September 3.--6 a. m., received word from department headquarters that Atlanta was in our possession, and that we would advance no farther. The object of the four months' campaign has been gained. 7 a. m., received Special Field Orders [No. 63], of which
the following is a copy :*
9 a. m., received Special Field Orders [No. 63], of which following
is a copy:
OR, VOL 38 P.934 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. [CHAP. L.]
Major-General STANLEY, Comdg. Fourth Army Corps:
GENERAL: In accordance with the above order, you will this p. m. send your empty wagons, sick aid wounded who are able to travel, to Jonesborough, with orders for the colonel commanding the regiment which goes in charge to report upon his arrival to Brevet Major-General Davis, who is to send his wagons, &c., to Atlanta in charge of a brigade, the commander of which will take charge of the whole.
Yours, very respectfully,
WM. D. WHIPPLE,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
The above orders were promptly carried out. The Third Kentucky Infantry, Thirty-sixth Indiana Infantry, and the non-veterans of the Thirty-first Indiana Infantry and Fifteenth Ohio Infantry were sent to Jonesborough this p. m. with the train, and they will accompany it to Atlanta, all under command of Colonel Dunlap, Third Kentucky Infantry.
*See p. 86. For full text of orders (here omitted) see Part V.
OR, VOL 38, CHAP. L.] REPORTS, ETC.--ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND P.935
5 p. m., division commanders were instructed to cut roads to the rear of their respective divisions, so that their troops may be easily drawn off when we march to Atlanta. The enemy is yet behind his works in our front in force, and we have been skirmishing heavily with him all day. Have lost a number of men killed and wounded today; no report of the number. Day hot and showery.
September 4.--Nothing of importance occurred to-day. Only the usual skirmishing and artillery firing. The enemy yet in our immediate front, behind his strong works. Have had quite a number of men wounded and killed on the skirmish line to-day; at least 42 men.
Day clear and very hot. 8.40 p. m., received official copy of Special Field Orders [No. 64], as follows :*
September 5.--12. 30 p. m., received verbal instructions to withdraw the troops of the corps at 8 p. m. and the pickets at 12 p. m; these instructions received from Major-General Thomas. 1 p. m., sent orders to division commanders to withdraw their divisions at 8 p. m., moving to the field in the rear of corps headquarters, and then to march on the east side of the railroad to the position occupied by the corps on the night of the 1st instant, just beyond Jonesborough, the order of march to be, first, Newton's division; second, Kimball's; third, Wood's. Pickets will be withdrawn at 12 m. Colonel Suman, Ninth Indiana, appointed special officer of the day. All headquarters wagons, ammunition wagons but five to a division and ambulances save six to a division, artillery wagons, and such artillery as can be moved without being observed, to be sent to the rear at once. 4.30 p. m., received Special Field Orders [No. 245), of which following is a copy:*
8 p. m., commenced to withdraw. The night is very dark, and the mud is so deep (owing to the heavy rains this morning) that the roads are almost impassable. The head of our column reached Jonesborough about 10.30 p. m.
Stanley's U.S. 4th AC, "Order of Retreat From Lovejoy"
Stanley AC was position east of the Macon & Western RR with its left flank running towards Freeman Road and beyond.
HEADQUARTERS FOURTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Lovejoy's Station, Ga., September 5,1864.
Orders of the day for the Fourth Army Corps for today, September 5, 1864: In accordance with instructions received from headquarters the troops of this corps will withdraw tonight to the position they occupied on the night of the first instant, just beyond Jonesborough. After withdrawing to the field to the rear of the one in which corps headquarters is situated, the route of march will be along the east side of the railroad. The order of march will be, first, General Newton's division; second, General Kimball's; third, General Wood's. The troops will be drawn off at 8 p. m. exactly by headquarters time, and the pickets will be drawn off at exactly 12 p.m. Col. I. C. B. Suman, Ninth Indiana Infantry, is hereby detailed as special field officer of the day for to-day. He will report at these headquarters for orders at 5 pm., and division commanders will send their l picket officers to report to him for instructions at the same time and place. All headquarters wagons, ambulances, except six to a division artillery wagons, ammunition wagons, except five to a division, and such artillery as can be withdrawn without attracting the attention of the enemy, will at once be sent beyond Jonesborough just to the rear of the position to be occupied by the troops to-night.
