The weather is fine —
warm and pleasant. Our corps remained quiet and in its position all day. But
orders have been given for the whole army to move forward in the morning. We
commenced drawing full rations again today. I went out on picket this evening.
General Sherman is
in command of all of our forces, with General Thomas in command of the right
wing, General Hooker of the center, and General McPherson of the left. We have
a large force of cavalry on each of the flanks. The country about Atlanta being
so hilly and rough, it is exceedingly difficult to advance in front of the
rebels, they having by far the better position.1 They have a great
deal better chance to kill our men than we have to kill them.
_______________
1 Sherman's plan was to get up as close as
possible to the Confederates' works, build forts and rifle pits, and then move
our right around their left, or our left around their right, thus flanking them
and threatening their rear. By that means they would be compelled to evacuate
their strong works without having the opportunity of fighting from behind
them.—A. G. D.
Source: Alexander G.
Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary,
p. 195
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