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To mourning friends, and to all the disabled in battle, you extend a soldier's sympathy.

My first intimate acquaintance with you dates from the twenty-eighth of July. I never beheld fiercer assaults than the enemy then made, and I never saw troops more steady and selfpossessed in action than your divisions which were then engaged.

I have learned that for cheerfulness, obedience, rapidity of movement, and confidence in battle, the Army of Tennessee is not to be surpassed, and it shall be my study that your fair record shall continue, and my purpose to assist you to move steadily forward and plant the old flag in every proud city of the rebellion. 0. O. HOWARD, Major-General,

SAMUEL L. TAGGART,

Assistant Adjutant-General

ORDER OF GENERAL LOGAN.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS, EAST POINT, GA., September 11, 1864. Officers and Soldiers of the Fifteenth Army Corps:

You have borne your part in the accomplishment of the object of this campaign-a part well and faithfully done.

road, near Stone Mountain, a distance of fifty miles, and after effectually destroying the railroad at this point, you moved by way of Decatur to the immediate front of the rebel stronghold, Atlanta. Here, on the twenty-second day of July, you again performed your duty nobly, as patriots and soldiers, in one of the most severe and sanguinary conflicts of the campaign. With hardly time to recover your almost exhausted energies, you were moved again around to the right of the army, only to fight the same troops against whom you had so recently contended; and the battle of the twenty-eighth of July, at Ezra Chapel, will long be remembered by the officers and soldiers of this command. On that day it was that the Fifteenth corps, almost unaided and alone, for four hours contested the field against the corps of Hardee and Lee. You drove them discomfited from the field; causing them to leave their dead and many of their wounded in your hands. The many noble and gallant deeds performed by you on this day will be remembered among the proudest acts of our nation's history. After pressing the enemy closely for several days, you again moved to the right of the army, to the West Point railroad, near Fairburn. After completely destroying the road for some distance, you marched to Jonesboro', driving the enemy before you from Pond creek, a distance of ten miles. At this point you again met the enemy, composed of Lee's and Hardee's corps, on the thirty-first of August, and punished them severely, driving them in confusion from the field, with their dead and many wounded and prisoners left in your hands. Here again, by your skill and true courage, you kept sacred the reputation you have so long maintained, viz.: The Fifteenth corps never meets the enemy but to strike and defeat him." On the first of September, the Fourteenth corps attacked Hardee. You at once opened fire on him, and by your co-operation his defeat became a rout. Hood, hearing the news, blew up his ammunition trains, retreated, and Atlanta was ours.

46

On the first day of May, 1864, from Huntsville, Alabama, and its vicinity, you commenced the march. The marches and labors performed by you during this campaign will hardly find a parallel in the history of the war. The proud name heretofore acquired by the Fifteenth corps, for soldierly bearing and daring deeds, remains untarnished, its lustre undimmed. During the campaign you constituted the main portion of the flanking column of the whole army. Your first move against the enemy was around the right of the army at Resaca, where, by your gallantry, the enemy were driven from the hills and his works on the main road from Villanow to Resaca. On the retreat of the enemy, you moved on the right flank of the army, by a circuitous route, to Adairsville; in the You have marched during the campaign, in same manner from there to Kingston and Dallas, your windings, the distance of four hundred where, on the twenty-third of May, you met the miles; have put hors de combat more of the veteran corps of Hardee, and, in a severe and enemy than your corps numbers; have captured bloody contest, you hurled him back, killing and twelve stands of arms, two thousand four hunwounding over two thousand, besides capturing dred and fifty prisoners, and two hundred and a large number of prisoners. You then moved ten deserters. The course of your march is round to the left of the army by way of Ack-marked by the graves of patriotic heroes, who worth, to Kenesaw Mountain, where again you have fallen by your side; but, at the same time, met the enemy, driving him from three lines it is more plainly marked by the blood of of works, and capturing over three hundred traitors, who have defied the Constitution and prisoners. During your stay in front of Kene- laws, insulted and trampled under foot the glosaw Mountain, on the twenty-seventh of June,rious flag of our country. We deeply sympayou made one of the most daring, bold, and heroic charges of the war, against the almost impregnable position of the enemy on the Little Kenesaw. You were then moved by way of Marietta, to Nickajack creek, on the right of our army; thence back to the extreme left by way of Marietta and Roswell, to the Augusta railVOL. XI-Doc. 21

thize with the friends of those of our comradesin-arms who have fallen; our sorrows are only appeased by the knowledge that they fell as brave men, battling for the preservation and perpetuation of one of the best governments of earth. "Peace be to their ashes."

