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OFFICIAL ARMY RECORDS
1864-3
HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., FIRST DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS,
Camp near Lovejoy's Station, September 5, 1864.
CAPTAIN: In compliance with Special Field Orders, No. 117, department headquarters, I
have the honor to submit the following report of operations of this brigade during the campaign
commencing May 3, ending with the occupation of Atlanta, Ga., September 2, 1864:
The brigade consists of the Fourth, Ninth, Twenty-fifth, and Thirty-first Regiments Iowa
Infantry, commanded respectively, at the commencement of the campaign, by Lieut. Col. S. D.
Nichols, Col. David Carskaddon, Col. George A. Stone, and Col. William Smyth.
May 3, 1864, the Ninth, Twenty-fifth, and Thirty-first marched from Bellefonte to
Stevenson. May 4, marched to Bridgeport, where the Fourth Iowa, on return from veteran
furlough, joined the brigade, and continued the march to Shellmound. May 5, 6, 7, and 8, the
march was continued, via Chattanooga, Gordon's Mills (on Chickamauga Creek), Gordon's Gap,
to Snake Creek Gap. May 9, left camp early; marched to a point near Resaca, and then marched
back again. May 10, in line of battle all day and night. May 11, built breast-works. May 12,
moved out of the breastworks, and formed line of battle; remained in line nearly all day, and then
marched to Sugar Creek. May 13, marched early toward Resaca. Skirmishing commenced at
about 10 o'clock. At 3 o'clock we moved forward in line of battle, and drove the enemy into his
main line of works. May 14 and 15, the brigade was continually under fire. On the evening of the
15th the Twenty-fifth Iowa took part in the assaults made by Brigadier-General Woods,
commanding First Brigade. The loss was quite heavy in the affair at Resaca. May 16, entered the
village of Resaca, detailed Twenty-fifth Iowa for provost guard, rested a short time, and resumed
the march to Lay's Ferry, on Oostenaula River. May 17, 18, and 19, marched from Lay's Ferry to
Kingston, via McGuire's, Woodland, and Adairsville. May 20, 21, 22, remained in camp near
Kingston. May 23, marched from Kingston to Euharlee Creek, distance of more than twenty
miles. On the 24th marched about twelve miles, encamped at Camp Gold Mine. May 25,
marched about twelve miles and to a point about three miles south of Dallas; formed line of
battle during heavy rain; lay under arms all night. May 26, moved at 11 a.m., with skirmishers in
front, to a point three-quarters of a mile south of Dallas; formed line of battle, and sent out
skirmishers, who very soon entered the town, after which we were ordered forward to a point
about one mile east of Dallas; went into camp, but did not remain many minutes until I was
ordered to move forward, which I did, and formed line of battle on the left of General Giles A.
Smith's brigade, of the Second Division, Fifteenth Corps. The line of battle, when formed, was
from right to left, in the following order, viz: Twenty-fifth, Fourth, Thirty-first, and six
companies of the Ninth Iowa Regiments, this being the order in which the brigade marched that
day, and there being no time for forming the line in accordance with the rank of regimental
commanders accounts for this formation of the line. As each regiment came into line I
immediately sent skirmishers forward, covering the front. These skirmishers always found the
enemy only a short distance in front, where a heavy skirmish fire was kept nearly all the night.
Just before dark, after reconnoitering the ground in person, I deemed it advisable to advance the
Thirty-first and Ninth Regiments to the crest of the high hill, upon the side of which they were
originally formed. This movement was approved by the general commanding the division, who
came up just at the time the movement was completed. Prior to this there had been quite a heavy
fire from the front, and the pickets and the sharpshooters of the division, under command of
Lieutenant Williams, could only advance a short distance. It was now nearly, or quite, dark, and
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under cover of the darkness I hoped to be able to post a strong picket, or skirmish line, far
enough in advance to render my line secure from surprise; and, in addition, gave strict orders for
no man to leave the line, and that all should keep their arms in their hands. As soon as it was
quite dark the attempt was made to advance the pickets, or, rather, a strong line of skirmishers. In
doing this, and before they had been advanced far enough to prevent the line from sudden attack,
a fire was opened from the enemy, which seemed to come from a line of battle, instead of a line
of skirmishers. About 400 yards to the left of my line, and some distance to the rear, there was a
hill, in an open field, which I thought it important to hold, and was so advised by orders from the
general commanding the division. To do this required at least two companies, which I took from
the Ninth Iowa Infantry. I should here state that before it was dark one company of the Ninth
had gained this position, and had reported to me that the enemy were in strong force in his front
and left flank threatening them, leaving but four companies of this regiment in line. From the
remaining four companies of the Ninth I was compelled to throw out skirmishers or pickets, to
connect my skirmish line with the two companies on the hill to the left. I then sent Lieutenant
Shields, of my staff, to the general commanding the division, to inform him of what I had done,
and to state further to the general that it had been reported to me by Colonel Carskaddon, of the
Ninth Iowa, and also by the officer commanding the two companies on the left, that my left flank
was seriously threatened, and that I had no support anywhere on my left, and received the
assurance that my statement could not be true. In this position I remained, my skirmish line being
frequently attacked, and my whole command kept on the qui vive through the night. At daylight,
in fact before it was light, I went to the left and found the skirmish line drawn back almost to the
line of battle. I went in person to the officer commanding the skirmishers and ordered him to
advance them. He reported the enemy but a short distance in his front in line of battle, and that a
force was moving by the flank perpendicular to my line of battle. I pushed the skirmishers
forward as far as it was possible, in front of the Thirty-first and the small portion of the Ninth
which was there. About this time the skirmish line on the left, connecting the two companies,
commenced giving way, and reported again that the enemy was coming up in heavy force
between my left and the two detached companies. I sent Capt. George D. Hilton, of my staff, to
inform General Osterhaus of all that is above stated, and soon after, becoming more confirmed in
my belief that everything was as reported to me, I sent Lieutenant Shields, of my staff, to repeat
the same message, and assure the general commanding the division of the fact of the statements
which I had instructed Captain Hilton to give, as a representation made by officers commanding
the skirmish line, as well as by other officers who had been reconnoitering. The events above
narrated all transpired in a very short time and just at daylight. There was a heavy mist or fog,
which made it impossible to see a man, or even a line of battle, more than ten paces. While
Captain Hilton and Lieutenant Shields were gone with the message to General Osterhaus the
firing nearly ceased, and the apprehension of an attack was somewhat lessened, and the skirmish
line to the left reformed. Both the officers returned from General Osterhaus and assured me there
was no enemy on or near my flank. While Captain Hilton was reporting to me this intelligence, a
heavy fire was opened on the flank driving in the skirmishers. I instantly went to the extreme left
and found the skirmish line connecting with the two companies on the hill falling back. I had just
given orders for the fragment of the Ninth Iowa, then present, to form at a right angle to the
position they then held, when a terrific fire was opened from the enemy, who had marched across
my left flank. This attack was sudden, and the strong picket, which had been out on the left,
coming in precipitately, and on account of the fog missing the flank of the regiment, thus coming
to the rear among surgeons, cooks, litter-bearers, servants, and non-combatants generally, created
some apparent confusion; when, indeed, but few, if any, who had been in line had given way.
The enemy were soon repulsed and the fire ceased. My brigade being now several hundred yards
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in advance of any other troops, and both flanks exposed, I ordered it to fall back and connect
with the left of Second Division, which had in the mean time refused the left of the position held
on the evening of the 26th. Very soon after this I was relieved by the First Brigade, and ordered
to occupy the position the Third Brigade had just left. Three days' subsequent fighting developed
the fact that the enemy's strongest point was in front of the place where my left rested on the
night of the 26th and morning of the 27th. After being relieved by the First Brigade, as above
stated, the brigade remained in camp, somewhat exposed to the enemy's fire, until about 5 p.m.
on the 28th, when the enemy made a vigorous assault on General Harrow's division on our right,
when I was ordered to re-enforce him. My command fell in and double-quicked to his support,
and took position on his right. How well, and in what time the movement was executed, I
respectfully ask the general commanding to state for me. During the night of the 28th my
command built a complete line of works. May 29, remained in works and building new works.
Heavy firing on the skirmish line. Soon after dark my command was ordered to leave the works,
with as little noise as possible, and take a position across the main road, so as to cover the rear of
the remainder of the corps, which was to move out. About the time this movement was executed,
and the Fourth Division commenced to withdraw, the enemy assaulted our lines, and the firing
became terrific. In obedience to orders, I sent two regiments (the Ninth and Twenty-fifth) back to
the original position, and remained until daylight with the other two regiments, and then went
with them back to the works on the right of the Fourth Division. May 30, remained in the works,
keeping skirmishers active during the day. May 31, remained in the works: skirmishers active.
Late in the evening the enemy severely shelled every portion of my line. An attack was
apprehended on the right, and preparations made to meet it.
June 1, at daylight, my brigade was ordered out of the works to another line a mile in the
rear, which had been constructed to cover the withdrawal of the corps. When the corps had
passed, my command acted as rear-guard on the march to New Hope Church, the enemy
following us very close as far back as Dallas. June 2 and 3, remained in camp near New Hope
Church. June 4, relieved General Kimball's brigade, near New Hope Church. Enemy left during
the night. June 5, marched toward Acworth. June 6, arrived at Acworth. June 7, 8, and 9,
remained in camp near Acworth. June 10, marched toward Kenesaw Mountain; camped at Big
Shanty. June 11, received orders to reconnoiter in force with the remainder of the division; went
forward and took position in reserve in front of Kenesaw Mountain. June 12, remained in camp
doing but little. June 13, relieved Third Brigade. June 14, in camp through the day and built an
advance line of works at night. June 15, at 2 o'clock I advanced my skirmish line with the
skirmishers of the First and Third Brigades, and drove the rebels from the advance line of works;
occupied a new line and built works during the night. June 16, 17, and 18, remained on the
advance line skirmishing all the time. The enemy left the works on the night of the 18th. June 19,
moved forward to the main line of rebel works. June 20, moved to the right of the Second
Division, near the railroad, and built a line of works for the whole brigade. June 21, 22, 23, 24,
and 25, remained in the position taken on the 20th, and during all the time labored to advance
my skirmish line. June 26, received orders to march at 6 p.m.; marched a few miles to the right
and relieved a brigade of the Fourth Corps. June 27, was notified that the Second Division,
Fifteenth Army Corps, would assault the enemy's line in my front at 8 a.m. In obedience to
orders I sent 150 men, under command of Capt. Daniel E. Cooper, Fourth Iowa, brigade officer
of the day, to clear the rifle-pits on the right flank of the assaulting column; though exposed to
terrible fire, Captain Cooper and his men performed their part in the most gallant manner,
carrying the pits by assault, using the bayonet freely.
From June 28 to July 2, inclusive, the brigade remained in this line of works, skirmishing all
the time and suffering considerable loss. July 3, the enemy evacuated the works on the night of
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the 2d; marched to Marietta and camped east of the town. July 4, marched at 9 a.m. toward the
right of our army; marched twelve miles and encamped. July 5, 6, and 7, changing position by
short marches. July 8, took position in front line and built breast-works for the entire command.
July 9, 10, and 11, remained in this line. On the night of the 10th the enemy evacuated their
works in our front. July 12, 13, and 14, marching from the right of the army on the
Chattahoochee River to the left of it at Roswell, where I crossed during the night of the 14th.
July 15 and 16, remained in camp. July 17, marched at 5.30 a.m. toward Atlanta. July 18,
marched to Henderson's Mill. July 19, marched to Decatur. July 20, marched near Atlanta and
built a line of works. July 21, advanced our line and built another line of works. On the 22d,
about 8 a.m., in accordance with orders, my command moved out of a line of works which it had
constructed on the night of the 21st, going in a westerly direction about three-quarters of a mile,
to a line of works which the rebels had abandoned the night of the 21st. The brigade had but
three regiments present, viz, the Fourth, Ninth, and Twenty-fifth Iowa Infantry Regiments. I sent
skirmishers to the front to join the skirmishers who had been sent out the day previous, making
in all 150 men, besides officers, on the skirmish line. I also sent 100 men, besides officers, for
fatigue duty, to assist in erecting a battery to my left. With the remainder of my command, the
Fourth and Ninth in front and Twenty-fifth in reserve, I commenced transforming the rebel line
of works into a line for the defense of my command. The transformation consisted in removing
the embankment and abatis to the opposite side of the ditch. This work was soon accomplished,
the command remaining close to their arms after the work was done. About 2 o'clock the action
commenced on our immediate left, the rebels attacking the Second and Fourth Divisions of the
Fifteenth Corps. When the action had lasted half an hour, or perhaps longer, the rebels carried
the works in front of the Second Division, capturing Captain De Gress' battery of 20-pounder
Parrott guns. In accordance with orders of the general commanding the division, I changed the
front of my line, letting my right rest where it was, and swinging my left back, connecting my
left with the right of the First Brigade of our division. I remained in line of battle for a short time
awaiting the advance of the rebels, but they did not come. General Woods ordered me to advance
in two lines and flank the work from which the rebels had driven our forces a short time before. I
commenced the movement, the Fourth and Ninth in first and Twenty-fifth in second line, and
very soon came under a heavy fire, to which the command was exposed only for a short time,
for it soon came under cover on the margin of a little stream. Here was a short delay in getting
through a thick bramble. The line was soon formed on the opposite side of the stream when the
command was given to go forward, which it did gallantly, flanking and carrying the work and
recapturing De Gress' battery, all in the shortest possible time in which a work of this kind could
be done. I left the Ninth in the works, sending the Fourth to the right to occupy a rebel battery
which commanded the head of a ravine which led to our line in the only place where there was
not a breast-work. The regiment had not more than formed before it was assaulted by a brigade
of rebel infantry, under command of Colonel Baker, and a very stubborn fight ensued. The
regiment nobly held the position, and finally repulsed the assault, inflicting great loss on the
rebels in killed, wounded, and prisoners. The Thirty-seventh Alabama (rebel) was, according to
the statement made by prisoners, nearly annihilated in this engagement. The honor of recapturing
De Gress' battery is due to the Fourth and Ninth Regiments, men of both regiments arriving there
about the same time. After the last assault made by the rebels was repulsed, the command went
to work changing the rebel works, and constructing new works, completing them against
daylight, at which time I received orders to move to the left of the Sixteenth Corps, some two or
three miles to the left of our position. Loss in this engagement was 36, 5 being killed, 2 missing,
and 29 wounded, including Lieutenant-Colonel Nichols, of the Fourth Iowa, who was slightly
wounded in the thigh in the early part of the engagement. Soon after daylight on the 23d we
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moved and took our new position. Sunday, the 24th, was spent in destroying the railroad near
Decatur. Remained in camp on the 25th and until night of the 26th, when I received orders to
move with the balance of the division, which I did, taking a position to cover the rear in a
movement being then made to the extreme right of the army. On the 27th at daylight my brigade
moved, covering the rear, and marched all day toward the right, arriving at a place about 10 p.m.,
where we bivouacked until daybreak, when I moved forward a short distance and went into line
of battle in the center of the division. Here we halted a short time and then advanced in line of
battle obliquely to the left, and wheeling to the left. After advancing in this manner for about one
mile, or probably a little more, in obedience to orders I halted and formed line of battle in two
lines, the Fourth and Twenty-fifth in front, and the Ninth in rear, in reserve. As soon as the line
was formed I ordered the construction of temporary breast-works, which the men willingly and
hastily constructed. In about three-quarters of an hour after taking this position the rebels made
an attack on our lines to my right. The rebel assaults were determined and fierce, lasting for
nearly three hours, but during this time my command was but little engaged, as the rebel attack
did not extend farther than to a point opposite my right flank. July 29, remained in camp and
built breast-works. July 30, relieved by a brigade of the Seventeenth Corps and moved in a
reserve position, and sent the Ninth Iowa to picket the extreme right. July 31, in camp.
August 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, in camp and doing picket duty. August 6, moved about one mile to
the front and took a position on the left of the Fourteenth Corps, and built a line of works.
August 7, men under arms all day. August 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, remained in same line; more than
half the time under arms, in apprehension of an assault. August 13, my command took part in the
assault made by the division on the enemy's skirmish line, making a complete success, capturing
nearly the entire force in the pits. August 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, remained in works, making
demonstrations almost daily against the rebel works, losing some men each day. August 19,
advanced my line to the front of First Brigade, Twenty-fifth and Thirty-first Regiments
occupying line, and digging intrenchments. August 20, making intrenchments. August 21, 22,
23, 24, and 25, occupying our works without much excitement or fighting. August 26, marched
at dark toward the right of the army; marched all night and until 10 a.m. on the 27th. August 27,
in camp. August 28, marched at 7 a.m., arriving at the Montgomery railroad about 11 a.m.; took
position on each side of the railroad, Fourth and Twenty-fifth Iowa building a line of earthworks.
August 29, in camp; Ninth and Thirty-first Regiments engaged in destroying railroad.
August 30, marched to a point about one mile north of Jonesborough, and sent two regiments,
Twenty-fifth and Thirty-first, to support some cavalry on the right; cavalry went away as soon as
the regiments came up. The other two regiments (Fourth and Ninth) went to the front. All the
regiments built breast-works during the night. August 31, during the forenoon the Twenty-fifth
and Thirty-first were relieved by the Sixteenth Corps, and went into the front line and again built
a substantial line of breast-works. The Fourth Iowa was also twice moved into new positions,
and built works. About 10 o'clock I sent 100 men (50 from each the Fourth and Ninth
Regiments) to support a battery placed in an advanced position on the right. About 3 o'clock the
rebels made an assault on our front line. The 100 men from the Fourth and Ninth did their duty in
supporting the battery, and succeeded, under the immediate direction of the general commanding
the division, in bringing the guns off from under a heavy fire from the enemy, who had nearly
surrounded them. During the assault four companies of the Ninth Iowa, under Captain
McSweeney, went forward and took a position in an interval between the right of the Fourth
Division and the left of the Third Brigade, where there were no intrenchments, and while the
battle continued succeeded in throwing up temporary works, which enabled them to hold the
position. The enemy were repulsed with loss. During the night a regiment of the First Brigade
(the Thirtieth Iowa)partially constructed a line of works on the right of the Twenty-fifth Iowa.
