0 ΟΙ aft tak us a our two enem gaine 25 kil Heavy skirmishing. About two miles from Atlanta met the enemy July Newton t the Army of importa Schofield's right brigade, which was moved off to the left and rear to prevent the enemy from again turning the army. 7.30 p. m., directed Major-General Stanley to send fifty men to the rear to the point where his column turns off of the Decatur road in marching to his present position, as a guard or alarm post. At same time directed General Newton to send a small force for a like purpose to the point where he crossed Peach Tree Creek, and, at same time, directed General Wood to send a small force for a like purpose about two miles to the rear toward the camp he left this a. m. No call was made for the troops of the corps to move to the left. The enemy attacked the Army of the Tennessee with three corps. At first he (the enemy) had the advantage, but was afterward driven back. Our assistance was not needed. This evening the right of this corps connects with General Hooker's left, on the right of the Buck Head and Atlanta road, and the left connects with Schofield's right on the road that leads to Atlanta via Hurt's house, as laid down on the map. Our lines are now well strung out, the corps occupying a front of over two miles. By 3 p. m. we were in position behind strong works. The rest of the breast-works were built within half an hour after the troops came up this a. m., in almost an incredibly short time. Have lost but few men killed and wounded, and we have taken over 90 prisoners. The enemy has been firing steadily upon us all the afternoon with his artillery from the forts of Atlanta in our front. 8 p. m., sent note to General Thomas, stating that the two regiments would not now be sent to guard the rear from the enemy's cavalry; it is not necessary, as General Sherman has again gained possession of Decatur. Day hot and clear. P. S.-About 25 killed and wounded to-day. July 23.-10 a. m., received Special Field Orders, No. 41, headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi, dated near Atlanta, July 22, 1864, as follows: * In accordance with the foregoing orders the artillery of this corps has been firing on Atlanta during this afternoon, and the enemy has been replying from his forts. Our camps are in easy artillery range; also corps headquarters. 7 p. m., directed the division commanders to bring in the troops that they sent out last evening to establish alarm posts. Considerable skirmish_to-day. Losses not reported; small, though. Day very cool for July. P. S.-About 18 killed and wounded to-day. July 24.-10 a. m., directed General Wood to relieve one brigade of General Stanley's division (Grose's), and to occupy the front now occupied by said brigade together with his own. Directed General Stanley to occupy the rest of his present front with one brigade and to hold his other two brigades in reserve. Also, directed General Newton to occupy his present front with one brigade and to hold two brigades in reserve. Generals Stanley's and Newton's reserve brigades, four in all, to be placed in such position as to re-enforce the left of the army or to meet an attack in the rear, after the Army of the Tennessee moves from our left. It is the intention to move the Army of the Tennessee to the right of the army, on Palmer's right, and when this is done Schofield is to refuse his command (which will then be the left), so as to form at almost right angles with this corps, his left resting toward the two forks of Peach Tree Creek. Garrard's cavalry will be on the left of Schofield. Nothing of importance done to-day. Principally employed in reconnoitering *For full text of orders (here omitted) see Part V. for positions for the reserve brigades, &c. We have been firing shell and shot from our guns into Atlanta during the whole day, and the enemy replies with his guns from the works around the city. Considerable skirmishing along our lines. No reports made of the casualties to-day, but the list is small. Day quite cool for July, and bright. General Newton seized a ridge in his front to-night and advanced some troops upon the same. He has strengthened the position by good works. P. S.-Twenty killed and wounded to-day. July 25.