You now rest for a short time from your la

bors. During your respite prepare for future action. Let the country see, at all times, by your conduct, that you love the cause you have espoused; that you have no sympathy with any who would by word or deed assist vile traitors in dismembering our mighty republic or trailing in the dust the emblem of our national greatness and glory. You are the defenders of a government that has blessed you heretofore with peace, happiness and prosperity. Its perpetuity depends upon your heroism, faithfulness and devotion.

battles about Kenesaw, and the escape of the enemy across the Chattahoochee river.

The crossing of the Chattahoochee and breaking of the Augusta road was most handsomely executed by us, and will be studied as an example in the art of war. At this stage of our game, our enemies became dissatisfied with their old and skilful commander, and selected one more bold and rash. New tactics were adopted. Hood first boldly and rapidly, on the twentieth of July, fell on our right at Peachtree Creek, and lost.

Again, on the twenty-second, he struck our extreme left, and was severely punished; and finally again, on the twenty-eighth, he repeated the attempt on our right, and that time must have been satisfied, for since that date he has remained on the defensive. We slowly and gradually drew our lines about Atlanta, feeling for the railroads which supplied the Rebel army, and made Atlanta a place of importance.

When the time shall come to go forward again, let us go with the determination to save our nation from threatened wreck, and hopeless ruin, not forgetting the appeal from widows and orphans that is borne to us upon every breeze, to avenge the loss of their loved ones who have fallen in the defence of their country. Be patient, obedient, and earnest, and the day is not far distant when you can return to your homes with the proud consolation that you We must concede to our enemy that he met have assisted in causing the old banner to again these efforts patiently and skilfully, but at last wave from every mountain, and over every he made the mistake we had waited for so long, town and hamlet of our once happy land, and and sent his cavalry to our rear, far beyond the hear the shouts of triumph ascend from a grate-reach of recall. Instantly our cavalry was on ful people, proclaiming that once more we have one flag and one country.

JOHN A. LOGAN,
Major-General Commanding.

GENERAL SHERMAN'S ORDER.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE
MISSISSIPPI, IN THE FIELD, ATLANTA, GA., Sept. 8.

Special Field Orders, No. 68.

his only remaining road, and we followed quickly with our principal army, and Atlanta fell into our possession as the fruit of well-concerted measures, backed by a brave and competent

army.

This completed the grand task which had been assigned us by our Government, and your General again repeats his personal and official thanks to all the officers and men composing this army, for the indomitable courage and perseverance which alone could give success.

The officers and soldiers of the Armies of the Cumberland, Ohio, and Tennessee, have already We have beaten our enemy on every ground received the thanks of the nation through its he has chosen, and have wrested from him his President and Commander-in-chief; and it re-own Gate City, where were located his founmains now only for him who has been with you from the beginning, and who intends to stay all the time, to thank the officers and men for their intelligence, fidelity and courage displayed in the campaign of Atlanta.

dries, arsenals and workshops, deemed secure on account of their distance from our base, and the seeming impregnable obstacles intervening. Nothing is impossible to an army like this, determined to vindicate a Government wherever our flag has once floated, and resolved to maintain them at any and all cost.

On the first day of May our armies were lying in garrison, seemingly quiet, from Knoxville to Huntsville, and our enemy lay behind his rocky- In our campaign many, yea, very many of our faced barrier at Dalton, proud, defiant and exult-noble and gallant comrades have preceded us ing. He had had time since Christmas to recover from his discomfiture on the Mission Ridge, with his ranks filled, and a new commander-in-chief, second to none of the Confederacy in reputation for skill, sagacity and extreme popularity.

All at once, our armies assumed life and action, and appeared before Dalton; threatening Rocky Face we threw ourselves upon Resaca, and the rebel army only escaped by the rapidity of its retreat, aided by the numerous roads with which he was familiar, and which were strange to us.

Again he took post at Allatoona, but we gave him no rest, and by a circuit toward Dallas, and a subsequent movement to Ackworth, we gained the Allatoona Pass. Then followed the eventful

to our common destination, the grave; but they have left the memory of deeds, on which a nation can build a proud history. McPherson, Harker, McCook, and others, dear to us all, are now the binding links in our minds, that should attach more closely together the living, who have to complete the task which still lies before us in the dim future.

