Capture of Atlanta.

AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, 1864

The month of August opened hot and sultry, but our position before Atlanta was healthy, with ample supply of wood, water, and provisions.  The troops had become habituated to the slow and steady progress of the siege; the skirmish-lines were held close up to the enemy, were covered by rifle-trenches or logs, and kept up a continuous clatter of musketry.  The mainlines were held farther back, adapted to the shape of the ground, with muskets loaded and stacked for instant use.  The field-batteries were in select positions, covered by handsome parapets, and occasional shots from them gave life and animation to the scene.  The men loitered about the trenches carelessly, or busied themselves in constructing ingenious huts out of the abundant timber, and seemed as snug, comfortable, and happy, as though they were at home.  General Schofield was still on the extreme left, Thomas in the centre, and Howard on the right.  Two divisions of the Fourteenth Corps (Baird’s and Jeff.  C. Davis’s) were detached to the right rear, and held in reserve.

I thus awaited the effect of the cavalry movement against the railroad about Jonesboro, and had heard from General Garrard that Stoneman had gone on to Mason; during that day (August 1st) Colonel Brownlow, of a Tennessee cavalry regiment, came in to Marietta from General McCook, and reported that McCook’s whole division had been overwhelmed, defeated, and captured at Newnan.  Of course, I was disturbed by this wild report, though I discredited it, but made all possible preparations to strengthen our guards along the railroad to the rear, on the theory that the force of cavalry which had defeated McCook would at once be on the railroad about Marietta.  At the same time Garrard was ordered to occupy the trenches on our left, while Schofield’s whole army moved to the extreme right, and extended the line toward East Point.  Thomas was also ordered still further to thin out his lines, so as to set free the other division (Johnson’s) of the Fourteenth Corps (Palmer’s), which was moved to the extreme right rear, and held in reserve ready to make a bold push from that flank to secure a footing on the Mason Railroad at or below East Point.

These changes were effected during the 2d and 3d days of August, when General McCook came in and reported the actual results of his cavalry expedition.  He had crossed the Chattahoochee River below Campbellton, by his pontoon-bridge; had then marched rapidly across to the Mason Railroad at Lovejoy’s Station, where he had reason to expect General Stoneman; but, not hearing of him, he set to work, tore up two miles of track, burned two trains of cars, and cut away five miles of telegraph-wire.  He also found the wagon-train belonging to the rebel army in Atlanta, burned five hundred wagons, killed eight hundred mules;