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to retain my respect for him。 We dubbed these daffodil cavaliers
〃Butterflies；〃 and the name stuck to them like a poor relation。
Still another distinction that was always noticeable between the two
armies was in the bodily bearing of the men。 The Army of the Potomac was
drilled more rigidly than the Western men； and had comparatively few long
marches。 Its members had something of the stiffness and precision of
English and German soldiery； while the Western boys had the long；
〃reachy〃 stride； and easy swing that made forty miles a day a rather
commonplace march for an infantry regiment。
This was why we knew the new prisoners to be Sherman's boys as soon as
they came inside； and we started for them to hear the news。 Inviting
them over to our lean…to； we told them our anxiety for the story of the
decisive blow that gave us the Central Gate of the Confederacy； and asked
them to give it to us。
CHAPTER； LVI。
WHAT CAUSED THE FALL OF ATLANTAA DISSERTATION UPON AN IMPORTANT
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMTHE BATTLE OF JONESBOROWHY IT WAS FOUGHT
HOW SHERMAN DECEIVED HOODA DESPERATE BAYONET CHARGE； AND THE ONLY
SUCCESSFUL ONE IN THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGNA GALLANT COLONEL AND HOW HE
DIEDTHE HEROISM OF SOME ENLISTED MENGOING CALMLY INTO CERTAIN DEATH。
An intelligent； quick…eyed； sunburned boy； without an ounce of surplus
flesh on face or limbs； which had been reduced to gray…hound condition by
the labors and anxieties of the months of battling between Chattanooga
and Atlanta； seemed to be the accepted talker of the crowd； since all the
rest looked at him； as if expecting him to answer for them。 He did so：
〃You want to know about how we got Atlanta at last； do you？ Well； if you
don't know； I should think you would want to。 If I didn't； I'd want
somebody to tell me all about it just as soon as he could get to me； for
it was one of the neatest little bits of work that 'old Billy' and his
boys ever did； and it got away with Hood so bad that he hardly knew what
hurt him。
〃Well； first； I'll tell you that we belong to the old Fourteenth Ohio
Volunteers； which； if you know anything about the Army of the Cumberland；
you'll remember has just about as good a record as any that trains around
old Pap Thomasand he don't 'low no slouches of any kind near him；
eitheryou can bet 500 to a cent on that； and offer to give back the
cent if you win。 Ours is Jim Steedman's old regimentyou've all heard
of old Chickamauga Jim； who slashed his division of 7；000 fresh men into
the Rebel flank on the second day at Chickamauga； in a way that made
Longstreet wish he'd staid on the Rappahannock； and never tried to get up
any little sociable with the Westerners。 If I do say it myself； I
believe we've got as good a crowd of square； stand…up； trust'em…every…
minute…in…your…life boys； as ever thawed hard…tack and sowbelly。 We got
all the grunters and weak sisters fanned out the first year； and since
then we've been on a business basis； all the time。 We're in a mighty
good brigade； too。 Most of the regiments have been with us since we
formed the first brigade Pap Thomas ever commanded； and waded with him
through the mud of Kentucky； from Wild Cat to Mill Springs； where he gave
Zollicoffer just a little the awfulest thrashing that a Rebel General
ever got。 That； you know； was in January； 1862； and was the first
victory gained by the Western Army； and our people felt so rejoiced over
it that〃
〃Yes； yes； we've read all about that；〃 we broke in； 〃and we'd like to
hear it again； some other time； but tell us now about Atlanta。〃
〃All right。 Let's see： where was I？ O； yes； talking about our brigade。
It is the Third Brigade； of the Third Division； of the Fourteenth Corps；
and is made up of the Fourteenth Ohio； Thirty…eighth Ohio； Tenth
Kentucky； and Seventy…fourth Indiana。 Our old ColonelGeorge P。 Este
commands it。 We never liked him very well in camp； but I tell you he's a
whole team in a fight； and he'd do so well there that all would take to
him again； and he'd be real popular for a while。〃
〃Now； isn't that strange；〃 broke in Andrews； who was given to fits of
speculation of psychological phenomena： 〃None of us yearn to die； but the
surest way to gain the affection of the boys is to show zeal in leading
them into scrapes where the chances of getting shot are the best。
Courage in action； like charity； covers a multitude of sins。 I have
known it to make the most unpopular man in the battalion； the most
popular inside of half an hour。 Now； M。（addressing himself to me；） you
remember Lieutenant H。； of our battalion。 You know he was a very fancy
young fellow； wore as snipish' clothes as the tailor could make； had gold
lace on his jacket wherever the regulations would allow it； decorated his
shoulders with the stunningest pair of shoulder knots I ever saw； and so
on。 Well； he did not stay with us long after we went to the front。 He
went back on a detail for a court martial； and staid a good while。 When
he rejoined us； he was not in good odor； at all； and the boys weren't at
all careful in saying unpleasant things when he could hear them； A little
while after he came back we made that reconnaissance up on the Virginia
Road。 We stirred up the Johnnies with our skirmish line； and while the
firing was going on in front we sat on our horses in line； waiting for
the order to move forward and engage。 You know how solemn such moments
are。 I looked down the line and saw Lieutenant H。
at the right of Company； in command of it。 I had not seen him since he
came back； and I sung out：
〃'Hello； Lieutenant； how do you feel？'
〃The reply came back； promptly； and with boyish cheerfulness：
〃'Bully； by ； I'm going to lead seventy men of Company into action
today！'
〃How his boys did cheer him。 When the bugle sounded …forward； trot；' his
company sailed in as if they meant it； and swept the Johnnies off in
short meter。 You never heard anybody say anything against Lieutenant
after that。〃
〃You know how it was with Captain G。； of our regiment；〃 said one of the
Fourteenth to another。 〃He was promoted from Orderly Sergeant to a
Second Lieutenant； and assigned to Company D。 All the members of Company
D went to headquarters in a body； and protested against his being put in
their company； and he was not。 Well； he behaved so well at Chickamauga
that the boys saw that they had done him a great injustice； and all those
that still lived went again to headquarters； and asked to take all back
that they had said； and to have him put into the company。〃
〃Well； that was doing the manly thing； sure； but go on about Atlanta。〃
〃I was telling about our brigade；〃 resumed the narrator。 〃Of course； we
think our regiment's the best by long odds in the armyevery fellow
thinks that of his regimentbut next to it come the other regiments of
our brigade。 There's not a cent of discount on any of them。
〃Sherman had stretched out his right away to the south and west of
Atlanta。 About the middle of August our corps； commanded by Jefferson C。
Davis； was lying in works at Utoy Creek； a couple of miles from Atlanta。
We could see the tall steeples and the high buildings of the City quite