Raynors HCA 2015-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/3/2015
An amazing war-date Union officer's Atlanta campaign letter, 8pp. 4to., written, on "Head-Quarters Twentieth Corps, Army of the Cumberland" stationery, by Lt. William H. Mickle [WIA Gettysburg, 7/01/63], 134th New York (as staff officer to the chief of artillery 20th Corps), Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 6-8, 1864, in very, very small part: "…our recent campaign just ended in the capture of Atlanta & routing the Rebel army. About the first of May our boys…moved by divisions from Lookout Valley to the right of Chattanooga in direction of Dalton, Ga…[at]…Rocky Face…we halted…& sent out scouting parties in force. One toward Buzzard Roost & the other under Genl. Geary of the 2d Div. to Dug Gap. There on the 8th of May was fought that bloody little battle in which we lost our friend…Geo. Payne and many other noble braves bit the dust. On the 9th & 10th we moved our entire corps through Snake Creek Gap toward Resaca. On the 14th & 15th we engaged the enemy at this place. They having retired from Dalton…at Resaca on the 13th we charged the enemy's works carrying several lines & capturing four guns…they made a hasty retreat down the R. R…on the 19th we got orders to rest for three days…& replenish our trains…one the 23d we started on a flank movement toward dallas with the view of passing the Alatoona range…I forgot to mention our brisk engagement at Cassville where we skedaddled the Johnies through town & turned their flank causing them to make a precipitous retreat…on the 25th we met the Rebels near New Hope Church…engaged them with our division for several hours till the corps came up where the 1st Division was ordered to charge the Johnies…here we had a bloody fight, drove the enemy about three miles when darkness came and put an end to the scene. This…was the hottest place I ever was in as regards bullets…Genl. Hooker was always the same in time of battle & the more danger he was in the cooler he became & inspired his troops with a valor unparalleled by any other general I ever saw. We remained in this position for a week with our lines from 75, 100 to 150 yards apart…frequently the artillery would engage in a desperate duel…the infantry old get nervous especially at night…we gradually flanked Johnson out of his position here when he fell back with his flanks resting on Kennesaw Mountain…at Pine Mountain we charged the Rebel works & got up within a few yards of them & fortified. Here we lost quite severely…from…exposure of our flanks…as the Corps on our right & left did not move on time as we did…Lieut. Genl. Polk of the Confederate army was killed by one of our shells…they evacuated & fell back to a new line…these new lines were made by Darkies & militia…from Pine Mountain they retired to Mud creek…here Capt. Wheeler run his battery up till within 300 ids of the enemy…& did some of the finest shooting of the war. He not only silenced two batteries opposed to him but killed & wounded many…on that day [June 22]…my friend Capt. Wheeler was killed, Hood's troops charged on our right while we were advancing…we repulsed them with great loss…on the 27th parts of the 4th & 14th Corps made a fruitless effort to take the Rebel works, but the cannonading on our part was severe. On the night of the 2d July they retired beyond Marietta & on the 3d we had quite a brisk artillery & infantry engagement which resulted in our capturing a large number…on the night of the 4th the Johnies fell back to the Chattahoochie River…they were soon flanked…several days were occupied by us in crossing…the 20th…we withstood the shock of nearly the entire Rebel force…we captured 7 battle flags…our loss was 1700. This was Genl. Hooker's last fight…you know my views of his being relieved. On the 22d the Army of the Tennessee under the late McPherson was vigorously assaulted during which he was killed & Genl. Logan took command. Here the Rebs gained a temporary advantage…on the 27th when the Army of Tennessee was moving to our right (then under Genl. Howard) Hood attacked them& was more easily repulsed…with little loss to us. From this time we began encircling the town with our entrenchments & frequently bombarded the city…on the morning of the 26th of August we fell back to the Chattahoochie river while the rest of the army moved round toward the Macon R. R. south of Atlanta. At the river we fortified & mounted guns…on the morning of the 2d inst we sent out a force from each…division & at 11 a. m. the mayor and common council of the doomed city met the party from the 3d Div. (Genl. Ward's) as their skirmishers advanced in the suburbs of the town…the enemy had evacuated the night previous…our army had possession of the R. R. near Jonesboro…they burned 90 car loads of ammunition, seven pieces of artillery, a number of engines, a large machine shop & thousands of small arms. The reduction & occupation of Atlanta was the worst blow the Confederacy has yet received…while Sherman was down below Atlanta with his main force. He repelled an attack from Hardee & the 14th Corps charged the Rebel works, capturing 1500 prisoners…we have over 3,000 prisoners here…[Sept. 8]…last eve I saw Genl. Sherman and he was very much pleased without eh success of our campaign and said he thought Hood got about as much as he bargained for. Now we are to remain here for a full month, recuperate…& prepare for a fine winter campaign so says Sherman's order! One thing looks hard on the citizens here…they are all to be sent away…there are some splendid mansions here furnished in the most costly & gorgeous style…they must be left vacant and alone at the mercy of a merciless army! I have already become acquainted with some of the first families who…will leave their all of earth behind. Sherman's reason for so doing is that we cant supply anymore than our own army…it is a military necessity with us…Atlanta is a fine enterprisingly built town & as soon as Yankee ingenuity is displayed a little more & this cruel war ceases it will be one of the most prosperous places in the country, but society will be nothing here in a day or two as they will all be sent away. I have made some pleasant acquaintances…& they all express a desire to see my wife…truly, William." The original stamped transmittal cover is included. Overall VG to near fine.
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