your correspondent noticed some eight hundred or one thousand new-made graves. Adjoining this, and enclosed with a white picket fence, is the city cemetery, in which stand quite a number of elegant marble monuments, in memoriam of departed citizens. On one side of the main street stands a large three-story mill-" Kenesaw Mills "--but like the dead organ-grinder, its occupation is gone. The steam engine, boiler, burrs and bolting-cloths have all been removed, and may in all probability be again used in grinding hominy for our oppressed Southern brethren. The stores were all closed; the tape and needle merchants, the green-grocers and the egg and butter venders had all packed up and skedaddled. Only one store was left with any goods in it, and that was a drug store, and from its appearance there did not seem to be much there beyond a few tinctures, some Yankee patent medicines-no doubt never paid for -and a lot of pill and salve boxes. As our troops marched through the city in solid col umn, their bayonets glistening in the sunshine -orderly and in good marching time-some fair secesh damsel would cautiously draw the curtain and take a peep. Finding they did not prove any attraction, they became more bold, and windows and doors were gradually opened. Little children would run out and inquire if we were Yanks, and gaze on us with childish simplicity. day last. These works were the admiration of all military men, with whom we talked, and it excited no little surprise that Johnston was ever obliged to leave them. It was the universal opinion that they could never have been successfully assaulted, except at an enormous loss, and even then the issue would have been doubtful. The works were in double line, and built in conformity with the most approved style of engineering. They were so well protected by earth as to be impervious to either shot or shell, and the ditching behind is of such character as to afford the best possible protection against shelling. In front of the first line was a cheveaux de frise, and immediately behind a double row of abatis. The points of the cheveaux de frise were splintered almost as fine as broom corn by the terrific shower of leaden hail fired by our men, in the charge made on Monday last, but it was too strong for our brave boys to charge, and so they had to fall back to the rebel skirmish line, where they intrenched themselves. The abatis was very formidable, and consisted of a series of sharpened stakes firmly posted to the earth by means of riders and forks. To give your readers an idea of it, let them imagine a picket fence inclined so near the earth that the points of the pickets would reach to the knees of a man standing immediately in front of it, and in order to make it immovable, suppose the bottom board of the fence to be fastened to the frise resembles a long string of those domestic animals known as "saw-horses," with the ends of the "crosses" sharpened. These cross-pieces are inserted, at a distance of some two feet apart, through holes bored in a log, and make a most formidable defense. All day long and far into the night, solid bo-earth by means of crotches. The cheveaux de dies of infantry marched, long trains of artillery rumbled, and the wheels of miles of wagontrains creaked through the town, and it was not until near daylight that the noise ceased. General Sherman made his headquarters at the big hotel, while the Department of the Cumberland was to be found at an elegant residenceformerly occupied by the chief professor of the Marietta Military Academy. This was, in its palmiest days, quite an institution, and was largely patronized by the scions of the Georgian chivalry. The Academy is a large three-story building, built of brick, and shaped somewhat like the letter E, and is situated on the crest of a hill about a mile to the south-west of the town. In front is a beautiful lawn, on which the students were put through the manual of arms. On either side of the Academy, at a distance of about one hundred feet, are some twenty or thirty small cottages, in which the students board, in a style similar to that in use at West Point. In rear was a gymnasium, but as the gymnasts had all gone, the appliances for getting up muscle have gone also. From the top of the Academy is a splendid view of the surrounding country. Lost and Pine Mountains, the Kenesaws and Bush Mountains, together with the intervening hills and valleys-the tout ensemble forming a very beautiful landscape. On Tuesday last, the day after the unsuccessful assault on the rebel lines, McCook's brigade, of which the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel Langley commanding, formed the front, determined to advanee their line of works in order to mine those of the enemy. As the distance was not more than two hundred feet, it was an extremely hazardous enterprise; but as Yankee ingenuity cannot be baulked, Colonel Langley devised a plan, the like of which has not been seen since the commencement of the war. The Colonel and one volunteer crawled from their line to a tree some twenty yards in advance, and behind it commenced digging a small pit. After digging enough earth to give protection, an empty cracker-box was dragged up from the lines by means of a rope, and filled with earth this was placed in front of the pit and after digging a little more, another cracker-box was brought along, filled and placed in juxtaposition. This was continued with success until finally the whole regiment advanced the twenty yards, and In company with several staff officers, your cor- were safely ensconed behind the cracker-box respondent rode through the rebel fortifications fortifications. Mining was then at once coma little to the