continuous lines of rifle-pits with strong field fortifications, particularly about the town, by means of which their flanks were protected on either river, and a line of retreat preserved across the Oostanaula. Friday, May 13th, was occupied by the troops in deploying through Snake Creek Gap and getting into position in Sugar Valley, a fertile tract beyond, much broken by hills, which are covered by a dense undergrowth, and on that account difficult of approach. The movement was covered by the cavalry under Gen. Kilpatrick, who, while pressing the enemy toward Resaca, fell into an ambuscade and received a severe flesh wound, which incapacitated him for several months for active duty. During the day the Federal lines were advanced toward Resaca, the right under McPherson resting on the Oostanaula, about two miles below the town, and extending thence northward so as to face it; the centre, under Gen. Thomas, closing up upon Gen. McPherson's left, and the left, under Schofield, striking the Conasauga near Tilton, a station on the railroad about midway between Dalton and Resaca. Beside the protection afforded by the two rivers, both flanks of the army were covered by heavy bodies of cavalry. The scene of these operations was a rugged, thickly-wooded country, abounding in steep hills and narrow ravines, through one of which, directly in front of the rebel lines, flows Camp Creek, a small stream emptying into the Oostanaula near Resaca.

Gen. Johnston was not long in detecting the object of Sherman's flanking march, and judging the position at Dalton to be no longer tenable, he moved rapidly southward on the 12th, and having the shorter line of march, reached Resaca with his entire force before the Union army had debouched from Snake Creek Gap. The divisions of Howard's corps left to watch Buzzard Roost, soon after occupied Dalton, which was found thoroughly stripped of supplies and almost deserted, and moving in the enemy's rear, effected a junction on the 14th with the Federal left, near Tilton. The successful turning of the rebel position at Dalton was justly considered a great step gained in the movement upon Atlanta; and even among the rebel troops there were many who thought that if their leader could not hold for more than four days a place so strongly fortified by nature, he would be unable to maintain himself for a long time at any of the remaining points north of Atlanta, no one of which was perhaps so capable of defence as Dalton.

The night of the 13th was employed by the rebels in strengthening their already formidable position by additional earthworks, and on the morning of the 14th they were in complete readiness for an attack, their right wing being held by Gen. Hardee, their centre by Gen. Hood, and their left by Gen. Polk. Skirmishishing commenced at an early hour, and the object of Gen. Sherman being to press Resaca at all points, while a force of infantry and cav

alry crossed the Oostanaula and threatened Calhoun in the rear, the firing toward noon grew heavy along the whole rebel line. The Federal general had hoped to be able to turn the rebel left wing, and thus cut off their retreat, but the nature of the ground rendered this impossible. At 1 P. M. an attempt was made by Palmer's corps, holding the left centre, to break the enemy's line, and force him from an elevated position in the immediate front. To reach this point it was necessary to descend a hill in full range of rebel artillery, ford a stream thickly bordered with undergrowth and interlacing vines, and then, crossing a valley full of ditches and other obstructions, to mount the opposite eminence. In the teeth of a murderous fire of musketry and artillery, Palmer's troops charged down the hill and across the creek; but becoming speedily entangled in the obstructions, and unable to find shelter or to return with effect the plunging fire of the enemy, which caused havoc in their ranks, they were forced to retire, with a loss estimated at upwards of a thousand. About the same time, further to the left, Gen. Judah's division of the 23d corps and Newton's of the 4th corps, moving over comparatively level ground, succeeded, after a desperate struggle, in forcing the enemy to abandon an important position on their outer line. Although the Federal troops were unable to hold this, they succeeded in advancing their line and getting their artillery into a position to prevent the enemy from reoccupying the works. On the extreme left, that portion of the 4th corps which had arrived from Dalton, in concert with Gen. Schofield, maintained heavy skirmishing with the rebel right, the dense woods in that direction preventing the use of artillery, and effectually concealing the movements of troops on either side. The operations on Gen. McPherson's end of the line were, during the morning, of the same character.

