CHAPTER
LXXXVIII
During the time that we remained in the line of
investment, a 64 pound she1l was thrown into our breast-works and exploded,
killing three men of the 16th Ohio ,
which lay immediately in our rear. This
was the only time that their shells did any damage in our immediate front,
although they frequently almost scared us to death.
On the afternoon of the 28th of July the
rebels attacked the 15th Corps, and made a desperate attempt to
break our line of investment, but failed in it, being repulsed with great
slaughter.
About this time, General Hooker resigned the command
of the old 20th Corps, and was succeeded in command by Major General
Henry W. Slocum. The resignation of
General Hooker was brought about by the fact that Gen. O. O. Howard was
appointed to the command of the Army of the Tennessee, vice General McPherson
killed in the battle of the 22nd of July. The writer of this article has always held
that great injustice was done to General Hooker by the Commander of the
Department by the appointment of his inferior to the position. As we have no desire to deal harshly with
those in authority, yet we cannot refrain from expressing the opinion that
General Sherman was jealous of the growing popularity of General Hooker, and
was thus prompted to elevate an officer above him who had neither the
confidence of the men or of the officers of the Department.
General Hooker was the idol of the soldiers of the
Fighting 20th Corps. His
appearance was the signal for the wildest kind of cheering, it mattered not
where he passed along the line, or how tired they were, if they would be halted
on the march and resting. If General
Hooker would ride past, the men would spring to their feet and cheer him
lustily. No other officer in the Western
Army was ever received in the same manner.
And when he resigned the command of the brave men he had so gallantly
led from the Tennessee River to Atlanta he expressed a regret that he could not
pass along the line and bid “his boys” farewell, but he was sensible of the
fact that his appearance on the front line would call forth the usual
enthusiasm, and most especially when they would learn that he was about leaving
them, and this might draw the enemies fire on them, and thus be the means
of causing a useless destruction of life.
Hence he bade his command adieu by means of a characteristic address,
which was received with manifestations of the profoundest regret by the men of
his command.
While we lay in front of Atlanta we made the discovery
that there were a number of truck patches between the two lines, which were
filled with tomatoes, beans, cabbage, potatoes, and in order to get possession
of this very desirable food the boys would go out before daylight and help
themselves to anything they could lay their hands on, and it not infrequently
happened that a number of rebels would come into the patches at the same time
our men were and then quite a friendly conversation would be carried on between
the parties. Just as soon as it became
light enough to easily distinguish objects, it was time to get out, or be
shot. A number of men who grew too bold
and remained in the gardens too long were wounded.
It was while lying in line around the city, that a
lady, formerly a citizen of New York , passed
through our lines and while passing regimental head-quarters, she beheld our
colors furled up and encased in its sheath, she turned around to some of the
men and addressed them thus:
“Soldiers, it has been over three years since I looked
upon the star banner and I would like to see it once again, will you have the
kindness to unfurl it for me.” The Co1or
Sergeant who was standing by did as she requested. As the bullet tattered old flag waved in the.
breeze, she gazed upon it and the tears flowed down her cheeks she said “God
bless the old flag, may it soon wave over a united, happy and free
people.” And never was a prayer more
heartily responded to by us than was the one just made by the fleeing woman.
Our time was passed in playing checkers, chess and
cards. Some one of the boys made a set
of chess men and as no one was master of the game, as may well be imagined we
had some heavy games. Corp. Joseph S.
Ulsh took a fancy to the game, he had great difficulty in keeping the names of
some. of the pieces, he called the bishop, “Bushbeck,” and to this day he is
known by that name among the members of Company G.
During the time we were in line in front of Atlanta , orderly Stuck had a difficulty with a number of
the noncoms of the company and he would have reduced us if Col. Pardee had not
interfered.
On Wednesday the 10th of Aug., two 20 pound
parrot guns were planted in our Division and on the evening of the same day,
they opened upon the enemy and the sound of their deep throated thunder, as
they belched forth their iron hail, was indeed sweet music to our ears.
