The Battle of Pickett’s Mill takes place today west of Atlanta, following the Union loss in the Battle of New Hope Church. Once again, the Confederates emerge victorious in the skirmish, their most decisive victory to date in the Atlanta campaign as Union casualties number some 1,600 compared to only about 500 for the Confederacy.
Fielding a far superior numerical force, Union General William T. Sherman can afford the loss of men, but is nonetheless frustrated by his inability to maneuver any closer to Georgia than he had been two weeks earlier. Nevertheless, Sherman, planning for his next move, is certain Atlanta is within his grasp.
Although the Confederate victory has saved Dallas from the Union’s advance, the Confederate army, dwindling with each passing day, can ill afford to lose many more men if they hope to successfully prevent the Union from taking Atlanta. Entering into the battlefield equation in the battles of New Hope and Pickett’s Mill is a new tactic of trench warfare deployed by both sides, for which the outnumbered Confederates are particularly ill-suited.
Battlefield news reaches the Southern public days afterward. City dwellers keep up fairly well through newspaper dailies, while rural residents depend more upon word of mouth or, in the case of many Baptists, the “Secular News” department of weekly Baptist papers (“Secular News” being a section of Baptist newspapers peculiar to the war years and focusing largely on war-related news items).
While the skirmish at Pickett’s Mill unfolds today, readers of the North Carolina Baptist Biblical Recorder who have already received this week’s edition read the following “news” offered with as much of a positive slant as feasible, dashed with a bit of exaggeration, and sprinkled with the inevitable bits of misinformation transmitted from distant battle fronts by well-meaning informants.
From Lee‘s Army there is nothing new. Grant is strongly fortified in our front, his lines, in some places, extending within fifty yards of ours. Sheridan is out on another raid, in the direction of Gordonsville. It is reported that Hampton has fallen upon him and beaten him badly. We hope it is true. In the Valley of Virginia we have sustained a reverse. Hunter, the successor of Siegel, advancing in the direction of Stanton was met by our forces under General W. E. Jones, about 12 miles from that town at 11 o’clock on Sunday the 6th. Our forces repulsed the enemy three times, but a Virginia regiment unaccountably gave way in confusion; Gen. Jones was killed and this rendered it necessary for us to fall back through Staunton to Waynesboro. They saved their trains, stores, &c. The enemy now occupy Staunton and, having been reinforced by Averill, Crook and Pope, are threatening Lexington. It is thought that Lynchburg is the ultimate object of attack; but measures have been taken to meet and check them. Kautz’s cavalry, 3000 to 5000 strong, made an effort to surprise and capture Petersburg on Thursday of last week. They advanced in two columns, from Bermuda Hundreds, early in the morning, and assaulted our breastworks, which were defended by 170 of the Petersburg militia. They were twice repulsed, but the militia being outflanked were compelled to retire. They were pursued for a mile and the capture of the place seemed certain, when two batteries of artillery and Gen. Dearing’s cavalry came up and easily repulsed the enemy chasing them several miles. The militia lost six men killed, a number wounded and several captured, among them several of the best citizens of Petersburg. It is rumored that Gilmore is sending troops to the south side of the Appomattox for another attack on Petersburg. Beauregard will probably take care of them. In the late operations of Lee and Beauregard we have captured 17000 muskets and 5 pieces of artillery.
In N.C. all is quiet. In addition to the promotions, of N.C. officers mentioned in our last, the following have been made: Brig. Gen. Bryan Grimes permanently to command Daniel’s brigade; Brig. Gen. W. R. Cox temporarily to Ramseur’s brigade; Brig. Gen. Thomas Toon temporarily to Johnston’s brigade; Brig. Gen. W. G. Lewis temporarily to Hoke’s brigade; Brig. Gen. Ransom has been made a Major General. Gen. Winder has been ordered from Goldsboro to Americus, Ga., and Col. Foulk wil command in Goldsboro. The Yankees were recently unloading an ammunition train at Bachelor’s Creek, when some powder exploded, killing 40 and wounding 17.
In Georgia preparations are making to meet the enemy. Gen. Gustavus W. Smith commands the reserve forces. The Yankees have taken possession of Acworth and are fortifying the Altoona Heights. This is to give them railroad transportation for supplies. They do not seem inclined to fight. There are 15,000 Yankee prisoners at Andersonville, who are dying at a rate of 35 a day.
Forrest and Lee have routed the Yankees at Baldwin, Mississippi, capturing many prisoners and 200 wagons loaded with stores. Morgan is again in Kentucky. He tore up the Central railroad, captured the passenger train and occupied Paris on the 8th.
From the trans-Mississippi there is little that is definite or reliable. Steele is still cooped up in Little Rock and it is thought that Price and Marmaduke will capture him. The Yankees claim to have defeated Gen. Polignac at Yellow Bayou, with a loss, on our side of 800; on theirs, 150.
The Yankee newspapers publish great victories for Grant and the whole nation is jubilant over them; but this does not check the upward tendency of gold, which at last accounts, was 194 1/2. Fremont has been nominated for President and Cochrane of New York for Vice President, by the radical Republicans. Lincoln has been nominated for re-election as President, by the other wing of the party.–Fremont pledged himself to run if Lincoln was nominated, and so there will be two abolition candidates. Of the late European papers, some regard Grant’s success as indecisive; others set down his movement against Richmond as a failure.
The Latest.
The latest advices from Lee’s army state that Grant has again changed position on our right, crossing the Chickahominy at Long Bridge 20 miles below Richmond. We captured 150 prisoners in the enemy’s abandoned breastworks. The enemy are landing supplies below Malvern Hill. Our cavalry fought the enemy at Riddles Shop on Monday morning, but were forced back by superior numbers. Nothing new from Western Va., or from Petersburg. In Georgia the enemy are said to be preparing for another flank movement. Gen. Lee says that his victory in Mississippi was one of the most signal of the war. Besides the wagons mentioned above, he captured 12 pieces of artillery. Forrest was in close pursuit. The remains of Banks’ army are on the west side of the river, near Port Hudson; constant skirmishing between them and our forces. They have desolated Couppe parish, La., destroying houses, crops and everything possible; Congress has adopted amendments to the tax law; also a document setting forth the ardent desire of the people of the South for peace.
Sources: Battle of Pickett’s Mill (link) and (link); “The News,” Biblical Recorder, May 25, 1864 (link)