I ask all to continue as they have so well begun, the cultivation of the soldierly virtues that have ennobled our own and other countries. Courage, patience, obedience to the laws and constituted authorities of our Government; fidelity to our trusts, and good feeling among each other; each trying to excel the other in the practice of those high qualities, and it will then require no prophet to foretell that our

country will in time emerge from this war purified by the fires of war, and worthy its great founder, Washington.

W. T. SHERMAN,
Major-General, Commanding.

THE DESPATCH FROM GENERAL GRANT.

division, Twelfth corps, at the battle of Gettysburg, together with the reports of his brigade and regimental commanders. General Ruger with a large portion of his division was ordered to New York city soon after the battle, and immediately after his return from New York, the corps was ordered to this department. The reports of General Williams and myself were delayed with the hope of receiving I have just received your despatch anouncing with them. I deeply regret the necessity General Ruger's report in time to forward it the capture of Atlanta. In honor of your great which compelled me to send my report and victory, I have just ordered a salute to be fired that of General Williams unaccompanied by with shotted guns from every battery bearing any report of the operations of the First divupon the enemy. The salute will be fired with-ision, for although an account of the operations in an hour, amidst great rejoicing.

CITY POINT, VA., September 4,-9 P. M.

Major-General Sherman :

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General

All the corps, regiments and batteries composing the army may, without further orders, inscribe Atlanta on their colors. By order of Major-General SHERMAN.

L. M. DAYTON,

Aid-de-Camp.

By command of Major-General THOMAS. ROBERT H. RAMSEY,

A. A. G.

Doc. 40.

THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, PA.
CORRECTION OF OFFICIAL REPORTS.

TULLAHOMA, December 30, 1863.

DEAR GENERAL: Your favor of the twentythird has been received. I enclose a copy of a letter which I send to General Meade by the mail of to-day. I wish you would fry to see Meade after he gets my letter, and talk this matter over, and learn what he intends to do. He must write to the Secretary of War on the subject.

My corps is together again, Geary having been ordered to Bridgeport and Stevenson. I feel confident that everything will work out right in the end, and I am very anxious you should return to the corps before the spring campaign opens. I will endeavor to give you a position more agreeable to you than the one you have held heretofore. So don't make rangements which will take you away. Williams has gone on leave. Please let me hear from you. Yours truly,

H. W. SLOCUM. To Brigadier-General GEORGE S. Greene.

LETTER FROM GENERAL SLOCUM.

HEADQUARTERS TWELFTH CORPS,
December 1863.

of this division was given in the report of General Williams who commanded the corps during the battle, I think the absence of Ruger's report may account for some of the errors contained in your report as to the operations of the Twelfth corps.

I enclose a letter from General Williams calling my attention to these errors, to which I respectfully invite your attention, and if anything can be done at this late day to correct these errors, I trust you will do it. Your report is the official history of this important battle, and to this report reference will always be made by our Government, our people, and the historian, as the most reliable and accurate account of the services performed by each corps, division and brigade of your army. If you have inadvertently given to one division the credit of having performed some meritorious service, which was in reality performed by another division, you do an injustice to brave men, and defraud them of well-earned laurels. It is an injustice which even time caunot correct. That errors of this nature exist in your official report is an indisputable fact.

You give great credit to Lockwood's brigade for services on the evening of July second, but state that this brigade was a portion of the First corps, while it never at any time belonged to that corps, but was a portion of the Twelfth corps, and was accompanied in its operations on the evening of July second, by General Williams in person. A portion of this brigade (the One Hundred and Fiftieth New York) is still in General Williams' division. I copy the folar-lowing statement from your report: "During the heavy assault on our left, portions of the Twelfth corps were sent as reinforcements; during their absence the line on the extreme right was held by a very much reduced force. This was taken advantage of by the enemy, who, during the absence of General Geary's division of the Twelfth corps, advanced and occupied part of the line. On the morning of the third, General Geary, having returned during the night, attacked at early dawn the enemy, and succeeded in driving him back and reoccupying his former position. A spirited contest was maintained all the morning along this part of the line. General Geary reinforced by Wheaton's brigade of the Sixth corps, main

Major-General George G. Meade Commanding
Army of the Potomac.

