"...so great a slaughter."

On July 31, 1864, three days after his Company B of the 31st Iowa had mercilessly shot down yipping Rebels charging their rapidly constructed log breastworks at Ezra Church, Captain Robert P. Speer wrote home to the Cedar Falls Gazette in order to fill in both those who could not and those who would not join him on the front in regards to the 15th Corps' actions during what would be known as the 'Third Epoch' of the Atlanta Campaign. The latter part of his letter goes far towards offering a glimpse into the political mindset of soldiers who have experienced such repetitive brutality over the course of several months.

[Note: While Speer's prose seems somewhat blocky, I have left it exactly as it was published, not wanting to insinuate where he might have proposed making a break in the paragraph. Also, some of the copy (largely many of the names) is badly damaged on the only surviving films of the paper, but I have done my best to transcribe the piece with as much accuracy as possible.]

 

FROM SHERMAN'S ARMY,

letter from Capt. Speer.

Chattahoochee Railroad Bridge, Ga.

July 31, 1864.

Messrs. Editors – On the 5^th day of June the 15^th Army Corps was withdrawn from the position which it held near Dallas and relieved the 20^th Corps near New Hope Church where we remained until the 8^th inst. – when we marched to Ackworth, a small village on the Chattanooga and Atlanta Railroad. At Ackworth we were joined by two Divisions of the 17^th Corps under Frank P. Blair; and on the 9^th we rested. Our moving towards the Railroad caused Johnston to fall back, and on the 10^th inst. Sherman's entire army moved forward to a new position near Kenesaw Mountain, on which the enemy was again found in very strong works. At Ackworth I was obliged to go to the rear on account of sickness and remained in hospital until the 10^th of July. I saw a procession at our field hospital on the 4^th of July which I will not forget soon. Between three and four hundred sick and wounded soldiers crawled from their beds and marched round the hospital grounds preceded by a fifer and tenor drummer playing the tune entitled, 'Rally round the Flag Boys.” Their dress was uniform, to wit: Drawers, shirt and shoes. A large proportion of them were wounded. I noticed that many of them did not keep the step, but I think they were excusable as they had unfortunately lost legs and were obliged to march on crutches. Others again had arms amputated or in slings. Some had strips of cotton cloth wrapped round their heads, but it was not to keep the sun off.