south-west of the Kenesaw-par- menced, but the evacuation of the rebels rendered ticularly those which were so unsuccessfully it useless to proceed with the work to its comattacked by Newton and Jeff. C. Davis on Mon- pletion. By the way, somehow or another the rebels became aware of our design, for a prisoner captured yesterday stated that he was stationed where the mine "would have blown him to thunder, had not our'ns left." The fourth-the day we celebrate, was ushered in this morning in the usual style-music and cannonading. The former was at headquarters, while the latter was at the rebels, who have made a demonstration on a range of hills immediately in our front, and four miles south of Marietta. This is in all likelihood only a feint, in order to give Johnston time to get properly posted at the Chattahoochee-a "grapevine" being in circulation that nearly all his infantry and artillery is across the river, except the rear guard. On Wednesday morning last, a truce was arranged upon between Colonel Langley of the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Illinois, of McCook's brigade, and the rebel Colonel Rice, of the Twenty-eighth Tennessee, to bury the dead killed in the assault made on Monday. Colonel Rice was very anxious that the arms and accontrements of our soldiers who fell at the rebel breastworks should be given over to the rebels. But to this Colonel Langley objected, and proposed that they should be regarded as neutral property, and not touched by either party until one or the other should occupy the ground. To this Colonel Rice reluctantly consented -know. ing that if he did not, it would be equivalent to saying that the rebels were not going to hold their position. The upshot of the matter was just as Colonel Langley expected; the rebels evacuated, and we got all the arms, some two hundred and fifty Enfield rifles. and House, for the gentlemanly and humane manner in which they assisted our forces to pay the last sad rites to those who fell, bravely fighting in front of the enemy's works, on the twenty-seventh of June. RUFF'S STATION, SEVEN MILES SOUTH OF MARIETTA, July 6. After the rebels fell back from Kenesaw, and assumed the second great line of defence I have mentioned before, our army at once followed them up, and with an abundance of artillery firing, made them develop their lines full and distinct. The part played herein by the left will be, doubtless, fully set forth to you by your correspondent in that portion of the forces. The Twentieth corps performed a conspicuous part in the splendid artillery practice, which finally made it too hot for the rebels in their new line, which they evidently had constructed with the fond hope that we would again fling upon it our infantry. The On the morning of the fifth, the Twenty-third corps had been fully put in the rear (in reserve) of the forward movement of the Twentieth corps, which at the same time was advancing to the right, obliquely toward the river, so that it was deployed directly in front of, and about two miles in advance of the Twenty-third. Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth corps had, meantime, got into position on the right, in the order named, from left to right, and began to advance, skirmishing slightly, and cannonading the enemy wherever the enemy appeared to be in force. The advance of the Fourteenth, Twentieth, and Fourth corps, meantime, toward From the Colonel I gather the following in the river was gradually straightening out the relation to the personnel of Hindman and Cheat-rebel semi-circular lines, which I have alluded ham, with whom he had a long conversation; Cheatham's uniform consisted of an old slouched hat, a blue hickory shirt, butternut pants, and a pair of cavalry boots. The supports to his unmentionables were an old leather strap and a piece of web-the tout ensemble presenting the appearance of a "Johnny" run to seed. Cheatham was of the opinion that the war would be settled by treaty, as neither party could conquer. He was satisfied that we had so completely revolutionized Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland and Louisiana, that they would never form part of the Confederacy. He virtually admitted that he was only fighting from principle, and not for the love of the Southern Confederacy. When Tennessee passed the ordinance of secession, he went with it, and as he had cast his lot, he did not feel disposed to "back down." Hindman hails from Arkansas, and has the reputation of being a confirmed gambler and blackleg. He does not command the respect of his own troops, and by his brother-officers is despised. In appearance he is quite dressy. His auburn hair flows in ringlets over his shoulders, and it is said a light mulatto girl dresses it for him every morning. Great praise is due to the rebel Colonels Rice to in a former letter as investing the railroad bridge, and causing their forces to lengthen out, and consequently, extend down the river. They had, besides, a good reason for this extension down the river, in the fact that the right of our army was pushing in that direction to strike the river and occupy a sufficient extent of its bank to enable us to effect a crossing. The race was so hotly pushed, however, that we did not succeed in reaching the river until above Howell's Ferry, and then only at an angle, without being able to stretch any considerable force along its immediate bank. The enemy offered what opposition they were able to this movement, by constructing hasty works, but they were unable to draw our forces into an attack. They contented themselves with simply cannonading them at long range, and marching as rapidly as possible for the river. The task which remains for