GENERAL: I enclose herewith the report of
General T. H. Ruger, of operations of the First

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From this statement it would appear that Geary's division marched to the support of your left, that Williams' division did not; that his (Williams') division, or a portion of it, were guarding the intrenchments when the enemy gained possession; that General Geary returned and with his division drove the enemy back; that the engagement on the following morning was fought by Geary's division assisted by Wheaton's brigade. This, I know, is the inference drawn from your history of these operations by every person unacquainted with the truth. Yet the facts in the case are very nearly the reverse of the above in every particular, and directly in contradiction to the facts, as set forth in the report of General Geary, as well as that of General Williams. Geary's division didn't march even in the direction of your left. Two of his brigades, under his immediate command, left the intrenchments under orders to move to the support of your left, but through some unfortunate mistake he took the road leading to Two Taverns. Williams' entire division did more to the support of your left, and it was one of his brigades (Lockwood's) under his immediate command, which you commend, but very singularly accredit to the First corps.

for you have not failed to notice the fact of General Schurz and others having held, even for a few hours, commands above that previously held by them.

I sincerely trust that you will endeavor to correct as far as possible the errors above mentioned and that the correction may be recorded at the War Department.

I am, General, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,

H. W. SLOCUM,
Major-General Commanding.

GENERAL MEADE'S LETTER.

HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, February 25, 1864. Major-General H. W. Halleck, General-in-chief, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: I transmit herewith the report of Brigadier-General T. H. Ruger, commanding First division, Twelfth Army Corps, and those of his brigade and regimental commanders, of the operations of his division at the battle of Gettysburg. These reports were only recently received by me, owing to General Ruger's being detached with a large portion of his command not long after the battle, and soon after his return the corps was ordered to Tennessee. I beg these reports may be placed on file, as part of my official report of the battle.

I embrace this opportunity to make certain corrections and alterations in my report, to which my attention has been called by MajorGeneral Slocum.

These alterations are as follows: First. In relating the occurrences of the second of July I state: "In the meantime per

Greene's brigade of the Second division remained in the intrenchments, and the failure of the enemy to gain entire possession of our works, was due entirely to the skill of General Greene, and the heroic valor of his troops. His brigade suffered severely, but maintained its position, and held the enemy in check until the return of Williams' division. The "spirit-ceiving the great exertions on the part of the ed contest maintained by General Geary rein- enemy, the Sixth corps (Major-General Sedgforced by Wheaton's brigade," was a contest wick) and part of the First corps (to the comfor regaining the portion of our intrenchments mand of which I had assigned Major-General held by the enemy, and was conducted under Newton), particularly Lockwood's Maryland the immediate command of General Williams, brigade, together with detachments from the and was participated in by the entire Twelfth Second corps, were all brought up.” corps, reinforced, not by Wheaton's, but by Shaler's brigade.

Although the command of the Twelfth corps was given temporarily to General Williams by your order, and although you directed him to meet at the council with other corps commanders, you fail to mention his name in your entire report, and in no place allude to his having any such command, or to the fact that more than one corps was at any time placed under my command, although at no time after you assumed command of the army, until the close of this battle, was I in command of less than two corps, and I have now in my possession your written order dated July second, directing me to assume command of the Sixth corps, and with that corps, and the two then under my command, the Fifth and Twelfth, to move forward and at once attack the enemy. I allude to this fact for the purpose of refreshing your memory on a subject which you had apparently entirely forgotten when you penned your report,

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This should read. "In the meantime perceiving the great exertion on the part of the enemy, the Sixth corps (Major-General Sedgwick) and part of the First corps, (to the command of which I had assigned Major-General Newton) together with detachments from the Second corps, were all brought up. Subsequently the First division and Lockwood's brigade of the Twelfth corps, under the immediate command of Brigadier-General A. S. Williams, then temporarily commanding the corps, arrived at the scene of action. The services of Lockwood's brigade being particularly mentioned."

