Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Stanley's Corps - Newton's Division - Wagner's Brigade
Atlanta Campaign
On the 31st, Howard's troops fight off a Confederate attack at Jonesboro, as the rebels suffer disproportionately heavy losses. As General Schofield has cut the only remaining railroad into the town at Rough and Ready Station, General Hood has no choice but to leave Atlanta. He destroys as much as he can of the supplies he cannot take on September 1st. He will attempt to regroup his army at Lovejoy Station, about 10 miles south of Jonesboro.
On September 2nd, Sherman reports the capture of Atlanta to Washington. The next day, Lincoln declares September 5th as a national day of celebration.
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John Baer Diary Entries - text in white, comments in blue. Entries for August 31st, September 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
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DIARY ENTRY - Wednesday, August 31st, 1864
Necessity compels me to change my tactics and instead of writing every day, I will have to make a weekly summary of events. This is for various reasons; first, our house is so badly crowded that it is almost impossible to write in it; second, of evenings and mornings my attention is called to other matters; third, during the day it is too hot to write, except in the shade, and it requires all the room we have to accommodate the squad which is on the increase. More additions to the prisoners, but the arrivals are not sufficient to fill the vacancies caused by death.
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DIARY ENTRY - Thursday, September 1, 1864
Summer is past and autumn is at hand - still we are prisoners. Another addition to the 40th squad. One John Davis of Company “Y” having been taken in. News important if true. Reported evacuation of Atlanta by General Hood - also rumored acceptance of the rebs proposition for exchange by our authorities. Weather warm during the day but cold at night.
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This is indeed the day that the Confederate army was forced to evacuate Atlanta.
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DIARY ENTRY - Friday, September 2nd, 1864
News very uncertain. Reported acceptance of the rebel proposition - another report says our commissioners were without authority to accept an proposition or come to any agreement whatever in regard to exchange.
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DIARY ENTRY - Saturday, September 3rd, 1864.
No entry. Next entry on September 9th.
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More Information:
- Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXVIII, Chapter L, Part V, Correspondence, pp. 717-791.
- The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. pp. 175-176.
- The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1II, Red River to Appomattox, Shelby Foote, pp. 522-562.
- Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 496-547.
- Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 620-625.
- Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 580-583.
- Events: 1864
NEXT POST: SEPTEMBER 7TH
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