The Fighting in Georgia.
We have received a batch of the latest
Georgia papers, which contain some very interesting intelligence of the events near
Atlanta. "Personnel," the correspondent of the Savannah
Republican, gives a description of the battle of the 22d ultimo, in which
Hardee administered his successful and damaging blow to the enemy.
We make some extracts:
The battle of the twenty-second.
Not until evening was it ascertained that we had struck the enemy one of the severest blows of the war.
Hardee and
Wheeler sweeping silently around the
Federal left, pounced upon their flank, and pressed so steadily as to bear down all opposition.
Whole batteries, with horses and equipments, fall into our possession, fortifications with frowning a battle of sharpened pikes were crossed in the teeth of a murderous fire, while individual gallantly was conspicuous in the capture of flags and prisoners.
Wheeler with his cavalry, co-operating with
Hardee, performed deeds of valour that have removed every prejudice which unjustly has attached to their past career.
Changing as infantry, they drove the enemy from one of his lines of fortifications, captured several hundred prisoners, burned a considerable amount of camp equipage, and galled their antagonists at every step.
Contemporaneous with the superb movement of
Hardee,
Cheatham, with
Hood's old corps, advanced from the entrenchments they had previously occupied, drove the
Yankee skirmishers from their front, and then with a yell commenced one of the greatest charges of the war. Up hill and down, through the woods, across the fields, faltering here and there before the fire of the enemy, but only for a moment, these brave men of
Tennessee,
Virginia,
Georgia,
North Carolina,
South Carolina,
Mississippi,
Alabama and
Louisiana dashed on, and, like their brave competitors for the honors of the field advancing on the right, overcame every obstacle in their path.
Thus, for a mile and a half, perhaps more, following the
Federals over their works, they met with uninterrupted success.
One misstep only wrested from us the completeness of the victory.
A brigade is said to have broken — I will not mention names.
Into the gap thus created a body of the
Yankees rushed, and seizing a strong position, held it until a portion of our lines were compelled to retrace their steps to prevent an attack on the flank.
In other words, the mishap destroyed that perfect chain of communication designed to be established between
Hardee and the corps immediately adjoining.--Since nightfall, however, I learn that this desideratum has been accomplished.
Stewart's corps, on our left, was not exempt from the dangers or the glories of the field, and although not participating so extensively in the aggressive movements of the day, had occasion during the afternoon to repel the vigorous demonstrations of the enemy.
The results of the day have been more than gratifying.
While the battle has not been so decisive as was contemplated in the plan of the
commander-in-chief, it has nevertheless, crippled the enemy, humbled his pride, destroyed his
morale, nearly annihilated some of his commands, partially destroyed his organization, and reduced his numbers, it is believed.
to something like an equality with our own. On the other hand, our men have learned that they have a leader on whose judgment they can implicitly rely; that breastworks are not so fearful to encounter as they imagined; that their own strength is yet equal to every emergency; and, finally, that by the blessing of God they may yet conquer the
Federal army that has so defiantly pushed them back into the heart of the
Empire State of the
South.
The battle has been a benefit.
It has proven an inspiration; and if called into the field again to-morrow or the next day, the men of the army will show how more nobly than ever they are determined to crush the hated enemy whose presence stains our soil.
In practical results, few battles of the war have a better showing.
Hardee captured from sixteen to twenty guns, and
Cheatham's corps eight or ten, besides battle-flags and regimental colors.
In prisoners we cannot have less than from twenty-five hundred to three thousand, among whom are a considerable number of colonels and subordinate field officers.
They are still coming in.
The
Yankees confess that the flank movement of
Generals Hardee and
Wheeler was a surprise, and to an entire lack of preparation in consequence.
The idea does not appear to have entered a Yankee head that
General Hood would have the hardihood to detach a whole corps in the face of the overwhelming numbers by which he was beset, and while the enemy was battering even at the door, send it miles around the rear to strike them on the flank; and they compliment our new commander for his success.
It is but a title of the tribute which
General Hood deserves, when I add that for an officer to assume the command of an army that had retreated nearly one hundred miles in three days, to make himself acquainted with every detail while the enemy's guns were booming in his ears, and their lines more closely investing his own, and within one week thereafter, fight two important battles — I repeat, that for a general to do all this, is a mark of genius, judgment, promptness and self-reliance, of which the annals of war furnish but few parallels.
I need not tell you that the tide of enthusiasm now runs in his favor with a force that is gathering strength every hour. "Pluck will always win."
The enemy are still in our front, and a portion of our forces in the same position as yesterday, but
Hardee is yet on the flank of
Sherman, and it is impossible for the latter to move anywhere without again provoking battle, in which event no one doubts she issue.
The Federal
General McPherson is undoubtedly killed.
Prisoners all report it. He fought
Hardee--three corps and part of another against one.--
Sherman is apparently on the defensive and digging dirt.
Weather cool and favorable for operations.
Our Dosers-incidents.
A gentleman from
Atlanta furnishes the Savannah
Republican with the annexed news:
‘
The general impression there is that our entire loss in the recent battles will not amount to more than five thousand.
The loss of the enemy in killed and wounded, he thinks, has also been overrated, as they fought for the most part behind entrenchments.
The fights leave our army unbroken in strength and spirit, and ready to move forward whenever their gallant chief shall give the word.
Our wounded are well cared for, and bear their misfortunes like heroes.
Seldom is a complaint heard in the hospitals.
’
The movement of
Hardee against the enemy's left wing was one of the most dashing of the war, and a complete surprise.
