[56]
Fifteenth, had taken and held an important position in front of the enemy's works at Resacca, while a division of the Sixteenth corps was at the ferry intrenching.
Howard had moved along the railroad within eight miles of Resacca.
The particulars of the engagement on the centre your correspondent with the army of the Cumberland will furnish.
During the night the advance position of the Fifteenth corps was thoroughly intrenched.
On the fifteenth, the position at which the Fourteenth corps had the battle of the day previous was carried without great loss.
On the right, Sweeney's division of the Sixteenth corps, with a portion of the Third cavalry division, after a sharp engagement, crossed the Oostenaula at Calhoun Ferry.
The passage was effected late in the afternoon.
The fifteenth was comparatively quiet until after midnight. Occasional shots were exchanged by the pickets.
But the evening was the most quiet since the armies were engaged.
About two in the morning a most tremendous artillery fire was opened by the batteries of the left, in consequence of the discovery of a movement of the enemy.
A short time before day the railroad bridge was discovered to be on fire.
The pickets of the brigades of Osterhaus and Morgan L. Smith were advanced, and the colors of the Fifty-seventh Ohio were placed on the abandoned redoubt.
Resacca was destitute of rebels and rebel property for purposes of war. We captured three guns, three forges, some caissons, and a small quantity of salt and corn.
A rebel regiment was captured by Howard, and a few vagabond pickets were picked up in various places.
On the whole, Johnston had gone, and to a great extent had taken his army with him. Twenty-four hours later and he could not have moved off so well arid clearly.
As to the rebel strength, judging from the length of the line that Johnston held, and the battle which he made on the fifteenth, at different points, it could not have been less than forty thousand.
Prisoners claim that it was sixty thousand.
A Southern account.
in the field near Calhoun, Ga., Monday afternoon, May 16, 1864.
The army having settled down for a while, I avail myself of the opportunity offered to give a full account of the battle of Oostenaula, between the entire Yankee army and the divisions of Hindman, Stevenson, and Stewart, of Hood's corps — these troops composing the right wing of our army.
The enemy's force was reported to be the corps of Hovey, Howard, and Palmer, composing between thirty-five and forty thousand men, evidently the flower of the Yankee army, as they were composed almost entirely of Western troops, who, for fighting, rank only second to our own, as has been proven on many battle-fields during this war.
In the morning our forces left their works, and took position about one mile further, and immediately erected new breastworks on the ground they had captured the night previous, and which the enemy had not reoccupied.
The object of this advance was to prevent an enfilading fire which had been obtained on our line the day previous, and to find room for our artillery to play upon the enemy with effect.
As soon as our men, composed of Stevenson's and Stewart's divisions, advanced, a brisk fire ensued between our skirmishers and those of the Yankees, but it ceased on the arrival of our column.
The new works were promptly erected, and before ten o'clock everything was prepared for the anticipated aggressive movement of the enemy, whose manoeuvres the night previous, after they were driven from the ridges, indicated that some plan was contemplated by them for the regaining of the lost ground.
About twelve o'clock the Yankee skirmishers opened a heavy fire on our pickets, compelling them to fall back behind the intrenchments, and at the same time heavy columns were seen forming on the right of Hindman's, Stevenson's, and Stewart's divisions.
There were four lines of battle in depth, and appeared to number about eight thousand men, and from the number massed in front of Stevenson's line it became apparent that his division would have to stand the brunt of the engagement.
One hour passed off slowly to the gallant men who were gazing over the works in anxious expectation for the advance of the enemy, when at about four o'clock the Yankee line of battle moved slowly forward in fine order.
As soon as they crossed a ravine which divided the ridges held by our forces from those occupied by them, Captain Corbett's battery of Georgia artillery was ordered to advance outside of our lines, and about fifty yards from them, and take up a position, which would have given us an enfilading fire on the approaching column.
The battery, consisting of four twelve-pounder Napoleons, moved out of the line and took up position as ordered, but before they could fire a gun, or their infantry support could come up, the charge was made along the whole line.
The Yankees had crossed the ravine, and with a loud cheer rushed on our works.
Hindman quickly repulsed them, but the fighting on Brown's line, of Stevenson's and Stewart's divisions, was long and desperate.
Captain Corbett's battery being subjected to a fearful fire, the men left their guns, but not before they had lost thirty of their number in killed and wounded, and entered our line.
No sooner did the Yankees perceive this than a fresh column of their troops was thrown rapidly forward, and uniting with that which had gone before, rushed on the abandoned guns with the hope of capturing them and carrying our line.
Their anticipations were, however, foiled by the gallantry of the Third and Twentieth Tennessee, Colonels Walker and Saffel commanding.
These noble men perceiving the intention of the I enemy, withheld their fire until the Yankee 