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On the morning of September 1 I relieved this regiment with the Twenty-fifth, which completed
the works and occupied them.
September 1, lay in works all day. Heavy skirmishing in the afternoon. Two hundred men on
skirmish line. Fourth Iowa took a new position detached from, and on the right of, the division
and built a good line of intrenchments. September 2, the enemy having left during the night, the
brigade was ordered to march with division in pursuit. Marched about five miles, and formed
line of battle, and halted for a short time. A sharp engagement was soon brought on by the Fourth
Division, and my brigade was ordered to the left of it. The Thirty-first took position in the front
line, the other regiments in rear, and during the night all intrenched themselves behind good
works. September 3, 4, and 5, occupied our works; constant skirmishing. In obedience to orders,
I moved the brigade out at 8 o'clock in the night of the 5th, and marched to Jonesborough with
the division, and took the same position which I left on the 2d instant.
So closes the record of this memorable campaign. I could not make it more brief and do
justice to the regiments of the brigade. The vast amount of labor done by this command, in
addition to the marching and fighting, and the cheerfulness and zeal with which it has been
performed, is sufficient to encourage the best hopes for the success of our army. The troops have
neither hesitated nor murmured at any privation or labor. To the officers and men I owe a debt of
gratitude for their prompt and willing obedience to orders.
To my staff officers, Captains Anderson and Darling and Lieutenants Shields, Nuckolls, and
Crane, I am greatly indebted for efficient services. Their bravery and competency will commend
them to any officer under whom they may serve. I cannot close this report without mentioning in
terms of praise my faithful orderly, George Simms.
The casualties in the brigade during the campaign have been 280. A list of their names,
regiments, and companies accompanies this report.
J. A. WILLIAMSON,
Colonel Fourth Iowa Infantry, Commanding Brigade.
Capt. W. A. GORDON,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., First Division, 15th Army Corps.
HDQRS. THIRTY-FIRST REGIMENT IOWA INFTY. VOLS.,
In the Field, near Acworth, Ga., June 6, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: In compliance with a circular from headquarters Second Brigade, First
Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, Department of the Tennessee, of this date, exhibited to me today,
requiring me to forward, as soon as possible, to your headquarters a report detailing the part
taken by my command in the engagements and skirmishes with the enemy since we left
Kingston, Ga., with a list of the casualties, giving the names, company, and rank of the killed,
wounded, and missing, and also the nature and extent of the wounds, with the dates respectively,
I have the honor to report that after leaving Kingston, on the morning of Monday, May 23, we
proceeded unmolested until May 26 in the forenoon, when, approaching the town of Dallas, Polk
County, Ga., about three-quarters of a mile distant, I was ordered to form my command and take
position in line of battle to the left of the Fourth Iowa Veteran Volunteers, which was done. In
obedience to further orders, I threw forward Company B, as skirmishers, in advance, and so as to
cover the regiment in line, a distance of 500 yards. Our skirmishers soon advanced as far as the
town of Dallas, and, not finding the enemy, we were ordered to advance to an eminence
overlooking a part of the town, where we were halted, arms stacked, and the men had an
opportunity to prepare coffee. Soon after, and early in the afternoon of same day, we proceeded
on the march toward Dallas, which, after some delay, occasioned by another column passing
eastward through the town, we reached toward the west end, and, filing right, passed through the
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western end of the town on the main road, or street, and in a westward direction. After we had
fairly passed through the town we filed left into a field and formed again in line in the rear of the
Twenty-fifth Iowa, who were close up to the timber on the south side of the field, and stacked
arms. Here we remained but a few minutes. A brisk skirmish going on in our front and to the
south of our position and extending in a western direction, we were ordered forward, and, filing
to the left, after moving a short distance, say quarter of a mile, along a road running in a
perpendicular direction to the main road through Dallas, we again filed to the left into the timber
and along a ravine immediately in the rear of our line of battle, which seemed to be formed with
reference to it. The Twenty-fifth Iowa was in the advance of our brigade, next the Fourth Iowa
Veteran Volunteers, then the Thirty-first Iowa, the Fourth Iowa formed on the left of the Twentyfifth
and the Thirty-first on the left of the Fourth. Our line, as thus extended, still seemed to be
conformed with reference to the ravine, which was immediately in our rear. Whilst we were
forming on the left of the Fourth, I threw forward Company A, temporarily under command of
Lieutenant McQuilkin, of Company D, as skirmishers, in obedience to orders, so as to cover the
regiment in line, who immediately advanced to the top of a ridge in our front and at once became
engaged in a brisk skirmish with the enemy. I was then ordered to advance our line, which I did,
under the immediate eye of the brigade commander, to near the crest of the ridge in our front, so
that our line was just covered by the crest. In making this last advance, our division
sharpshooters, under command of Lieutenant Williams, who were lying on the face of the ridge,
moved forward and to the left out of our way. Soon after this our skirmishers sent in a prisoner, a
private of a Texas regiment, I believe, if I remember right, the Sixth, formerly mounted. I
immediately sent him, under guard, to brigade headquarters. He surrendered to Private Cane, of
Company A, of my command, who was within a few feet of him at the time he gave himself up.
In the dark of the evening, in further conformity to orders, I relieved our skirmishers by a picket
of sixty men, under command of Capt. Milo P. Smith, of Company C. In posting the pickets and
relieving the skirmishers, owing to the fact that the sharpshooters and our skirmishers had got
somewhat mixed and that the sharpshooters had been a short time previously withdrawn, one
relief of our pickets coming into close proximity with the enemy's pickets, were fired upon by
the latter, and 1 of our men, Harvey Lamb, a private of Company H, was wounded in both
thighs, severely in the flesh of the left thigh, and the bone of the right thigh broken. His right leg
has been amputated above the knee, and it is feared that his wounds will or have already proved
mortal. About the same time that our skirmishers were being relieved by our pickets, Company
K was detailed, under orders, and placed on the left of our brigade, under supervision of Capt. G.
D. Hilton, of Colonel Williamson's staff, under command of Lieutenant Bockins, and I was
ordered to relieve the pickets before daylight on the morning of the 27th, also Company K by
another company. This I had done as ordered, relieving the pickets by twenty men of Company
B as skirmishers, under command of Capt. R. P. Speer, and Company K by Company G, under
command of Capt. J. H. Evans. Our skirmishers soon became warmly engaged with the enemy,
and John H. Clough, private of Company B, was mortally wounded in the mouth, jaw, and neck.
He has since died in hospital. Private Frederick Jacob, Company B, was dangerously wounded in
lower jaw and neck. John Parmenter, private Company B, was also severely wounded in the neck
and right shoulder. Harlow C. Perry, James Watson, and John A. Rarrick, privates of Company
B, are missing since the same time, and are supposed to have been either killed, wounded, or
captured; at all events they fell into the hands of the enemy. George Brown, private Company B,
died in ambulance May 26. These casualties in Company B all occurred on the left of our
skirmish line in a very short time, and were owing to the fact that the enemy in line, with
skirmishers a short distance in their front, were advancing upon the front and left flank of the
skirmishers of the regiment in our brigade to our left, whose skirmishers fell back on our line,
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when the enemy in line, changing direction, advanced on the front and left flank of our
skirmishers, thus exposing them to a cross-fire from the enemy's skirmishers. The left of our
skirmish line then fell back, in obedience to orders from Captain Speer, leaving the right of our
skirmish line still engaged with the enemy's skirmishers. About this time the regiment to our left
fell back, passing in our rear to the right along the ravine, and a portion of that regiment, with the
colors, was rallied and formed in a line perpendicular with our main line, running down from left
of my command to the ravine in our rear, and, together with the left wing of my command,
opened a brisk fire on the enemy, effectually checking their farther advance. Whilst this was
going on in our immediate vicinity, Company K, on the extreme left of our brigade, was engaged
with the enemy's skirmishers, and after the skirmish line of the regiment to the left of my
command fell back, Company K, who was being relieved by Company G, was forced to fall back
also. Companies K and G appeared to have been entirely flanked, at least one battalion of the
enemy having gained a position on the other side of the ravine in the rear of our line, with its left
resting in the ravine and its right running up the hill on the other side of the ravine. This battalion
of the enemy in this position appears to have advanced on Companies K and G, which had fallen
back to the ravine. Of course these companies, finding by this time that the regiment
immediately on their right had fallen back, fell back also. Whilst this was occurring, Charles D.
Warner, private of Company G, was slightly wounded in the right leg (this wound has proved to
be serious), and Corpl. Elmore Miller and Private James T. Wood, of the same company, have
been since missing. Soon after this I received orders to fall back with my command, which was
done in good order, passing through the skirmish line of the Third Brigade, which occupied the
position which I, until then, supposed was held by the Fourth Iowa Veteran Volunteers, and,
passing round the right of the Third Brigade, I took position in their rear, to the left of the Fourth
Iowa Veteran Volunteers. Here we remained but a short time, and about noon of the 27th took
position for rest in the field to the right of the road running perpendicular to the main road
leading through Dallas, along which we marched the previous evening and before we filed to the
left into the timber to take position in line. Here we remained until the evening of the following
day, May 28, when, about 4 p.m., we were ordered to fall in and immediately set off on the
double-quick to the right, the enemy having charged on our lines. When my command reached a
point in the rear of the Fourth Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, we were ordered by General
Osterhaus up to the support of the Sixth Iowa. Three field pieces of the First Iowa Battery
(Captain Griffiths), which were in position outside of our breast-works, had been captured by the
enemy. This we learned from the drivers, who were taking the battery horses to the rear after we
were ordered up to the support of the Sixth Iowa. This intelligence caused our boys to still
accelerate our movements, which had all along been quite rapid. Our coming to the support of
the Sixth was so gratifying and encouraging to them that, with our assistance, they poured a fire
into the enemy so rapid and effective that the enemy was compelled to relinquish the three
cannon they had taken and retreated precipitately, when the Sixth's boys went out and hauled
back the cannon by hand. My command then being ordered to the rear again, we withdrew to the
rear into the open field, and remained there firmly under a brisk artillery fire of shot and shell
from the enemy for a short time, when we were ordered to join our brigade, which we did, going
still farther to the right, and took position in the rear of the brigade, with orders to be ready to
move at a moment's notice in any direction ordered. Whilst under fire and during the charge On
the evening of the 28th Privates William O. Phelps and William G. Farnham, of Company E,
were wounded slightly in the shoulder. We remained in the position last above indicated until
near daylight of the morning of the 29th of May, when we were ordered to make rifle-pits and
breast-works commanding a ravine on the right flank of our brigade, which we did during the
forenoon of that day and completed the same. These works ran perpendicular to the line of the
9
Fourth Iowa Veteran Volunteers' works, and we, therefore, caused traverses to be constructed for
each company so as to cover them on the flanks. These works we occupied until after dark on the
evening of the 29th of May, when we moved silently back along to the left of our lines and took
position in line of battle along a road running north and southwest of Dallas to the left of the
Fourth Iowa Veteran Volunteers. We remained here in this position during the night and until
about 8 a.m. of the 30th of May, when we were ordered across the road and a little to the right,
where the men could avail themselves of the shade of some scrub timber skirting a ravine, and
remained there until noon. During the night of the 29th of May seven or eight distinct charges by
the enemy were understood to have been made on our front lines, and judging from the rolls of
musketry, mingled with artillery, they were supposed to have been desperate, but I have since
understood that the fight was ex parte, and that the enemy was at such a distance that they
suffered but little or not at all, whilst our loss was not very heavy. About noon of May 30 I was
ordered to move again to the right with my command, and took position again to the left of
Fourth Iowa Veteran Volunteers, immediately on the right of the works which we had
constructed on morning of 29th, and in the rifle-pits previously occupied by Wilder's brigade.
During this last movement Sergt. Thomas M. Belknap, of Company E, was slightly [wounded]
in the head, and Private Mark Orr, of the same company, slightly in the right foot. We remained
in the position last indicated until the afternoon of the 31st of May, keeping a strong line of
skirmishers in our front in daytime and a strong picket at night, when, in pursuance of orders, we
moved back into the works constructed by us on the morning of May 29. Our skirmishers, then
under command of Capt. S. S. Farwell, holding their line in front of the rifle-pits we had just left,
and an additional line of skirmishers being thrown out in front of the works then occupied by us
covering the right flank, which was then, I understand, the extreme right of our lines. Just before
dark, on the evening of 31st of May, the enemy succeeded in bringing a piece or two of artillery
into the edge of the woods in front of the Ninth and Twenty-fifth Iowa, and commenced
throwing shot and shell into the pits we had just abandoned and [those] which we then occupied,
as well as the woods occupied by our skirmishers. The traverses in our works covered us so
effectually that not a man was injured, although the enemy had fair range on us. One shell fell in
our works, but did not explode. Sergeant-Major Maloney, now acting as lieutenant of Company
K, pending his recommendation for promotion to lieutenancy of that company, picked it up and
threw it over the breast-works.
Early on morning of June 1 we again moved silently to the left to near the position occupied
by us on the night of May 29, into rifle-pits previously prepared. Here we remained a short time,
and then took up the line of march to the left through Dallas, and arrived at camp, near New
Hope Church, about 1 p.m. June 1. Here we remained until about 3 p.m. June 4, when we moved
and took position again in the rifle-pits in front of the enemy's works. We remained in the pits
over night, and found, on the morning of June 5, that during the night enemy had evacuated.
During the forenoon we again took up the line of march, and have thence hitherto proceeded
unmolested.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
WM. SMYTH,
Colonel, Commanding Thirty-first Iowa Infantry.
Lieutenant SHIELDS,
A. A. A. G., 2d Brig., 1st Div., 15th Army Corps.
HDQRS. THIRTIETH REGT. OHIO VET. VOL. INFANTRY,
Camp at East Point, Ga., September 9, 1864.
10
SIR: I have the honor to submit report of the action of the Thirtieth Regiment in campaign
from May 21 to the present time:
After our return from veteran furlough, joined brigade at Kingston, at which point we
remained in camp one day, and marched on the morning of the 23d for Dallas. May 24, passed
through Van Wert. May 25, marched and camped this side of Dallas. May 26, formed line of
battle in afternoon and went into Dallas, closely following a few cavalry who acted as rear guard.
General Giles A. Smith moved forward soon after, and met the enemy in force a short distance
from town. We were ordered to support him just before dark. May 27, skirmished all day and
dug rifle-pits all night. May 28, the enemy charged our works to-day at 5 p.m., and were fatally
repulsed; their dead and wounded left in front of the pit in great numbers. Our opponent was
Bate's division, of Hardee's corps. Our losses were I officer and 5 men slightly wounded. May
29, at 10 p.m. a rapid fire aroused us, on our left, in front of Osterhaus, and to his left. It was
rapid and determined, and continued with very little intermission until 3 a.m. We lost, killed,
during the night, Second Lieut. Thomas K. White, a sergeant promoted, but not mustered. May
30, no change of lines to-day; heavy skirmishing all day; our loss, 2 privates wounded. May 31,
moved out of line of works, being relieved by the Fifty-fourth Ohio, and in the evening, with the
Eighty-third Indiana and Fifty-seventh Ohio, were formed as a reserve force to support the
Fourth Division, on the right, preparatory to the evacuation of the entire line of works.
June 1, moved with entire Army of the Tennessee to relieve Hooker on our left, who, on
being relieved, moved still farther to the left, toward the railroad; took our position in skirmish
line in front. June 2, were relieved from duty in front by the Forty-seventh Ohio, and fell back in
rear to support them; no troops on our right except those of the Army of the Tennessee; all others
have gone to the left. June 3, relieved the Thirty-seventh Ohio at the front this a.m. at 4.30
o'clock. June 4, were relieved by Thirty-seventh Ohio at daylight, and took position in rear. June
5, relieved the Thirty-seventh Ohio at the front, and found soon after that the rebels had retreated
during the night. Advanced skirmish line to the main line of their works and found a few
prisoners and negroes, who stated that the enemy had left at 10 o'clock last night, with five trains
of wounded, for Marietta. Commenced following the enemy at 9 a.m., moving around their
works, on their right, and camped at 5 p.m. June 6, marched and camped south of the town of
Acworth, in position. June 7, remained in position to-day. June 8 and 9, in camp. June 10,
marched three miles this morning in direction of Marietta; formed line, and advanced half a mile
in line of battle; camped and intrenched ourselves during the night. June 11, remained in position
all day. June 12, in trenches. June 13, moved this morning at daylight to the left and front about
one mile and a half. June 14, in position. June 15, moved at 2 p.m. toward the left, formed in
double column, and remained in full view of the enemy until after dark, when we returned to the
position formerly occupied. June 16, moved out to support Osterhaus at 10 a.m., and at 11 a.mfive
companies, or left wing of regiment, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hildt, were
detached to report at Big Shanty Station, relieving a portion of the Eighth Missouri, their term of
service having expired. One of Company B had his leg taken off by a rebel shell, and died during
the night. Moved a short distance out of range. June 17 and 18, in camp. June 19, rebels gone--
evacuated their works and fell back to the base of mountain. We advanced under a heavy
artillery fire to a good position on the last rise of ground this side of the mountain ascent. June
20, weather wet; the left wing joined this evening (was relieved by Second Iowa), and we
intrenched ourselves during the night. June 21, still raining; the line of works completed. June
22, in trenches; rebels threw shell very near us from the position on Kenesaw Mountain; has the
effect of plunging shot; no protection even in the trenches. June 23, in trenches. June 24,
skirmish line advanced to-day to near top of mountain. Company E, being on the line, lost 1 man
killed and 3 severely wounded. Fell back during the evening to original position. June 25, a few
11
shots from the mountain; the rebels showing themselves a little more plainly. June 26, moved at
8 p.m. to the ground occupied by the Fourteenth Corps, on our right, and camped closed en
masse. June 27, moved at 8 a.m. to the south point of Kenesaw Mountain, where we threw out a
company of skirmishers and passed over our works and the First Division, occupying theirs
toward those of the enemy. Moving, as soon as all were over, by the right flank a short distance,
then forward, guide right, to the thicket, across a small stream, met considerable fire, both of
artillery and musketry, but the losses were small. Formed line in the thicket, and drove the
enemy from a rifle-pit near its edge, capturing a few prisoners. Moved forward again to the crest,
at which point we received a heavy fire from their works. We halted and returned it for a few
minutes, when the Eighty-third Indiana, on our right, moved back to the thicket, and we fell back
to the line of rebel pits, a short distance in advance, bringing Lieutenant White, killed, and
Lieutenant Mcintyre, seriously wounded. At this point we were enfiladed by the enemy's
artillery. Captain Chamberlain had his head taken off by a percussion shell, which exploded
afterward, taking off both his arms. Capt. E. Warner, wounded in foot, besides a number of noncommissioned
officers and men. We again fell back across the run to the edge of the thicket in
front of our works, where their fire was more destructive than before, a shot passing through a
color-corporal, tearing both arms of the color-sergeant and both legs of another corporal, and
pieces wounding men in all parts of the line in the process of being formed. An order was then
given to fall back to our line of works by small squads and reform, which was done without any
serious loss. An hour afterward an order was received from General Lightburn, commanding
brigade, to return to our position in the thicket, which we did without loss, and remained until 9
o'clock, when we were relieved, and returned to the camp left in the morning. A short time
before sundown a tremendous artillery fire passed over us both ways from the enemy's batteries
and our own, but as few shots were directed at the thicket we suffered but little. June 28, moved
to a small stream a short distance in rear of line, and camped to rest. June 29, in camp. June 30,
inspection and muster to-day.
