Escape from East Tennessee to the federal lines

by Robert A. Ragan

We crossed the Etowah River the next day, and found the rebels had formed a line of battle and built breastworks. We drove the rebel picket line in, and fortified within about five hundred yards from the enemy’s fortifications, which were on a ridge in a piece of woodland. Our picket line was deployed on the edge of an old field, about two hundred yards from the rebel breastworks. There were two small log cabins between the lines, about thirty feet apart, from which any of our men who exposed themselves were shot. I saw several men killed while trying to pass between these cabins. Being in charge of the brigade picket line, I received an order to charge the rebel pickets and drive them into their works. I knew it was death to every man, for I had been there all day and understood the situation. I refused to make the charge, and one of Burnside’s Staff—I think it was Major Tracy—rode up and said to me, “Why did you disobey orders?” I told him if he remained where he was he would be shot. Just then a ball struck him in the breast, and he fell from his horse and was carried off the field. I received no more orders, and remained in charge of the picket line.

That night about twelve o’clock I heard a cow bell tinkling in front of us, sounding as if cattle were eating leaves off the bushes. I called the attention of Sergeant George Freshour to it. He belonged to my company, and was as brave a boy as ever lived. He said, “Captain, that is rebels, trying to make us think it is cattle.”

He handed me his gun, and said he would crawl down in the bushes and see what it meant. He was gone about ten minutes, when I heard him crawling out of the bushes, nearly out of breath, and in a low whisper he said, “Captain, the woods are full of rebels and they are advancing!”

I immediately passed the word along the line to get ready for a charge. In a few minutes I gave the order, “Charge!” and we did charge! We drove the rebel line back into their works, and returned to our former line. It was as dark as it could be, and they evidently thought the whole Federal army was after them

The next morning at daylight I was relieved, and we were congratulated for our action.

About four o’clock that evening the whole rebel line charged our works. The battle lasted about two hours, but we repulsed them and they fell back, leaving about three hundred dead and wounded on the field.

Sherman was moving on the extreme right, as usual, turning the rebels’ left flank, and they had to leave their works and retreat. We continued in pursuit of the enemy, skirmishing continuously, and when we reached the front of Atlanta we were on the extreme left near the breastworks, guarding the wagon train.

About two o’clock on the afternoon of July 22, 1864, the rebels attacked our left and drove our wagon train pell mell, forcing our left wing back. General James B. McPherson came up with his Staff, rode out through a piece of woodland in front of us, and ran into the rebel cavalry and was killed. I was within thirty yards of him at the time.

In about a half-hour General John A. Logan came up and took command. The evening after General McPherson was killed the rebels charged on our left, and it was said to be the hardest battle that was fought while we were at Atlanta.

Next morning we were ordered around to the extreme right of Atlanta, to tear up the railroad between Atlanta and Jonesboro. Our regiment was the first to reach the railroad. We took the rails off the cross ties and bent them, piled the cross ties on top of the rails and set them on fire. Two trains came up from the South, making their way to Atlanta, but discovered that the railroad was torn up, and backed out and disappeared.