InaconversationwithGeneralJohnston，afterthewar，heexplainedthatonthatdayhehadriddeninpersonfromMariettatoPineMountain，heldbyBates’sdivision，andwasaccompaniedbyGeneralsHardeeandPolk。WhenonPineMountain，reconnoitring，quiteagroupofsoldiers，belongingtothebatterycloseby，clusteredabouthim。Henoticedthepreparationsofourbatterytofire，andcautionedthesementoscatter。Theydidso，andhelikewisehurriedbehindtheparapet，fromwhichhehadanequallygoodviewofourpositionbutGeneralPolk，whowasdignifiedandcorpulent，walkedbackslowly，notwishingtoappeartoohurriedorcautiousinthepresenceofthemen，andwasstruckacrossthebreastbyanunexplodedshell，whichkilledhiminstantly。Thisismymemoryoftheconversation，anditisconfirmedbyJohnstonhimselfinhis\"Narrative，\"page337，exceptthathecalculatedthedistanceofourbatteryatsixhundredyards，andsaysthatPolkwaskilledbythethirdshot;Iknowthatourgunsfiredbyvolley，andbelievethathewashitbyashotofthesecondvolley。IthasbeenassertedthatIfiredthegunwhichkilledGeneralPolk，andthatIknewitwasdirectedagainstthatgeneral。Thefactis，atthatdistancewecouldnoteventellthatthegroupwereofficersatall;Iwasonhorseback，acoupleofhundredyardsoff，beforemyorderstofirewereexecuted，hadnoideathatourshothadtakeneffect，andcontinuedmyridedownalongthelinetoSchofield’sextremeflank，returninglateintheeveningtomyhead—quartersatBigShanty，whereIoccupiedanabandonedhouse。
Inacotton—fieldbackofthathousewasoursignal—station，ontheroofofanoldgin—house。Thesignal—officerreportedthatbystudyingtheenemy’ssignalshehadlearnedthekey，andthathecouldreadtheirsignals。Heexplainedtomethathehadtranslatedasignalaboutnoon，fromPineMountaintoMarietta，\"SendanambulanceforGeneralPolk’sbody;\"andlaterinthedayanother，\"Whydon’tyousendanambulanceforGeneralPolk？\"FromthisweinferredthatGeneralPolkhadbeenkilled，buthoworwhereweknewnot;andthisinferencewasconfirmedlaterinthesamedaybythereportofsomeprisonerswhohadbeencaptured。
Onthe15thweadvancedourgenerallines，intendingtoattackatanyweakpointdiscoveredbetweenKenesawandPineMountain;butPineMountainwasfoundtobeabandoned，andJohnstonhadcontractedhisfrontsomewhat，onadirectline，connectingKenesawwithLostMountain。ThomasandSchofieldtherebygainedabouttwomilesofmostdifficult，country，andMcPherson’sleftlappedwellaroundthenorthendofKenesaw。Wecapturedagoodmanyprisoners，amongthemawholeinfantryregiment，theFourteenthAlabama，threehundredandtwentystrong。
Onthe16ththegeneralmovementwascontinued，whenLostMountainwasabandonedbytheenemy。Ourrightnaturallyswunground，soastothreatentherailroadbelowMarietta，butJohnstonhadstillfurthercontractedandstrengthenedhislines，coveringMariettaandalltheroadsbelow。
Onthe17thand18ththerainagainfellintorrents，makingarmymovementsimpossible，butwedevotedthetimetostrengtheningourpositions，moreespeciallytheleftandcentre，withaviewgraduallytodrawfromthelefttoaddtotheright;andwehadtoholdourlinesontheleftextremelystrong，toguardagainstasallyfromKenesawagainstourdepotatBigShanty。Garrard’sdivisionofcavalrywaskeptbusyonourleft，McPhersonhadgraduallyextendedtohisright，enablingThomastodothesamestillfarther;buttheenemy’spositionwassoverystrong，andeverywhereitwascoveredbyintrenchments，thatwefounditasdangeroustoassaultasapermanentfort。Weinlikemannercoveredourlinesofbattlebysimilarworks，andevenourskirmisherslearnedtocovertheirbodiesbythesimplestandbestformsofdefensiveworks，suchasrailsorlogs，piledintheformofasimplelunette，coveredontheoutsidewithearththrownupatnight。