July 1, in camp. July 2, marched this morning at 4 a.m. and relieved the Second Division,
Twenty-third Army Corps, on right of army, eleven miles from camp. July 3, ordered out at 8
a.m. to support the Fifty-third Ohio, who were feeling for the enemy in our front. Continued
skirmishing until 3 o'clock, when we were ordered forward and charged across an open field,
with brigade, half a mile in extent. We were badly shelled in passing over it, and the proportion
of shell wounds was largely in excess of those of musketry. The enemy fell back, taking with
them their battery before we could get across a mill-dam, afterwards ascertained to be Ruff's
Mill, on Nickajack Creek. Were relieved by a portion of the Sixteenth Corps at 8 p.m., and
returned to the camp left in the morning. July 4, moved at 3 p.m. across the creek at Ruff's Mill,
and supported the Sixteenth Army Corps, as they made an advance on a line of works; that night
we were not under fire. July 5, moved at 8 a.m. back across the creek to our right, on road to
Atlanta, about five miles, and rested. Ordered out in the evening one mile in advance of brigade,
with De Gress' battery, and camped with the battery in position, guarding it, on eminence from
which we could see the steeples of the city of Atlanta, apparently about eight miles distant,
situated on a high level plain. A rebel fort in the valley below, one mile and a half distant, near
the ford of the river, to which our battery paid their attention. July 6, the battery made some
splendid shots to-day; still in camp. July 7, moved with battery to a position below occupied by
one attached to Seventeenth Army Corps; they went still farther to the front. July 8, moved to the
left in afternoon about two miles and a half, passing Twenty-third Army Corps on our route. July
9, moved at 4 p.m., joined brigade in position at the front. Intrenched ourselves during the night.
July 10, ordered to move at a moment's notice. July 11, moved at 11 a.m. about five miles to the
right, and camped in the woods. July 12, marched at 4.30 p.m. ten miles, and camped at 11 p.m.
12
three miles from Marietta. July 13, marched again at 2 a.m., passed through Marietta before
daylight, and camped for the night at sundown in a fine meadow, near Roswell. July 14, moved
at 3 p.m. through the town of Roswell, across the Chattahoochee, to an elevated position and one
easily defended, upon the crest of which we are now erecting works of great strength. July 15
and 16, in camp. July 17, moved at 5.30 a.m. about eight miles on the Decatur road, and camped
near Stony Creek; met with no opposition from the enemy. July 18, marched at 5 a.m., and
taking the Stone Mountain road, we advanced to the railroad near the station and demolished a
large portion of the track from the station westward. Returning, camped about five miles from
railroad, much jaded. July 19, marched for Decatur, and struck the railroad again on our route
and destroyed the track as usual. A small squad of the enemy's cavalry tried to interfere with us,
but failed; no losses; camped in the town of Decatur about sundown. July 20, advanced this
morning in direction of Atlanta; deployed as skirmishers, with support from brigade; were
frequently opposed by what was reported to be Wheeler's cavalry corps, but advanced to within
three miles of Atlanta at 12 m., where we found them fortified in our front. July 21, lying in
reserve to-day behind our batteries, who managed to keep the rebels quiet. July 22, rebel works
on our front evacuated during the night, and we possessed them and employed ourselves
leisurely during the morning in changing them. At 1 p.m. a heavy [firing] was heard on the left,
and the works were ordered to be put in complete order as rapidly as possible. The firing came
gradually nearer, and at 3.30 an attack was made upon us by Hindman's division, of Hardee's
corps. They occupied the works on the left of our brigade, and each regiment in succession in our
brigade fell back. We being partly sheltered by the brick house on our left, remained some time
afterward with the hope to save De Gress' battery, in position on our right, but were compelled
finally to leave them in the hands of the enemy, and fall back also to the line of works we left in
the morning, where we formed and moved forward to retake the battery, but were compelled to
again fall back. Another attempt shortly after was successful, and we occupied the works, with
the dead bodies of the enemy strewing the ground in front in great numbers. We lost a number of
prisoners. July 23, in camp in trenches July 24, 25, and 26, in camp. July 27, moved this
morning at 3.30 a.m. to the right; passed the entire army, and camped on extreme right at 10 p.m.
July 28, moved out this morning at 5 a.m. to get into position; met the skirmishers of the enemy
two miles from camp and drove them until 8 a.m., when we took position, as he seemed disposed
to attack. A few rails were gathered up and arranged to shield the men, and at 11 a.m. his assault
commenced and continued until dark, when he withdrew, leaving us in quiet possession of the
field and his great numbers of killed and wounded. During this time four determined assaults
were made upon us, all of which were repulsed, with great loss to the enemy. At the first one, the
Eighty-third Indiana, on our right, gave way, and we swung the right wing to the rear, giving the
enemy a flank fire, which compelled him to withdraw rapidly. The line was then changed to
allow the Eighty-third Indiana to give a flank instead of a direct fire, and the line was not again
broken during the day. At 4.30 we were relieved by Twelfth Illinois, and took position in
reserve; erected rifle-pits during the night. July. 29, in trenches. July 30, moved to the front and
relieved the Fifty-second Ohio on skirmish duty in front of Davis' division, Fourteenth Army
Corps. July 31, relieved at 8 a.m., and moved inside the works.
August 1, dug rifle-pits along the skirmish line, concluding at 9 p.m., and returned to camp.
August 2, moved into rifle-pits at daylight. August 3, advanced skirmishers and occupied rebel
rifle-pits in our front at 10 a.m.. but were driven out at 11; advanced again at 4 p.m.; held them,
and commenced intrenching. August 4, a strong work erected during the night; assigned
yesterday to First Brigade, Col. Theodore Jones commanding; moved to-day into trenches
occupied by One hundred and eleventh Illinois, in First Brigade. August 5, in trenches. August 6,
moved to extreme right of brigade, relieving Twenty-fifth Iowa, of First Division, Fifteenth
13
Army Corps. August 7, moved out to skirmish line to dig rifle-pits at 10 p.m.; dark, and brush
very thick; were relieved at dawn by Fifty-fifth Illinois, and returned to camp. August 8, in camp.
August 9, commenced work on a new line of pits still farther advanced. The position a poor one;
can be enfiladed. August 10. moved out and occupied the pits in force, and were enfiladed by the
enemy's batteries, but protected ourselves by digging traverses and erecting stockades. Sergeant
Engle and a private lost of Company E; were killed instantly by shell striking in the ditch.
August 11, in trenches; an alarm on the left at 11 p.m. August 12, in trenches. August 13,
skirmishers moved forward, in connection with Osterhaus, on our right, and carried the rebel
pits. The Twenty-eighth Alabama deserted to our lines. August 14, 15, 16, and 17, in trenches.
August 18, made a demonstration, with rapid picket-firing and cheering, from the main works in
the morning and another at 4 p.m. August 19, an alarm just after dark, caused by rebel pickets
attacking the pioneers at work in front. August 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, in trenches. August 26,
marched at 8 p.m., and halted at 5 a.m. for breakfast, having marched all night in direction of
Macon railroad. August 27, after breakfast moved on slowly until 3 p.m.; went into camp in
position and threw up works. August 28, marched at 7 a.m., and at 4 p.m. struck the West Point
railroad fifteen miles from Atlanta; camped in position. August 29, in camp; non-veterans
mustered out. August 30, marched this morning toward the Macon railroad; commenced
skirmishing a short distance from camp. We were in rear of De Gress' battery (H), with One
hundred and twenty-seventh Illinois, until 8 p.m., when we were ordered on picket duty in front
of division. August 31, rebel pickets firing rapidly this morning. At 12 m. a rebel column of
infantry was seen moving to our right directly in our front and within range. The pickets
commenced firing into them and continued for three hours, when they formed line of battle and
attacked us, beginning on our right, but in a few minutes became general along the line. We fell
back to the main line of works, and occupied a vacant place on the left of Second Brigade,
between Eighty-third Indiana and Forty-seventh Ohio. In this position we gave the enemy a flank
fire as they advanced against the First Brigade, in position on our left, and almost at a right angle
with our line. The loss of the enemy here again was quite heavy, ours scarcely nothing;
employed the greater part of the night in improving our works, building abatis, &c.
September 1, in trenches. At 5 p.m. an attack was made on the left by the Fourteenth Corps,
which extended to our front, by rapid skirmishing, but nothing more. September 2, the enemy
gone this morning, and we marched into Jonesborough. Moved down the railroad about five
miles and found the enemy occupying an eminence in our front, protecting their train moving
from Atlanta. A loud noise, supposed to be an explosion, was heard last night in direction of
Atlanta. In reserve to-day. Destroyed the railroad to-night. September 3 and 4, in camp.
September 5, occupied a line of works on an eminence in our rear at 2 p.m. Moved again to the
rear at 11 p.m., and camped near Jonesborough, behind the works a part of the brigade had
occupied during the charge of the enemy August 31. September 6, in camp; formed line at 4 p.m.
to repel the enemy, reported to be advancing through town. They did not come within range.
September 7, moved at 7 a.m. toward East Point, and occupied a line of works erected by the
enemy the night of August 30, at a mill. September 8, moved at 8 a.m. and reached East Point at
11 a.m., camping in line of battle by brigade.
With much respect, I am your obedient servant,
GEO. H. HILDT,
Lieutenant-Colonel Thirtieth Ohio Veteran Vol. Infantry.
Capt. J. T. MCAULEY,
A. A. A. G., 1st Brig., 2d Div., 15th Army Corps.
HDQRS. COMPANY A, FIRST ILLINOIS LIGHT ARTILLERY,
14
In the Field, Ga., September 6, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to report to you the part taken by this battery in this campaign,
commencing May 1, 1864, but it is impossible for me to give a minute detail of the part taken
from May 1, 1864, to July 24, 1864, as I was not in command of the battery at that time, and no
books or papers were found on my taking command.
The battery marched from Larkinsville, Ala., under command of Capt. P. P. Wood, with the
division commanded by Brig. Gen. M. L. Smith, to Chattanooga, Tenn., and took an active part
in the battles of Resaca May 13; near Dallas from May 26 to 31; Big Shanty, June 10; Kenesaw
Mountain, June 20, and fought more or less until July 2, 1864. When the enemy evacuated
Kenesaw Mountain the battery moved, with the division, through Marietta, Ga. July 12, Batteries
A and B were consolidated, and First Lieut. Samuel S. Smyth assigned to command. The cause
of this consolidation was the expiration of the term of service of most of the men of the two
batteries, and they, with all the officers, were sent to Springfield, Ill., to be mustered out of the
service of the United States. July 22, the battery was engaged in the battle near Atlanta, Ga. The
enemy made a successful assault on our left, which was held by the Fifteenth and Seventeenth
Corps, succeeded in taking our line of works and with it the consolidated battery of Company A,
First Illinois Light Artillery. This was a dear-bought victory for the enemy. Battery A lost heavy
in men and horses. The casualties of the company were 32 men killed, wounded, and missing; 55
horses were killed and captured, mostly killed; Second Lieutenant Raub was killed; First Lieut.
Samuel S. Smyth was taken prisoner and reported killed, while being taken to the rear, by one of
our own bullets. Shortly afterward our line advanced and drove the enemy from the works they
had taken, and recaptured 2 of the six guns of the battery. The enemy succeeded in drawing away
four of them.
It was at this time, July 23, that I was assigned to the command of the battery by general
orders from Fifteenth Army Corps headquarters, dated July 23, 1864. After having received,
from the First Iowa Battery, two more guns, with horses and equipments, and from regiments of
the First Brigade thirty-three infantrymen, the battery, July 24, was again in "fighting trim." On
the night of the 26th of July marched from the extreme left to our extreme right, a distance of
fifteen miles. Arrived at our destination July 28. At noon the enemy's skirmishers were found
and fighting began. After our forces had driven the enemy about one mile they were found in
strong force. Preparations were immediately made to fight the enemy. Only one section of the
battery was engaged, but as no shots could be used with effect the section was withdrawn, by
order of Major Maurice, chief of artillery of the Fifteenth Army Corps.
The battery was in different positions before Atlanta, Ga., doing good execution with shot
and spherical case-shot, until August 26, when at night our army left the works and marched on
the Sandtown road toward Jonesborough.
We arrived in the vicinity, near Flint River, and the battery was engaged in the battles on the
31st of August and 1st of September; three horses were killed during the two days.
The battery at this time is in a very needy condition, and a quantity of ordnance and
quartermaster's stores are required to fill up deficiencies in order to put the battery in complete
condition. At the same time I beg leave to report that sixteen men belonging to this battery are on
detached service in different places within the department, and as these men are needed to
complete the required number of a four-gun battery, I respectfully request that the same be
returned to the battery or other men in place of them.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEO. ECHTE,
First Lieut. Company F, Second Missouri Light Artillery,
Commanding Company A, First Illinois Light Artillery.
15
Capt. G. LOFLAND,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Second Division, 15th Army Corps.
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Huntsville, Ala., May 18, 1864.
I have the honor to submit the following report concerning the recent movements of troops
under my command for your information: Learning that the enemy had crossed the river and was
concentrating near Florence, on the 12th instant I telegraphed Brig. Gen. W. Q. Gresham,
stationed at Athens, to direct Colonel Rowett to move with his command and Ninth Ohio
Cavalry on Florence, and ascertain the amount of force gathered there, and, if he was not
sufficiently strong to drive him across the river, to learn all facts connected therewith and report
as soon as possible.
About 9.30 a.m. yesterday, the 17th instant, a man belonging to the detachment of Fifth Iowa
Infantry, stationed at Indian Creek, came in and reported that Madison Station had been attacked,
and that heavy cannonading was heard in that direction. Soon after, a man belonging to the
Thirteenth Illinois Infantry reached town, stating that the station had been attacked from all
directions by a large force, estimated at from 1,000 to 3,000 men, with four pieces of artillery,
and that as the regiment was entirely surrounded it would no doubt be captured. He also stated
that the attack was made at 8 a.m., while mounting guard, and that the first that was known of the
presence of the enemy they were firing into their camp. Upon hearing this report, and learning
that a train of cars which started out in the morning had just returned, I immediately ordered out
the Fifth Ohio Cavalry, and also ordered up from Whitesburg the Eighteenth Wisconsin infantry,
and directed Col. G. B. Raum, commanding Second Brigade, stationed at Larkinsville, to send by
train one regiment of his command. While waiting the arrival of these regiments, proceeded to
arm all detachments, convalescent soldiers, teamsters, &c., unarmed, in order that every man
could be made available, and at the same time made preparations for defense in and around town
by placing cotton in position, and also putting ammunition, &c., in secure and accessible places.
About 10 o'clock I started by train the Fifty-ninth Indiana Infantry, under command of
Lieutenant-Colonel Scott, toward Madison, with intention to hold the balance of the force in
town, having heard that the enemy had made his appearance near town on road leading
southwest, until the Eighteenth Wisconsin and Seventeenth Iowa reached this place. About the
middle of the afternoon Colonel Alexander, with the Forty-eight Indiana and one battery, left
here by rail for Madison. On reaching there they found that the Fifty-ninth Indiana, a part of the
Thirteenth Illinois, with the Fifth Ohio Cavalry--125 men--had already recaptured the station,
and were then following the enemy in their retreat toward Triana, near which place they had
crossed the river the night previous. The enemy being mounted and our cavalry being
insufficient, the infantry could hardly be expected to do them much damage. They did, however,
manage to overtake their rear guard, with whom they skirmished, killing 1 man, wounding
several, and captured 4 prisoners and some 30 or 40 horses. Our loss during the skirmishing was
2 or 3 wounded. At present, having received no official report from Colonel Gorgas, I am unable
to give his losses, but they are supposed to be some 40 or 50 missing, but a few wounded, and I
am unable to learn of any one having been killed. They burned the station-house, cut the
telegraph wire, but it was repaired and in running order the same night; the railroad unharmed.
