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another, Capron's, was surprised on the way back and scattered.
Many were captured and killed, and the balance got in mostly unarmed and on foot, and the general himself surrendered his small command and is now a prisoner in Macon.
During the month following the battle of Ezra Church,
Sherman, continuing to hold the intrenched position from the Georgia railroad east of the city round by the north to the
Lickskillet road on the west, a full half circle, kept up a continual fire on the
Confederate intrenchments.
Pushing on slowly toward the southwest,
Schofield's army of the Ohio was sent to the south of
Howard.
Schofield moved August 1st, and
Palmer's corps of
Thomas' army followed at once, taking a line below
Utoy creek, and
Schofield prolonged it nearly to
East Point, the junction of the
Macon and West Point railroads.
To meet these movements
General Hood was compelled to stretch out his line to a length of fifteen miles. Both Federal and Confederate positions were instantly intrenched or protected by rail or log piles as they were taken, and the deadly skirmish firing was continuous.
On August 6th a fierce attack was made from
Schofield's command upon the intrenched line of
General Bate on the
Sandtown road, which was repulsed with heavy Federal loss.
Said
General Lee:
Much credit is due General Bate and his division for their conduct.
The enemy was exceedingly cautious in his movements after this affair.
His extension to our left was gradual, and he seemed determined to push his lines more closely to ours in my front, with the view of making an assault.
The skirmishing along Patton Anderson's and Clayton's divisions amounted almost to an engagement for a week.
Finally
Hardee's corps was withdrawn from
Atlanta and extended to the south of
Lee, leaving to the
Georgia State troops still greater responsibility on the main lines of fortifications.
Though poorly armed, two-thirds of them without cartridge boxes, these heroic men performed
