, like the whimsical pages of Tristram Shandy, is
pestily censured and admired alternately.

The 3rd brigade held its position in close proximity to the enemy's
works for six days, until the 3rd of July. It was a hard one indeed,
for we were obliged to hug the works and keep concealed all the time,
night and day. Bullets were continually buzzing round in threatening
and unfriendly style. An interesting incident occurred, however, on the
29th, that broke the monotony of our situation for a short time; it was
an armistice of a few hours to bury our dead, the stench having become
so offensive to both parties that it could be no longer endured.
Details were sent from every company to perform the last office to the
heroic dead. This having been done, and a headboard erected with the
name of each upon it, to mark the spot where rests the sleeping brave,
the armistice was concluded. Soon after the armistice our brigade, now
under command of Colonel Dillworth, began a trench with the intention
of undermining the enemy's works, and blowing them up, but suspecting
something underhanded on our part, they threw turpentine balls between
the lines, which would certainly have disclosed any outward movement,
but the movement was inward, and their handsome fires availed them
nothing. This experiment, however, was followed by another, more
successful. By placing a drum on the solid ground and a marble on the
head of it, they discovered a jar in the earth. This was sufficient,
and gathering up their traps they evacuated early in the evening of the
2nd of July, our forces following on the morning of the 3rd. If the
rebels had not evacuated when they did, the 3rd brigade would have had
a grand jubilee on the 4th, for by that time it would have succeeded in
laying a magazine under their works, and setting it off would have
raised their ideas.

On the evening of the 3rd of July, our forces again came upon
Johnston's army entrenched at Smyrna Church, five miles from Marietta,
and forming our lines so as to confront his position, lay here until
after the 4th.

On the morning of the 5th, Johnston had fallen back to another line of
entrenchments on the north side of the Chattahoochie, our lines
advancing as usual until they came upon him. We were now in sight of
the Gate City, its steeples and spires appearing in the distance. For
the first time we beheld the object of our toils and marches, every
heart rejoicing to behold the doomed Atlanta.