All the regimental property of the Thirteenth Illinois was captured and carried off or destroyed,
including regimental train, camp and garrison equipage, men's clothing, blankets, &c. A full
report has been ordered of Colonel Gorgas, and will be forwarded as soon as received. The Fifth
Iowa Infantry Veterans returned to Decatur Saturday, and were ordered to take position along the
railroad at and near Madison Station to strengthen that line. Preparatory to moving there the
16
regimental baggage, camp and garrison equipage, and records of the regiment, which had been
stored at this place, were taken by cars to Madison Station on Monday, the 16th instant. The
whole of this property was destroyed, and 6 of the men left in charge of it were taken prisoners.
I have just received a dispatch from General Gresham, stating that Rowett on his return
reports having driven the enemy across the Tennessee at Florence, killing several and capturing
24 men, whom he has with him. We have reports of the enemy gathering in several places
throughout the country on this side of the river, who have crossed the river in small squads. It is
also reported that those on the south side are moving up in the direction of Bridgeport or
Chattanooga, no doubt to strike at the weakest place in our line of communication. From the
force I have, extended as it is along the line, it is totally impossible for me to operate against
them successfully, but must content myself in endeavoring to secure the line of communication.
I learn that I was misinformed in regard to the telegraph line being cut near Winchester, as
per telegram of this date to Major-General McPherson. There is, however, a considerable force
of the enemy in the vicinity of Winchester and Fayetteville.
Since writing the above, Colonel Gorgas' official report has been received, which is herewith
inclosed, and from all the information obtained I am led to believe that he was culpably
negligent.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. E. SMITH,
Brigadier-General.
Maj. R. R. TOWNES,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Fifteenth Army Corps.
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Cartersville, Ga., September 14, 1864.
MAJOR: In compliance with your directions of date August 25, 1864, I have the honor to
transmit the reports of Lieutenant-Colonel Archer, commanding Seventeenth Regiment Iowa
Volunteer Infantry, stationed at Tilton, Ga.; also report of Captain Snodgrass, commanding
detachment of same regiment, stationed at water-tank, north of Tilton. From the reports it will be
perceived that there were no casualties previous to the surrender of the stockade at water-tank,
and that little or no defense was made. How far this was justifiable it is impossible for me to
determine. It is evident they thought there was an overwhelming force, and in the absence of any
other information, take it for granted that the officers are correct in their reports. The regiment
has always behaved well since being in my command (previous to which I have no knowledge of
it), and unless I should see it could not believe it would be otherwise.
I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. E. SMITH,
Brigadier-General.
Maj. S. B. MOE,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., THIRD DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS,
Resaca, Ga., July 14, 1864.
In compliance with the order from your headquarters, referring a communication from the
headquarters of the district to the general commanding the division, of date July 8, 1864, in
reference to the capture and destruction of a train on the evening of the 5th instant, and the
conduct of the commanding officer at Tilton in connection therewith, I have the honor to report
that I have thoroughly investigated the case, and find that about 6 or 6.30 p.m. of the 5th instant a
17
party of the enemy, estimated at from 200 to 300 dismounted cavalrymen, attacked and captured
a loaded train, going to the front, at a point on the Western and Atlantic Railroad, about six miles
north of Tilton, Ga. After firing one or two rounds the enemy set fire to the train. None of my
command being on the ground, the above facts are obtained from a report made to Col. C. R.
Wever, at Tilton, by the engineer in charge of the train. No firing was heard at Tilton. The first
information at Tilton of the capture of the train was the light from the burning mass, which was
supposed by some to be northern lights. Soon after the light became visible the patrol from
Tilton, north, returned to that place, and reported that a train had been captured and was being
burnt. Four companies of the Seventeenth Iowa were immediately sent to the scene of disaster,
under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Archer. He arrived about 9 p.m.; found no person
with the train, which was still burning. As no means were at hand to extinguish the fire and save
the property not already consumed, Colonel Archer made a reconnaissance on each side of the
railroad for a considerable distance without discovering the enemy. He then moved north about
one mile to the water-tank, where he found a detachment of the Seventh Illinois Infantry
Volunteers, numbering about ninety men, encamped. He then learned that fifty men had been
sent to the scene of disaster from the Seventh Illinois detachment, on the train following the one
which was captured; that they encountered the enemy, about twenty-five strong, in possession of
twelve cars, which had become detached and which were burning. The enemy being fired upon,
withdrew to the woods, and the detachment of the Seventh Illinois returned to the water-tank.
Lieutenant-Colonel Archer left his command at the tank in charge of Captain Hicks, Seventeenth
Iowa Volunteers, and went to Dalton, where a construction train was obtained, with which he
returned the next morning, and with his command reached Tilton early on the day of the 6th
instant. It is difficult for me to estimate the loss, which was complete. The train consisted of a
locomotive, tender, and 16 cars, loaded with commissary stores. The enemy must have had
possession of the railroad about one hour and a half.
I express it as my opinion that Col. C. R. Wever, commanding at Tilton, sent troops to the
relief of the train as soon as he had any definite information of the disaster, and that the capture
and destruction of the train is not chargeable to any neglect on his part. At 10 p.m. of the 5th
instant I received a dispatch from him informing me of the disaster and the steps he had taken to
assist the train. The report "that no steps were taken by him to disturb the depredators or to arrest
the further destruction of the road and property, and secure the safety of the other trains then due
until ordered to do so on the following morning," is entirely untrue.
I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GREEN B. RAUM,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
Capt. C. L. WHITE,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., THIRD DIV., FIFTEENTH CORPS,
Resaca, Ga., September 2, 1864.
CAPTAIN: In compliance with the order referring a communication from the headquarters of
the District of the Etowah to the general commanding the division, of date August 25, 1864, and
herewith returned, I have the honor of submitting the following report:
On the evening of the 14th ultimo, having received reliable information of the strength and
movements of Wheeler's cavalry I directed Lieutenant-Colonel Archer, commanding
Seventeenth Iowa Volunteers, to concentrate his command, directing that Captain Snodgrass,
commanding the detachment two miles south of Dalton, report to Colonel Laiboldt at that place.
Captain Snodgrass was posted fourteen miles north of these headquarters. There being no
18
telegraph office at Tilton, he was communicated with by courier, not, however, before the enemy
had attacked Dalton. Being directed to go to that place, and it being impracticable for him to do
so, he concluded to remain at, and defend himself in, a stockade erected for the protection of a
water-tank. During the night the stockade was surrounded by the enemy and some shots were
exchanged. The next morning, from the best information I can obtain, a pretty steady fire was
kept up from the stockade until about 8 o'clock, the men firing about twenty rounds each. The
enemy by this time brought into position two pieces of artillery, and under a flag of truce
demanded a surrender of the stockade and the captain and his men as prisoners of war, which
command was complied with. The stockade was of sufficient strength to resist musketry, but
would afford no protection against artillery. The captain surrendered his command without
suffering any loss, upon the well-grounded belief that, with the use of artillery, the enemy would
be able to annihilate his force. He could not hope for assistance, Dalton being invested and Tilton
being seven miles distant, that being the nearest point from which troops could be sent. I would
add that Captain Snodgrass has been in several engagements and has ever acted with coolness
and courage. I herewith inclose a copy of a report, I caused him to make.
I have been unable to learn what loss the enemy suffered in the affair, but it is believed they
lost 3 killed and several wounded. They, however, denied any loss.
I inclose a copy of a report made by Lieutenant-Colonel Archer touching the part taken by
him in resisting the attack made by the enemy on the railroad south of Tilton.
At 10 a.m. of the 15th ultimo I received notice that the enemy had attacked the railroad south
of Tilton. I immediately sent the Eightieth Ohio, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel
Metham, and eighty cavalry, under Captain Robinson, to attack the enemy. These troops
although moving with great rapidity, did not reach the point until after the enemy had withdrawn.
Hoping the foregoing will be sufficiently explicit, I have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
GREEN B. RAUM,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
Capt. S. M. BUDLONG,
Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Third Div., 15th Army Corps.
HDQRS. SEVENTEENTH IOWA VET. VOL. INFANTRY,
Tilton, Ga., July 12, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: In compliance with orders from your headquarters, of date Resaca, Ga., July
11, 1864, I herewith submit the following statement in relation to the capture of the train on the
evening of July 5, together with a copy of Lieut. Col. Archer's report of same (inclosed):
Soon after sunset on the evening above mentioned, a light was discovered in the direction of
Dalton. My attention was called to it. I was unable to determine whether it was a fire, or, as my
officers supposed, "northern lights." Just at this time the patrol, which had been sent out at the
usual hour, returned and reported that the rebels had captured and were burning a train. I
immediately dispatched four companies, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Archer, to
whose report I call your attention for further information.
In reply to your questions I would state: First, that the train was captured about six miles
north of Tilton, just before sunset. Second, I can form no idea of the loss sustained; was informed
by the engineer that there were 16 cars, loaded with coffee and flour. The train was completely
destroyed. Third, I have no means of estimating the amount of firing done. The engineer and his
comrade (who was wounded) reported that as soon as the locomotive ran off the track the train
was surrounded by from 200 to 300 men, who fired a volley or two into the train. My opinion is
they were too badly scared to be able to tell whether there were 25 or 300 men in the band. The
19
rebs wore spurs. Fourth, it was fully two hours after the train was captured before my troops
reached that point. The enemy, very likely, had possession all that time. Fifth, no firing was
heard at Tilton. A detachment of Seventh Illinois Veteran Volunteers were stationed at a watertank
about one mile above where the train was captured. They were taken down by the train
following. Sixth, I received information of the disaster shortly after sunset, and immediately sent
four companies, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Archer, to the spot.
Very respectfully,
C. R. WEVER,
Colonel Seventeenth Iowa Vet. Vol. Infty., Comdg. Post.
Lieut. M. NICHELSON,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Brigade.
TILTON, GA., July 11, 1864.
COLONEL: I herewith submit the following report in relation to the disaster on the railroad
on the evening of July 5, 1864:
In accordance with your orders, at 7.30 p.m. of July 5, I took Companies C, H, I, and K and
marched up the railroad, reaching the scene of the disaster at about 9 o'clock. Found no person
with the cars, which were still burning. As no means were at hand to extinguish the fire and save
the property not already consumed, I made a reconnaissance on each side of the road for a
considerable distance, discovering no traces of the enemy. I then took the command to the watertank,
distant about one mile from the cars; reached there about 10 o'clock. Here I found a
detachment of about ninety men of the Seventh Illinois Infantry encamped. The entire command
were asleep except the pickets. Upon inquiry I learned the following facts (from a noncommissioned
officer, as I saw no commissioned officer): The train which was behind the one
destroyed backed down to the tank as soon as they discovered what was being enacted ahead.
Reported to the officer in command of Seventh Illinois detachment, who sent fifty men down on
the train. At about 150 yards from the rear of the train (or that portion of it which had broken
loose from the rest of the train, viz, twelve cars) they stopped and the men got off. The rebels had
just commenced firing that portion of the train. The detachment fired upon them (about twentyfive
in number), when they immediately left the railroad, took to the woods, fired a volley, raised
a yell, and left. Thinking that they designed flanking them or attacking the water-tank the
detachment immediately got aboard the cars and went back to the tank, where I found them when
I arrived. As nothing further could be done at this late hour I left my four companies in charge of
Capt. S. E. Hicks, Company K, and went up to Dalton for a construction train to repair the road
and remove the rubbish, &c., from the track. With this train I came back in the morning and
immediately returned to camp. The disaster occurred about six miles north of Tilton at about 6 or
6.30 p.m.
The above report embraces all the facts of consequence with which I am acquainted.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. M. ARCHER,
Lieutenant-Colonel Seventeenth Iowa Vet. Vol. Infty.
Col. C. R. WEVER,
Commanding Seventeenth Iowa Infantry.
-----
HDQRS. SEVENTEENTH IOWA VET. VOL. INFANTRY,
Tilton, Ga., August 20, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations in this vicinity in
which my regiment was engaged, on the 14th and 15th of the present month:
20
On the afternoon of the 14th citizens from the neighborhood of Dalton reported heavy firing
in that direction, and that the garrison was engaged against a very large force of rebel cavalry. At
about 8 p.m. I received a communication from Col. Green B. Raum, commanding Second
Brigade, Third Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, notifying me that a large force of the enemy was
moving to the east of me, and directing me to withdraw Companies D and E (under command of
Capt. Thomas Ping, three miles north of me), and to order Captains Snodgrass and Craig to
report with their companies(H and I) to Colonel Laiboldt at Dalton. I immediately dispatched
orders to the two detachments, and at 11.30 p.m. Captain Ping arrived with his command.
During the evening I employed all my force, together with the engineer corps encamped here, in
constructing breast-works and digging rifle-pits on each side of Swamp Creek, protecting the
railroad bridge and water-tanks. At about 9 o'clock, having ascertained that a large body of the
enemy were very near us, I sent out two men mounted on mules, on each road leading to the
town, so that we might be notified of their approach in time to prepare for them. Scarcely five
minutes elapsed before eight musket shots were fired in quick succession just across the
Connesauga River, distant about 300 yards. I immediately formed my battalion and prepared to
receive the enemy, which I supposed would attack us at once. One of my mounted men, Corporal
Doan, Company C, returned at this junction and reported a heavy force across the river. He and
his comrade had ridden past several rebels hidden in the angles of the fence beside the road, and
when very near the reserves were halted. They at once wheeled around and started for the river
under the fire above mentioned. Corporal Stafford, Company C, was thrown from his mule and
captured. Finding that the enemy did not contemplate an immediate attack, I had thirty men of
the engineer company posted on the bank covering the main ford of the river. At about 12
o'clock the rebels were heard crossing the river a considerable distance below the regular ford,
and I immediately sent out Company H, Lieutenant Swearengin commanding, to skirmish with
them providing they advanced upon us. Captain Browne, with his company (F), was also sent out
on the Dalton road for the same purpose.
At about 1 a.m. of the 15th, we could plainly hear the enemy destroying the railroad about
one mile and a half below us. This continued for perhaps two hours, during which time the
pickets at the main ford of the Connesauga exchanged occasional shots with those of the enemy
(in which they mortally wounded a captain and sergeant of the Fourth Georgia Cavalry),
showing that they were still there. We could hear them to the north and east of us, and I
concluded that to divide my small force (about 240 muskets) and attempt to save the railroad,
would not only leave the bridge, block-house, and tank insufficiently guarded, but would
doubtless result in very severe loss, if not the capture of the entire command. I therefore kept my
command inside the works. I have since learned that the rebel force numbered over 3,000
(General Martin's division of Wheeler's cavalry corps), and that they came here for the purpose
of destroying the bridge, tank, and block-house, but were deceived by misrepresentations of our
strength, and therefore did not attempt it.
Captain Snodgrass, Company I, and Captain Craig's company (H) were captured on the
morning of the 15th instant, and paroled on the 16th by General Wheeler, eight miles northeast
of Spring Place. It was impossible for them to report to Colonel Laiboldt as directed, as the
rebels were in strong force between the tank and Dalton.
For further particulars I refer you to the accompanying report of Captain Snodgrass,
commanding the detachment.
Very respectfully,
S. M. ARCHER,
Lieut. Col., Comdg. Seventeenth Iowa Vet. Vol. Infty.
Capt. W. W. McCAMMON,
21
Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., 2d Brig., 3d Div., 15th Army Corps.
TILTON, GA., August 20, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report the following in regard to the engagement
between the forces under my command (Companies H and I, Seventeenth Iowa Veteran
Volunteer Infantry) and a portion of General Wheeler's cavalry corps, on the 15th day of August,
1864, at the water-tank, two miles south of Dalton, Ga.:
On the 14th day of August, 1864, at 3.15 o'clock, firing was heard in the immediate vicinity
of Dalton. Half an hour there after, a large force of the enemy appeared on the railroad, at a point
one mile and a half south of Dalton. They immediately commenced the destruction of a small
bridge at this point, at the same time threatening an attack upon my position at the water-tank.
After destroying the bridge the enemy continued the destruction of the railroad by tearing up the
track, and advancing slowly toward my position. As the enemy appeared in overwhelming
numbers, I concluded not to make any attack on them, but to hold my position, if possible. I
immediately dispatched a courier to Captain Ping, commanding a small detachment four miles
south of me, informing him of my perilous situation, and asking for re-enforcements. Upon the
return of my courier I received an order from Lieutenant-Colonel Archer, commanding
Seventeenth Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry at Tilton, to report to Dalton. This was impossible
for me to do, as the enemy was between me and Dalton, numbering several thousand, and slowly
advancing toward the water-tank, destroying the railroad track as they came. As the enemy
advanced, a considerable number of shots were exchanged with my pickets. At this time I had all
my force collected in and about the stockade, keeping out a sentinel a short distance on each
side. The enemy continued his work of destroying the railroad, and advancing until after dark. At
11 p.m. my pickets were driven in, when the enemy moved forward and closed his lines to within
250 or 300 yards of the stockade. At this time he appeared to be in overwhelming force, entirely
surrounding me, but almost entirely concealed by the darkness and a thick growth of underbrush.
Thus the situation remained until near daylight on the morning of the 15th instant, the enemy
firing a few shots at intervals during the night.
Shortly before daylight he opened with heavy musketry fire, and gradually closing his lines,
still remaining hid from view by the thick underbrush. I exhorted the men to keep cool; not to
waste their ammunition by rapid firing, but to make every shot effective, if possible. Heavy
firing was kept up in this way until 8 a.m., when it was discovered that the enemy was
approaching with several pieces of artillery, and preparing to shell the stockade. At 8.15 a.m. the
enemy sent in a flag of truce, demanding an immediate and unconditional surrender. After
consultation with the officers under my command I offered the following terms: First, that both
officers and enlisted men retain their personal property; second, that we should be treated as
prisoners of war. These terms were accepted, and at 8.45 o'clock I surrendered my entire
command, consisting of 3 commissioned officers and 62 enlisted men, with all their arms and
accouterments and camp and garrison equipage. We were placed under guard and marched
rapidly (eastwardly), passing through Spring Place 3 p.m. of the 15th instant, and camping eight
miles northeast of the town, remaining in camp all day on the 16th instant.
