ing—the fighting of a great battle with a river just in the rear. It was finally concluded, however, to risk the second alternative-a conclusion which reflects great honor upon our generalship, and was fully justified by two considerations: First, our superiority in numbers over the enemy made the danger of fighting, with a river in our rear, much less than ordinarily, under similar circumstances; and, second, a glance at the map will show that by crossing the Chattahoochee south of the railroad bridge, we exposed our line of communications; whereas, by crossing north of it we kept this line completely covered.

"The last of the army, except such portions as were destined to hold our line of communications, went over the river early on the morning of the 18th of July. It was a very wise arrangement to throw the left wing over first, because the higher up the river the crossing was effected the less liable the troops were to any formidable attack from the enemy; and it was a matter of the first importance to have a strong force on the other side, to assist, if necessary, the right wing, which was compelled to cross much nearer the rebels and near the great angle in their lines which I have already described. Besides, as we should, after getting over the river, be obliged to face the right, in order to march southward upon the rebel works along Peach Tree Creek, the left wing would be compelled to move much further than the right; and this was an additional reason for its being first thrown across. Operations actually took place in accordance with this theory.

"Before any portion of the army of the Cumberland (except Howard's corps) had reached the southeast side of the Chattahoochee, McPherson had made a material advance, moving his extreme left along a road which runs from Marietta direct to Stone Mountain, over a branch of Peach Tree Creek, named Nancy Creek, through the small village of Cross Keys, and forward so as to threaten seriously the line of the Georgia or Augusta Railroad. Schofield, next to McPherson's troops on the right, and Howard, on Schofield's right, made corresponding movements. By 10 A. M., on the 19th, Hooker and Palmer being then over, all portions of the line advanced, almost everywhere encountering the enemy's skirmishers (principally dismounted cavalry), and everywhere driving them back. Portions of

Stanley's and Wood's divisions very handsomely distinguished themselves during this movement and by night of the 19th nearly the whole army had crossed to the south side of Peach Tree Creek. On the right, the brigade recently commanded by Colonel Daniel McCook, (now under the leadership of Colonel Dilworth, of the 85th Illinois,) met with a determined resistance as it passed over late in the afternoon, and lost nearly two hundred and fifty of its number, killed, wounded and captured. Inspired, however, by the gallant spirit of its recent leader, it maintained its ground until Colonel John G. Mitchell's brigade had come up to its support, when it drove the rebels from its front, and immediately threw up fortifications. The men of Kneffler's brigade (Stanley's division, Howard's corps,) swam the stream under a fire of artillery, and captured near fifty prisoners on the south side. Logan's corps, the 15th, moved over to the left of the Army of the Tennessee, and advancing with rapidity and energy, its left flank well covered by Garrard's cavalry division, it struck the Augusta Railroad at a point two and a half miles west of Stone Mountain and immediately commenced tearing up the track. This brilliant achievement, in connection with Rosseau's remarkable and daring raid upon the Atlanta and West Point (Mobile) Road, must have greatly alarmed the enemy, and probably determined him to make, the next day, a desperate effort to drive us out.

"On Wednesday morning, then, behold our entire army south of Peach Tree Creek, on a line running nearly east and west, and confronting the rebel battalions who occupied strong works just before them. Day had scarcely dawned when the left wing of the army was in motion. The 17th corps (Blair's) passed to the extreme left, while the 15th (Logan's) marched westward along the Augusta Railroad, tearing up the track as it went, until it reached Decatur, eight miles from Stone Mountain. Schofield advanced toward Atlanta, connecting with General Dodge's division of McPherson's army on the left. Howard, marching by the left flank, formed a junction with Schofield; and Hooker, marching by the right flank, filled up the interval between Howard and Palmer. By noon of the 20th, the whole army was in line of battle, nearly in the following order:

"The 14th corps, Palmer's, on the extreme right; the 20th, Hooker's, next; the 4th, Howard's, next; the 23d, Schofield's, next; 16th,

Dodge's, next, although partly in reserve; the 15th, Logan's next; and the 17th, Blair's, on the extreme left. Garrard's cavalry division covered our right flank, while General Ed. McCook's held the ferries along the river.

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During the afternoon of the 20th the whole left wing of the army advanced, driving the enemy before them in a series of sharp and brilliant skirmishes, which, occurring between small armies, would have been called battles. It was in one of these that General Gresham, commanding the right division of the 17th corps, received a severe if not dangerous wound. By nightfall our extreme left had advanced nearly ten miles south of the Augusta Railroad, and rested at a point which was a little south of east from Atlanta.

