Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Friday, July 22. — The 2d Brigade were reviewed by General Ledlie. Sharp firing on our left in the afternoon. Court-martial adjourned immediately on account of review.

Friday, 22d.—Fell back to Atlanta before daylight. Soon after day, Federals approached our picket line, and skirmishing began; cannonading on our right. 9 A. M., heavy fighting on our right. 12 M., Hardee’s Corps driving Yankees back. 4 P. M., fighting still continues; ordered to be ready to move to right. Drew ten rounds cartridges extra. Again reported that Hardee is driving Federals back. Federal General McPherson killed. Reported three or four thousand prisoners and eight pieces of artillery captured. Federals driven back half mile. This was the battle of Peach Tree.

22nd. Transferred forge to 3rd Jersey. Thede and I rode to City Point. Bigelow and we took dinner with John. Pleasant time. Visited Capt. Dorsey. Enjoyed the ride.

July 22d. Early on the march. After a march of about five miles, passed through the town of Berryville. A raid was made on bee-hives that looked inviting near the town. Honey for a change. The boys could eat most anything. Pushing on along the Winchester Pike, fording the Opequon Creek and a wide brook, entered Winchester from the east. Passed through the main street, out on the Strasburg Pike, came to a halt at the Union Mills, about four miles from Winchester, having marched about fifteen miles. For rations tonight we had pancakes (toe-jam) and honey, brought from Berryville. From observations we think we are near the enemy. It don’t take us long to catch on. We watch the movements of the Signal Corps. They seem to have plenty of work when the enemy is near. The 6th Corps has left us, having been ordered to Washington. Only the 8th Corps left here. Greatly reduced in numbers owing to its severe duty for the past three months. Reported that General Early and his forces are still in the valley, and they number about thirty thousand.

July 22nd. Layed in the same place for a week. Moved to the left today about a mile. Are now protecting the flank of the army.

Etowah Bridge, Friday, July 22. A pleasant day. Wrote in the forenoon. Reading matter very scarce yet. About 10 A. M. a report was brought into camp by Elston from headquarters dispatched by General Smith from the front, that our troops entered city of Atlanta between 2 and 3 A. M. this morning. Sundry attempts were made to raise a cheer with but a feeble result. Past experience has taught us to beware of disappointments, and the thought of many slain was saddening.

Charles Francis Adams, Jr., to Henry Adams

H.Q. Cav’y Escort, A. of P.
July 22d, 1864

Today is my family letter day. I have only to report all quiet before Petersburg and this week, in comprehensive return for all your favors, I report that much to you. My last, I believe, was written from City Point. I came up from thence on Saturday evening last . . .

Meanwhile things here are curiously dull; there is nothing that I know of going on. Since I came up from the Point I have moved round more than formerly. Monday I went over to see Barlow and had a talk with him. He does n’t seem to lose any health in the field. Just as I was leaving his quarters I ran across General Meade and accompanied him back to Head Quarters where he summoned me to dine with him; which indeed I did, but I did n’t pick up any crumbs of learning to speak of at his table. The General’s mess consists of himself, General Humphreys and Theodore Lyman, and Meade, I noticed had not allowed anxiety or care to destroy his appetite. Wednesday I ran down to see Ned Dalton and found Henry Higginson and General Barlow there, and as Charming Clapp came up to dinner, we had quite a little Harvard re-union. George Barnard too happened in, coming down with his regiment on his way to Washington to be mustered out. The time of service being over George is going home and looks with great gusto to the exchange of “before Petersburg” for Lynn. Henry Higginson has come down to try his hand on Barlow’s staff. I have no idea that he can stand it as he is n’t at all recovered from his wounds, but it is best that he should try it on as he must resign if he can’t do duty. It is now thirteen months since he was wounded at Aldie.