At about 3 o'clock in the afternoon Gen. Johnston, perceiving that no serious impression had been made upon his lines, quietly massed a heavy force on the road to Tilton, with a view of turning the Federal left flank, held by Stanley's division of the 4th corps. The attack was delivered with impetuosity and in such overwhelming numbers, that Stanley's troops, after a stubborn resistance, were forced in confusion from a hill upon which they were posted. The rebels rushed on with loud yells across an open field west of the hill, and for a few moments matters wore a critical aspect. Fortunately, however, the movement of the rebel right had been early detected, and Hooker's corps sent from the centre to reenforce the Federal left. The timely arrival of a portion of his troops checked the rebel advance, and the scattered division of Stanley having been partially rallied, the rebels were at dusk driven back within their lines with severe loss. Meanwhile Gen. McPherson, taking advantage of the enemy's occupation with this movement, ordered Logan's (15th) corps, with a portion of the 16th, to

cross Camp Creek and carry a hill and a line of rifle-pits on the enemy's extreme left, in front of Resaca, which was effected with slight loss. As the position was one which would enable the Federal General to pour a destructive enfilading fire upon the rebel works, and also to command the railroad and trestle bridges across the Oostanaula, a desperate effort was made soon after dark to retake it. Heavy columns of infantry with fixed bayonets moved up to the very crest of the hill, but recoiled under the steady fire of the Federal troops, and finally retired in confusion. At 10 P. M. the fighting terminated for the day. The result of the day's work was on the whole satisfactory to Gen. Sherman, as the Federal lines had nowhere been permanently forced back, while on their left and centre the rebels had lost positions of import

ance.

The night of the 14th was occupied by both armies in strengthening their positions, and the morning of the 15th opened with heavy skirmishing along the Federal centre, under cover of which troops were massed for an assault upon two fortified hills commanding each other, on the enemy's extreme right, which were considered the key to the whole position. For this purpose Gen. Hooker's corps had been shifted to the extreme left, and Gens. Howard's, Schofield's, and Palmer's troops moved to the right to fill up the gap occasioned by the withdrawal of Gen. Hooker. Shortly after 1 o'clock in the afternoon Gen. Hooker sent forward Butterfield's division as the assaulting column, supported by the divisions of Gens. Geary and Williams, and after several unsuccessful attacks the enemy were driven from a portion of their lines, and a lodgment was secured under the projecting works of a lunette, mounting four pieces of artillery. So severe, however, was the fire from rifle-pits beyond and on either side of this work, forming the inner rebel line, that further advance was impossible, and the Federal troops were fain to seek such shelter as was available, and content themselves with holding the position they had gained. Toward the close of the afternoon Gen. Hood's corps made a detertermined but unsuccessful effort to dislodge them, and subsequently, under cover of the darkness, a number of rebel prisoners were brought up, the ends dug out of the works, and the guns hauled out by means of ropes, under a destructive fire from the rebels. As soon as a breach was made our forces rushed in and captured the lunette after a desperate engagement. The guns seized were twelvepounders. The flags of the 35th and 38th Alabama regiments were captured, with over two hundred prisoners. While these operations were in progress the enemy's attention was occupied by heavy skirmishing along the whole line.

During the night the enemy quietly abandoned Resaca, leaving behind a four-gun battery and a quantity of stores, and by dawn were well on their way to Kingston, thirty-two miles