At 5 p.m. of the 16th we were taken under guard to General Wheeler's headquarters, and
there paroled, when we immediately started on our return with an escort of one commissioned
officer and ten men. At Spring Place the escort left us and returned to join their commands.
On the morning of the 17th we continued our march, arriving at Tilton, Ga., at 1 p.m., where
I joined my regiment, the Seventeenth Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
I have the honor to be, your most obedient servant,
J. C. SNODGRASS,
22
Captain, Seventeenth Iowa Vet. Vol. Infantry.
Lieut. F. WOOLSEY,
Adjutant, Seventeenth Iowa.
TILTON, GA., August 20, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report the following in regard to the engagement
between the forces under my command (Companies H and I, Seventeenth Iowa Veteran
Volunteer Infantry) and a portion of General Wheeler's cavalry corps, on the 15th day of August,
1864, at the water-tank, two miles south of Dalton, Ga.:
On the 14th day of August, 1864, at 3.15 o'clock, firing was heard in the immediate vicinity
of Dalton. Half an hour there after, a large force of the enemy appeared on the railroad, at a point
one mile and a half south of Dalton. They immediately commenced the destruction of a small
bridge at this point, at the same time threatening an attack upon my position at the water-tank.
After destroying the bridge the enemy continued the destruction of the railroad by tearing up the
track, and advancing slowly toward my position. As the enemy appeared in overwhelming
numbers, I concluded not to make any attack on them, but to hold my position, if possible. I
immediately dispatched a courier to Captain Ping, commanding a small detachment four miles
south of me, informing him of my perilous situation, and asking for re-enforcements. Upon the
return of my courier I received an order from Lieutenant-Colonel Archer, commanding
Seventeenth Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry at Tilton, to report to Dalton. This was impossible
for me to do, as the enemy was between me and Dalton, numbering several thousand, and slowly
advancing toward the water-tank, destroying the railroad track as they came. As the enemy
advanced, a considerable number of shots were exchanged with my pickets. At this time I had all
my force collected in and about the stockade, keeping out a sentinel a short distance on each
side. The enemy continued his work of destroying the railroad, and advancing until after dark. At
11 p.m. my pickets were driven in, when the enemy moved forward and closed his lines to within
250 or 300 yards of the stockade. At this time he appeared to be in overwhelming force, entirely
surrounding me, but almost entirely concealed by the darkness and a thick growth of underbrush.
Thus the situation remained until near daylight on the morning of the 15th instant, the enemy
firing a few shots at intervals during the night.
Shortly before daylight he opened with heavy musketry fire, and gradually closing his lines,
still remaining hid from view by the thick underbrush. I exhorted the men to keep cool; not to
waste their ammunition by rapid firing, but to make every shot effective, if possible. Heavy
firing was kept up in this way until 8 a.m., when it was discovered that the enemy was
approaching with several pieces of artillery, and preparing to shell the stockade. At 8.15 a.m. the
enemy sent in a flag of truce, demanding an immediate and unconditional surrender. After
consultation with the officers under my command I offered the following terms: First, that both
officers and enlisted men retain their personal property; second, that we should be treated as
prisoners of war. These terms were accepted, and at 8.45 o'clock I surrendered my entire
command, consisting of 3 commissioned officers and 62 enlisted men, with all their arms and
accouterments and camp and garrison equipage. We were placed under guard and marched
rapidly (eastwardly), passing through Spring Place 3 p.m. of the 15th instant, and camping eight
miles northeast of the town, remaining in camp all day on the 16th instant.
At 5 p.m. of the 16th we were taken under guard to General Wheeler's headquarters, and
there paroled, when we immediately started on our return with an escort of one commissioned
officer and ten men. At Spring Place the escort left us and returned to join their commands.
On the morning of the 17th we continued our march, arriving at Tilton, Ga., at 1 p.m., where
I joined my regiment, the Seventeenth Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
23
I have the honor to be, your most obedient servant,
J. C. SNODGRASS,
Captain, Seventeenth Iowa Vet. Vol. Infantry.
Lieut. F. WOOLSEY,
Adjutant, Seventeenth Iowa.
HEADQUARTERS FORTY-EIGHTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY,
East Point, Ga., September 9, 1864.
CAPTAIN: On the 3d day of August, 1864, the Forty-eighth Regiment Illinois Infantry
furnished 100 men and 3 commissioned officers for skirmish duty. The skirmish line was
immediately advanced to the crest of the hill, upon which we subsequently constructed works.
The regiment moved out and occupied the line of works which had been constructed by the
skirmishers on the crest of the hill August 9, 1864, and remained in the ditches and on the
skirmish line until the night of the 26th, when we were ordered to the right. The regiment moved
out of the works at 10 p.m., in rear of the Ninetieth Illinois Infantry and in advance of the
Seventieth Ohio Infantry. The skirmishers were withdrawn at 2 o'clock of the morning of the
27th. The regiment marched, with the several other regiments of the brigade, until the evening of
the 27th at 6 p.m., when we were halted and ordered to take our respective positions on the
extreme right of the Army of the Cumberland.
Here we remained until the morning of the 28th. We moved to the vicinity of the railroad,
where we halted at 5 p.m. At 8 p.m. the Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry was ordered to the railroad
for the purpose of destroying and burning the railroad. After tearing up and burning more than
three times the length of the regiment of railroad we were relieved at midnight and ordered to
resume our position in the brigade adjacent to the railroad; here we remained thirty hours. On the
morning of the 30th we resumed the march, moved to the vicinity of Jonesborough, southsoutheast
from Atlanta, where we constructed works on the night of the 30th and morning of the
31st.
We remained in our works until the morning of the 2d September, when we were ordered to
pursue the retreating enemy. We marched to the vicinity of Lovejoy's Station, where we again
found the enemy strongly intrenched. Here we constructed works during the night of the 2d and
morning of the 3d. The Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry was formed in line on the left of the
Seventieth Ohio Infantry and on the right of the Thirty-first Iowa Infantry (which was on the
extreme right of the First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps). We remained in these last-named
works until the night of the 5th, when we were ordered to evacuate the works. We left the works
at 9 p.m. and marched directly to Jonesborough, where we resumed our position in the works
which we had constructed on the night of the 30th and morning of the 31st August, where we
remained until the morning of the 6th, when we evacuated these works and marched to Morris'
Mill, where we remained until the 7th, when we marched to East Point, and took up our present
position.
I am, captain, respectfully,
EDWARD ADAMS,
Major Forty-eighth Illinois Infty. Vet. Vols., Comdg. Regt.
Capt. JOHN CAMPBELL,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. ONE HUNDREDTH REGIMENT INDIANA VOLUNTEERS,
In the Field, June 4, 1864.
24
SIR: I have the honor to report the part taken by my regiment in the battle of Resaca,
commencing on the 13th and ending on the 15th day of May, 1864:
On the morning of the 13th, at 5 o'clock, we moved from the mouth of Snake [Creek] Gap
against the enemy, who was massing his force at Resaca; marched to the cross-roads near that
place; was ordered to form in rear of the Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Fifteenth Army
Corps, there to be held in reserve, I had but just got into position when you ordered me to move
to the front by the left flank, forming in line of battle on a line with the First Division,
commanded by General Osterhaus, and to conform the march of my regiment to that of General
Osterhaus. You also ordered me to deploy fifty men in charge of a good officer as skirmishers;
all of which was done. About 12 o'clock we moved forward in line of battle, through a dense
wood, to the open field in the immediate front of the first of the enemy's works. Reformed in the
edge of the wood next to the fence, and upon the crest of the hill, my skirmishers steadily
pressing forward and driving those of the enemy. While this was being done the enemy kept up a
furious cannonade, throwing both shot and shell upon the left of General Osterhaus and the entire
front of my line, but was finally driven from his first line of works by the skirmishers. You then
ordered me to re-enforce my line of skirmishers by two companies from my regiment, and to
direct them to press forward and drive the enemy from the wood-covered hill on the right of his
Works just taken. I deployed Companies C and D, who promptly moved forward to re-enforce
Captain Fast's company (B), who had been skirmishing from the first; you also ordered me to
advance the regiment across the open field, and take a position about half a mile to the left, and
fronting the rebel works, about 1,200 yards therefrom; all of which was done: Here we remained
until about 6 p.m., when we were relieved by a regiment from the Second Brigade, and ordered
to fall back and replenish with ammunition. For full two hours my regiment was under an intense
fire from the enemy's artillery, the shells falling and bursting within my lines, but fortunately
doing us but little injury. During the whole of the time my men behaved with remarkable
coolness and self-possession. This night we bivouacked upon the field; in the morning was
ordered to move forward to support the main column, if necessary; at 7 p.m. moved to the right,
to support the Second Division of the Fifteenth Army Corps. Remained there until morning of
the 16th, when, the enemy having evacuated his works in our front, we moved in pursuit.
My officers and men conducted themselves gallantly, but I shall do injustice did I not make
special mention of Maj. R. M. Johnson, of my regiment, who was in command of the skirmish
line of your brigade, for his coolness, prudence, and gallantry, and most earnestly hope he may
be properly rewarded for the great service he rendered that day, riding along the whole line of
skirmishers, inspiring the men by his heroic example, and personally directing every movement.
I also make special mention of Capt. O. J. Fast, Company B, who was in command of the
skirmishers of my regiment, assisted by First Lieut. John W. Geisinger, Company D, and would
recommend that they be promoted for gallantry. Both were so intelligent, active, and brave that it
seemed they could, with their line of skirmishers, drive a whole regiment of the enemy before
them. Captain Fast was the first to enter the enemy's works. All of the officers of my regiment
conducted themselves gallantly and discharged their whole duty. My loss in this battle was 13
enlisted men and 1 officer wounded.
Respectfully submitted.
ALBERT HEATH,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding One hundredth Indiana Volunteers.
Capt. IRA J. BLOOMFIELD,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, First Brigade, Fourth Division.
On the 16th day of May, the enemy having evacuated his works, at 11 a.m. we marched in
pursuit, and camped on north side of Oostenaula Creek at 8 p.m. May 17, guarded wagon train;
25
marched twelve miles, and bivouacked at midnight. May 18, joined brigade early in morning;
marched fourteen miles; bivouacked on Burnsley plantation at 7 p.m.; men cheerful, but
considerably fatigued. May 19, marched nine miles; bivouacked near Kingston, Ga. May 20, 21,
and 22, remained in camp. May 23, broke camp at 7 a.m.; weather very warm; marched about
twenty miles; bivouacked on ---- Creek. May 24, marched eight miles; bivouacked on mountains.
May 25, First Brigade, as train guards, marched ten miles, and camped on Pumpkin Vine Creek
at 3 a.m. the 26th. May 26, on guard during the day; at 7 p.m. marched again ; marched five
miles, halting about one mile from Dallas at 4 a.m. the 27th. May 27, at 7 a.m. was ordered to
take position in line; moved out for that purpose; placed regiment in position on the right, and
perpendicular to the line of the Sixth Iowa; was ordered to deploy two companies of my regiment
as skirmishers in my front, which was done. At 12 m. I believed, from indications, that an assault
by the enemy was intended. Having no fortifications, I re-enforced my skirmish line with
Companies B and C. At 1 p.m. the enemy's skirmishers engaged my men sharply, but were
repulsed with loss. This day I lost in wounded 7 men, including 1 commissioned officer. During
the afternoon and night I fortified my line. May 28, placed a very strong skirmish line in front of
my regiment. At 3.30 p.m. the enemy charged my skirmish line in force, and steadily, but slowly,
pressed it back to the main line, which was then attacked, but they were handsomely repulsed.
The attack lasted about thirty minutes. My regiment in this fight suffered a loss of 3 killed and 14
wounded. In our front we buried 11 of the enemy and captured quite a number of muskets--the
exact number I have forgotten, having lost my memoranda. May 29, advanced our skirmish line
and developed the strength of the enemy; then fell back to the original line. Lost in this 3 men
wounded. May 30, again advanced the skirmish line, and suffered a loss of 2 men severely
wounded. May 31, remained in line; no casualties this day.
June 1, abandoned our position at 4 a.m.; marched to the left seven miles, to a point near
New Hope Church; there we relieved a portion of the Twentieth Army Corps. This day lost 2
men wounded. June 2, this day my regiment is in reserve. June 3, advanced our main line of
works about sixty yard; lost 1 man severely wounded. June 4, remained quiet; no casualties. June
5, the enemy abandoned his position the preceding night. At 12 o'clock we marched to the left
five miles and bivouacked. June 6, marched at 6 a.m. six miles and bivouacked near Acworth,
Ga. June 7, 8, and 9, remained in camp near Acworth. June 10, marched six miles; halted near
Big Shanty; took position and fortified during the night; Company K deployed as skirmishers; no
casualties. June 11, 12, 13, and 14, remained quiet; not engaged with enemy. June 15, at 11 a.m.
moved to the left and front, in support of the Second Brigade, who engaged the enemy. My
regiment and brigade, being in reserve, was not engaged; remained in reserve until the 25th. June
25, at 8 p.m. moved two miles to the right, and relieved General Davis' division, of the
Fourteenth Army Corps. Here we remained before Kenesaw, skirmishing continually with the
enemy, until 3d July; my loss here was 2 men wounded only in the whole time.
July 3, the enemy evacuated his position during the previous night, and at 8 a.m., we broke
camp and marched to Marietta, Ga., and bivouacked. July 4, marched to the right twelve miles--
forced march. July 5, marched seven miles and came up with the enemy at the Chattahoochee
River at 11 a.m.; not engaged with the enemy this day. July 6, remained in camp. July 7, moved
up on line and worked hard all night on our fortifications. Lost 1 man wounded. July 8 and 9,
not engaged, except sharp skirmishing. July 10, the enemy evacuate and cross the river; this day
I was ordered to report with my regiment at Marietta for duty. July 11, marched to Marietta,
where we remained on duty until the 13th day of August.
August 14, I reported with my regiment to you for duty, having been assigned to the Second
Brigade on the 3d day of August; during the whole time my regiment was at Marietta, the labor
of the men was excessive, but was cheerfully performed. From the morning of the 15th to the
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26th day of August my regiment was in reserve, doing no other than skirmish duty; during this
time my loss was 2 killed and 4 wounded. August 26, about 9 p.m. we withdrew from our
position in front of Atlanta, and moved five miles to the right and bivouacked near Utoy Creek at
2 a.m. the 27th, where we remained until 6 p.m., when we again broke camp and marched five
miles. August 28, marched to the Atlanta and West Point Railroad, being about seven miles;
bivouacked here, and worked a portion of the night destroying this road. August 29, remained in
camp. August 30, broke camp at 6 a.m. and marched fifteen miles, to near Jonesborough, Ga.,
where we fortified during the night. August 31, in the morning found we were confronting the
enemy, who was about 1,200 yards from us. During the day strengthened our works. About 3
p.m. the enemy opened upon us with artillery from two different points, one enfilading our
works; under cover of his guns moved his men preparatory to an assault. About 3.30 o'clock he
charged to within 100 yards of us; there, under cover of a rise in the ground, fired upon us with
great fury. My men returned the fire. The assault lasted about an hour. From the nature of the
ground it was impossible for us to fire with effect, but found in our immediate front 5 of the
enemy killed. During the action I lost 5 men killed and 6 wounded.
September 1, remained in our works. At 4 p.m. the enemy opened with artillery upon us,
severely wounding 2 men. September 2, during the preceding night the enemy evacuated
Jonesborough; at 7 a.m. we marched in pursuit. You ordered me to deploy eight companies of
my regiment as skirmishers on the right of the wagon road leading south, which I did. We had
moved about 1,200 yards when we came upon the rear guard of the enemy, strongly posted
behind a barricade of rails. The Sixth Regiment Iowa Volunteers was deployed as skirmishers on
the left of the road. Both regiments moved rapidly forward and dislodged the enemy. He rallied
again, however, about a quarter of a mile distant, and was again driven. He then fell back about
three-quarters of a mile to a barricade in front of a wood. Being driven from this, he opened upon
us with two guns, which he had placed in the road about 200 yards from us. We here halted for a
short time to rest, then moved forward rapidly, driving the enemy before us. Came up with the
main column of his rear guard about five miles south of Jonesborough. Here the enemy opened
upon us with two guns, shelling our lines furiously. My men did not hesitate, but pressed forward
with a determination to drive him or capture the guns. His firing did not delay us a moment, but
my men were so much exhausted that they could go no farther, and we reluctantly halted for rest.
While resting we discovered the enemy about half a mile in front in force and intrenched. Here
you relieved us from further skirmishing for the day. During the afternoon we moved, with the
brigade, to our position, where we intrenched. This day my loss was 1 commissioned officer and
5 men wounded. September 3, remained in camp. Not engaged with the enemy except
skirmishing; lost 1 man, wounded. September 4, remained quiet; 1 man wounded, while in the
main works, by the enemy's sharpshooters. September 5, you ordered me to withdraw my
regiment at 8 p.m. and march to East Point, Ga.; at the hour we moved, and bivouacked at
midnight in our old works at Jonesborough without loss.
I forward with this a complete list of the casualties in my regiment since the opening of the
campaign. I will here add that on the 16th day of July Maj. R. M. Johnson was detailed, by order
of Brigadier-General Harrow, for duty at headquarters Fourth Division. I am informed that in the
battle of the 22d July, before Atlanta, he was captured by the enemy while discharging his duty.
This loss to my regiment is irreparable. He was a gallant officer.