-8.20 a. m., General Newton reports that Colonel Lane's regiment was advanced some distance up the ridge in his front last night, and he (Colonel Lane) reports this morning that the enemy is putting artillery in his front. He wishes, also, to know whether General Wood is to give him any assistance in taking part of his line; says he is building works for Generals Wood and Hooker, and does not wish to do so any longer. Replied to this note at 9.30 a. m., as follows: General Newton will take such measures as he deems necessary to hold his line with as small a force as possible; he will also make it as impregnable as he can. The general commanding has no control over General Hooker's forces. He (Hooker) agreed to place two regiments on your right, but he has not done so yet. General Wood's line is now two-thirds longer than yours. It appears that General Wood cannot put two brigades in reserve, only one. This will give three reserve brigades from this corps when the contemplated movement is to be made: Considerable skirmishing to-day and artillery firing from both sides. Losses during the day, about 20 killed and wounded. Day pleasant for July; clear. July 26.-Skirmishing and artillery firing during the greater part of the morning. Nothing further of interest. 3 p. m., received circular, of which following is a copy:* 5 p. m., received copy of Special Field Orders, No. 42, headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi (Sherman), dated near Atlanta, Ga., July 25, 1864, as follows: t 5.15 p. m., directed General Newton to send his reserve brigade to the rear of his headquarters, if he has not done so, so that it may be moved in any direction desired. He replied at 6 p. m. that he had done so. 5.40 p. m., directed General Stanley to immediately move the two reserve brigades of his division to the abandoned works of the enemy on the left of General Schofield, his left to rest at the point where he crossed said works when marching to his present position; that the movement must be made before General Logan moves from his present position. 7.30 p. m., reported to General Thomas the movement of these three brigades. 10 p. m., received note from Major-General Sherman, of which the following is a copy: t 10.30 p. m., received note from Major-General Stanley, stating that Colonel Grose, after getting into position, found that his line (the line occupied by the division) would not be reasonably safe without one more regiment on his left, and asks that General Wood relieve his right regiment that he may place it on his left. The note was referred to General Wood, and he was requested to relieve said right regiment of Colonel Grose's brigade. General Wood relieved the regiment before daylight. 11.15 p. m., received note, of which the following is a copy:† *For circular (here omitted) see p. 174. For full text of orders and notes (here omitted) see Part V, One of General Newton's brigades sent back in the rear as reserve to-day, and two of Stanley's brigades were sent to the rear, on the left of Major-General Schofield's refused left. The day has been warm. The usual amount of skirmishing, and more artillery fire than usual. Loss of the corps in killed and wounded about 15. July 27.-2 a. m., received Special Field Orders, No. 204, headquarters Department of the Cumberland, dated July 26, 1864, relieving Major-General Howard from the command of the Fourth Army Corps, he having been assigned to command the Army of the Tennessee. General Stanley was at once notified that General Howard would leave headquarters at 4.30 this a. m., to take command of the Army of the Tennessee. 5 a. m., Major-General Stanley took command of the corps and issued orders to division commanders, stating this fact, at 6 a. m. 7 a. m., division commanders commenced to make demonstrations to cover the movement to the left. The enemy opened heavy artillery fires upon us and we returned like fires. Skirmishing heavy all along our lines during the day. General Newton drove back the enemy's skirmishers and took possession of a ridge in his front, which he now holds. 6 p. m., the movement to the right progressing very slowly. Not all of the troops have yet passed this corps. Usual skirmishing to-day. Lost to-day in killed. and wounded 32. Warm and clear. July 28.-12 m., up to this hour usual skirmishing and artillery firing from both sides. 2 p. m., very heavy firing heard on the right (Army of the Tennessee). 3.30 p. m., received instructions from Major-General Thomas to make a demonstration in front of this corps, driving the enemy's skirmishers back if possible, and find whether the enemy was in strength in our front. 3.30 p. m., verbal instructions in accordance with General Thomas' order were given to Generals Newton and Wood, who were at headquarters, and written instructions were sent to Colonel Grose to make the demonstration. 4 p. m., General Wood's and Colonel Grose's (commanding General Stanley's old division) skirmishers advanced. After very heavy skirmishing drove the enemy from his skirmish rifle-pits, which were very strong, and occupied them, taking about 50 prisoners. The enemy could be discerned in force in their main works, 200 or 300 yards beyond our skirmish line. Our skirmishers have advanced from 300 to 500 yards in front of Wood's and Grose's divisions, and are strongly intrenching their advanced position. General Newton, for some reason, did not advance his skirmishers. 