Today in History:

437 Series I Volume XXXVIII-IV Serial 75 - The Atlanta Campaign Part IV

Page 437 Chapter L. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

When I went to Walker's division they were busy putting up breast-works of logs two and a half or three miles west of Lost Mountain on Burnt Hickory road, to guard approaches from the direction of Burnt Hickory. Another division was engaged in building breast-works south of that. Sunday morning Hardee's corps was moving from there in the direction of Big Shanty. From what information I could get their whole army was drifting in direction of Big Shanty, and appearing as if they were forming a line from there to Lost Mountain. Do not know of any range of hills between Big Shanty and Lost Mountain, but the country is very rough, and hilly, but little, cleared land. From the mountain to Marietta did not notice any fortifications until within two and a half or three miles of that place; the defenses there were on the two knobs northwest of Marietta; the knobs are not distant from each other, high, hilly ground connecting them; would judge the whole distance from one end of the mountain to the other was near two miles; the country west of these knobs was rough and hilly, east toward the railroad know nothing about. Do not know enough of the country directly north and toward the knob northeast of Marietta to give any information, but think it is a rough country. The defenses spoken of consist of rifle-pits and works for artillery; noticed the rifle-pits as I approached from the west; after that could not see them, as I went on the road leading south of the mountain. The rifle-pits extended round to the west and southwest sides of the knob. Did not get any important information in Marietta; all but a small amount of commissary stores had been removed; the citizens seemed considerably exacted and numbers were leaving for farther south.

On riding from Marietta to Atlanta (west side of railroad) did not notice anything until I arrived at Chattahoochee River. There I noticed fortifications on both sides of the river and both sides of the railroad. West of railroad on the north side of the river they were not very extensive; consisted of rifle-pits. On the range commencing half a mile northwest of railroad bridge rifle-pits were made on the approaches from the northwest. On the tops were works for the artillery, but [not] amounting to much; cannot say how far the rifle-pits extended down the river. On the north side a range of hills extends as far as you can see from the bridge. East of the railroad on north side of the river there appears to be nothing but rifle-pits. In addition to railroad bridge there is one trestle bridge, built on abutments of old railroad bridge, 250 yards above railroad bridge; 200 yards above that is a pontoon bridge 600 yards above that, apparently at Howell's Ferry, is another pontoon bridge; know of no others. The Second Georgia State Troops were doing guard duty at the bridges. I was compelled to show my pass. Did not see any work going on on fortifications. They appear the same to me that they did two months ago. The fortifications on south side of the river were more extensive and better built than those on the north side. There were more embrasures for artillery. From what I could observe from bridge, they appeared to run down along the river about half a mile from the bridge, and up the river a quarter of a mile. Did not stop at the river. No timber had been cut down for obstructions any place. Until arriving near Atlanta did not notice any defenses. First came to their fortifications near Atlanta, two or two miles and a half, near the railroad. All was in same condition as I described them in former reports, excepting they have about five guns mounted on each side of railroad.

In Atlanta I ascertained that pretty much all the supplies for the army had been removed to Augusta, also that Governor Brown has or-


Page 437 Chapter L. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.