Sunday 14th, there was heavy cannonading on
our right.
Tuesday 16th, in the evening we got orders
to put on our side arms, and be ready to fall in line at a moment’s
notice. During the night the picket line
was advanced and John D. Germon and a number of other men in the regiment were
taken prisoners.
On Thursday the 18th, the enemy shelled us
for about an hour, very severely but done us no harm.
On the following morning we returned the compliments
of yesterday morning with about six or eight batteries, including some 32 and
64 pound guns; setting the city on fire in less than twenty minutes.
On Thursday night, the 25th, our Corps
received orders to make ready to move in a moments notice. We were strictly cautioned to tie our tin cup
that we could move back without making any noise. At about nine o’clock
we received orders to fall in, and we marched all night and by morning we found
ourselves back at the Chattahoochie
River
Our Division was deployed for several miles, stationed
on all the commanding positions along the river. Our Company and B Company were stationed
together on the extreme right of our Division, about one-fourth of a mile south
of the regiment. The first Division or
Red Star boys joined us on the right.
We proceeded to put up breast-works and to fortify the
knoll on which we were posted. Before
our works was completed we were informed that we might put up comfortable
quarters, and as we were short of entrenching tools, we worked by relief at the
earth works whilst those who were not on duty proceeded to put up quarters, and
by 3 o’clock, p. m., we had very comfortable quarters erected, although the
breast-works were not half completed. At
this time General Geary and his staff came riding up, and seeing our
comfortable quarters as well as the neglected breastworks, he jumped from his
horse, and in language more pointed than polite, he gave vent to his
displeasure, cursing everybody that happened to come before him.
“Bushwhacker,” as Johnny Mark was called, was engaged
in cutting down a tree which was standing in the works, and as he did not cut
fast enough to suit the old General, he stepped up to Bushwhacker and said:
“Here, let me have that axe and I will show you how to
cut wood.”
The axe was handed the General and he made several
real powerful strokes, handed the axe back, with the remark.
“The axe is too light or I would cut that tree down in
about ten minutes, now you take it and cut the way that a man ought to.”
He then mounted his horse and after putting all the men
to work, he rode down along the line, and as far as we could see him go, we
considerable noticed commotion among the men and we have no doubt but that “old
John,” the name that General Geary went with among the boys, was giving them a
good “tongue lashing.”
Gen. Slocum, our old 12th Corps Commander,
came to the corps on the 26th and took command of the Corps, which
had been commanded by Gen. Williams of the 1st Division.
When we had our breast-works finished it was
discovered that they were not sufficient and we were compelled to extend our
works about fifty yards, which was done amidst the most profound growling and
grumbling, to say nothing of curses and swearing, we ever heard.
On the 31st, a portion of our Brigade was
sent out on a reconnoitering expedition, to discover if there were any enemy in
our immediate vicinity. The
reconnaissance returned without having met the enemy, or without even having
discovered the slightest traces of them.
During the evening of the 1st of September, between eleven and twelve o’clock , we were awakened by terrible cannonading
in the direction of Atlanta , which continued
until nearly daylight. On the morning of
the 4th we heard that Atlanta was evacuated.
At about six o’clock ,
a. m., we were ordered to tear down and pack up, so as to be ready to move at
short notice. At about 7 o’clock , p. m., we fell
into line and moved in the direction of Atlanta .
We were soon reliably informed by couriers, that the
rebels had evacuated Atlanta , and that what we
had imagined to be cannonading during the previous night, was the bursting of
shells which was occasioned by the rebels destroying ammunition, in order to
prevent it from falling into our hands.
We marched along rapidly, but in the best possible
spirits, for we were about to reach the goal for which we had striven all
summer. At a little before 2 o’clock , p. m., with colors floating in the breeze and
the bands playing the National airs, we marched into the city of Atlanta .
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