The effective strength of my regiment now is about 350. During the many marches, the
almost incessant fighting, my men have been cheerful and contented; no murmuring was heard,
although a great portion of the time the weather was rainy. All seemed governed by one impulse.
While we had a few recruits, they were not found wanting; they worked well. Success was what
27
they asked. All were determined that no act of theirs should prejudice the result. No men were
more willing to labor for success--none more gallant.
The commissioned officers of my regiment aided very materially in keeping up the discipline
and efficiency of the command, and in justice to valuable officers I make special mention of
Capt. Orla J. Fast, Company B, who, when a delicate movement was to be made, had charge of
the skirmishers of my regiment. I earnestly recommend that he be promoted for gallantry in the
field.
I also make special mention of Lieut. Edwin Goldsmith, my adjutant, cool and self-possessed
in time of danger, no one possesses the confidence of the men more than he does. I also
recommend him for promotion.
All the commissioned officers of my regiment have discharged their duties intelligently and
with great gallantry.
Recapitulation of casualties: Commissioned officers wounded, 2; missing, 1; enlisted men
killed and mortally wounded, 17; wounded, 58; total killed, wounded, and missing, 78.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
ALBERT HEATH,
Lieut. Col., Comdg. 100th Regiment Indiana Volunteers.
Capt. E. N. UPTON,
A. A. A. G., 2d Brig., 4th Div., 15th Army Corps.
HEADQUARTERS SEVENTIETH OHIO INFANTRY,
East Point, Ga., September 9, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to report the operations of this command from the 4th day of August,
1864, to the 3d day of September, 1864, inclusive:
On the 4th the regiment occupied a line of works in reserve to the brigade, where we
remained until the 9th, when we advanced and occupied a line in reserve to the left of the First
Iowa Battery. On the 11th four companies were sent to the front and left of the brigade line, and
regularly relieved until the 14th, when the whole regiment was advanced to that line, forming the
left of the line of the First Brigade, connecting with the right of the Second Brigade, of this
division. This position was an unfortunate one, as it was constantly exposed to the fire of the
enemy's battery on its left flank, enfilading the entire line of the regiment. The line had to be
approached through saps, and the men were compelled to dig holes in the ground in rear to
protect themselves from the effects of the enemy's shells. Notwithstanding all the precaution
possible we had 6 enlisted men killed, and 2 commissioned officers and 28 enlisted men
wounded. We remained in this position until the evening of the 26th, when we withdrew and
marched to the right on the Sandtown road. Leaving the Sandtown road, we marched toward the
Atlanta and West Point Railroad and camped in the woods on the night of the 27th. On the 28th
we marched to the railroad, and, in connection with the brigade, destroyed the railroad for three
miles and camped. On the 29th we remained in camp. On the 30th we marched to near
Jonesborough, Ga., and at night threw up works within 200 yards of the enemy's main line. On
the 31st the enemy made a reconnaissance in force, and approached in view of the right of our
line, but were easily repulsed.
We remained in this position until September 2, when we were ordered to pursue the enemy,
and marched six miles south of Jonesborough, Ga., and fortified a position in front and right of
our brigade, in full view of the rebel lines. On the 3d we received the welcome news that Atlanta
was ours.
All the officers and men acquitted themselves to my entire satisfaction.
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Our losses since the 26th of August are 1 commissioned officer killed, 1 commissioned
officer and 3 enlisted men wounded.
I cannot close this report without adverting to the great loss the regiment has sustained in the
death of its adjutant, First Lieut. Andrew Urban. He was killed on the 3d instant, while
communicating the glorious news of the evacuation of Atlanta by the enemy and its occupation
by our forces. He was shot by a sharpshooter, a minie-ball passing through his chest. He
exclaimed, "Oh! boys, I am killed," and instantly expired. Thus fell the model adjutant, the brave
and faithful soldier, and generous friend. The regiment mourns his loss.
A list of casualties is herewith submitted.
I am, captain, respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. L. PHILIPS,
Captain, Seventieth Ohio Veteran Volunteers.
Capt. JOHN CAMPBELL,
A. A. A. G., 1st Brig., 4th Div., 15th Army Corps.
HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., FOURTH DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, near Acworth, Ga., June 7, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor of making the following report of the operations of the Second Brigade
from the 1st of May to the 15th of May, inclusive:
The brigade, consisting of the Forty-sixth Ohio, Major Giesy commanding, and the One
hundred and third Illinois, Maj. A. Willison commanding, left Scottsborough, Ala., with the
division, on the morning of the 1st of May, arriving at Chattanooga and camping on Chattanooga
Creek on the evening of the 5th, via Stevenson and Bridgeport, Ala. At this camp orders were
issued for storing tents and surplus baggage in Chattanooga, and directing surplus transportation
to report to Lieut. Col. J. Condit Smith. The Sixth Iowa, Lieutenant-Colonel Miller commanding,
arriving from the North, reported to me at 6 p.m. On the morning of the 6th the command was
again put in motion. Before starting the Ninety-seventh Indiana, Colonel Catterson, reported, and
have since formed a part of my command. On the night of the 6th we camped at Crawfish
Springs; at ---- Church on the 7th; Villanow on the 8th, arriving at Sugar Valley on the 9th,
where we remained in camp until the 11th. May 12, we took position behind log-works, built the
day previous by Colonel Catterson and Major Giesy, about one mile to our left front. On the 13th
we moved to the front on the Resaca road, in the rear of the First Brigade and the two batteries of
Griffiths and Burton. In the formation of the line of battle in the front of Resaca, my brigade was
placed in reserve. When the line advanced, I was ordered to support the First Brigade, Colonel
Williams, who was in the front and on the left of General Osterhaus. In this advance Major
Willison, One hundred and third Illinois, received a severe wound from a shell, the same shell
killing his horse. Colonel Dickerman, just returned from leave of absence, took command of his
regiment soon after. At 4.30 p.m. Colonel Williams, having been hotly engaged for two hours,
reported himself out of ammunition, and I was ordered to relieve him. I put my brigade in
position on the crest of the ridge, running parallel to the enemy's works, Colonel Williams
retiring upon the advance of my skirmishers. Upon examination I found the enemy in force and
occupying a very formidable position distant from my line about 300 yards. A strong line of
works on the crest of their hill with at least six pieces of artillery, with two lines of rifle-pits on
the slope, an open valley, divided by a deep, narrow stream of water between us, made it
impracticable to assault the position of the enemy. The enemy used but one gun on this day,
which was withdrawn before dark. The skirmishers kept up a brisk fire and advanced as far as
practicable, keeping the enemy inside his works. The morning of the 14th the skirmishers were
again pushed forward, and they advanced very gallantly under a heavy fire that they might take
29
advantage of the protection the banks of the stream would afford, and bring them into closer
proximity to the enemy to better harass him and prevent his troublesome fire upon our lines. The
right of the skirmish line, composed of two companies of the Sixth Iowa, secured an admirable
position on a commanding knob to the right and front, giving them almost complete control of
the enemy's guns. Much credit is due Major Ennis, Sixth Iowa, for the manner in which he
handled his skirmishers. Nothing more than heavy skirmishing was kept up during the day,
punishing the enemy severely and with comparatively small loss to ourselves. After night-fall the
skirmishers again advanced and intrenched themselves, and the next day's work was looked
forward to with great interest. At 3 a.m., the 15th, I received orders to move, with my brigade, to
the support of General Osterhaus, leaving my skirmishers on the old line. The One hundred and
third Illinois and Sixth Iowa were placed near General Osterhaus' headquarters; the Ninetyseventh
Indiana to the rear of De Gress' battery, and the Forty-sixth [Ohio] near our old line.
During the night the enemy evacuated his position, thus ending our operations before Resaca.
There had been no brilliant general engagement; nothing done to put the test to the men, but in
all my campaigns I never saw men in such excellent condition or exhibit a greater eagerness to
do anything required of them.
Much credit is due the regimental commanders, Colonels Dickerman, Catterson, and Miller,
and Major Giesy, for the promptness in obeying all demands and the good example set to their
men. Lieut. E. Bickett, Forty-sixth Ohio, was severely wounded, while leading his skirmishers to
the front, on the 14th.
The members of my staff, Captain Upton, Lieutenants Grimes, Johnson, and Parsons, deserve
much credit for their efficient assistance rendered during this campaign.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
CHAS. C. WALCUTT,
Brigadier-General of Volunteers.
Lieut. A.M. VAN DYKE,
Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., 4th Div., 15th Army Corps.
HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., FOURTH DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, near Acworth, Ga., June 7, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor of making the following report of the operations of the Second Brigade
from the 1st of May to the 15th of May, inclusive:
The brigade, consisting of the Forty-sixth Ohio, Major Giesy commanding, and the One
hundred and third Illinois, Maj. A. Willison commanding, left Scottsborough, Ala., with the
division, on the morning of the 1st of May, arriving at Chattanooga and camping on Chattanooga
Creek on the evening of the 5th, via Stevenson and Bridgeport, Ala. At this camp orders were
issued for storing tents and surplus baggage in Chattanooga, and directing surplus transportation
to report to Lieut. Col. J. Condit Smith. The Sixth Iowa, Lieutenant-Colonel Miller commanding,
arriving from the North, reported to me at 6 p.m. On the morning of the 6th the command was
again put in motion. Before starting the Ninety-seventh Indiana, Colonel Catterson, reported, and
have since formed a part of my command. On the night of the 6th we camped at Crawfish
Springs; at ---- Church on the 7th; Villanow on the 8th, arriving at Sugar Valley on the 9th,
where we remained in camp until the 11th. May 12, we took position behind log-works, built the
day previous by Colonel Catterson and Major Giesy, about one mile to our left front. On the 13th
we moved to the front on the Resaca road, in the rear of the First Brigade and the two batteries of
Griffiths and Burton. In the formation of the line of battle in the front of Resaca, my brigade was
placed in reserve. When the line advanced, I was ordered to support the First Brigade, Colonel
Williams, who was in the front and on the left of General Osterhaus. In this advance Major
30
Willison, One hundred and third Illinois, received a severe wound from a shell, the same shell
killing his horse. Colonel Dickerman, just returned from leave of absence, took command of his
regiment soon after. At 4.30 p.m. Colonel Williams, having been hotly engaged for two hours,
reported himself out of ammunition, and I was ordered to relieve him. I put my brigade in
position on the crest of the ridge, running parallel to the enemy's works, Colonel Williams
retiring upon the advance of my skirmishers. Upon examination I found the enemy in force and
occupying a very formidable position distant from my line about 300 yards. A strong line of
works on the crest of their hill with at least six pieces of artillery, with two lines of rifle-pits on
the slope, an open valley, divided by a deep, narrow stream of water between us, made it
impracticable to assault the position of the enemy. The enemy used but one gun on this day,
which was withdrawn before dark. The skirmishers kept up a brisk fire and advanced as far as
practicable, keeping the enemy inside his works. The morning of the 14th the skirmishers were
again pushed forward, and they advanced very gallantly under a heavy fire that they might take
advantage of the protection the banks of the stream would afford, and bring them into closer
proximity to the enemy to better harass him and prevent his troublesome fire upon our lines. The
right of the skirmish line, composed of two companies of the Sixth Iowa, secured an admirable
position on a commanding knob to the right and front, giving them almost complete control of
the enemy's guns. Much credit is due Major Ennis, Sixth Iowa, for the manner in which he
handled his skirmishers. Nothing more than heavy skirmishing was kept up during the day,
punishing the enemy severely and with comparatively small loss to ourselves. After night-fall the
skirmishers again advanced and intrenched themselves, and the next day's work was looked
forward to with great interest. At 3 a.m., the 15th, I received orders to move, with my brigade, to
the support of General Osterhaus, leaving my skirmishers on the old line. The One hundred and
third Illinois and Sixth Iowa were placed near General Osterhaus' headquarters; the Ninetyseventh
Indiana to the rear of De Gress' battery, and the Forty-sixth [Ohio] near our old line.
During the night the enemy evacuated his position, thus ending our operations before Resaca.
There had been no brilliant general engagement; nothing done to put the test to the men, but in
all my campaigns I never saw men in such excellent condition or exhibit a greater eagerness to
do anything required of them.
Much credit is due the regimental commanders, Colonels Dickerman, Catterson, and Miller,
and Major Giesy, for the promptness in obeying all demands and the good example set to their
men. Lieut. E. Bickett, Forty-sixth Ohio, was severely wounded, while leading his skirmishers to
the front, on the 14th.
The members of my staff, Captain Upton, Lieutenants Grimes, Johnson, and Parsons, deserve
much credit for their efficient assistance rendered during this campaign.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
CHAS. C. WALCUTT,
Brigadier-General of Volunteers.
Lieut. A.M. VAN DYKE,
Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., 4th Div., 15th Army Corps.
BATTLE OF MAY 27.
My brigade, consisting of the Forty-sixth Ohio, Major Giesy; One hundred and third Illinois,
Colonel Dickerman; Ninety-seventh Indiana, Colonel Catterson; and Sixth Iowa, Lieutenant-
Colonel Miller (the Forty-sixth Ohio and Sixth Iowa, reserves, reported to General Harrow early
in the morning), was directed to occupy a crest in our front, keeping connection with Colonel
Oliver's brigade on my left. In the movement my command changed to the left front, occupying a
ridge running with the Villa Rica road. The Sixth Iowa was ordered up and placed on the right.
31
Skirmishers, under command of Captain Wills, One hundred and third Illinois, were advanced
and soon became engaged with those of the enemy, driving them, and by the daring of Captain
Smith, One hundred and third Illinois, and one of his men, captured 22 prisoners. The men were
put to work constructing rifle-pits. The enemy's main line of works was not distant from my right
more than 500 yards, with four guns in position to command the road I occupied, making my
position a difficult one. Colonel Williams' brigade was placed on my right, his line forming an
acute angle with mine. At 1 p.m. the enemy commenced a terrific shelling. He seemed to have
control of the road, but fortunately did me no harm whatever. As soon as the shelling ceased, the
enemy, who had formed his lines during the shelling, made a vigorous assault on my line. Owing
to the location of the ground and the suddenness of the attack, it became necessary to advance
the Sixth Iowa, which they did most gallantly, meeting the enemy with bayonets fixed. The fight
soon became general along my front. The men reserved their fire handsomely until the enemy's
line reached the base of the hill, when they opened, scattering and driving the enemy with great
loss. In advancing the Sixth Iowa, and before the First Brigade could conform to the movement,
part of the attacking column, Eighth Mississippi, struck the right of the Sixth Iowa, which was
promptly met by Lieutenant-Colonel Miller swinging back his three right companies. These
companies repulsed the Eighth Mississippi and secured their dead and wounded, with some
prisoners. The officers and men all did well in this engagement. My loss was comparatively
small, while that of the enemy must have been great. This fight was confined exclusively to the
Second Brigade. During the afternoon De Gress' battery Was placed on the high hill occupied by
the Ninety-seventh Indiana, and the works strengthened along the line.
BATTLE OF DALLAS, MAY 28.
Brisk skirmishing opened with the day. Lieut. Newby Chase, adjutant Sixth Iowa, fell
mortally wounded early in the morning and has since died. He was a very gallant and efficient
officer. About 3 a.m. I increased my skirmish line, and placed it in charge of Captain Kelly, One
hundred and third Illinois. The Forty-sixth Ohio, who had been operating during the preceding
day and night with the Third Brigade, reported and were placed on the left. The enemy showed
himself very active during the entire day. At 4 p.m., as I had been previously notified, our
batteries opened upon the enemy and met with a prompt reply. Quicker than thought, almost, the
enemy attacked us in force, and with the greatest vigor and determination. The skirmishers on
the roads were quickly driven in. Three lines of the enemy could be distinctly seen rapidly
advancing, but they were soon checked by a determined line. Every man was at his post, and
remained there during the engagement. The fire was reserved until the enemy could be distinctly
seen. On the right bayonets were fixed to receive the column that was advancing with such
numbers and impetuosity that it seemed they must break through my weak line. The attack soon
became general, the enemy making repeated attempts to carry my position, but were finally
repulsed, after severe fighting of one hour and twenty minutes, my men following the retreating
enemy with terrific volleys of musketry, The result shows how gallantly my brigade did its duty
at the battle of Dallas; 244 dead and wounded rebels were found in my front. This battle, severe
as it was upon the enemy, cost the country the lives and services of many valuable officers and
men. Colonel Dickerman, One hundred and third Illinois, and Major Giesy, Forty-sixth Ohio, fell
mortally wounded, and have since died. They were both brave and efficient officers, and
received their wounds during the heat of the engagement, while at the front encouraging their
men. Lieutenant-Colonel Miller, Sixth Iowa, was severely wounded in the gallant discharge of
his duty.
We remained on the Villa Rica road until the morning of June 1, when, with the division, we
moved to the left, and relieved the Second and Third Brigades, of General Geary's division,
Twentieth Corps, near New Hope Church. The line here was within 100 yards of the enemy's
32
advanced works. With considerable difficulty I advanced the works about twenty yards to the
front and occupied the crest, securing 11 dead bodies belonging to the command we relieved,
killed in a previous engagement. On the night of the 5th of June the enemy evacuated his
position. My skirmishers followed them in the morning, capturing a picket post of a lieutenant
and 12 men. The Fortieth Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel Barnhill, just returned from veteran
furlough, reported June 5. June 6, we again moved to the left, passing through Acworth, and
went into position two miles south, to the right of the Marietta road. June 9, by order of
Brigadier-General Harrow, I accompanied General Garrard, with his cavalry, on a
reconnaissance to Big Shanty. We returned to the division about 7 p.m. June 12, moved again to
Big Shanty, with the division, and were placed in reserve.
THE CHARGE OF JUNE 15.
