One and three-quarter
miles southwest of Atlanta,
July 29, 1864.
On the evening of the 26th, Adj. Frank Lermond sent me word
that the Army of the Tennessee was going to evacuate its position, the movement
to commence at 12 p. m. When the lines are so close together the skirmish line
is a ticklish place.
The parties can tell by hearing artillery move, etc., nearly
what is going on, and in evacuation generally make a dash for the skirmish line
or rear guard. At nearly every position Johnston has fortified we caught his
skirmish line when he evacuated. Luckily our line got off about 4 a. m. on the
27th though they shelled us right lively.
That day our three corps moved along in the rear of the 23d,
4th, 14th and 20th, the intention being, I think, to extend the line to the
right, if possible, to the Montgomery and Atlanta railroad and thus destroy
another line of communication. We have thoroughly destroyed 50 miles of the
Augusta and Atlanta railroad. The 16th Corps formed its line on the right of the
14th, and the 17th joined on the 16th, and on the morning of the 28th, we moved
out to extend the line still further. At 12 m. we had just got into position
and thrown a few rails along our line, when Hood's Rebel corps came down on
Morgan L's and our divisions like an avalanche. Our two divisions did about all
the fighting, and it lasted until 5 p. m.
We whipped them awfully. Their dead they left almost in line
of battle along our entire front of two divisions.
It was the toughest fight of the campaign, but not a foot of
our line gave way, and our loss is not one-twentieth of theirs. The rails saved
us. I am tired of seeing such butchery but if they will charge us that way once
a day for a week, this corps will end the war in this section.
Our loss in the regiment was 17 out of 150 we had in the
fight, and the brigade loss will not exceed 100. I never saw so many Rebels
dead. We are in excellent spirits, and propose to take Atlanta whenever Sherman
wants it.
SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an
Illinois Soldier, p. 286-7
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