"cut down like grass before the scythe."

Shifting to the right of the army following the devestatingly costly victory on July 22nd, J.R. Tisdale's 29th Missouri found itself meandering through the woods west of Atlanta in hopes of getting some rest on July 28th. Instead, Hood lashed out yet again.

EZRA CHAPEL.

How the Fifteenth Corps Withstood the Rebel Charges.

Editor National Tribune: The First Division, Fifteenth Corps, marched all the night previous from the battlefield of the 22d, where our brave Gen. McPherson fell, to the vicinity of Ezra Chapel, some four miles west of the city of Atlanta. Here our brigade halted in the woods and our boys had an opportunity to cook and eat breakfast, but many laid down for a little rest and sleep; but soon the familiar command 'Fall in! Fall in!” rung out in the morning air, and we were again going forward. Entering the woods to our left we were deployed in line of battle and soon reached an open field, where we encountered the rebel skirmishers and a battery to the right, but we advanced across the field and into the woods again, and halted and commenced a temporary line of works with rails from a fence at the edge of the field we had just passed. The left of our brigade (the Third) was a short distance west of the chapel and fronting south, when we discovered the enemy advancing on us through the woods in great force, and we laid low and awaited their approach.

Within five minutes the storm was upon us, coming down the line from our right like a cyclone, and our brigade was hotly engaged. We kept up a destructive fire for some time, when the enemy fell back repulsed and terribly punished. During the engagement our Major (Murphy, of the 29^th Mo.,) fell, with a bullet through his left breast, mortally wounded. I quickly got a stretcher and we bore him back to the ambulances amid a shower of shot and shell, which appeared to be doing more execution here than on the front line.

Hastening to the front again, we found the enemy advancing in another charge, more desperate, if possible, than before. But the result was the same. The casualties so far in our command were insignificant compared with that of the enemy, who were apparently charging our line without skirmishers in advance of their line. During the fight I had laid aside my knapsack while assisting the Major off the field, and some one got away with it; so I resolved to try and get another, if I had to go to the front and demand one from the rebels. Acting on this suggestion I soon ventured out some 50 yards among the small pines in our front, when, great heavens! what a sight of dead men I beheld there; they lay in the windrows, as though cut down like grass before a scythe. The carnage was awful indeed. While wounded men were calling for assistance I observed a movement of the live rebels to our left and front a short distance, so I concluded to get within our lines as quick as possible. At the same I noticed a good-sized knapsack on the back of a dead Sergeant of the 19^th La. I hastily cut a strap and walked in with the knapsack just in time to escape being caught between two fires, as the enemy were by this time advancing in another charge, while our men were waiting to receive them. Again they were beaten back, and made no further attempt on that part of the line.

I made an excellent exchange in knapsacks; the captured one contained a good outfit. Among other articles were a couple of fine wool blankets, nearly $10 in gold and silver coin, besides a quantity of Confederate money, which I graciously divided with the prisoners, as I had already more of the stuff than I needed.

The old First Division, Fifteenth Corps, sustained its reputation on this occasion as stayers. Gen. P.J. Osterhaus, in command, displayed great courage and coolness, while our brigade and regimental commanders were on the alert from first to last. The brigade to our right, with the 103d Ill. connecting, surely had a lively time during the melee, as did the 3d and 17^th Mo. on our left, where the shells were popping thick and fast throughout the entire engagement.

Prisoners taken and dead and wounded cared for represented the 4^th, 9^th, 19^th and 30^th La. as our opponents, and no braver men ever lived than they. Smarting, no doubt, with the thought of their recent defeats at Peach Tree Creek and Atlanta, they fought with a determination to win at all hazard,s but the old Fifteenth Corps was there as a stone wall, with Gen. John A. Logan at the head, and we never for a moment faltered.

Ezra Chapel was the final engagement near Atlanta that led to the capture of that stronghold.

– J. R. Tisdale, 29^th Mo., Chillicothe, Mo.

Source: The national tribune, 10 May 1888.