After dinner I rode back with Barlow to the camp by moonlight, he indulging in his usual vein of conversation. It’s pleasant and refreshing to meet a man like Barlow among the crowds of mediocrity which make up the mass of an army. Here’s a man who goes into the army and in everything naturally recurs to first principles. The object of discipline is obedience; the end of fighting is victory, and he naturally and instinctively sweeps away all the forms, rules and traditions which, originally adopted as means to the end, here, in the hands of incompetent men, ultimately usurped the place of the ends they were calculated to secure. In every regular army this is seen: principles are lost sight of in forms. I am more disposed to regard Barlow as a military genius than any man I have yet seen. He has as yet by no means attained his growth. Should the war last and he survive, I feel very confident that he will make as great a name as any that have arisen in this war. He now contemplates going into the colored troops, raising a large corps and organizing them as an army of itself. Should he do so I shall doubtless go in with him and have a regiment of cavalry with just as much of a future before me as I show myself equal to. However I freely confess that no military promotion or success now offers much attraction to me. My present ambition is to see the war over, so that I may see my way out of the army. I am tired of the Carnival of Death. . . .

July 22, 1864.

[The day of the battle of Atlanta]

We have heard the loud booming of cannon all day. Mr. Ward [the overseer] went over to the burial of Thomas Harwell, whose death I witnessed yesterday. They had but just gone when the Rev. A. Turner, wife, and daughter drove up with their wagons, desiring to rest awhile. They went into the ell [a large back room] and lay down, I following them, wishing to enjoy their company. Suddenly I saw the servants running to the palings, and I walked to the door, when I saw such a stampede as I never witnessed before. The road was full of carriages, wagons, men on horseback, all riding at full speed. Judge Floyd stopped, saying: “Mrs. Burge, the Yankees are coming. They have got my family, and here is all I have upon earth. Hide your mules and carriages and whatever valuables you have.”

Sadai [Mrs. Surge’s nine-year-old daughter] said:

“Oh, Mama, what shall we do?”

“Never mind, Sadai,” I said. “They won’t hurt you, and you must help me hide my things.”

I went to the smoke-house, divided out the meat to the servants, and bid them hide it. Julia [a slave] took a jar of lard and buried it. In the meantime Sadai was taking down and picking up our clothes, which she was giving to the servants to hide in their cabins; silk dresses, challis, muslins, and merinos, linens, and hosiery, all found their way into the chests of the women and under their beds; china and silver were buried underground, and Sadai bid Mary [a slave] hide a bit of soap under some bricks, that mama might have a little left. Then she came to me with a part of a loaf of bread, asking if she had not better put it in her pocket, that we might have something to eat that night. And, verily, we had cause to fear that we might be homeless, for on every side we could see smoke arising from burning buildings and bridges.

Major Ansley, who was wounded in the hip in the battle of Missionary Ridge, and has not recovered, came with his wife, sister, two little ones, and servants. He was traveling in a bed in a small wagon. They had thought to get to Eatonton, but he was so wearied that they stopped with me for the night. I am glad to have them. I shall sleep none to-night. The woods are full of refugees.

by John Beauchamp Jones

            JULY 22D.—Bright and dry again. Gen. Johnston has been relieved. It would seem that Gen. Hood has made a successful debut as a fighting general in command of the army, since Gen. Johnston’s removal.

            A dispatch from Gen. Bragg, dated yesterday, states that the enemy is withdrawing fromArkansas, either to operate inMississippi, or to reinforceSherman.

            Gen. Lee is opposed to retaliating on innocent prisoners the cruelties committed by the guilty in executing our men falling into their bands.

Friday, 22d—The citizens remaining in town, after so long a time, have become quite reconciled. Nothing new from the front.[1]


[1] In the battle of this day the Iowa Brigade was on the extreme left of the Seventeenth Corps, and all four regiments suffered in the number killed and wounded, besides losing many as prisoners of war. George Sweet of Company E was killed and Aaron Pierce was missing. The Sixteenth Iowa lost over two hundred and thirty, who were taken prisoners. This battle, known as the battle of Atlanta, proved to be the hardest fought battle for our brigade during the siege of Atlanta. Major General McPherson was killed in this battle, and the loss of our beloved McPherson was a great blow to the Army of the Tennessee. He was a noble man and kind to all under his command.—A. G. D.