Acknowledging the failure of the assault, but acting under the conviction that it would be fatal to rest long under the influence of a defeat, General Sherman determined to again try a flanking movement, and in consequence every effort was put forth to make it a success. Accordingly on the 1st of July, General McPherson was relieved by Garrard's cavalry in front of Kenesaw, and the relieved command was hastily moved to the right. General McPherson commenced his movement on the night of July 2nd, and the effect was instantaneous. On the morning of the 3rd Kenesaw was abandoned and the first dawn of day saw our skirmishers appear on the mountain top.

Marietta was evacuated, and General Sherman entered it in person at half-past eight in the morning, just as the enemy's cavalry vacated the place. The orders were to push the enemy, with the hope of catching him in confusion as he made the passage of the Chattahoochie river. But Johnston had provided against this and had covered his movement well. On the 7th of July, we had effected a crossing of the river. At the same time General Garrard had moved rapidly on Roswell, and destroyed the factories which had supplied the rebel armies with cloth for years. Over one of these the nominal owner displayed the French flag, which of course was not respected. On the 10th of July at day light, Johnston retreated southward, leaving the army of the union undisputed masters north and west of the Chattahoochie river, along whose grassy banks we remained quietly in camp until the 16th of July, though the time was employed in collecting stores at Alatoona, Marietta and Vinings Station, strengthening the railroad guards and garrisons, and improving the bridges and roads leading across the river. On the 17th, everything being in readiness, we were again ordered to advance, and formed a general line along the old Peach Tree creek road. Our brigade crossed the creek on logs and impromptu bridges in face of a heavy fire from the enemy, who occupied intrenched lines ready to receive us.

On the afternoon of the 20th about 4 p. m., the enemy sallied from his works in force and fell in line of battle against our right center. The blow was sudden, and somewhat unexpected, but after a severe battle they were repulsed, leaving on the field about 500 dead, 1000 wounded, 7 stands of colors and many prisoners. His loss could not have fallen short of 5000, whereas our loss was covered by 1500 killed, wounded and missing. On the 21st a reconnoisance was made of the enemy, in his intrenched position, at a general distance from Atlanta of about four miles. On the morning of the 22nd this whole line was found abandoned, much to the surprise of the union army. We thought, for a time, that the enemy had concluded to give up Atlanta without further contest. Gen. Johnston had been relieved of his command and Gen. Hood substituted. A new policy seemed resolved on, of which the bold attack on the right was the index. Our ranks without opposition swept across the strong and well finished works of the enemy, and closed in upon Atlanta until they occupied a line in the form of a general circle of about two miles in radius, when the enemy was again found occupying in force a line of finished redoubts, which had been prepared for more than a year, covering all the roads leading into Atlanta. Here it was, that under the leadership of their new commander, Hood, they made a desperate assault on our lines, but only to be repulsed with terrible slaughter. But this battle of the 22d of July cost us 3,722 killed, wounded and prisoners, and among the dead was Major general McPherson. The enemy left on the field an aggregate loss of 8000 men. And so the days passed, fighting and erecting breastworks, until on the 1st day of September, when as we were in front of Jonesboro, a small town below Atlanta, the rebels came out of their works and offered us battle. The enemy attacked with Lee and Hardee's corps and after a contest of over two hours withdrew behind their works, leaving over 400 dead on the ground, and his wounded, of which about 300 were left in Jonesboro, making his loss not much less than 2,500. Orders were at once given for all the army to turn on Jonesboro. About 4 p. m. of that day Gen. Davis, our corps commander, was all ready, and we assaulted the enemy's lines across open fields, carrying them and taking as prisoners Govan's brigade, including its commander and staff and two four-gun batteries. The next morning the enemy was gone. He had retreated further south. About two o'clock that night the sounds of heavy explosions were heard in the direction of Atlanta, distance about twenty miles, with a succession of minor explosions and what seemed like the rapid firing of cannon and musketry. These continued for about an hour, and again about four a. m. occurred another series of similar discharges, apparently nearer to us, and these sounds could be accounted for on no other grounds than that of a night attack on Atlanta by General Slocum, or the blowing up of the enemy's magazines. Rumors began to arrive, through prisoners captured, that Atlanta had been abandoned, and that Hood had blown up his ammunition trains, which accounted for the sounds. On the morning of Sept. 2nd a courier arrived from Gen. Slocum, reporting that the enemy had evacuated Atlanta, blown up seven trains of cars and retreated on the McDonough road, and that he, Slocum, held possession of the city. On the 7th of September the entire army went into camps grouped about Atlanta, our brigade having reached the city on the night of the 3rd in charge of nearly 1700 prisoners captured at Jonesboro, was posted in the suburbs of the city. Thus was completed and sent down to history another of the great campaigns of the war.