e　lines　of　Thomas　to　our　right；　and　his　own　to　the　left；　but　presently　the　firing　appeared　a　little　more　brisk　（especially　over　about　Giles　G。　Smith's　division）；　and　then　we　heard　an　occasional　gun　back　toward　Decatur。　　I　asked　him　what　it　meant。　　We　took　my　pocket…compass　（which　I　always　carried）；　and　by　noting　the　direction　of　the　sound；　we　became　satisfied　that　the　firing　was　too　far　to　our　left　rear　to　be　explained　by　known　facts；　and　he　hastily　called　for　his　horse；　his　staff；　and　his　orderlies。
  McPherson　was　then　in　his　prime　（about　thirty…four　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　his　boots　outside　his　pantaloons；　gauntlets　on　his　hands；　had　on　his　major…general's　uniform；　and　wore　a　sword…belt；　but　no　sword。　　He　hastily　gathered　his　papers　（save　one；　which　I　now　possess）　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；　Clark；　Inspector…General　Strong；　and　his　aides；　Captains　Steele　and　Gile；　were　with　him。　Although　the　sound　of　musketry　on　our　left　grew　in　volume；　I　was　not　so　much　disturbed　by　it　as　by　the　sound　of　artillery　back　toward　Decatur。　　I　ordered　Schofield　at　once　to　send　a　brigade　back　to　Decatur　（some　five　miles）　and　was　walking　up　and　down　the　porch　of　the　Howard　House；　listening；　when　one　of　McPherson's　staff；　with　his　horse　covered　with　sweat；　dashed　up　to　the　porch；　and　reported　that　General　McPherson　was　either　〃killed　or　a　prisoner。〃　　He　explained　that　when　they　had　left　me　a　few　minutes　before；　they　had　ridden　rapidly　across　to　the　railroad；　the　sounds　of　battle　increasing　as　they　neared　the　position　occupied　by　General　Giles　A。　Smith's　division；　and　that　McPherson　had　sent　first　one；　then　another　of　his　staff　to　bring　some　of　the　reserve　brigades　of　the　Fifteenth　Corps　over　to　the　exposed　left　flank；　that　he　had　reached　the　head　of　Dodge's　corps　（marching　by　the　flank　on　the　diagonal　road　as　described）；　and　had　ordered　it　to　hurry　forward　to　the　same　point；　that　then；　almost　if　not　entirely　alone；　he　had　followed　this　road　leading　across　the　wooded　valley　behind　the　Seventeenth　Corps；　and　had　disappeared　in　these　woods；　doubtless　with　a　sense　of　absolute　security。　　The　sound　of　musketry　was　there　heard；　and　McPherson's　horse　came　back；　bleeding；　wounded；　and　riderless。　　I　ordered　the　staff…officer　who　brought　this　message　to　return　at　once；　to　find　General　Logan　（the　senior　officer　present　with　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee）；　to　report　the　same　facts　to　him；　and　to　instruct　him　to　drive　back　this　supposed　small　force；　which　had　evidently　got　around　the　Seventeenth　Corps　through　the　blind　woods　in　rear　of　our　left　flank。　　I　soon　dispatched　one　of　my　own　staff　（McCoy；　I　think）　to　General　Logan　with　similar　orders；　telling　him　to　refuse　his　left　flank；　and　to　fight　the　battle　（holding　fast　to　Leggett's　Hill）　with　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee；　that　I　would　personally　look　to　Decatur　and　to　the　safety　of　his　rear；　and　would　reenforce　him　if　he　needed　it。　　I　dispatched　orders　to　General　Thomas　on　our　right；　telling　him　of　this　strong　sally；　and　my　inference　that　the　lines　in　his　front　had　evidently　been　weakened　by　reason　thereof；　and　that　he　ought　to　take　advantage　of　the　opportunity　to　make　a　lodgment　in　Atlanta；　if　possible。
  Meantime　the　sounds　of　the　battle　rose　on　our　extreme　left　more　and　more　furious；　extending　to　the　place　where　I　stood；　at　the　Howard　House。　　Within　an　hour　an　ambulance　came　in　（attended　by　Colonels　Clark　and　Strong；　and　Captains　Steele　and　Gile）；　bearing　McPherson's　body。　　I　had　it　carried　inside　of　the　Howard　House；　and　laid　on　a　door　wrenched　from　its　hinges。　　Dr。　Hewitt；　of　the　army；　was　there；　and　I　asked　him　to　examine　the　wound。　　He　opened　the　coat　and　shirt；　saw　where　the　ball　had　entered　and　where　it　came　out；　or　rather　lodged　under　the　skin；　and　he　reported　that　McPherson　must　have　died　in　a　few　seconds　after　being　hit；　that　the　ball　had　ranged　upward　across　his　body；　and　passed　near　the　heart。　He　was　dressed　just　as　he　left　me；　with　gauntlets　and　boots　on；　but　his　pocket…book　was　gone。　　On　further　inquiry　I　learned　that　his　body　must　have　been　in　possession　of　the　enemy　some　minutes；　during　which　time　it　was　rifled　of　the　pocket…book；　and　I　was　much　concerned　lest　the　letter　I　had　written　him　that　morning　should　have　fallen　into　the　hands　of　some　one　who　could　read　and　understand　its　meaning。　　Fortunately　the　spot　in　the　woods　where　McPherson　was　shot　was　regained　by　our　troops　in　a　few　minutes；　and　the　pocket…book　found　in　the　haversack　of　a　prisoner　of　war　captured　at　the　time；　and　it　and　its　contents　were　secured　by　one　of　McPherson's　staff。
