning OF May 90 he came upon the
warm embers Of the abandoned camp Of
the Confederates, for he thought that now
the long desired decisive battle was TO be
fought Fate was against him, and there
was nothing to DO except take up the pur-
suit once more.
No time was lost. Establishing a new
base Of supplies at Kingston on the rail
road line and throwing bridges over the
Etowah with that tremendous speed that
had become the habit of the army he went
on He decided to leave the railroad, for,
q short distance beyond it wound through
q rugged gorge called Allatoona Pass, |
which could be defended altogether too cas-
fly. He would march again TO his right |
and feel again for Johnstons communica- |
tions. He must nave that battle before |
Johnston got across the Chattahoochee and |
into Atlanta. He was as anxious about |
this as Grant was 20 have a conclusive bat |
tie before Lee should get back to Richmond |
So he marched his armies across country |
20 the west Of the railroad and the hills !
enclosing the pass. Johnston was quickly |
aware of this new move and hurried his
troops westward 10 meet him. The two ar
mics met on May % at the cross roads called
New Hope Church. about four miles north
east of Dallas. All through the day Of May
Se the two armies tired experimental move
Ynents on each other Neither side gained
any special advantage, but as the evening
shades blotted out the grim relics Of battle
St became clear TO Sherman that he con-
trolled all the roads leading 20 Allatoona
Pass and that the railroad up to that point
was his II he could only move his troops
over TO II. The enemy. however. was too
keen-eyed, too ready to attack. 1t was not
until June 1 that he was able to dsengage
his forces sufficiently TO get them over
where he wanted them. The process Of let |
ting go was so hot that his soldiers styled
the neighborhood of New Hope Church
"Hell Hole" a name which, doubtless was
not accepted by the sanguine congregation
of that house of worship, although they may
have felt that they had received sniff Of
the breath of that tabled abiding place Of
the damned.
Johnston always knew when he had lost
and when discretion became the better part
of valor. He knew that the real name of
New Hope was Recent Hope, abandoned his
lines and fell back once again, this time
10 Kenesaw Mountain. Here Sherman's
troops took places around him while he
put the finishing touches upon series Of
impregnable works previously erected by
slave labor These were so formidable that
q heavy assault ordered by Sherman was
of no avail. Their cOmpactness was such
that only portion Of the Union army was
required 10 hold the enemy tight within
them. With a part OF his force Sherman
could renew his favorite project of feeling
around Johnston's flank. for the latters
communications. He tried It again around
Johnston's right. The Confederate general
80 d frng h oFridn M