June 15, I received orders to move, with the division, to the left to assist in making a
diversion in favor of the Army of the Cumberland. Arriving at the point indicated, on the left of
the Seventeenth Corps, I put my command in position, by direction of General Harrow, with
orders to take a ridge on the south side of Noonday Creek, occupied by the enemy. The line was
formed, One hundred and third Illinois on the right, Fortieth Illinois on the left, Sixth Iowa on the
right center, and the Forty-sixth Ohio on the left center, with the Ninety-seventh Indiana
deployed as skirmishers. The advance was sounded about 1 p.m., and though the men had to pass
through a thick undergrowth and wade the creek, which was deep, with very steep banks, and
under a terrific fire from the enemy, the line, supported by Colonel Oliver's brigade, advanced
handsomely, taking the position sought for and capturing about 400 prisoners, including a
colonel, 8 captains, and 11 lieutenants. The skirmishers were handled magnificently by Colonel
Catterson, who deserves the greatest credit for his gallantry. Lieutenant Grimes, acting adjutant
of the Sixth Iowa, was killed. He was a noble soldier. My loss in this charge was 63 killed and
wounded. The brigade remained in position until 10 p.m., when it was returned to the rear of the
main line. June 25, moved to the right, with the division, and relieved Colonel Mitchell's brigade,
of General Davis' division, near the base of Kenesaw Mountain.
HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., FOURTH DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS,
East Point, Ga., September 10, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor of reporting the operations of the brigade from August 10, to include
the present date:
We remained in our position in the trenches in front of Atlanta until 10 p.m., August 26,
when, according to orders, the brigade was withdrawn from the line. My command, being on the
left of the corps, was the last to be withdrawn. Notwithstanding the intense darkness of the night,
and the severe shelling of the enemy, the withdrawal was accomplished successfully and
promptly, and without any casualties whatever. We moved to the right and camped near Judge
Wilson's, arriving there about 2 a.m. August 27. My skirmishers, One hundred and third Illinois,
Captain Post, arrived in camp about 3 a.m. August 27, I was ordered to remain behind and guard
the trains of the Army of the Tennessee. I put my brigade in position on an admirable line for
defense, facing northeast, connecting on the right with the skirmishers of the Twenty-third
Corps. A few of the enemy's cavalry fired a few shots on our vedette post on the road we came in
on, being the only demonstration made on that day. At 5 p.m. the last of the train having got
started, I moved, reaching camp near Camp Creek, on the Campbellton road, about 1 a.m.
August 28. August 28, I was relieved by a brigade from the Sixteenth Corps, and rejoined the
division, moving with it to near Fairburn, on the Montgomery railroad. During the night my
brigade assisted in the destruction of the railroad. August 30, the command moved easterly,
crossed Flint River, and went into position on the right of the division, about half a mile from
33
Jonesborough, and intrenched. August 31, the enemy made an assault about 3 p.m., but were
handsomely repulsed. General Lewis' Kentucky (rebel) brigade came up in my front, and were
severely punished, capturing Colonel Moss, Major McDowell, a captain, and 2 lieutenants,
Second Kentucky (rebel), and 25 enlisted men from different commands.
September 1, orders were received to advance the skirmish line, which was gallantly done by
the Forty-sixth Ohio. They found the enemy in force and strongly intrenched, with a battery that
had not been before discovered. Finding they could accomplish nothing more, they retired,
occupying the enemy's skirmish pits. Demonstrations were kept up during the day to attract the
enemy's attention, while the Army of the Cumberland was advancing. September 2, during the
night the enemy evacuated his position, and orders were received to follow. The Second Brigade
had the advance of the corps, and moved south on the main road to Lovejoy's. About half a mile
south of Jonesborough we struck the enemy's cavalry. The Sixth Iowa, Lieutenant-Colonel
Miller, and the One hundredth Indiana, Lieutenant-Colonel Heath, were deployed as skirmishers,
and then commenced a brisk running fight for the next four miles, driving the enemy so fast that
they had not time to take advantage of the rail-works previously constructed, when a line of
infantry with two pieces of artillery were found about half a mile from Cedar Bluffs. The two
regiments were so much exhausted that I deployed two fresh regiments, the Forty-sixth Ohio,
Major Alexander, and One hundred and third Illinois. Captain Post, who at once, with the
greatest determination, charged the rebel infantry, which, I have since learned, consisted of an
entire South Carolina brigade, and drove them on the hill and beyond their rifle-pits into their
main works, which were found very strong and full of men. We captured about 40 prisoners and
killed and wounded a great many. The fighting was brisk and gallantly done, and I claim for my
men the taking of the hill, and that they were at all times in the lead of the entire advancing line.
Lieutenant Mellen and Lieutenant Roberts, Forty-sixth Ohio, both very excellent officers, were
killed in this advance. Captain Post, One hundred and third Illinois, received a severe wound
while gallantly leading his regiment. Lieutenant Moore, One hundredth Indiana, had a leg shot
off by a cannon-ball. In the evening the enemy made a determined but very futile attempt to
drive my line. The men held their ground manfully, though opposed by vastly superior numbers.
My entire brigade afterward went into position on the bluff and intrenched. September 5, orders
were received to withdraw the command, which was commenced about 9 p.m. The night was
very dark, and the mud was very deep from the hard rains during the day, making the movement
of men very difficult, but the withdrawal was very successfully done. We arrived in our old
position at Jonesborough at 2 a.m. September 6. September 7, again withdrew my command,
crossed Flint River, moved north and camped for the night at Morrow's Mill. September 8,
moved from Morrow's Mill to my present position at East Point.
Recapitulation of operations of the Second Brigade: Resaca, May 13, 14, and 15. Dallas,
May 27 and 28; capturing 50 prisoners. At New Hope Church we had constant heavy
skirmishing for five days; advanced the line with much difficulty; securing the dead bodies of 11
men of General Geary's division left on the field, and capturing a lieutenant and 12 men.
June 15, we assaulted the enemy's position on the left; took their line, and captured about 400
prisoners, including a colonel and 21 other officers. On the 27th of June the brigade was detailed
to take part, with the Second Division, in the assault on the right of Little Kenesaw Mountain. In
this assault all behaved very gallantly, suffering severely, and only failed because it was
impossible to win. The Forty-sixth Ohio captured 50 [prisoners] on this day. In the battles of the
22d and 28th of July, before Atlanta, the brigade performed a conspicuous part, and behaved
with the greatest gallantry, capturing 100 prisoners in the two engagements. The charge of the
Sixth Iowa, Major Ennis, and the Fortieth Illinois, Captain Galvin, on the right of the corps on
the 28th, was equal in brilliancy to anything that has occurred during the war. The Forty-sixth
34
Ohio, One hundred and third Illinois, and Ninety-seventh Indiana performed a no less important
part on the left.
August 3, the Forty-sixth Ohio made two separate charges on the enemy's skirmish line; the
second charge proved very successful, punishing the enemy severely, and capturing about 70 of
his men. August 31, at Jonesborough, all did well, killing and wounding many of the enemy, and
capturing 5 officers, and 25 men.
September 2, the brigade, especially the One hundred and third Illinois, and Forty-sixth Ohio,
Sixth Iowa, and the One hundredth Indiana, in the advance, in pursuit of Hardee, did splendidly,
capturing 40 prisoners, and punishing the enemy severely in killed and wounded.
In all, we have captured over 700 officers and men, 500 stand of arms, and 1 set of colors.
The brigade has suffered terribly in both officers and men, which shows plainly the hard work
they have done. My brigade has been successful in every undertaking, except on the 27th of
June. Colonel Dickerman, One hundred and third Illinois; Lieutenant-Colonel Barnhill, Fortieth
Illinois: Major Giesy, Forty-sixth Ohio; Major Ennis, Sixth Iowa, and Major Heath, Forty-sixth
Ohio, all of whom were the very best of officers, were killed while leading their regiments.
Lieutenant-Colonel Wright, Major Willison, and Captain Post, One hundred and third Illinois;
Lieutenant-Colonel Miller, Sixth Iowa, and Major Hall, Fortieth Illinois, were each severely
wounded while in command of their respective regiments, making in all 10 field officers killed
and wounded while engaged in battle. The officers of the line have also suffered severely. But
with all this, they have never hesitated to perform any duty assigned them. All deserve the
highest praise for the cheerfulness with which they have performed their part in this arduous
campaign. The Twenty-sixth Illinois, and the One hundredth Indiana have but recently been
assigned to my command, and I can but speak of them in the highest terms, for their bravery and
endurance.
I would be doing injustice to brave and faithful officers did I close this report without calling
the attention of the general commanding to my staff--Captain Upton, Captain Watson,
Lieutenants Johnson, Davidson, Collis, and Parsons, all have done their duty nobly, never
hesitating to go where danger was thickest.
CHAS. C. WALCUTT,
Brigadier-General of Volunteers.
Capt. I. J. BLOOMFIELD,
Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Fourth Div., 15th Army Corps.
HDQRS. SIXTH IOWA VETERAN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,
In the Field, near Acworth, Ga., June 6, 1864.
CAPTAIN: In obedience to orders from brigade headquarters I have the honor to make the
following report:
The regiment left Davenport, Iowa, on April 28 on its return from veteran furlough, and
reached Chattanooga, Tenn., May 5, 1864. On reporting to Major-General Logan it was
ascertained that the brigade and division to which this regiment belonged was already on the
march, and would probably camp that night at Rossville, at the same time giving Lieut. Col. A. J.
Miller, then in command of the regiment, verbal orders to proceed immediately and join the
command, which was done the same evening, reporting to Col. C. C. Walcutt, commanding
Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Fifteenth Army Corps. The regiment, moving with and
forming a portion of the Second Brigade, by continuous marches arrived at a point near Resaca
on the 13th of May, where a line of battle was formed at 5 o'clock of the same day. This
regiment, forming the right of the brigade, was moved forward to a position held by the One
hundredth Indiana Volunteers on the crest of a small hill. Companies I and F were then thrown
35
forward as skirmishers, taking the spur of a hill in our front, about 100 yards from the enemy's
works, at the same time connecting on the right with the left of General Osterhaus. It was thus
matters stood on the night of the 13th.
On the morning of the 14th Companies H and F drove the enemy's skirmishers into their
main line of works, which had been much strengthened during the night, and prevented the
enemy from opening his artillery in our front. The battery was in plain sight. The range was not
to exceed 150 yards in a straight line, and they did fine execution, as could be seen from our high
position and the number of men being carried on litters. At 2 p.m. I was ordered by Lieutenant-
Colonel Miller, commanding regiment, to re-enforce the skirmish line with Companies K, G, and
B, and move forward. At the signal given the line moved gallantly forward, Companies K and B
through an open field, under a heavy fire of the enemy, taking a ravine running directly along the
foot of the hill on which the enemy were posted. This ravine, although muddy and in some
places very deep, furnished protection to the men where they could command the enemy's works
without exposing themselves.
On the evening of the 14th intrenching tools were furnished, and on the morning of the 15th
the skirmish line, composed of Companies G, E, C, F, and D of this regiment, were well fortified
on the banks of the ravine heretofore mentioned. The balance of the regiment was moved during
the night, with the Second Brigade, by the right flank in support of General Osterhaus. The
companies on the skirmish line were ordered to remain with them until relieved, and then join
the command. On the 15th, at 9 o'clock, I received orders to relieve the skirmishers of the Sixth
Iowa, if it was safe, and join the command. Deeming it safe to relieve Company G, it was
relieved on the night of the 15th, and joined the command.
To the officers of this regiment I am grateful for their hearty support and prompt cooperation
in every movement. The men, with two or three exceptions, behaved with usual
gallantry, and although many were shoeless, from the fact of not having shoes to fit them, bore it
without a murmur.
Herewith attached I have the honor to forward report of casualties from May 5 to 15th,
inclusive.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
THOS. J. ENNIS,
Major, Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS SIXTH IOWA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS,
East Point, Ga., September 7, 1864.
CAPTAIN: In obedience to orders, I have the honor to make the following report of the part
taken by my regiment in the recent campaign:
My command rejoined the corps and division, from veteran furlough, at Chattanooga, Tenn.,
on the 5th day of May. Nothing of special interest occurred during our march through Snake
Creek Gap nor until we arrived at Resaca, Ga., where the enemy confronted us in position on the
13th day of May, 1864. My command was here employed principally in skirmishing. Capt.
George W. Holmes, Company K, deserves special mention for the gallant manner in which he
here moved his command across an open field, in face of the enemy. On the night of the 15th the
enemy evacuated his position, and my regiment, together with the entire army corps, moved
rapidly through, and to the right of, the town of Dallas, Ga., and on the morning of the 27th
occupied, with the brigade, a narrow crest of a ridge in full view of the enemy's works. Before
rifle-pits could be completed he commenced a vigorous cannonading, and followed by a terrific
attack of infantry. The enemy was brilliantly repulsed, and left his dead and wounded upon the
field in large numbers. On the 28th of May he again charged our works; to be again discomfited
36
and repulsed. In this second attack I was myself wounded, and the command devolved upon Maj.
Thomas J. Ennis.
On the 1st day of June the command was moved to the right, and took position at New Hope
Church previously occupied by the Twentieth Army Corps. Here it remained four days,
advancing upon the enemy by gradual approaches, when, on the night of June 3, the enemy
suddenly retreated to Kenesaw Mountain. On the 15th day of June the entire division, the Second
Brigade in advance, charged and carried the rifle-pits on the left of the mountain, capturing a
large number of prisoners. On the 27th day of June the command joined in a vigorous but
unsuccessful assault upon the enemy's works upon Little Kenesaw Mountain.
On the 4th day of July, the enemy having evacuated the mountain, the command marched to
a point on the Chattahoochee River, ten miles to the left of Marietta, where we remained,
skirmishing with the enemy's pickets, and on the 13th day of July marched through Marietta, and
on the 14th crossed the river at Roswell Factory. On the 22d day of July, at 1 p.m., the enemy
fiercely engaged our rear. After four hours of severe fighting, during which time we occupied
every side of parallel and perpendicular works, the enemy was driven from our front, rear, and
left in utter and complete confusion. The regiment bivouacked the night of the 27th in the rear of
the Sixteenth Corps, and on the morning of the 28th marched, with the brigade, a distance of one
mile and a half to the right, when the brigade was placed in reserve a few rods in rear of the main
line, partially protected from the enemy's shell by a ridge in front. Here the command remained,
without loss, until about 11 a.m., when a terrific and persistent attack was made upon the main
line. Half an hour later the regiment, followed by the Fortieth Illinois Infantry, and conducted by
the corps commander in person, moved by the double-quick step to the right of the Second
Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, where the enemy had gained the crest of a ridge on the
prolongation of our main line of battle. The regiment had marched by the flank, and as the
command came to a front a terrific volley was poured into our ranks. The gallant Thomas J.
Ennis, major commanding, fell from his horse mortally wounded, and the command of the
battalion here devolved upon Capt. William H. Clune. After a short but severe struggle, during
which the combatants were less than thirty yards apart, the enemy gave way, and were pursued
some distance beyond the crest of the ridge. The command was then ordered back, and hastily
constructed a slight barricade upon the crest, connecting upon the left with Fortieth Illinois
Infantry, and being upon the extreme right. Three companies were then deployed to protect that
flank. The command remained in this position until 4 p.m., during which time four distinct
assaults were made, rather feeble than vigorous. Each was easily repulsed. About 2 p.m. a
regiment of the Seventeenth Army Corps came up and took position on the right. At 4 p.m. my
command was ordered back to the brigade; was ordered soon again to the right to establish a
skirmish line on the flank. My command was soon relieved and resumed the position occupied in
the morning, which completed the movements for the day.
The command remained here until the 3d day of August, when the regiment moved up to the
front line, where it remained, frequently skirmishing with the enemy, until the night of the 26th
of the same month, when the corps evacuated the line under a vigorous cannonading, and
marched to the right a distance of five miles, to the plantation of Judge Wilson, where it
remained until the afternoon of the 27th August. On the evening of August 28, we reached the
Montgomery railroad, and were employed during the night in destroying the track. On the
morning of 30th the corps moved southward, constantly skirmishing, and crossed Flint River in
the afternoon and threw up rifle-pits in front of Jonesborough during the night. About 4 p.m. on
the 31st the enemy advanced upon our works, but was easily repulsed.
During the night of September 1 the enemy evacuated our front, and at 7 a.m. of the 2d the
corps commenced the pursuit, the Second Brigade of Fourth Division in advance. My regiment
37
was deployed as skirmishers immediately south of the village, and advanced rapidly in a
southeasterly direction, parallel with the Macon and Georgia Railroad. About 8 a.m. we came up
with the rear guard of the enemy, composed of cavalry and two pieces of flying artillery. For
four hours a brisk skirmish continued, the enemy retiring before a well-directed fire. At 12 m. I
was relieved, and my command rejoined the brigade. At 4 p.m. the brigade advanced in line of
battle, a distance of nearly two miles, to the crest of a ridge within easy range of the enemy's
works. On the 4th day of September I received a copy of the commanding general's order,
announcing the fall of Atlanta, and on the evening of the 5th returned, with the division, to
Jonesborough, pardonably proud that my command had contributed in some small degree to the
glorious result of the campaign.
Of the conduct of my officers and men it is unnecessary to speak. They belong to, and they
have never disgraced, the Army of the Tennessee. Maj. Thomas J. Ennis was killed July 28.
Noble, gallant and chivalric, his familiar and clarion "onward" rang out above the din of battle at
the fatal moment of his fall. Adjt. Newby Chase was killed May 28. A true soldier; he gave his
life freely for an adopted country. Capt. Thomas J. Elrick, Lieutenants Grimes, Baldwin, Clark,
and Haynes bravely contributed their all to the service of their country.
I can pay no higher compliment to the living than to say they have performed their duties.
One-half my command has been killed and wounded--none taken prisoners. They have
cheerfully endured the hardships of the campaign, confident that the commanding general would
lead them to victory and honor.
I must express my thanks to Asst. Surg. William S. Lambert. He was ever at the front, and
untiring in his exertions to relieve the sick and wounded.