8.30 p. m., reported result of to-day's operations to General Thomas. During the night our advanced position was strengthened and strong breast-works thrown up all along the line now held by us and from which we drove the enemy's skirmishers. Lost in killed and wounded 28. Took 43 prisoners, 3 of whom were commissioned officers. Day clear and hot. July 29.-6 a. m., received note from Major-General Thomas, dated July 28, stating that he wished General Stanley, commanding Fourth Corps, to thin out his lines to-morrow (to-day, July 29), so as to make good reserves for action, and to have such reserves ready to move at any moment. At once sent copies to division commanders, and directed them to reserve as large a force as possible from their lines. 9 a. m., received verbal message from General Thomas, stating that our lines will not be changed to-day. 9 a. m., General Newton [reports] that the pickets of one of his brigades are occupying the enemy's skirmish rifle-pits. 10 a. m., General New ton reports that upon further examination it appears that the enemy has only retired his picket-line a little, and that his skirmishers have advanced over the open space to the woods. Later in the day General Newton occupied part of the enemy's skirmish rifle-pits, near the Atlanta road, on his left. 5.40 p. m., it is reported to Major-General Stanley that there are only eight of General Newton's men in the abandoned rifle-pits in his front and on the right of the Atlanta road, and he is directed to work up at least thirty men and place them in the same; also to strengthen them, commencing to do so at once, and to occupy seven of said rifle-pits on the left of the Atlanta road. 8 p. m., General Newton reports that his whole picket-line occupies the enemy's abandoned rifle-pits, and will strongly intrench to-night; that he thinks the pits on the left of the road were vacated by some of General Wood's pickets before he could occupy them. Skirmishing along our line during the greater part of the day, and artillery firing was kept up between our batteries and those of the enemy in the forts in front of Atlanta. Casualties not over 15 to-day. July 30.-Nothing of importance occurred to-day. Day very warm. Our lines or position not changed. Usual skirmishing and artillery firing. Have been strengthening our works to-day. July 31.-10 a. m., received instructions from Major-General Thomas to refuse our left, to draw back our lines so as to cover the Buck Head road, and let our line be the left flank of the army. 2 p. m., issued Special Orders, No. 118, stating that a new work will be constructed by this command to-morrow, so as to cover the left flank of the army, commencing on Newton's line and running along Pea Vine Creek, intersecting the old rebel works near corps headquarters; General Newton to construct the work at the angle near his present works, General Wood the center, and General Grose the angle turning upon the old rebel works; this work to be commenced immediately after the troops have breakfasted to-morrow, and to be finished before night. But very little skirmishing or artillery or picket firing to-day. The first part of the day very warm; thunder shower in the afternoon. But very few casualties to-day. August 1.-6 a. m., the troops of the three divisions of this corps commenced to work on the new line that we are to occupy to-night. 11 a. m., received from department headquarters a copy of Special Field Orders, No. 48, headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi, dated near Atlanta, Ga., August 1, 1864, as follows:* 7 p. m., the interior line of our works completed. 8 p. m., General Schofield moving his troops from the left, passing in our rear and going over to the right. Colonel Grose's division (First Division) stretched out this evening, and Kimball's brigade, of Newton's division, was moved over from the right and has gone into position on Grose's left, this division and brigade thus relieving all of Schofield's troops, and together with 2,000 men of Garrard's cavalry (dismounted) they occupy the works that were occupied by Schofield's corps. But little skirmishing to-day. At 5 p. m. all of our artillery opened fire upon Atlanta and kept it up until dusk. Day very warm and clear. August 2.-10 a. m., received note from General Whipple, chief of staff, saying that General Thomas wished to know whether there are any troops guarding the Powers' Ferry bridge. If so, and they *For full text of orders (here omitted) see Part V. Major Twenty will sur our left Atlanta extreme see troop would li push a re able arti graphed and one c will threa (the defer Wood's fr line. 2 p. report of front of th and it was seen in our General Sh and Genera left, and at p.m., recei Stanley to against the 58 R |