south on the railroad. Gen. Thomas's troops immediately occupied the town, and succeeded in saving the road bridge, but the railroad bridge, the most costly structure of the kind between Chattanooga and. Atlanta, was destroyed by the enemy, with the exception of the stone piers. The total Federal loss in the two days' fighting was between 4,000 and 5,000 killed and wounded, upward of 2,000 of the latter being so slightly injured that they were returned to duty in two or three weeks. The rebel loss was stated by themselves at 2,500, which is probably not far from the mark. Fighting for the most part behind earthworks, and having the advantage of position, they necessarily suffered less than their opponents. Beside the eight guns and the stores already mentioned, they left about 1,000 prisoners in the hands of the Federals. According to Gen. Sherman nothing saved Gen. Johnston's army at Resaca but the impracticable nature of the surrounding country, which made the speedy passage of troops across the valley from Snake Creek Gap an impossibility. This fact enabled the rebel army to reach Resaca from Dalton along comparatively good roads, constructed beforehand by the foresight of their general. The latter was nevertheless severely criticized for this second abandonment of what was considered a defensible position, notwithstanding that the Richmond newspapers explained that his peculiar forte consisted in drawing an enemy after him, and then overwhelming him by a sudden attack. They also endeavored to derive consolation from a reputed caution of Gen. Scott to a Federal commander: "Beware of Lee advancing, and watch Johnston at a stand; for the devil himself would be defeated in the attempt to whip him retreating," which was extensively quoted in the Southern papers.

Soon after the discovery of Gen. Johnston's retreat, the cavalry divisions of Gens. Stoneman and McCook were thrown forward in pursuit, and during the 16th the army was occupied in crossing the Oostanaula. Gen. Thomas made the passage at Resaca, Gen. McPherson at Lay's Ferry, a few miles to the southwest, while Gen. Schofield, moving to the left of Thomas, crossed the Conasauga and Coosawattee, which unite near Resaca to form the Oostanaula. In this order the army marched southward on roads parallel to the railroad, finding no trace of the enemy until reaching the neighborhood of Adairsville, thirteen miles below Resaca, where Newton's division of the 4th corps had a smart skirmish with the rebel rear guard, who had posted their sharpshooters in an octagon cement building called "Graves House," for the purpose of delaying the advance. By the aid of artillery they were driven out, and on the 18th the 4th corps reached Kingston, four miles beyond which place the enemy were again discovered in considerable force on open ground. At Cassville, five miles east of Kingston, they were known to have constructed strong works; and on the 19th, in

anticipation of a general engagement, Gen. Sherman directed Gen. Schofield to move down toward this place from the north, while Gen. Thomas closed up upon his right, and McPherson marched to Kingston to be in close support of Thomas. Gen. Johnston, however, declined the offer of battle, and during the night retreated across the Etowah, burning the road and railroad bridges behind him. A few days' halt for rest and refreshment was now allowed the army, and as the country north of the Etowah had been completely stripped by Gen. Johnston, it was necessary to await the arrival of supplies by railroad. The latter fortunately had received little injury at the hands of the enemy, and by the energetic labors of the repairing parties, who followed close behind the army, was put in running order to Kingston on the 20th, on which day trains arrived laden with supplies. By this means the army was soon restored to a condition of complete efficiency, and relieved of the necessity of looking after the wounded, who were sent back to Chattanooga. In like manner telegraphic communication with the latter place was kept open as the army advanced.

While these operations were in progress, Gen. Jeff. C. Davis, of Palmer's corps, on the 17th marched southwesterly from Resaca toward Rome, fifteen miles west of Kingston, which place he occupied on the 19th after a sharp fight, gaining possession of several forts, eight or ten guns of heavy caliber, large quantities of stores, and the valuable mills and foundries employed in the service of the Confederate Government.

Gen. Johnston had meanwhile taken a strong position at Allatoona Pass, in the Etowah Mountains, south of the Etowah River, which formed an almost impregnable barrier to a direct advance upon Atlanta by railroad. Gen. Sherman accordingly resorted to the same tactics which had proved so successful at Dalton; and having supplied his wagons with twenty days' provisions, and left garrisons at Rome and Kingston, he put his army in motion on May 23d for Dallas, a town lying about fifteen miles southwest of Allatoona Pass, and eighteen miles directly west of Marietta, a station on the railroad forty miles below Kingston, and twenty-four south of the Etowah River. He expected thus, by threatening Marietta, to compel the evacuation of Allatoona. The country between Dallas and the railroad is of the same impracticable character as that in which previous operations of the campaign had been conducted, being for the most part densely wooded, traversed by ranges of rugged hills, and cut up by frequent ravines. The roads were few and poor. Through this region, admirably adapted for defence, and of which the topography was scarcely known to the Federal general, the advance in the presence of a vigilant enemy had necessarily to be made with much caution, and it will be seen that several days were occupied with manœu

vring for position and other movements, before any practical results were obtained.