the right at present, then, is to crowd the enemy so hard against the river that he will be compelled to retire upward along its bank, and allow our forces to cross below a point which they can command with their artillery. This will be a difficult task, as the enemy are said to have constructed several forts, mounting four or five pieces each, that will offer much resistance. REBELLION RECORD, 1862-65. CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER, PACE'S FERRY, and Chattahoochee, to patiently await the results the number composing the army in front. The The day has passed, and no event of unusual, indeed, I might say, usual, importance has transpired. The artillery of the Fourth corps, last evening and this morning. were placed in position, on hastily-erected but substantial works constructed by the "shovel brigade," and at nine o'clock, a number of our "rebel-demoralizers" opened upon the enemy's works upon the southern bank. No response from artillery was elicited; but the musketry fire was quite spirited and harmless for an hour, until our guns again resumed silence. Early in the morning, General Wood received orders to reconnoitre the banks of the stream for a place to lay pontoons, and the firing was, no doubt, to draw the enemy's attention from him. His movements were, no doubt, a feint, with the object of giving the enemy an impression that Sherman was ready for another grand flank movement. the feint was successful is known alone to the Whether enemy, whose sense of fear was not perceptibly affected by it, as no efforts were made by Hardee's corps, which is on this side of the river, taken since the campaign opened, will fall not The prisoners and deserters who have been strongly intrenched, to retire across upon the far short of twelve thousand. pontoons, which are in readiness to be laid. On the three The troops in Howard's front have been quite between Kenesaw and this place, fully three days, from July second to the fifth, inclusive, active since their arrival here, in erecting forti-thousand were taken. As our column marched fications on the river front. strong, and command the enemy's position as flankers out, a very large number were picked They are very along the roads from Marietta to Vining's, with well as the crossing at the ferry. Last night and to-night the enemy has made found asleep in the woods, and when awakened up and sent in. Many of these fellows were frequent attempts to save their pontoons, which protested against their capture, unavoidable, on their crossing they cut loose from the north- when the truth was that they had lagged ern bank, and permitted to float round to the behind the rebel rear for no other purpose than south shore. Every effort, however, was frus- to be captured and get out of the service on trated by Wood, who stationed a sentinel under taking the oath, which they will respect until cover on the bank, and when the enemy sent they have an opportunity to visit their families, down a force to accomplish the work, gave a signal to our troops in the fortifications twelve rillas. Nobody seems to have any confidence in when they will turn bridge-burners and gueryards in the rear, who opened heavy batteries their professed penitence. upon them, with visible effect, compelling them. to get back hurriedly. Intelligence from the rear is frequently reOur present line is one eminently suited for guerrillas, who lurk about their homes during ceived, giving particulars of the operations of defence. The river is the dividing line on the the daytime, with the oath of allegiance in their left, and when Hardee crosses, a very thin line pockets, to disappear mysteriously at nightfall, can easily hold the enemy in check, while a vast nobody knows where. As all the male residents force can be centered at some particular point, in the country over which we pass are in the thrown across, and upon the flank of the ene- rebel service, excepting those who have deserted my, thus rendering a passage of the river a the rebel service and got home through the matter of small importance. There Sherman, if instrumentality of the President's amnesty proso disposed, with a small force, could drive clamation, it is fair to presume that the frequent Hardee across the river and occupy his line; guerrilla outrages upon people, and burning of but I surmise that Sherman will do no such trains, is their devilish handiwork. Better, by thing. He and Thomas wrap their intentions in far, lay every house in ashes, send the helpless considerable secrecy, which at the present time families north and support them until the close is very necessary. That their movements for of the war, than permit those unprincipled men the next two weeks will mystify the ever-watch-to return home and perpetrate their villiany. I ful Johnston, I am constrained to believe; but think I speak the truth when I say that suffiwhen the enemy has the solution, I prophesy cient Government property has been destroyed that he will have another example of the well-or the line of the Atlanta and Chattanooga railplanned strategy of those experienced leaders. way to support the families of all the residents Meanwhile, it behooves the people, whose inter-living on the route within twenty miles of the ests at the present moment are centered in the railway. There are those who have heretofore invincible line of bayonets that line the James been opposed to injuring the country over which we pass, who are now strong advocates of the policy of laying everything waste and freeing the country from the operations of those miserable devils, cut-throats, and assassins, who, too cowardly to face the Union troops openly in their trenches, seek the night to perpetrate