Today in History:

254 Series I Volume XXXVIII-V Serial 76 - The Atlanta Campaign Part V

Page 254 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

admiration at the heroic manner in which you repulsed the terrific assault of the enemy upon your lines on the 22nd instant. Feeling every confidence in you, he had looked for the displaying by you of the ordinary fortitude of soldiers in the hour of conflict, but you did more than this; with empty cartridge-boxes, and lines unbroken, you stood, trusting to your bayonets, like a wall between your country and ruin. At the order to "charge," you rushed upon the advancing columns of the enemy, and snatched victory, colors, and hundreds of prisoners from them. As if not content with the glories already won, the Second Brigade moved with alacrity to a distant part of the field, and charged like an avalanche upon a victories column of the enemy, assisting in re-establishing our line in its former position, and again prisoners and recaptured cannon were the rewards of their efforts. Your general confesses to you freely that the evening of the 22nd instant was the proudest of his life, made so by your daring, your fortitude, your heroism, and it was his desire to lead your victorious banner into the doomed city in our front; but this is not to be. It is only left with him to request of you to extend to your future commanders the confidence and cheerful obedience that you have always shown to him.

T. W. SWEENY,

Brigadier-General.


HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Cartersville, Ga., July 25, 1864.

Colonel THOMAS T. HEATH,

Commanding Fifth Ohio Cavalry:

COLONEL: You will take 200 men of your command, well mounted and supplied with ammunition and rations, of possible for four or five days, and proceed to Allatoona, getting such information of the commander of the post at that place as he may have of the road and people west of the Pumpkin Vine Creek. From thence he will proceed to Dallas, thence to Stilesborough and Euharlee, scouting them thoroughly and obtaining such information from the natives and their status as he can get through the country south of the river, between Euharlee and a point about one-half way between Rome and Kingston, returning by the way of Kingston, with all the guerrillas and scouts on the south side of the river between the points named, dead or alive. A party of fifty or sixty men (infantry) Will be sent south of the river from Kingston.

By order of Brigadier General John E. Smith:

CARL. L. WHITE,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

NEAR ATLANTA, GA., July 25, 1864 - 8 p. m.

(Received 10.50 p. m.)

Major THOMAS T. ECKERT,

Washington, D. C.:

Nothing except skirmishing and artillery practice to-day. To-morrow hope to have news for you, as movement to destroy railroad south of Atlanta starts at daylight - very strong.

J. C. VAN DUZER.


Page 254 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.