HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
In Field, July 20, 1864-8.45 p. m.
Major-General SHERMAN, Commanding Military Div., of the Mississippi:
GENERAL: Inclosed I send you sketch of our position to-night.+
We have had some pretty lively skirmishing and have driven the enemy from several pretty strong positions, though I do not think there has been much of anything but cavalry in front of us on the left. But they have had four pieces of artillery and are armed with short Enfield rifles, making it difficult at times to dislodge them. Brigadier-General Gresham, commanding Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, was wounded in the leg below the knee by a minie-ball, which shattered the bone, I am afraid he will lose his leg. I have assigned Brigadier General Giles A. Smith to the command of the division. You will see from the sketch that my left (Blair’s command) is in lot 207, and the line runs nearly north, the right breaking to the rear slightly to connect with General Schofield. General Garrard’s headquarters are in Decatur and his command is so disposed as to cover our rear and line of communications back to Roswell. Our losses have been comparatively light.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAS. B. McPHERSON,
Major-General.