their hellish work. The other night a train, loaded with valuable supplies, was burned by one of these gangs near Resaca. Our cavalry got on their track and captured nine of the scoundrels near Adairsville, some of whom had taken the amnesty oath. When I speak of Federal deserters, I do not refer to men who desert to the enemy's lines. Cases of this kind are rare indeed. But still there are a class of skulkers who come under this title. They are cowardly fellows, who, having enlisted and obtained large bounties, disappear and hide away where they cannot be found, and soldiers who, having fought bravely at the front for many months, return home on furlough and neglect to report at its expiration. Almost daily large squads of the cowards and negligent veterans arrive under guard from the North, and are at once sent to the front, where the formula of a court-martial is usually dispensed with, and the men, indiscriminately, put on extra menial duty, such as burying the putrid remains of dead animals, removing filth from headquarters, and digging "gopher holes," or rifle-pits, in advance of our lines. No discrimination seems to be made by Provost-Marshals, between the "bounty-jumpers" and the heroes of a dozen battles, who from the effect of too much stimulant, allow their furloughs to expire by a few days, and are arrested by the police and reported at the front as deserters. All are sent out under a fire where escape from death is almost an impossibility, with a guard in the rear, to shoot them if they falter in the work. } ISHAM'S FORD, GEORGIA, July 8, 1864. On the evening of the seventh of July, at eight o'clock, the Fourth corps opened up along its whole line "the most tremendous canonnade of the campaign," expending over four hundred rounds of ammunition in half an hour. All this was directed against the rebels on the opposite side of the river, and was intended to draw their attention from an attempt which, through some misunderstanding, it was supposed General Schofield would make at that hour to cross the river above. All this time the Twenty-third corps lay quietly in camp four miles in reserve, wondering what it all meant, and asking in vain for information. The rebels did not vouchsafe even a single gun in reply; consequently the casualties in our lines were nothing. The next morning the Fourth corps was moved slightly up the river to support the Twenty-third in the operations of to-day. This morning the Twenty-third corps broke camp at an early hour, and directed its march eastward, aiming to strike the river at Isham's Ford, eight miles above the railroad bridge. Headquar ters moved out in advance, and riding at a rapid pace, with an old man, a resident of the country, as a guide, we emerged suddenly from the thick forest out upon the brink of the river bluffs. There lay the Chattahoochee, about one hundred and fifty feet below us, muddy and rapid from recent rains-in every respect an unclassical stream. Right here lives William Ulrich, said to be a good Union men, and a Pennsylvania German, whose honest heart was greatly delighted, perhaps, and perhaps not, at our sudden advent. Immediately the glasses of the Signal Corps were levelled at the opposite bauk, but not a discovery could they make except a solitary man wandering in the bushes. Moving a little further down the bluff, a close reconnoissance with the glasses discovered on top of the opposite hill, just in the edge of a newly-harvested wheat-field, a single twelve-pound brass howitzer, with a few gunners walking about it; and close down to the river's edge, half a dozen rebel sharpshooters squatted under a large tree, just opposite the ford. We were about a mile below. The river here is about four hundred feet wide, and from crest to crest of the hills on either side of the river, between which the cannon must play, was about a third of a mile. After reconnoitering the situation a short time, General Schofield rode away to the ford, which is just at the mouth of Soapes' Creek, to choose positions and make dispositions of the artillery. The Nineteenth Ohio and Twentysecond Indiana Batteries were, with the least possible noise and demonstration, planted so as to cover the ford and cross-fire the rebel gun, while a section of the Sixth Michigan was held in readiness to descend into the valley, a mile further down, at the proper time, and enfilade the sharpshooters on the opposite bank. All these pieces were under strict orders not to fire under any provocation, until they received positive orders. The solitary howitzer on the other side, bestowed upon them, at random, about half a dozen shots during the forenoon, and then remained quiet until the attack was made. Meantime, and until late in the afternoon, the troops were slowly getting into shape, and the lumbering pontoon trains were coming up and parking on the hill, ready to go down into the valley when needed. A little before four, General Schofield sent orders to General Cox to have his skirmish line in readiness, and at that hour pass it rapidly across a few rods of corn-field which lay between the hill and the river, and if they drew the rebel fire, to open with his cannon and silence it. As the hour approached, a small party of spectators posted themselves half-way down the hillside, a mile below the ford, and with glasses thrust out from behind convenient trees and fences, eagerly awaited the spectacle. The Captain of the rebel gun could be clearly seen on the distant hill, seeking comfort as best he could (it was the hotest day of the year), and reading a January number of the Chattanooga Rebel. The gun had been drawn back to conceal it a little, and a sentinel sat on the brink of the hill to observe