The losses of Co. B, at Kenesaw Mountain, was Albert Heldt, killed, and Wm. H. Palmer slightly wounded in the knee. After 10 days skirmishing, several assaults and much the heaviest shelling on both sides which had been done during the campaign, Johnston fell back again to the Chattahoochee river – where he had built the strongest works we have ever seen. Between Kenesaw Mountain and the river Sherman took 4,000 prisoners. In a few hours our army had “dug itself under” again near the enemy's works; where constant skirmishing and shelling was kept up until the 9^th day of July, when the 23^rd and 4^th Corps succeed in crossing the river about three miles above the Railroad bridge. On the 10^th inst. the 16^th corps marched back to Marietta, a pretty village on the railroad and about tow miles south of Kenesaw Mountain – thence to Boswell, a regular Yankee town on the Chattahoochee river and about eight miles above the pontoon on which the 4^th and 23d corps crossed the river. Several years ago a very good covered bridge was built over the river at this place; which the rebels burned when our troops entered town. On the east side of Boswell is a fine stream, affording splendid water power. Very wealthy men from New York and Connecticut, built very large cotton mills, flouring mills, etc., on this stream some years ago. The flouring mills have been furnishing large quantities of corn meal, and the cotton mills 1,500 yard of cloth per day for Johnston's army. But here after they will furnish neither meal or cloth; as they “have all gone up the spout.” On [the copy is destroyed here] 16^th to Boswell, and on the 12^th the 17^th corps followed the 15^th. But little time was required to build a good temporary bridge on the piers and abutments of the old one. On the 13^th inst. the 15^th and 16^th corps crossed the river and rested during the 14^th. On the 15^th day of July the entire army of the Tennessee marched to the railroad near Stone Mountain, which is about twelve miles east of Atlanta. After destroying several miles of railroad, it moved forward again and took possession of Decatur without much opposition. Three regiments (including the 31^st Iowa Volunteers) were ordered to remain at Roswell and hold the bridge and also guard the train and beef cattle of the army of the Tennessee. On the 21^st inst. five different couriers started from the front, with orders for us to fall back with the train and destroy the river bridge, as a heavy body of rebel cavalry was moving towards us for the purpose of capturing our train. But the couriers were captured and we received no orders to fall back until the night of the 24^th. Early on the morning of the 26^th inst. we crossed the river with our train and before night were safe in the rear of the 4^th corps. The distance from Boswell to Marietta was ten miles and to our troops at the front was fifteen miles. Our train consisted of 2,000 six-mule teams and 1,500 head of beef cattle. – And as our entire guard consisted of only 1,200 effective men, I think I am safe in saying that all hands breathed easier when we halted with the train under cover of our army. On the 19^th inst. the enemy attacked the 4^th and 20^th corps and the battle lasted for several hours. During the engagement the enemy lost in killed, wounded and prisoners, 6,000 men. Again on the 22d General Hood attempted to flank us on our left, which was held by the army of the Tennessee. in the operation he lost, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, 15,000 men. Our loss on the 22^nd was about thirty eight hundred. The Iowa brigade of the 17^th corps suffered most severely. During this battle we lost our brave and able department commander, (General McPherson). He was always cool – ever in the saddle, and his fall ensues general lamentation among the men of his army. General Howard now commands the army of the Tennessee. On the 22d General Walker who commanded General Polk's old corps, was killed. On the 27^th General Hood began to mass his forces on our right. And on the same day the army of the Tennessee changed position, from our extreme left to our extreme right. During the afternoon of the 28^th inst. the officers of our signal corps counted 27 rebel stands of colors moving towards us from the city on the double quick – while crowds of rebel ladies stood on the roofs of houses waving flags and handkerchiefs to cheer them on. They intended to flank us and were certain of success – but the 15^th corps and John A. Logan were there. We had no time to build works but were posted on elevated ground near a fence, and our men had only time to throw a few rails in front of them, when the rebels charged in force. Our men, “lay low” and shot low. Poor devils! They were brave, but the air was too full of our lead; and after many fruitless attempts they fell back. They brought forward fresh men – reformed their lines and charged us again more desperately than before. Nearly all their shots were aimed a little too high. When there was no longer hope they crawled back out of range of our guns. Oh! What a fall was there my countrymen! In front of the 15^th corps lay Seven Thousand Killed and Wounded 'Democrats.” (Modern democrats I mean). In no battle since the war commenced has there been so great a slaughter with such trifling loss to us. Our entire loss will not exceed eight hundred men. In the battles of the 19^th, 22d, and 28^th our entire loss will not exceed five thousand, and the enemy's loss will not be less than 28,000 men. it is safe to estimate the enemy's losses, in killed, wounded and prisoners between Dalton and Atlanta at forty-eight thousand men. Within the last ten days Hood received twelve or thirteen thousand reinforcements. Every day he receives squads of men from the swamps and mountains and little garrisons of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. On the 27^th inst., Generals Stoneman and Kilpatrick started for Macon with 13,500 picked men – mounted on picked horses. They have also taken with them three batteries of ten pounders. Sherman has sent Stoneman and Kilpatrick to Macon, to cook General hood's supplies, destroy railroads, etc. We hope they have time to visit our comrades, who are held by the Democratic party at Americus. Sherman could have taken Atlanta some time ago; but it would have done him no good. He is playing to catch Hood and destroy his army. Will he win? We all think so. The present campaign will not end until next Christmas. By that time Grant and Sherman will have killed and wounded one hundred thousand more of the men of Lee's and Hood's armies. Then I think we can have peace. About two-thirds of the women in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, South Carolina, and Virginia are now widows. And we pray that God may damn all Northern men who are mean enough to talk, think, or wink, compromise while Grant and Sherman are working on the husbands of the remaining third. I am aware of the fact that tens of thousands of orphan children in the Southern Confederacy go to bed every night hungry; “but the end is not yet.” Compromise or peace men of the North, you must be patient! your “fire in the rear policy” has prolonged the war. You have brought death, want, and suffering to us and our families. Your political maneuvering can't stop the work your friends commenced. The women and children of the South may wail! They may starve! If their friends and neighbors in the rebel armies can bear it we can. We can yet shed tears for our friends and we can also laugh at the calamities of our enemies. The President has issued a call for 500,000 more men. it suits us. But remember that we do not want volunteers who get their patriotism from the county treasury. Let us try a few conscripts. Rebels have made Union men fight and we believe that a little touch with the bayonet once in awhile will make copperheads fight also. On the 21^st of July Sergeant Francis F. Pitkin, of Co. B, was taken prisoner by the enemy. We cannot say when we will be relieved from guarding the train of the army of the Tenn. Nearly all of the boys would rather be with our brigade. There is scarcely any sickness in Sherman's army. We have had excellent water all summer and very pleasant weather for this climate.

– R.P. Speer

Source: Cedar Falls Gazette, 12 August 1864