“Brigadier-general Ward, Commanding Third Division Twentieth Corps.
“Sir:—The fortunes of war have placed the city of Atlanta in your hands, and as mayor of the city I ask protection to non-combatants and private property.
“James M. Calhoun,
Mayor of Atlanta.”
The preliminary formalities thus disposed of, our troops entered the city with music and flags, marching promptly and erect. A fine flag-staff was found on the Franklin printing house, where the Memphis Appeal had been printed. The stars and stripes were soon flung to the calm, sunny air amid the cheers of the brave men who had fought for so many weary, consuming days to place it there.
General Henry W. Slocum established his headquarters at the Trout house, the leading hotel of the city, overlooking the public square. In the forts around Atlanta eleven heavy guns, mainly sixty-four pounders, were left by the enemy; also about three thousand muskets, in good order, stored in various parts of the city, were found; also three locomotives in running order, and large quantities of manufactured tobacco were discovered. Between one and two hundred stragglers, the majority of them very drunk, were fished from their hiding places and placed under guard at the court-house.
GENERAL THOMAS’ CONGRATULATORY ORDER.
Army Headquarters, July 26, 1864.
“The major-general commanding the army congratulates the troops upon the brilliant success attending the Union arms in the late battles. In the battle of the 20th instant, in which the Twentieth corps, one division of the Fourth corps, and part of the Fourteenth corps were engaged, the total union loss in killed, wounded, and missing was 1,733. In front of the Twentieth corps there were put out of the fight 6,000 rebels; 563 of the enemy were buried by our own troops, and the rebels were permitted to bury 250. The Second division of the Fourth corps repulsed seven different assaults of the enemy with light loss to themselves, and which must have swelled the number of dead buried by the rebels to beyond 300. We also captured seven stands of colors. No official report has been received of the part taken in the battle by the Fourteenth corps. In the battle of the 22d instant, the total Union loss in killed, wounded, and missing was 3,500, and also 10 pieces of artillery. The rebel loss in prisoners captured was 3,200. The known dead of the enemy in front of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth corps and one division of the Seventeenth corps was 2,142. The other divisions of the Seventeenth corps repulsed six assaults of the enemy before they fell back, and which will swell the rebel loss in killed to at least 3,000. The latest reports state that we buried over 3,200 rebels killed in this fight. There were captured from the enemy in this battle 18 stands of colors and 5,000 stands of arms.
“By command of