our movements and give notice to the gunners to bring forward the piece. The sharpshooters also could be seen, glaring intently out of their cover upon the opposite opening in the willows, where the ford was approached. Our skirmish line was composed of about two hundred men, from several regiments; and a volunteer detachment of two hundred men from the Twenty-third and Twenty-fifth Michigan, One Hundred and Eleventh Ohio, and other regiments which had in their ranks many old Lake Erie sailors, were assigned to the use of the oars in the pontoons which were to carry over the first companies. At half past four o'clock the little squad of skirmishers issue ont of the woods which had concealed them perfectly, rush rapidly across the corn-field, and when they come close in the rear of the willows they begin pouring in a sharp fire upon the rebel gun on the hill, and keep it up without cessation. The sentinel is seen to leap up hastily and run to the rear, the gunners trundle out their gun in plain sight, and the Sergeant stoops to sight it. But it is in vain, the bullets whistle so thick about his ears, that after dodging a few moments from one side to the other, he gives up indespair, the lanyard is pulled, the shot plunges harmless in the middle of the river, and the rebel gunners all incontinently take to their heels and disappear in the woods. Our fellows keep up so hot a fire about it that no one dares to return. The shells from our batteries pour in around it, and the red clouds of Confederate dust that leap up show how fatal was their aim. A shell from one of the guns lands under the tree of sharpshooters; the glasses are quickly turned upon them, and they are discovered lying flat on the ground. The willows completely screen our brave boys, and they cannot fire a shot at them, but must hug the soil for dear life. Suddenly a pontoon boat filled with blue coats is seen nearing the opposite shore, then another, and another. As the first boat touches land, Captain Daniels, whose eye is rivetted to his glass, shouts, "They hold up their hands! they hold up their hands! they drop their guns! they run down the bank!" The shells have cut off their retreat; there is no other resource, and they come running down to the boats with uplifted hands in token of surrender, and yet crouching as if to shun a flying bullet. The Twelfth Kentucky infantry is first over the river, they run rapidly up the hill, and three men, fully five rods in advance of all others, lay hands upon the gun in the name of the Government. With it they capture a caisson full of ammunition, two horses, two ducks, and the Captain's coat. They had left so hurriedly that they had not even spiked the piece. The gun and the accoutrements were very properly put into possession of these three men. Would I knew their names. In thirty minutes after the stampede, Captain Daniels had reached the ford, swam his horse over behind a pontoon, and shaken out his flag in triumph on the opposite side of the Chattahoochee, where the rebels had threatened they would make so bloody a resistance. Soon the pontoons had ferried over several regiments, who formed in line of battle at once on the top of the hill, but found no enemy. The bridge was rapidly laid, and the corps began to cross. It was necessary that all possible expedition should be used, as the enemy might learn of the movement in time to mass heavily upon the small force before others could cross to support it, and inflict much damage. To Colonel Buell, commanding the pontoon train, there is much due for the rapidity and good order with which the bridge was almost literally "flung" over the river. There was not a man killed during the day, that I can learn of, nor so many as half a dozen wounded. So overwhelming and sudden was our firing that it took the rebels by surprise. They seem to have been entirely disconcerted, and they certainly have not made a more utter failure to carry out their fierce threats in any single case. Soon after the troops began to cross, the corps below began to open a lively cannonade, doubtless with a view of attracting the enemy's attention away from us. Detached as this corps is, so far away from the others, I am unable to learn whether they have yet crossed over any forces or not; but if I am not greatly mistaken, the Twenty-third corps has crossed the first regiment of the army. True, they did not encounter strong forces in their front; but none could tell what they would find, and the gallantry of the men who rushed forward to man the pontoons in the face of these uncertainties, and those who ran up the hill with no others yet over to support them, when they may be met by a deadly fire from behind some screen, is worthy of all praise. How could they know but all this apparent panic and ridiculous fiasco might be but a blind to draw them on to their death? And when men are compelled thus to go upon suspense, and charge, it may be, upon lurking volleys which shall leave no one of them to return, it requires a stouter heart than to dash forward amid the roar and rattle of arms, and to meet a foe whom they can see. I have not known a more dramatic, brilliant, and at the same time bloodless episode, in this whole campaign than was enacted to-day by the command of General Schofield—so entirely successful, and so entirely without loss. ISHAM'S FORD, Georgia, July 11, 1864. The names of the three men mentioned as the first to take possession of the rebel gun unmanned by our sharpshooters, on the occasion of crossing the river, on the eighth, are James Vaught, Charles Miller, and James Carter. These all belong to company A, Twelfth Kentucky infantry, Bird's brigade, Cox's division, Twentythird Army Corps. |