His men dashed upon the enemy as a storm from the clouds, and so panic-stricken were the vandals that the first line threw down their arms and ran towards our lines, shouting at the top of their voices: "Don't shoot, we surrender!" The prisoners sent to the rear,
Hardee attacked the second line and carried it, but with considerable loss to his corps.
He held their works for more than a day, no serious effort being made to molest him, and then moved to a more fruitful portion of the field.
It was in this fight that
Lieutenant Joe Clay Habersham of
General Gist's staff, fell, a shell having torn off both legs and horribly mutilated his body.
His younger brother,
private William Neil Habersham, hearing of the disaster after the battle, resolved to average his brother's death.
Being sent on picket duty, he advanced to the front of the enemy's lines, all alone, and poured fire after fire into them until ten shots had been expended, when he fell dead, pierced through the head with a ball.
At last accounts his body had not been recovered.
The enemy have some heavy Parrot guns posted on the hills about three miles southwest of the city, from which they continue, day and night to throw shells into the town, but without serious damage.
They have thus far showed but little desire to renew the fight.
Sacking by stragglers
A correspondent of the
Republican speaks thus of the sacking of
Atlanta:
‘
During the night of the 21st stragglers broke into the stores, robbed them of such of their contents, as they wanted, and scattered the remainder through the streets.
During the morning of July 22d these demoralizing scenes were repeated.
Abandoned women broke into the millinery shops, and men in the uniform of soldiers gutted and pillaged promises from roof to cellar in search of whiskey and tobacco.
The office of the Southern Express Company underwent the same process before day, and I enjoyed the melancholy privilege of seeing boxes, papers, and everything mentionable thrown in "confusion worse confounded" on all sides.
I dwell on the subject with peculiar satisfaction because of my own losses, which leaves me minus of everything, from
tooth brush to blanket, except the clothes in which I stand.
While this indiscriminate pillaging was in progress, wagons, stragglers, citizens, and negroes, loaded with plunder, were hurrying out of town, fully impressed with the idea that
Atlanta was to be abandoned.
’
A Repulse of the enemy.
The
Macon Intelligencer speaks as follows of matters at
Atlanta:
‘
On Sunday night the enemy made a heavy demonstration on our centre, with the apparent object of forcing our lines, and to gain a certain advantage of position which would make their operations much more effective.
They were repulsed by
General Cheatham's corps.
The enemy suffered disastrously during the hour that they fought against the impenetrable lines held by that veteran general and his invincible soldiers.
’
After discovering the futility of their operations,
Sherman resumed his former position and strengthened his works, especially the wings.
We presume his will patiently try the effect of parallels and siege approaches, those off naive operations that have been so eminently characteristic a peculiarity of his plans, and very successful hitherto.
But we suspect that he will be foiled completely and his strategy overwhelmed by the rapid movements of an active rival whose enterprise is not interior to his own.
During the morning the enemy remained comparatively quiet, but they signaled continuously all of Monday night. This indicates some important movement of contemplation.
The
Macon Confederate has the annexed news:
‘
Passengers by the train Tuesday noon report that a heavy fight commenced at daylight yesterday morning and lasted for one hour.
It occurred several miles from town, and consequently nothing was received at the time before it moved off of the engagement.
It was supposed to have been an assault upon a portion of our line.
’
The shelling of Atlanta.
A correspondent of the Macon
Telegraph, writing from
Atlanta, gives the annexed news:
‘
A great many houses in
Atlanta have been pierced by Yankee shells.
A dozen shells have struck
Wesley Chapel and the Parsonage.
Two batteries have the range of the
Car Shed and the
Wesley Chapel, and they peg away night and day, making the shots in the direction of the
State railroad bridge.
The women and children fly to the cellars, and the men walk about carelessly, watching where the shells strike.
’
A correpondent of the Macon Telegrph
Every one is sanguine of success.
We refrain from alluding to the army.
Suffice it to say, all
The
Atlanta Relief Committee are busy distributing rations to destitute women and children.
On the evening of July 24, while sitting on the piazza of a house with several ladies and gentlemen, one of the latter suddenly exclaimed: "Look there! " Immediately we looked in the direction indicated.
A shell was making its way directly towards us. It was then so near that I had only time to stoop to avoid being struck.
Passing about twelve inches over the heads of the ladies, who were sitting opposite me, it exploded about six inches immediately over my head.
Had I not lowered my body, I would certainly have been struck by the missile, as sparks from the burning fuse flew in my face.
A fragment of the shell made its way through the opened doorway, near which I was sitting, grazing a gentleman's shoulder — who by this time, with the ladies, had entered the passageway — and striking the floor, glanced and lodged in the corner of the passageway, between the rear door and partition.
Then there was a general skedaddling for the cellar, where the ladies thought best to remain.
My escape was miraculous — indeed, the escape of all was a miracle.
The army is in fine spirits, eager for a fight, and confident of success; and while they deplore the removal of
General Johnston, have implicit confidence in
General Hood and a fixed determination to stand by him and never allow
Atlanta to fall into the hands of the
Yankees.
It is generally conceded that a general engagement will take place between this and Friday; it is certain that it cannot be prolonged many days.
It is stated that at the time when
Hardee turned the enemy's flank on Friday, the First and Second regiments of the
Georgia State line had cut their centre, and had the orders been promptly carried out and these regiments properly supported, they would have held the position taken from the enemy, and
Hardee have captured many more prisoners.
