“O, they be -----.   It was the sickest victory they ever got.   About one
more victory of that kind would make their infernal old Confederacy ready
for a coroner’s inquest.   Well, I can tell you pretty much all about that
fight, for I reckon if the truth was known, our regiment fired about the
first and last shot that opened and closed the fighting on that day. 
Well, you see the whole Army got across the river, and were closing in
around the City of Atlanta.   Our Corps, the Seventeenth, was the extreme
left of the army, and were moving up toward the City from the East. 
The Fifteenth (Logan’s) Corps joined us on the right, then the Army of
the Cumberland further to the right.   We run onto the Rebs about sundown
the 21st.   They had some breastworks on a ridge in front of us, and we
had a pretty sharp fight before we drove them off.   We went right to
work, and kept at it all night in changing and strengthening the old
Rebel barricades, fronting them towards Atlanta, and by morning had some
good solid works along our whole line.   During the night we fancied we
could hear wagons or artillery moving away in front of us, apparently
going South, or towards our left.   About three or four o’clock in the
morning, while I was shoveling dirt like a beaver out on the works, the
Lieutenant came to me and said the Colonel wanted to see me, pointing to
a large tree in the rear, where I could find him.   I reported and found
him with General Leggett, who commanded our Division, talking mighty
serious, and Bob Wheeler, of F Company, standing there with his
Springfield at a parade rest.   As soon as I came up, the Colonel says: 

“Boys, the General wants two level-headed chaps to go out beyond the pickets to the front and toward the left.  I have selected you for the duty.  Go as quietly as possible and as fast as you can; keep your eyes and ears open; don’t fire a shot if you can help it, and come back and tell us exactly what you have seen and heard, and not what you imagine or suspect.  I have selected you for the duty.’

“He gave us the countersign, and off we started over the breastworks and through the thick woods.  We soon came to our skirmish or pickets, only a few rods in front of our works, and cautioned them not to fire on us in going or returning.  We went out as much as half a mile or more, until we could plainly hear the sound of wagons and artillery.  We then cautiously crept forward until we could see the main road leading south from the City filled with marching men, artillery and teams.  We could hear the commands of the officers and see the flags and banners of regiment after regiment as they passed us.  We got back quietly and quickly, passed through our picket line all right, and found the General and our Colonel sitting on a log where we had left them, waiting for us.  We reported what we had seen and heard, and gave it as our opinion that the Johnnies were evacuating Atlanta.  The General shook his head, and the Colonel says:  ‘You may re turn to your company.’  Bob says to me: