Year: 1864

Special Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Gazette
----s ATLGyTA, Ga July p.


It's in spirit of exultation | have
rarely experienced, that date this letter
from the famous Gate City Of the
South. left the battlefield at o clock
this morning, and had at that time the
most reliable Intelligence that the adj
vance Of our army had entered Atlanta
five hours before Nay from the summit
Of Signal Hill along the line Of the
Western and Atlanta Railroad, the hill
which rises above Winnings Station, |
saw the national colors floating over the
buildings. Even then, however, a con
fict seemed 10 be going onin the imme
date vicinity Of the place. All the spec
tators considered this struggle between
our advance aad the retiring rebel rear
guard, which might or might not, as the
rebels should think best, bring on anoth-
er general battle At 2s30 p. NJ, Of the
22d, | left Marietta, then our railroad
terminus. Some hours before that time
dispatches had been received from Gen
Thomas, confirming the news of our oe.
cupation Of the city But we did not
seem TO be in fuil possession Of all parts
Of IT, the sounds Of conflict continued
to roll sullenIy over the lnIis, and am
inclined to think that we are again fight
ing on an extensive scale | venture
the prediction, however, that before the
close Of the coming week Atlanta will
be wholly ours, and the rebel army either
broken to pieces or engaged in rapid re-
treat


In my telegram from Nashville, | gave
you the general features Of the battle,
and it now only remains to particularize
somewhat, and endeayor to assign TO
each portion Of the troops engaged the
credit which each go well deserves


think very few words will make
the situation clear, even To such Of your
readers as have not had the opportunity
Of consulting good map OF Georgia,
since the opening Of the campaign.


Seven miles from the Chaitahooehee,
in a. straight line, (nearly eight by rail, }
lies the city of Atlanta This distance
is OF course measured from the railroad
bridge The. river runs generally south
west. Our army was advancing along
the line Of the Atlanta a. Western Rail
road, in a southeast direction A little
north of east from the city, fifteen miles
IN straight line, is Stone Mountain,
near the base ofwhich rises stream
called Peach Tree Greek, deep and DIFF
iicult to cross The general direction Of
this creek ia west, hautering the Chat
tahoOeheerjost above the railroad bridge
The creek forms nearly right angle
with the river, and within that angle lies
Atlanta. The city then was defended by
the Chattahoochee on the west, and by
Peach Tree Greek on the north This
peculiar conformation Of the streams
was taken advantage Of by the rebel
leaders; and when they fell back across
the Chattahoochee, they arranged their
lines also along the two sides Of this
angle The apex of the angle is at the
railroad bridge From that point tho
rebel lines ran southwest along the At.
lanta side Of the river, aud directly east
and west along Peach Tree Creek.


The problem now presented to our
commanders was this: Ought they to
force passage across The river, in the
face Of the enemy, at some point or
points south of the railroad bridge, and
advance upon Atlanta from the west and
south-upon which sides, the ricer being
crossed, Il was comparatively defence
less; or would they throw their troops
over the river north of the bridge, where
they we're likely to meet with little or no
opposition, and thence march upon the
rebel delences south OF Peach Tree
Creek2 Taking the first course was to
perform WHAT'S always considered The
most difficult achievements in warfare,
namely, 10 cross a great rirer in the face
Of foe The second course involved
another exceedingly dangerous under
taking--the fighting Of a great battle
tcith a rirer Ifss1 in the rear ueIt was
finally concluded, however, to risk the
second alternatives conclusion which
reflects great honor upon our general
ship, and was fully justified by two con
sideratioas First, our superiority, IN
numbers over the enemy made the dan
ger Of fighting, with the river in our
rear, much less than ordinarily, under
similar eircnmstances;A and second, q
glance at the, map viii show that by
crossing the 6hattahooehee south Of the
railroad bridge, we exposed our line o.
COMMUNICATIONS; whereas, by crossing
north of it We kept this liue completely
covered la1-s t


With the details OF the crossing YOU are
already familiar. The last Of the army
except such portions as were destined I,
hold our line OF communications wea
over early on the morning Of the 18th o
July. IIt was very wise atringetBe NJ .t,
throw the left wing over first; becaus,
the higher up the river the crossing wa
affected, the less liable the troops wer'
to any formidable attack from the enc
nv; and it was matter of the FIRST i'm
portauce to have strong force on th'
other side, to assist, If necessary thl
right wing, which was compelled tocros
much nearer the rebels, and nearer tn
great angle in their hnes which / hav
already described, Besides, as we should
after getting over the FLYER, be obliged +
face the right, in order to march south
ward upon the rebel works along PeacI
Tree Geek, the left wing would be CON
PEELED to move much further than ti
right; and this was an additonl reasoi