Joseph T. Derry , A. M. , Author of School History of the United States; Story of the Confederate War, etc., Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 6, Georgia
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

[350] intrench, but considered it absolutely necessary to hold it long enough to insure the evacuation of Atlanta, which he saw was necessary. To add to his embarrassment, he was encumbered with the immense subsistence and ordnance trains of the army, which had been sent to Jonesboro for safety, because the absence of Wheeler made it necessary to guard them with infantry. He was evidently justified in saying, ‘If the enemy had crushed my corps, or even driven it from its position at Jonesboro on the 1st of September, no organized body of the other two corps could have escaped destruction.’

Fortunately, only Davis' corps, formerly Palmer's, was able to unite with Howard and Kilpatrick in time. About 4 p. m. of the 1st, Davis assaulted Hardee's position from the north, but as Hardee reports, ‘through the splendid gallantry of the troops the position was held against fierce and repeated assaults.’ At night Hardee fell back to Lovejoy's Station. Davis reported that he finally carried the Confederate line after ‘very heavy fighting,’ in which he lost 222 killed, 945 wounded and 105 missing, and captured General Govan, probably about 1,000 prisoners, 8 cannon and several flags. The success of the Federals here spoken of occurred about the middle of the afternoon; but Granbury's Texans and Gordon's Tennessee brigade charging into the breach rectified Hardee's line, which was then successfully held until night against heavy odds. Hardee's gallant fight secured Hood's safe retreat from Atlanta. The brave stand made by Hardee's men in the battle of Jonesboro was one of the most gallant deeds of the war.

At 5 p. m., September 1st, the evacuation of Atlanta was begun, the troops falling back toward McDonough. Preparations for the removal of stores had begun on the previous day. It appears that all the ordnance might have been removed safely, but on account of some confusion there were destroyed or abandoned a small quantity of quartermaster's and medical stores, some subsistence