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r y. rH< 1" Aon | IK ~jr\ J & L rTF nJI I® W» I c ß4®mF :^■^■^J- r * ■ *—' Vol J. Death of General McPherson. Twenty-two years ago Atlanta pre sented a different scene from what it does now. Then it was besieged by Sherman’s army, and inside and all around were horror, conflagration, bloodshed and death. Now we have peace, pleasure and plenty. In place of the Atlanta, then destroyed, has arisen as stately a city as can be found anywhere and the surrounding coun try that was devastated by war, is beau tiful suburbs with lovely villas and well-kept fields, and not a trace of that awful siege left, save here and there a rifle-pit, a bit of breastwork, or the earthwork of a battery, purposely pre served as mementoes of the terrible struggle. Ou the22d of July, 1864, was fought what is known in military history as the “Battle of Atlanta,” in which great numbers of gallant soldiers on both sides fell, fighting for their cause, and among them, two of the most gal lant, chivalrous and beloved command ers: General J. B. McPherson, of the Union army, and General Win. Henry T. Walker, of the Confederate army. It is the death of General Mc- Pherson, who was the idol of his com mand, the Chevalier Bayard of the army, that, we will briefly describe. General McPherson was born in Clyde, Ohio, November 14, 1828, and was, therefore, in his thirty-sixth year when killed. He graduated at West Point, at the head of his class, in June, 1853, and was appointed second lieutenant of engineers and assistant instructor of engineering at the Academy, a com pliment never before awarded to so young an officer. At the commence ment of the war he was first lieutenant of engineers, on the Pacific coast, and in 1861 was made captain, then ap pointed lieutenant-colonel and aid-de camp to Gen. Halleck. His brillian cy as an officer caused him to be rap idly promoted to major-general of vol unteers, when at the close of the siege of Vicksburg, General Grant wrote of him : “He is one of the ablest engin eers and most skilful generals. I A. tiuLmorons dare-devil—the very man. to su.it my purpose. Bu.wf.k would respectfully, but urgently, re commend his promotion to the posi tion of brigadier-general in the regu lar army.” He was i m media tel v ap pointed and confirmed, dating from August Ist, 1863; thus in ten years, by merit alone, rising from second-lieu tenant to brigadier-general in the reg ular army, On the 22d of July, 1864. we find him before Atlanta, in command of the department of the Tennessee, in cludingthe entire 15th, 16th, and 17th corps, the flower of the army, which held the left of the line. In conse quence of General McPherson’s brave ry, which amounted almost to reckless ness, he usually made recon nuisances in person, and in superintending the advance of his skirmish line he had ridden from left to right and was re turning when he was suddenly con fronted by a party of Confederates in ambush and received a shot in the breast causing almost instant death. Through the kindness of Major Sid ney Herbert, of Atlanta, who has made the battles around Atlanta an exhaust ive study, we are in possession of sev eral of his valuable articles, written MIDSUMMER NUMBER h. > •- n•. --A r.-o-c ■ - • The McPherson Memorial. Erected Near Atlanta, On The Spot Where He Fell eight years ago; also a letter from General Wm. E. Strong, of Chicago, who was inspector-general of the ar my of the Tennessee, toMajor Herbert, describing the circumstances attending McPherson’s death, from all of which we liberally quote in what follows: On the 21st of July, Sherman’s forc es were advanced, to use his own words, (“Memoirs”) “rapidly close up to Atlanta.” On the morning of the fatal 22d. from a point near the Hurt House, Gen. Sherman says he could see from the “line of parapets,men dragging up from the intervening valley, by the distillery, trees and saplings for abatis.” Gen. Schofield was at that time press ing forward his lines, and General Thomas had already commenced skir mishing. It was at this spot, and at this ino- ment, that Gen. McPherson, with his staff, came tip to Gen. Sherman, and the entire party rode back to the Hurt House, a “double frame building with a porch, and sat on the steps discussing the chances of battle, and Hood’s gen eral character.” We agreed, says Gen. Sherman, that “we ought to be unusu ally cautious, and prepared at all times for sallies and hard'fighting, as Hood was undoubtedly a brave, deter mined and rash man, and the Confed erate government seemed to be dis pleased with Gen. Johnston’s cautious but prudent conduct.” Gen. Shermansavs: “McPherson was in excellent spirits, well pleased at the progress of events so far, and had come over purposely to see me about the or der 1 had given him to use Dodge’s corps to break up the railroad.” Dur ing this interview skirmishing was go ing on down around the distillery, and ( fen. Schofield and Gen. Thomas both seemed to be making things lively along their lines. Shots from the di rection of Decatur, and which were too far to the left rear to be explained by known facts, led Gen. McPherson to I hastily call for his horse, his staff and his orderlies, and return to his com mand. Os his appearance, dress and i conduct at this interview, Gen. Sher man gives the following account: “McPherson was then in his prime I (about thirty-six years old) over six feet high, and a very handsome man in every way; was universally liked, and had many noble qualities. He had on j his boots outside his pantaloons, gaunt lets on his hands; had on his major general’s uniform, and wore a sword belt but no sword. He hastily gath ered his papers (save one, which I pos sess) into a pocket-book, put it in his breast-pocket and jumped on his horse, ' saying he would hurry down his line and send me back word what these sounds meant. His Adjutant-General, Clarke, Inspect r-General, Strong and his Aids, Captains Steele and Gile, were with him.” The battle of the 22d of July was fought in a southeasterly direction, about two miles from the city of At lanta, on both sides of the Georgia railroad. After McPherson rode away with his staff* he sent the various members in different directions with ; orders for the disposition of troops, etc., [ until only Gen. Strong attended him. j There was a gap in the Union line of battle between the 16th and 17th corps and Gen. McPherson sent (fen. Strong to Gen Giles Smith to tell him to hold his position and that troops wotdd be ordered to occupy the gap. Gen. Strong says: “As I left Gen. McPherson remark ed that he would remain with his Or derly where he then was (a comand ing position on Dodge’s right), until I returned. I rode rapidly through the woods to the Seventeenth corps and found General Blair and Gen. Giles A. Smith near the extreme left of the Fourth division. From these two offi N°- 7-