our Divisions, attacked the Sixteenth Army
Corps in the rear of the Army of the Tennessee, and were defeated. General
Dodge on horse in foreground ordering Colonel Mersey's brigade to charge
one of the columns of the enemy in flank. Extreme right of picture,
General Fuller's Division fighting General Walker's Division of the
Confederate Army.]

THE BATTLE OF ATLANTA

FOUGHT JULY 22, 1864

A PAPER READ BEFORE NEW YORK COMMANDERY

M. O. L. L.

BY MAJOR-GENERAL GRENVILLE M. DODGE

_Companions_:

On the 17th day of July, 1864, General John B. Hood relieved General
Joseph E. Johnston in command of the Confederate Army in front of Atlanta,
and on the 20th Hood opened an attack upon Sherman's right, commanded by
General Thomas. The attack was a failure, and resulted in a great defeat
to Hood's Army and the disarrangement of all his plans.

On the evening of the 21st of July, General Sherman's Army had closed up
to within two miles of Atlanta, and on that day Force's Brigade of
Leggett's Division of Blair's Seventeenth Army Corps carried a prominent
hill, known as Bald or Leggett's Hill, that gave us a clear view of
Atlanta, and placed that city within range of our guns. It was a strategic
point, and unless the swing of our left was stopped it would dangerously
interfere with Hood's communications towards the south. Hood fully
appreciated this, and determined upon his celebrated attack in the rear of
General Sherman's Army.

On the 22d of July, the Army of the Tennessee was occupying the rebel
intrenchments, its right resting very near the Howard House, north of the
Augusta Railroad, thence to Leggett's Hill, which had been carried by
Force's assault on the evening of the 21st. From this hill Giles A.
Smith's Division of the Seventeenth Army Corps stretched out southward on
a road that occupied this ridge, with a weak flank in air. To strengthen
this flank, by order of General McPherson I sent on the evening of the
21st one Brigade of Fuller's Division, the other being left at Decatur to
protect our parked trains. Fuller camped his Brigade about half a mile in
the rear of the extreme left and at right angles to Blair's lines and
commanding the open ground and valley of the forks of Sugar Creek, a
position that proved very strong in the battle. Fuller did not go into
line; simply bivouacked ready to respond to any call.

On the morning of the 22d of July, General McPherson called at my
headquarters and gave me