The Washington herald., 1914-07-20
AND SCENE OF
TREE CREEK.

| oficial
Arrows indicate direction
army was gathered along Peach Tree
Creek. which flows east and west about
four miles north OF Atlanta Each Of
the three corps Of the army had secured
lodgmest on the south bank Of the
stream, preparatory to crossing in force
! the next morning.
Schoheld's army. which Gen. Sherman
accompanied in person. was more 10 the
] east of the city, and was separated from
Gen. Thomas by a gap OF abOut two
| miles. Gen. Mcpherson was on Schofield's :
left and rear, near the town Of Decatur.
and strongly connected with Schoneid-
| Aimed to Crush Thomas.
| Gen. Hood knew OF the gap in the Fed
eral lines between Thomas and SChofeld
\ and determined to take advantage OF t.
| Posting Gen. b. F. Cheatham's corps.
formerly Hoods. and a strong body OF
| State militia to man the east defenses OF
| Atlantl against Schoheld and McPher-
| son, both OF whom he thought TO be far
ther distant than .they really were, he
ordered the corps Of Gems. w. l. Hsrd'e
and A p. Stewart to sally from their
works north Of the city and attack Gen.
Thomas.
When morning came. and with il ad-
ditional information regarding the Fed
eral positions, Gen Hood found that he
would have to make a change In his
line to meet the threatening attitude OF
the Federals on the east. Not only was
Schofeld close up to the defenses. but
Mcpherson was moving along the rail-
road south Of him. driving in the Con-
federate cavalry and threatening TO
turn the right flank of the works and
enter the city from the southeast.
Hood did the only thing that was to
be done. He moved his entire line to
the right for more than a mile. allowing
Cheatham and the Georgia militia to
extend their lines far enough TO the
south to cover the approach of McPher-
sons army.
But the delay occasioned by this move
ment was a costly one to the Confeder-
ates. In the more than two hours be-
tween p. m. when the attack on Thomas
was to have begun. and the time when
Il actually began. the Federals came up
into position. erected rough breastworks
and carefully placed their batteries.
Nearly all Of Gen. Thomas force was
across Peach Tree Creek. Gen. John NJ.
Palmer's and Gen. Joseph Hookers corps
were. intact but two divisions of Gen. o.
o. Howard's corps had been sent on to
the left to try and form a connection
themselves did not realize the extent or
the gap that divided their forces. In
consequence Gen. John Newton's division
of Howard's corps was the only repre-
sentative OF the Fourth Corps in the
battle.
Bloody Assaults Fail.
The Confederate attack was launched
by Gen. Hardee shortly after 5 o'clock. |
he arElf H.
zen echelon from right to left" that is.
each Confederate brigade went into the
action a few moments later than the +,
troops on its right. Consequently the !
first blow fell on the extreme left OF
Gen. Newton's division.
In a short time the entire available
Confederate force was in action, and
the firing along the lines was terrihc
Federal batteries raked the ranks OF
the gray-clad troops, moving them
down in masses. The FIELDS were streNn
with dead and dying.
Owing to the movements OF the Con-
federate line to the right, before the
battle opened. II was so contracted in
front of Thomas that Palmer's corps did
not come under fire. it being too far
to the west. Practically the entire
strength of Hardees and Stewards
corps. at least 5000 men. was brought
ard. and the three divisions Of Hooker's
corps, which, together. could not have
numbered more than 20,oo0.
Conditions that had existed earlier In
the campaign now being reversed-with
the Confederates assaulting and the
Federals meeting them behind breast
works-the Southern troops were every
where defeated with great loss.
At one time when the right or New
toms line was thrown back by the on
slaught and II appeared TO the men OF
Gen, William 7. Wards division that it
was being driven in confusion. they
charged the Confederates without or
ders from their commander. and not only
regained what little ground had been
lost but shattered the Confederate ranks.
, Again, in an angle between Wards
and Gen. John W. Gesry's divisions. near
Golfers MIL. the Federal crossfre was
so destructive that the ground was ac-
tually covered by the dead and wounded.
Gen. Geary's fatigue parties buried 4O9
in that vicinity =
Again and again the Confederate 1
ofncers rallied their men and advanced