“The line which I spoke of as existing at noon on Wednesday, was not everywhere complete. A line of skirmishers (the 121st Ohio, Colonel Banning,) connected General Palmer's right with the Chattahoochee, and only a strong line of skirmishers connected the left of General Newton's division with the remainder of the 4th corpsa gap of nearly two miles being thus held. The situation was a dangerous one, and General Thomas, with his accustomed wisdom and promptness, immediately commenced a series of movements for the purpose of closing it. Subsequent events and the statements of rebel prisoners, revealed the fact that the enemy were aware of the existence of this gap-were actually hunting for it when they made their furious assault upon us in the evening, and most providentially failed to find it.

"Shortly after leaving the south branch of Peach Tree Creek, the ground begins to rise. A prolonged stretch of high ground extends thus all along the creek to the river, forming a ridge, cut with deep ravines, in Howard's front, a sort of broken table land in Hooker's, and rising into two considerable hills in Palmer's. On this range of hights, but at a considerable distance from the northern edge, was the enemy's principal line of works. The ground in front of Howard was densely wooded, as was mostly that in front of Palmer. But on a great part of Hooker's front, after ascending to the table land, was a considerable space of open fields, on the other side of which in the direction of Atlanta, were heavy woods. Behind all three of these corps ran Peach Tree Creek, through open ground, with high

ground (also open) still further back, and furnishing splendid positions for our batteries, of which the experienced and able artillerists on Davis, Baird, Johnson, Hooker, Newton and Howard's staffs did not fail to avail themselves.

"It was shortly after 12, noon, when in accordance with General Thomas' design of closing up the Gap I have spoken of, General Newton's division prepared to advance from the bank of the creek, in order to relieve Hazen's brigade of Wood's division, which had been thrown over previously, and allow it to move off to the left, as well as to take up a position, which, by materially shortening our line, would tend still further to close up the interval between Newton and Wood.

"A strong skirmish line was sent out to feel for the enemy, who had rifle pits in advance of their principal works. Colonel Barrett, 44th Illinois, was put in command of the skirmishers, who comprised six regiments, four from Brigadier-General Kimball's brigade and two from Colonel Blake's. The latter officer is at present in command of General Wagner's brigade. The whole line advancing with rapidity and enthusiasm, drove the rebels from their rifle pits, and captured several, with the loss of only two men. This brought them within 350 yards of the main rebel works.

“Our line of battle quickly followed up this advance, and Kimball and Blake immediately took up a position on the ridge. The men had merely halted, as they supposed, for the purpose of eating their dinner, but were ordered to commence constructing a line of barricades. No order is more cheerfully obeyed by our soldiers, when in presence of the enemy, than this, and in this instance, as the event subsequently proved, saved hundreds of their own lives, and perhaps. prevented the rout of their division. Colonel Blake, never slow to follow any good example, did not hesitate an instant in this case; and the clatter of logs and rails thrown together, with the ringing of picks, spades and shovels, resounded all along his front.

"The enemy made repeated efforts, from noon to half past two, to ascertain the position of our forces; and there was heavy skirmishing along Wood and Stanley's fronts, as well as along the skirmish line, which, stretching across the great gap, connected the left of Newton with the right of Wood. Then there was a temporary lull along the whole line.

"It was about half past three when the enemy's skirmishers, advancing as if to reconnoiter, gave notice that something was impending. Our line had halted longer than was expected, and was just upon the point of resuming the advance, when this appearance of the rebels determined Newton to remain behind his hastily constructed works on the hill, and Hooker to march his troops at once from the low ground in front of him, so that he might connect with Newton's right. The order to advance was scarcely given, when from the high ground north of the stream, all Hooker's batteries, and part of Howard's, broke forth in a simultaneous peal of thunder. The rebel legions were pouring forth from the woods beyond the open fields at the top of the ridge and, pressing forward, rank behind rank, in startling and magnificent array, seemed resolved to crush at one blow whatever might oppose them. This spectacle the artillerists upon the elevated ground, north of the creek, could plainly see, but the infantry, climbing up the hill, on the south, could not. A moment later, and a savage yell upon the left, followed by the clang and clatter of ten thousand muskets, announced that Newton's division had been assailed by the foe. On Newton's front the enemy did not wait to push forward a skirmish line, but charged at once in lines of battle, two and three deep. Our skirmishers in advance of our hastily constructed works, were driven in with the velocity of a whirlwind, and as they rushed back in disordered haste, came near throwing into confusion the extreme right of Newton, and for a moment caused it to give way.

"Meantime, Brigadier-General Geary's division of Hooker's corps, which, was considerably in advance of both Williams' division on the right and Ward's (Butterfield's) on the left, was struck by the rushing storm, and temporarily shattered. Both his right and his center divisions were pushed from their positions, after a short and desperate resistance, and hurled down the hill nearly to the banks of the creek. General Ward's division was still advancing up the hill side, when the wary old Kentuckian saw, as he then supposed, both Geary on his right and Newton on his left, overthrown. He was about to detach three or four regiments to their assistance, when, to his astonishment, the whole scene was changed as if by magic. Newton's line became firm as a rock, and, without another sign of