  While　we　were　examining　the　body　inside　the　house；　the　battle　was　progressing　outside；　and　many　shots　struck　the　building；　which　I　feared　would　take　fire；　so　I　ordered　Captains　Steele　and　Gile　to　carry　the　body　to　Marietta。　　They　reached　that　place　the　same　night；　and；　on　application；　I　ordered　his　personal　staff　to　go　on　and　escort　the　body　to　his　home；　in　Clyde；　Ohio；　where　it　was　received　with　great　honor；　and　it　is　now　buried　in　a　small　cemetery；　close　by　his　mother's　house；　which　cemetery　is　composed　in　part　of　the　family　orchard；　in　which　he　used　to　play　when　a　boy。　The　foundation　is　ready　laid　for　the　equestrian　monument　now　in　progress；　under　the　auspices　of　the　Society　of　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee。
  The　reports　that　came　to　me　from　all　parts　of　the　field　revealed　clearly　what　was　the　game　of　my　antagonist；　and　the　ground　somewhat　favored　him。　　The　railroad　and　wagon…road　from　Decatur　to　Atlanta　lie　along　the　summit；　from　which　the　waters　flow；　by　short；　steep　valleys；　into　the　〃Peach…Tree〃　and　Chattahoochee；　to　the　west；　and　by　other　valleys；　of　gentler　declivity；　toward　the　east　（Ocmulgee）。　The　ridges　and　level　ground　were　mostly　cleared；　and　had　been　cultivated　as　corn　or　cotton　fields；　but　where　the　valleys　were　broken；　they　were　left　in　a　state　of　naturewooded；　and　fall　of　undergrowth。　　McPherson's　line　of　battle　was　across　this　railroad；　along　a　general　ridge；　with　a　gentle　but　cleared　valley　to　his　front；　between　him　and　the　defenses　of　Atlanta；　and　another　valley；　behind　him；　was　clear　of　timber　in　part；　but　to　his　left　rear　the　country　was　heavily　wooded。　　Hood；　during　the　night　of　July　21st；　had　withdrawn　from　his　Peach…Tree　line；　had　occupied　the　fortified　line　of　Atlanta；　facing　north　and　east；　with　Stewart'sformerly　Polk'scorps　and　part　of　Hardee's；　and　with　G。　W。　Smith's　division　of　militia。　　His　own　corps；　and　part　of　Hardee's；　had　marched　out　to　the　road　leading　from　McDonough　to　Decatur；　and　had　turned　so　as　to　strike　the　left　and；　rear　of　McPherson's　line　〃in　air。〃　　At　the　same　time　he　had　sent　Wheeler's　division　of　cavalry　against　the　trains　parked　in　Decatur。　　Unluckily　for　us；　I　had　sent　away　the　whole　of　Garrard's　division　of　cavalry　during　the　night　of　the　20th；　with　orders　to　proceed　to　Covington；　thirty　miles　east；　to　burn　two　important　bridges　across　the　Ulcofauhatchee　and　Yellow　Rivers；　to　tear　up　the　railroad；　to　damage　it　as　much　as　possible　from　Stone　Mountain　eastward；　and　to　be　gone　four　days；　so　that　McPherson　had　no　cavalry　in　hand　to　guard　that　flank。
  The　enemy　was　therefore　enabled；　under　cover　or　the　forest；　to　approach　quite　near　before　he　was　discovered；　indeed；　his　skirmish…　line　had　worked　through　the　timber　and　got　into　the　field　to　the　rear　of　Giles　A。　Smith's　division　of　the　Seventeenth　Corps　unseen；　had　captured　Murray's　battery　of　regular　artillery；　moving　through　these　woods　entirely　unguarded；　and　had　got　possession　of　several　of　the　hospital　camps。　　The　right　of　this　rebel　line　struck　Dodge's　troops　in　motion；　but；　fortunately；　this　corps　（Sixteenth）　had　only　to　halt；　face　to　the　left；　and　was　in　line　of　battle；　and　this　corps　not　only　held　in　check　the　enemy；　but　drove　him　back　through　the　woods。　　About　the　same　time　this　same　force　had　struck　General　Giles　A。　Smith's　left　flank；　doubled　it　back；　captured　four　guns　in　position　and　the　party　engaged　in　building　the　very　battery　which　was　the　special　object　of　McPherson's　visit　to　me；　and　almost　enveloped　the　entire　left　flank。　　The　men；　however；　were　skillful　and　brave；　and　fought　for　a　time　with　their　backs　to　Atlanta。　　They　gradually　fell　back；　compressing　their　own　line；　and　gaining　strength　by　making　junction　with　Leggett's　division　of　the　Seven…　teenth　Corps；　well　and　strongly　posted　on　the　hill。　　One　or　two　brigades　of　the　Fifteenth　Corps；　ordered　by　McPherson；　came　rapidly　across　the　open　field　to　the　rear；　from　the　direction　of　the　railroad；　filled　up　the　gap　from　Blair's　new　left　to　the　head　of　Dodge's　column…now　facing　to　the　general　leftthus　forming　a　strong　left　flank；　at　right　angles　to　the　original　line　of　battle。　The　enemy　attacked；　boldly　and　repeatedly；　the　whole　of　this　flank；　but　met　an　equally　fierce　resistance；　and　on　that　ground　a　bloody　battle　raged　from　little　after　noon　till　into　the　night。　　A　part　of　Hood's　plan　of　action　was　to　sally　from　Atlanta　at　the　same　moment；　but　this　sally　was　not；　for　some　reason；　simultaneous；　for　the　first　attack　on　our　extreme　left　flank　had　been　che