By order of Major-General Stanley:
J. S. FULLERTON,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
Schofield's U.S. 23rd AC, "Order of Retreat from Lovejoy"
Serving as the U.S. left flank in the vicinity of Nash Farm, these field orders were given.
(To division commanders.)
SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS, HDQRS. ARMY OF THE OHIO,
No. 101. Near Lovejoy, Ga., September 5, 1864.
I. The army will move front its present position, in concert with the Army of the Cumberland, in the following manner: The trains will move to the rear, first the baggage and then the ordnance trains, taking the new road leading north from present headquarters. General Cox will send a regiment of infantry to guard the trains. General Cox will place his division on the ridge immediately in rear of headquarters. General
Hascall will then withdraw his division to the rear of General Cox, taking care to conceal the movement as much as possible from the enemy, and keeping his men under cover from the enemy's artillery. If the enemy follow, General Hascall will form his division in rear of General Cox, prepared to support him or cover his flank. Otherwise General Hascall will continue his march in rear of the trains. General Cox will follow as rear guard. Colonel Garrard will cover the flank of the infantry and trains during the march, using the road on which the infantry moved on the 2d instant. The first march will be to the position near Jonesborough occupied on the 1st instant, where orders will be given for further movements. The commanding general will give notice when the movement will begin.
By command of Major-General Schofield:
J. A. CAMPBELL,
Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.
Sherman's Reason For Leaving Lovejoy
HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Atlanta, Ga., September 8,1864.
General WEBSTER,
Nashville:
Don't let any citizens come to Atlanta, not one. I won't allow trade or manufactures of any kind, but will remove all the present population and make Atlanta a pure military town. Give public notice to this effect. General Thomas' army is now in and around Atlanta, General Howard's at East Point, and General Schofield's at Decatur. I want
Wheeler cleaned out, the roads repaired, and everything to the rear made right. Send forward paymasters. If the Sanitary Commission, have stores let them be sent to the agent at Chattanooga, whence we can draw as fast as we need. Hood s army retreated toward Macon, but will, I suppose, halt about Griffin. I was unprepared to follow below Lovejoy's, twenty-eight miles south of Atlanta, for we have been fighting constantly since about the 7th of May, and the men need rest and quiet. Our last move was beautiful and perfectly successful, as you observe from our occupation of the famous Atlanta. We have already found nineteen guns and others are being found daily. At Jonesborough, at the battle, we took 2 four-gun batteries, and in the whole move have near 3,000 prisoners. We killed about 500 at Jonesborough and wounded about 2,500. Our entire loss since beginning the movement will not exceed 1,500.
W. T. SHERMAN,
Major-General, Commanding.
[VOL. 38, CHAP. L.] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION. 831Hood Remained Remains With His Army at Lovejoy
Hood remained with his army at Lovejoy's station for much of September, before determining that he would swing around to the west to get in Sherman's rear and attempt to cut his supply line (Hatfield 1983:68). During that time (September 6-17), Stephen D. Lee's corps camped on the Nash Farm as evidenced by several concentrations of camp related material recovered by relic hunters and Archaeologist from the site.
Report of Stephen D. Lee's Campsites as mentioned in a report dated on SEPTEMBER 7,1864--10.50 p. m. General LEE, Commanding Corps: "General Hood desires that you select some convenient place near your present lines and bivouac your corps. Let your artillery go into regular park under its senior officer. Establish such police regulations as
shall secure the presence of the men. [F. A. SHOUP, Chief of Staff.]
The spring head of Walnut Creek is situated on this property and there are numerous ponds. A large cornfield grew on the Nash Farm at the time, which made this area a perfect place to camp. Four separate campsites have been located on and near the property. A North Carolina campsite was located on the southeast side of the largest pond on the property. Other campsites have been tentatively identified between the ponds, in the southeastern and southwestern corners of the property.