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Second. In relating the occurrences of July third. During the heavy assaults upon our extreme left portions of the Twelfth corps were sent as reinforcements. During their absence, the line of the extreme right was held by a much reduced force, and was taken the advantage of by the enemy, who, during the absence of Geary's division, Twelfth corps, advanced

and occupied a part of the line. On the morning of the third, General Geary having returned during the night, was attacked at early dawn by the enemy, but succeeded in driving him back and occupying his former position. A spirited contest was maintained all the morning along this part of the line. General Geary, reinforced by Wheaton's brigade, Sixth corps, maintained his position, inflicting severe losses on the enemy."

port of the battle of Gettysburg, but will have
one made on my return, from the original, which
I have with me. I trust it will prove satisfac-
tory to you, although I have not made such
particular mention of your services as they
undoubtedly deserved, and as it would have
gratified me to do had my report been other
than a general one. I take this occasion to say
that, as God is my witness, I had no intention of
doing injustice to you, or any other man in the
Twelfth corps, or any other corps.
Very truly yours,

GEORGE G. MEADE,

Doc. 41.

Major-General.

GUERRILLA BARBARITIES.

THE FIGHT AT ROSEVILLE, ARK.

This should read: "During the heavy assaults on our extreme.left, the First division and Lockwood's brigade of the Twelfth corps, were sent as reinforcements, as already reported. Two brigades of Geary's division (Second) of this corps were also detached for the same purpose, but did not arrive at the scene of action, owing to having mistaken the road. The detachment of so large a portion of the Twelfth corps with its temporary commander BrigadierGeneral A. S. Williams, left the defences of the line previously held to the remaining brigade of the Second division, commanded by General The Roseville fight occurred on the morning Greene, who held the left of the Twelfth corps, of the fourth of April, 1864. The attacking now become the extreme right of the army. party consisted of the Thirtieth Texas cavalry, The enemy perceiving the withdrawal of our four hundred strong, under Lieutenant-Colonel troops, advanced and attacked General Greene Battles, and fifty guerrillas, under Titsworth. with great vigor, who, making a gallant defence, Our force was about seventy-five men of the and being soon reinforced by portions of the Second and Sixth Kansas cavalry, under CapFirst and Eleventh corps, contiguous to him, tains Gardner and Goss. The balance of their succeeded in repulsing all the efforts of the command was out foraging. The pickets were enemy to dislodge him. After night, on the re-driven in at eight A. M. Our boys made barriturn of the detachments sent to the left, it was found the enemy were cccupying portions of the line of breastworks thrown up by the Twelfth corps. Brigadier-General Williams in command immediately made arrangements by the disposition of his artillery, and instructions to both divisions, commanded respectively by Brigadier-Generals Geary and Ruger, to attack the enemy at daylight, and regain the position formerly occupied by the corps. In the meantime the enemy brought up strong reinforcements, and at early daylight a spirited contest commenced, which continued till after ten A. M., the result of which was the repulse of the enemy in all of his attempts to advance, and his final abandonment of the position he had taken the evening before. During this contest Shaler's brigade, Sixth corps, was sent to reinforce the Twelfth corps. With this exception the line

remained undisturbed."

I should be glad, as an act of justice, if this communication could be published.

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

GEORGE G. MEADE,
Major-General Commanding.

cades of cotton bales, and behind these, and in some log houses, met the enemy. The latter dismounted about half a mile from town, and advanced through the timber. They charged gallantly into the town, at the same time making flank movements. The fight was severe and gallant, both sides coming to the work bravely. Under the rapid fire of our Sharpe's rifles the enemy finally fell back disordered, retreating in great haste. Eight or ten of their dead were left on the field or found afterward. Eleven of their wounded were found, and are now in our hospital. Major Davenport and Lieutenant Armstrong, of the Texas cavalry, are also reported killed. The loss on our side was: Sixth Kansas cavalry, Company D, Captain Goss, three killed, five wounded; Second Kansas cavalry, Company D, one killed and one wounded; Company E, four wounded. Total, four killed and ten wounded. The loss of the enemy, from what they abandoned and what they left, could not be less than fifteen killed and twenty-five wounded.

Doctor Prentiss, of the First Kansas colored volunteers, arrived at Roseville next day, from General Steele's army, and took charge of the wounded. It was a fortunate circumstance, as the Assistant-Surgeon of the Sixth, Doctor S. A.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Fairchild, sent with an escort from this place,

March 10, 1864.

Brigadier-General G. S. Greene, Washington,
D. C.:

GENERAL: I could not procure from General
Halleck a copy of my letter, containing my re-

was most inhumanly_butchered, after capture, by bushwhackers. Doctor Fairchild left Fort Smith on the fifth, with an escort of twenty-six men, under Lieutenant McKibben, of the Sixth.

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