Today in History:

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

Page 445 Chapter L. CORRESPONDENCE,ETC.- UNION.

his sharpshooters, but we can force than back as soon as connections are perfected. Have your picket-line watch closely for any movement of the enemy to-night.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. M. DODGE,

Major-General, Commanding.


HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Before Atlanta, Ga., August 9, 1864.

Major General G. M. DODGE,
Commanding Left Wing, Sixteenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: The following dispatch is received, and the major-general commanding directs me to send you copy for your information:

Major-General HOWARD:

I saw General Thomas at 1 o'clock, and explained to him the position of General Ward's line with [regard] to General Corse,and he ordered the former to connect his line of battle with the latter's. This will include the hill we were on this morning.

WILLIAM F. BARRY,

Brigadier-General.

Respectfully, your,

SAML. L. TAGGART,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Indorsement.]

AUGUST 9, 1864.

Referred to General Corse for his information.

DODGE,

General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, near Atlanta, August 9, 1864.

WILLIAM HARKER, Esq.,

McDonough, Ill.:

DEAR SIR: Yours of July 5 came to hand duty, and I asked General Newton, commanding the division to which General Harker belonged, to give me a more full account then the mere official statement ordinarily given. I have this moment received General Newton's paper, which comes, you will observe, from L. P. Bradley,now a brigadier-general, but then a colonel. The position we attacked was a difficult one,but very important, and had General Harker lived I believe we would have carried the parapet, broken the enemy's center, and driven him pell-mell into the Chattahoochee. General Harker, though quite young for his rank, was regarded as one of our best young generals, of rising fame, and his loss was deeply felt by me. He was universally esteemed, none more so; but death, you know, chooses a shining mark; and this as has been very strongly exemplified in this campaign, for I have lost some of my best brigadiers and commanders. The nature of the country,its forests, its narrow defiles and mountain passes, all expose the leaders to the danger of ambush and unexpected shots; but General Harker fell in an assault, always one of the most dangerous moves of our dangerous life. I beg to record the high opinion I had of


Page 445 Chapter L. CORRESPONDENCE,ETC.- UNION.