The Washington herald., 1914-07-22
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
July T. ISs4-The Confed Defending Atlanta Against Gen. w.
Skerman Army Delivered Fierce Attack Upon Fedas Outside
the Dsfens.s City, and Were RpudDeath Maj
B. McPherson

Fifty years ago today the Confederates
under Gen. John B. Hood. defending
Atlanta, Ga, against Gen w. 7. Sher
mans army, delivered a fierce attach
upon the Federals outside Of the city
and were repuIsed with heavier los:
than they had before sustained IN the
campaign.
Yet the Federal triumph in the days
lighting was immeasurably outbalancec
by the loss OF one OF their best-loVec
and most capable leaders-Mat. Gen
James B. Mcpherson. commander Of the
Army of the Tennessee.
Any advantage which may have beer
gained in the battle would gladly have
been sacrificed TO save McPhersons lie
He was idolized by his men, respected by
the leading military commanders OF both
sides and especially beloved by both
Gems. Grant and Sherman. The latter
on taking supreme command in the West,
and being forced to relinquish command
OF the Army OF the Tennessee, had hand
ed over the reins Of authority TO Gen
Mcpherson. believing him best htted &c
lead the men to further victories
The attack upon the Union positions
was planned entirely by Gen. Hood. who
on July II. had succeeded Gen J. Z.
Johnston. in command OF the Confed'
crate army.
On July 20 Gen. Hood had unsuccess-
fully assaulted the Federals along Peach
Tree Creek, Immediately nortA OF At
lanta, and been obliged TO withdraw his
men behind the citys defenses-
As a first step TO carrying out fresh
attack Gen. Hood ordered the evacuation
OF the outer defenses OF the city in the
night Of the 2lst The next morning the
Federals took possession Of the aoan-
doned works and prepared to extend
their lines around Atlanta.
March TO Federal Rear.
AT noon on July 2. Gen. sherman's
three armies were in these positions;
The Army OF the Cumberland was north
Of the city. the Army OF the Tennessee
astride the Augusta Railroad. east OF H.
and the Army OF the Ohio between the
two. All were in full sight OF the
enemy's interior line Of defenses. Gen.
Sherman's headquarters being at the
Howard house. near the Federal center.
The real danger point to the Confed'
crates was on the extreme LETT ot the
Army Of the Tennessee. which threat
ened TO overlap their lines and enter the
city from the southeast. Consequently
Gen. Hood had determined TO strike II
IN the flank and rear and, il possible
10 throw II back upon the rest of the
Federal army.
Hoods inner line being much shorter
than that he had abandoned, could be
manned by smaller shrdluetaOlnshI
Gen. C L. Stevenson's corps TO guard
the north and Gen. B. F. Cheatham
corps the east of the city. with stron2
body Of Georgia militia between them
Gen. Hood Withdrew Gen. ". L. Har'
dee's corps. about 1900. and sent IT tc
attack Gen. McPhersOn's army.
Hardee. with four divisions made
wide sweep to the south and after hf'
teen mile march found himself within
two and a half miles OF Decatur, in the
Federal rear. at daybreak Of Juiy p He
then abandoned the road and set OF
across country to strike the flank and
rear Of McPherson's army.
The rresence Of the enemy in that
quarter was unknown to the Federals
as the cavalry, which usually hovered
around McPherson's flank. was absent
destroying railroad.
Hardee's swift stroke.
The first blow fell shortly after noon
II found the Federals unprepared. yet
fortunate in their dispositions to repeI
attack.
McPherson's army was arranged as foI-
lows: John A. Logan's Fifteenth Corps
astride the railroad, F. P. Rlair's Seven
teenth Corps. south of it, and Grenville
M. Dodge's Sixteenth Corps in the rear
CeasO Of Blair.
Gen Blair's corps formed the extreme
left Of the Federal army. 1t was drawn
back slightly on that flank, and its men
were working like beavers throwing up
entertainments and placing batteries In
position.
Gen. Dodge's corps was marching to
take posItion south Of Gen. Blair. When
II was attacked there was a gap Of nearly
a mile between the head OF Dodge's col
umn and Gen. Blair's extreme hank.
Two of Hardee's four divisions hung
themselves against Dodge's Corps as II
was marching along a narrow wood road
and in a short time the conflict In that
quarter became a hot one. The Confed-
crates attempted TO break through the
Union line. but, with the aid OF the
Fourteenth Ohio and Walkers batteries
this was held intact and Hardee's men
were forced to retire to reform their
broken ranks
Meanwhile. Gen. Mcpherson, who had
been in conference with Gen. Sherman at
the Howard House, heard the firing in
the rear Of his lines and determined 10
find out what II meant. Gen. Joseph
wheeler's Confederate cavalry. which
had followed in Hardee's footsteps from
Atlanta, in the morning, had by this
time swept down upon single brigade
OF Federals guarding the trains at De-
catur, and the uproar to the south OF
sherman's headquarters was loud and
continuous.
Mcpherson and members of his stan
rode of toward where the heaviest firing
told them Dodge's division must be hot!y
engaged. No sooner had the general
reached the front than he realised the
danger of the situation. for there was a
gap Of almost a mile between Dodge and
Blair The latter's rear was entirely TX
posed. but had not yet been seriously at
tackled. Mcpherson, seeing that Dodge
was giving a good account Of himself and
In no immediate danger, determined to
make his way to Blair's lines, where
there was sSme firing going on.
He started down the woods road over