Just at the beginning of the action, Gen. McPherson,
who had been in consultation with Gen. Sherman, rode
forward to ascertain the cause of the heavy firing, and riding
by accident into the enemy's line was shot from his horse
and instantly killed. His body was soon recovered by our
troops and sent to the rear.
The rebels failed to make any serious impression upon
our lines until Stewart's Corps made a front attack on the
Fifteenth Corps, which had been weakened to reinforce the
line to the left.
Stewart succeed in breaking the Union line in one place
and captured two batteries, but was soon driven back by
Logan's men with terrible slaughter.
The battle lasted until 4 p. m with heavy losses on both
sides.
When a rebel prisoner was asked what he thought of this
battle he said he thought Hood still had about men enough
for **one more killing".
CHAPTER IX

SIEGE OF ATLANTA AND BATTLE OF JONESBOROUGH

X Of hair-breadth scapes i' the imminent deadly breach.
—Sbak's, Othello

jjrHE fortifications which the rebels had constructed for the
if/ defense of the city of Atlanta were very formidable and
in places were manned with heavy guns. All along the line
the approaches were protected by abatis and chevaux-de-
frise.
The deploying of the Union troops was generally in two
lines of battle with batteries of light artillery at short in-
tervals. Our works were constructed during the hours of
the night by details from each regiment, equipped with the
proper intrenching tools. A detail going to work at 6 or 7
p. m. would be relieved by another working party at mid-
night.