In marching upon Dallas, Gen. McPherson, still holding the Federal right, made a somewhat wide detour to the southwest through Van Wert, while Gen. Thomas took a course nearly due south, having Gen. Schofield on his left flank. The movement had scarcely commenced before it was detected by Gen. Johnston, who having the shorter line to Dallas, marched in the direction of that place to cover the approaches to Marietta. On the 25th Hooker's corps, approaching Pumpkin Vine Creek on the main Dallas road, came into collision with parties of Hood's and Hardee's corps, and a severe engagement took place for the possession of a point known as the New Hope Church, where three roads meet from Ackworth [four miles south of Allatoona by rail], Marietta, and Dallas. By means of earthworks the enemy successfully resisted the advance of Gen. Hooker, and the night closing with a heavy rain storm, no further attempt was made to force the position. In this affair Hooker sustained a loss of about six hundred killed and wounded. Gen. Sherman then ordered McPherson to move up to Dallas, and Gen. Thomas to make a bold demonstration against New Hope Church, while Schofield overlapped the enemy's right wing. Owing to the difficult nature of the country, the 26th and 27th were occupied in perfecting these dispositions, and on the evening of the latter day his line extended in a semicircular direction northeast from Dallas, the enemy having his right resting on the road from Ackworth to Dallas, at a point three miles northeast of New Hope Church, and his left at a point nearly due east of Dallas. Heavy skirmishing attended these manoeuvres, but as the density of the surrounding woods rendered the use of artillery impracticable, the casualties were not numerous. On the 28th, just as Gen. McPherson was on the point of closing up to Gen. Thomas in front of New Hope Church, in order to enable a further development of the Federal left wing, he was attacked by a heavy rebel force, whose repeated and desperate, though fruitless assaults had the effect of checking temporarily the contemplated movement. The Federal troops, protected by their breastworks, finally drove the enemy back with a loss of upward of two thousand killed and wounded.

After a brief pause, interrupted only by the customary skirmishing, renewed orders were given for the shifting of the Federal line to the left. The movement was now effected with comparative ease, and on June 1st, the roads to Allatoona and Ackworth being occupied, the cavalry divisions of Stoneman and Garrard were pushed forward to Allatoona Pass, which was carried with slight loss. Orders were immediately given to rebuild the railroad bridge over the Etowah, at Etowah Station, and on June 4th Gen. Sherman moved directly upon Ackworth. This manœuvre compelled Gen.

Johnston to abandon his intrenchments at New Hope Church, and move westward to the railroad to cover Marietta, and on the 6th the Federal army reached Ackworth, where it rested for several days. Allatoona Pass was at once fixed upon as a secondary base, and put in a defensible condition. A well-informed correspondent, summing up the results of the campaign to this date, observes: "We have in a month's time, with a force not very much superior to his, forced the enemy back nearly one hundred miles, obliging him to abandon four different positions of unusual strength and proportions; have fought him six times; have captured twelve guns, three colors, over two thousand prisoners, with considerable forage, provisions, and means of transportation; have placed at least fifteen thousand of his men hors de combat, and have destroyed several important foundries, rolling mills, iron works, &c., at Rome, and in the Allatoona Mountains."

On the 8th Gen. Blair reached Ackworth with two divisions of the 17th army corps, which were attached to Gen. McPherson's command, and a brigade of cavalry belonging to Gen. Garrard's division. These accessions compensated for the Federal losses in battle, and the garrisons left at Resaca, Rome, Kingston, and Allatoona, and on the 9th the army, refreshed by three days' much needed rest, and abundantly supplied with stores, moved forward to Big Shanty, the next railroad station south of Ackworth. Between this place and Marietta intervenes á mountainous district of vast natural strength, having three detached and well-defined summits, where Gen. Johnston had made his next stand. Kenesaw Mountain, the most easterly of these summits, is a doublepeaked eminence, about 1,200 feet high, lying directly north and northwest of Marietta, and west of the railroad, and sending out a spur for several miles in a northeasterly direction. West of Marietta, on the road to Dallas, is Lost Mountain, and midway between the latter and Kenesaw, half a mile further to the north, is Pine Mountain, a rugged, cone-shaped peak, which may be said to form the apex of a triangle, of which Kenesaw and Lost Mountains constitute the base. The three eminences are connected by several ranges of lesser heights, seamed with ravines, and covered with a dense growth of oak and hickory, and upon their summits the rebels had erected signal stations which commanded an excellent view of all the general operations of the Federal forces. As the latter drew in sight, the most assailable points in this succession of mountain fortresses appeared bristling with cannon, and the spurs were alive with men constructing earthworks, felling timber for obstructions, and otherwise preparing for an obstinate resistance. The rebel front extended westward from the railroad, on which their right rested, about four miles, and comprised several successive lines of intrenchments. They had also some works on the ridge east of the railroad. "The rebel

works," says the correspondent above quoted, / "consisted of log barricades, protected by earth thrown against them, with a formidable abatis, and in many places a chevaux-de-frise of sharpened fence-rails besides. The thickness of this parapet (which really resembled a parallel) was generally six to eight feet at top, on the infantry line, and from twelve to fifteen feet thick at top where field guns were posted, or where fire from our artillery was anticipated."

The controlling point of the whole region is Kenesaw Mountain, which covers the railroad and the town of Marietta so effectually that a direct advance upon the latter place from the north would be well-nigh impossible. As the rebel lines were drawn, it constituted a stronghold or citadel in a deep reëntrant, Pine and Lost Mountains and the connecting ridges being in the nature of outworks, useful in retarding the approach of an enemy, but not absolutely essential as portions of a system of defences. The accounts of prisoners, deserters, and scouts, placed Gen. Johnston's force at nine divisions of seven thousand men each, which was probably somewhat above the mark; in addition to which an auxiliary force of fifteen thousand Georgia militia, called out by Governor Brown, was placed at his disposal. The latter, though comparatively undisciplined, did good service as laborers on fortifications, and were capable of offering considerable resistance behind earthworks. Hardee's corps occupied their right, Polk the centre, and Hood the left. Their cavalry, estimated at fifteen thousand, operated on the flanks, and in the Federal rear.

The order of the Federal advance was somewhat different from that previously observed during the campaign. Gen. McPherson's command was now transferred to the extreme left, and moved toward Marietta, having its right on the railroad, while Gen. Schofield, shifting to the right wing, marched for Lost Mountain. Gen. Thomas kept his old position in the centre, and moved on Kenesaw and Pine Mountains. Gens. Stoneman and Garrard covered the right and left wings with their cavalry, and McCook guarded the communications and rear. From the 9th to the 14th the Federal lines were gradually closed up toward the rebel position, Sherman's first object being to break the line between Kenesaw and Pine Mountains; and on the latter day, during a heavy cannonade by the 4th corps, the rebel Gen. Polk, commanding on Pine Mountain, was killed by the explosion of a shell. On the same night, the rebels, perceiving that Hooker's corps was moving around the base of the mountain to cut off their retreat, abandoned their works without loss of guns or material of war, and on the morning of the 15th the position was quietly occupied by Stanley's division of the 4th corps. A paper was found affixed to a stake, stating, "Here Gen. Polk was killed by a Yankee shell;" and from the reports of deserters it appeared that Gens. Johnston and