Lieutenant Barker, Company A, was severely wounded at Dallas and returned too soon to
mingle in all engagements subsequent to July 25.
To Lieut. E. G. Fracker I am greatly indebted. He performed the duties of adjutant, and was
never absent from the field of battle.
I should also mention that Capt. William H. Clune assumed command of the regiment June
29, owing to the illness of Major Ennis, retaining the same until July 14, and again, upon the fall
of that officer, till my return, August 4.
The division commissary, Captain Cornyn, and the division quartermaster, Captain Morlan,
have furnished full supplies of rations and clothing during the campaign.
My command is now encamped at East Point, hoping to form a part of the grand army
destined to bear our banner triumphantly southward.
I append a list of casualties for the campaign.
I have the honor to be, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,
A. J. MILLER,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Sixth Iowa Infantry.
Capt. E. N. UPTON,
Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Second Brig., Fourth Div.
HDQRS. FORTY-SIXTH OHIO VETERAN VOL. INFTY.,
Camp in the Field, near Acworth, Ga., June 7, 1864.
CAPTAIN: In compliance with orders received from brigade headquarters, I make the
following report:
On the 30th of April we received General Orders, No. 27, from division headquarters, to
have the command ready to move on the morning of May 1, 1864, on the road toward
Chattanooga. In pursuance of the above orders the regiment took up their line of march, with the
rest of the division, at 7 a.m. Upon starting a detachment of eighty men of the. Sixth Iowa
38
Infantry, in charge of a commissioned officer, were directed to report to major commanding the
regiment, by order of Col. C. C. Walcutt, commanding Second Brigade.
The regiment reached Chattanooga on the afternoon of May 5, camping three miles south on
the Rossville road. There, in compliance with General Orders, No. 7, brigade headquarters, dated
May 5, 1864, the regiment placed in store, at Chattanooga, all camp and garrison equipage,
surplus quartermaster stores, and baggage, retaining three teams to the regiment. The Sixth Iowa
Infantry having rejoined the brigade, the detachment of eighty men in our charge were ordered to
report to their regiment. At 11 a.m. again took up our line of march, camping at 7 o'clock the
following morning. Owing to regiment being guard for division train, we did not encamp until 2
o'clock the following morning, near Taylor's Gap, Ga. Resumed our march at 9 a.m., and
encamped at 4 p.m. at Villa-now, Ga. The succeeding day, May 9, marched out eight [miles],
through Snake Creek Gap, where the division encamped. The regiment was placed on picket on
the Calhoun road, where it remained until the morning of May 11, where we rejoined our brigade
and were formed in line of battle on its left. About 1 p.m. the regiment was ordered forward to
another hill to erect breast-works. May 12, completed the works, when the rest of the brigade
moved up, and we were formed in line of battle behind the works on the right of the brigade.
May 13, at 7 o'clock the regiment, with the rest of the division, marched out of the works on the
Resaca road, and met the enemy about three miles from Resaca, formed in line of battle on the
left of our brigade, and advanced, with the brigade, in line in the rear of the First Brigade, about
1,000 [yards], through the thick woods, into an open field. Here, while the regiment was crossing
a creek, the Ninety-seventh Indiana Infantry Volunteers, of the Second Brigade, was brought on
the left of the regiment to prevent being flanked by the enemy, and the regiment took their place
in line, thus making the Forty-sixth Regiment the next to the left and the Ninety-seventh Indiana
the left regiment of the brigade. We then advanced across the field and into the woods; the First
Brigade being out of ammunition were relieved by the Second Brigade, the Forty-sixth relieving
the Twelfth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Two companies were placed on the skirmish line in the
edge of the woods opposite an open field, the regiment being in line forty yards in the rear of the
skirmishers. In this position the regiment remained all night. Casualties during the day were 4
men wounded. The succeeding day, May 14, the regiment remained in the same position, with a
heavy skirmish line in its front. Casualties, 1 man killed, 1 lieutenant and 5 men wounded. At 3
o'clock the morning of the 15th the regiment was removed, and, with the brigade, moved about
half a mile to the right to support a position of the First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps. About 9
o'clock we were moved back again to nearly our former position in the line. At 11 a.m. the
regiment was relieved by the Tenth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, and joined the brigade half a
mile in the rear on the right of the First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps. Loss this day, 2 men
wounded.
During the night the enemy evacuated their works, and the afternoon of May 16 the regiment
took up its line of march, with the division, in pursuit.
The loss in the regiment during the three days' engagement at Resaca, Ga., 1 man killed, 1
lieutenant and 11 men wounded, so as to unfit them for duty; some others were so slightly
wounded that they did not leave the field.
Very respectfully,
J. W. HEATH,
Captain, Commanding Regiment.
HDQRS. FORTY-EIGHTH ILLINOIS INFTY. VET. VOLS.,
Before Atlanta, Ga., August 8, 1864.
39
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of the Fortyeighth
Illinois Infantry since May 6, 1864, to include August 3, 1864:
On the 6th of May the Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry marched from White's Station to
Crawfish Springs; distance marched, twenty-seven miles. On 7th, at 8 a.m. the Forty-eighth
Illinois Infantry rejoined the Third Brigade, and marched, in rear of the brigade and center of the
division, until late at night, when we were ordered by Captain Philips to a commodious position
in the forest for a bivouac. The 8th we marched to Snake [Creek] Gap, where we rested until the
morning of the 11th, when we were ordered to the front and to the right one mile. On the 12th we
moved to the right, one mile in rear of General Osterhaus' division. Here, three companies of the
Forty-eighth were detailed and sent out on the skirmish lines. On the morning of the 13th we
resumed the march at an early hour. Marched to Resaca, or in the vicinity thereof, when the
regiment was formed in double column at half distance. We were then used as support for the
First Brigade during the first advance. At 4 p.m. we relieved the First Brigade, and took up our
position in rear of the Forty-sixth Ohio Veteran Volunteers. On the evening of the 14th the
Forty-eighth relieved the Forty-sixth Ohio Veteran Volunteers, and took our position on the front
line, where we remained until the morning of the 16th, when we discovered that the enemy had
evacuated his works in our front. After making this discovery we immediately received orders to
prepare to march. We resumed the march at 12 m.; marched a little west of south to the bridge on
the Oostenaula River, which stream we crossed at? p.m. Bivouacked one mile south of the river.
On the 17th we resumed the march at an early hour. Had some light skirmishing with the rebel
cavalry on the evening of the l7th. On the 18th we marched through Adairsville, thence to the
plantation of a British subject, where General Wilder had engaged the enemy's cavalry and
repulsed them. Here we bivouacked for the night in an open field, and three companies of the
Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry were thrown out in front of the division as skirmishers. On the
morning of the 19th we resumed the march at an early hour. Marched by a circuitous route to
Kingston, Ga., when we went into camp and remained until the 23d. On the 23d crossed
Hightower [Etowah] River. On the 23d, 24th, 25th, and 26th marched uninterruptedly until the
evening of the 26th. At 7 p.m. the Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry was deployed as skirmishers (in
the vicinity of Dallas) for the division. Immediately after the several companies of the Fortyeighth
were deployed, sharp skirmishing ensued: the skirmishers of the Forty-eighth driving the
rebel skirmishers on our right to within 150 yards of his strong works. On the 27th we were
relieved from the skirmish line and ordered to the brigade. Immediately after receiving the order
we resumed our position on the line and constructed works; but before we had completed our
rifle-pits the enemy charged us in heavy columns, but were handsomely repulsed, with heavy
loss. We remained in our works and on the skirmish line until the morning of the 1st of June.
From the evening of the 26th to the morning of the 1st of June the Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry
lost, in killed and wounded, 55 men.
On the 1st of June we moved to New Hope Church, eight miles northeast from Dallas, where
we were ordered to take our position behind the front line of works. Here we remained until the
morning of the 6th, when we were ordered to march in pursuit of the retreating enemy. We
marched to Acworth, halted, and rested until the morning of the 10th. On the 10th we marched to
Big Shanty, and took our position on the line in front of the enemy's works. Here we remained
until 12 m. on the 15th of June. We were then ordered to the left one mile and a half, for the
purpose of driving the enemy from a prominent hill upon which the general wished to construct a
fort. After driving the enemy from the hill, the Forty-eighth Regiment, with the several other
regiments of the brigade, moved back three-quarters of a mile, perfectly exhausted from fatigue,
thirst, heat, and hunger. We encamped in an open field, where we remained until the morning of
the 19th, when we were ordered to the right one mile, for the purpose of occupying a line of
40
works which had been constructed by General M. L. Smith, in supporting distance of the Second
Division. Here we remained until the evening of the 25th, when we were ordered to the front line
of works, two miles to the right. Here we remained until 3 a.m., 26th, at which time we were
ordered to relieve the Sixth Iowa. We remained in the works of the Sixth Iowa and on the
skirmish line until the morning of the 3d of July, when we discovered that the enemy had
evacuated the mountain in our front.
From the 1st of June to the 3d of July the Forty-eighth Illinois lost, in killed and wounded, --
men. We were then ordered to march; we marched to Marietta, where we remained until the
morning of the 4th at 11 a.m., when we resumed the march. On the night of the 4th we
bivouacked in the forest contiguous to an open held, the east side of which was occupied by the
enemy. On the 5th we moved in front of the enemy's works, which he had constructed on the
west side of the Chattahoochee River. Here we constructed works on the 6th and 7th, and
remained in vicinity of our works until the evening of the 12th. On the 10th Lieutenant-Colonel
Galbraith was wounded. On the evening of the 12th we resumed the march; passed through
Marietta on the morning of the 13th at 10 a.m. On the 14th we passed through the town of
Roswell, where we crossed the Chattahoochee River. On the 15th we constructed works;
remained in our rifle-pits until the morning of the 17th, when we were ordered forward; marched
until the evening of the 20th, when we halted and constructed works. On the 21st the Fortyeighth
charged the enemy's works, and drove in his pickets; lost 1 commissioned officer and 41
men killed and wounded, and 1 commissioned officer and 2 men prisoners. On the 22d the Fortyeighth
was engaged all day; Colonel Greathouse was killed, and 40 men were killed and
wounded. We held the works which had been constructed by the enemy until the morning of the
27th. On the morning of the 27th we resumed the march at 3 a.m. and marched immediately to
the right, where we took our position on the right of the Sixteenth Army Corps, and directly in
front of the enemy. On the morning of the 28th we were ordered forward in order to feel for the
enemy. Three companies of the Forty-eighth were deployed as skirmishers for the brigade
Immediately after the several companies were deployed sharp skirmishing ensued. Captain
G[rimes], who was commanding the skirmishers, discovered the enemy moving two batteries,
one to his front, and one to the right of his skirmish line, for the purpose of throwing grape and
canister into the skirmish line. After the enemy graped, canistered, and shelled the skirmish line
for the space of half an hour, the commander of the skirmishers discovered the enemy advancing
in strong columns. The skirmishers remained stationary, with undaunted courage, until the
enemy had advanced within thirty feet of our skirmish pits, when Captain G[rimes] gave the
command to fire. The boys being cool and undaunted, immediately responded, pouring the most
deadly volley of musketry into the very face of the enemy, which caused almost a panic in the
rebel ranks, at least they were so confused as to compel the rebel commander to reform his lines
ere he advanced farther. Immediately after firing, the skirmishers retreated and resumed their
respective positions in the regiment. The engagement became general at 10 a.m. and lasted until
4.30 p.m., when the Forty-eighth Illinois was relieved by the Tenth Illinois. The Forty-eighth
Illinois lost 6 commissioned officers and 58 men killed and wounded. The Forty-eighth Illinois
remained on the line where works were constructed by the several regiments of the Fourth
Division until the evening of the 3d August, when we were moved forward to a line of works
which had been constructed and formerly occupied by General Jeff. C. Davis' division, of the
Fourteenth Corps.
EDWARD ADAMS,
Major 48th Illinois Infty. Vet. Vols., Comdg. Regt.
Capt. H. L. PHILIPS,
A. A. A. G., Third Brig., Fourth Div., 15th Army Corps.
41
ARTILLERY HDQRS. FOURTH DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, May 21, 1864.
SIR: I have to report the part taken by the artillery of this division at the battle of Resaca to
be as follows:
On Friday, the 13th, the division moved forward, supporting the First Division early in the
day, and at the first opportunity General Harrow ordered up the artillery, and Battery F, First
Illinois Artillery, was brought up, and fired the first shot at the rebel lines at Resaca. This fine
battery fired effectively, and advanced as the rebels retired, doing good service throughout. Later
in the day the First Iowa Battery was brought upon the field and did some fine shooting, and on
the 13th, 14th, and 15th the artillery fire was maintained at fitting intervals. On the 15th Battery
F was retired, and on that night it was placed in a fortified position, but the enemy being gone in
the morning, the battery did not fire from that position. On the 15th the First Iowa Battery was
served slowly most of the day, receiving a well-directed reply from the rebel line which was at
last silenced. On the night of the 15th the enemy evacuated their position. Upon examining that
part of the rebel line upon which the fire of the two batteries was directed, the remains of one
rebel Parrott gun, and of one Napoleon gun carriage were found, and everything tended to show
that our fire was very effective.
I am under many obligations to Captain Burton, commanding Battery F, and to First Lieut.
W. H. Gay, commanding First Iowa Battery, for their valuable services on this occasion. Each
battery lost 1 man severely wounded, and others slightly wounded.
Sergt. Commodore P. Spicer, of the First Iowa Battery, has since died of the wounds received
at Resaca. He was a gallant man, and deserved a better fate. The officers and men of both
batteries did their whole duty.
I forward herewith the reports of battery commanders.
H. H. GRIFFITHS,
Captain and Acting Chief of Artillery.
Capt. O. J. WILKINSON,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
OFFICE CHIEF OF ARTILLERY, FOURTH DIV., 15TH A. C.,
July 26, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to report the part taken by the artillery of this division in the actions of
the 20th, 21st, and 22d of this month to be as follows:
On the 20th the artillery was ordered forward by Major Maurice, chief of artillery for the
Fifteenth Army Corps. The position was much exposed, and the rebel line such that we could not
reply, the timber being so dense we could see nothing. We remained here without firing a shot,
and had 2 men killed and 9 wounded and lost several horses. On the night of the 20th some
hastily constructed works were thrown up, and we changed front, and early in the morning
opened fire with good effect and fired at intervals all day. To vary the line of fire the guns were
drawn out of the works and served in the open field, exposed to a severe musketry fire. On the
22d the rebels having evacuated their line, it was taken possession of by us, and the rifle-pits
reversed for our use. Both batteries were placed upon this line, but no works were constructed for
them, Early in the day an attack was threatened in our rear, and soon after it became general;
both the batteries were engaged in repulsing this attack, particularly Battery F, which rendered
good service. Soon after this rear attack was made there began an assault from our front or from
toward Atlanta. The First Iowa Battery was moved to the new line and in a moment the rush of
rebel infantry began. We opened fire with case and shell, and toward the last with canister, firing
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seventy-two rounds of this last projectile, and entirely preventing one single rebel from
approaching our front. At last the Second Division, Brig. Gen. Morgan L. Smith, commanding,
retreated from their rifle-pits and thus allowed our line to be broken, when the enemy, forming a
new line, began to charge down on our right. Our canister was gone, and finding the infantry
giving way on our right, I at last ordered the guns to be limbered up and retired to our original
line. Soon after I ordered all the artillery at my command to open, and shelled for twenty minutes
the position lately held by us, driving all the rebels entirely from it, when it was retaken by our
infantry without firing a shot. Battery F lost its caissons, they having been parked in rear of the
Second Division, but the caissons, &c., of the First Iowa Battery were brought off safely. I
herewith thank Lieutenant Gay and his battery for their good conduct on that day, and to Captain
Burton for his well-directed fire, he having fired in almost every direction and moved his battery
many times during the course of this hard-fought action.
Herewith please find the official report of the two batteries, which are made a part of this
report.
H. H. GRIFFITHS,
Captain and Chief of Artillery.
Lieutenant VAN DYKE,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. BATTERY F, FIRST REGT. ILLINOIS LIGHT ARTY.,
Near Atlanta, Ga., July 25, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by Battery F, First
Regiment Illinois Light Artillery, in the actions of July 20, 21, and 22, 1864:
The Fourth Division, of the Fifteenth Army Corps, of which Battery F forms a part, moved
on the morning of the 20th from Decatur along the line of the Western and Atlantic Railroad
within about two miles of Atlanta, when, there being evidence of the presence of the enemy in
force, a line of battle was formed along the summit of a ridge directly in the rear of the position
now occupied. My battery remained in column by the side of the railroad until about 4 p.m.,
when my guns and limbers, and the guns and limbers of the First Iowa Battery, were ordered
forward to take a position in the margin of an open field, with a view to silencing a rebel battery
that was shelling the Seventeenth Army Corps from the opposite ridge. In company with the
chief of artillery, I rode forward and examined the position designated, and joined with him in
protesting against the battery occupying the position without defenses, as it was exposed to a
front fire from artillery and a flank fire from musketry. Major Maurice, chief of artillery,
Fifteenth Army Corps, after examining the position, pronounced it untenable, and ordered the
batteries removed. This order was countermanded by his superior officer, and the batteries were
put in position. I did not open, however, and while awaiting orders, a rebel battery opened a
flank fire upon us from a point that the timber prevented us from seeing, and I could not reply, as
an exposure of my position would have resulted in great loss to myself of men and horses, with
no certainty of effecting any damage to the enemy. My loss was, fortunately, but 1 man killed.
During the night of the 20th a work was erected for the protection of the battery, and on the
morning of the 21st I occupied it. Soon after sunrise I opened on the enemy with good effect, but
elicited no reply. Toward noon a large working party was discovered erecting and strengthening
rifle-pits in front of the position occupied by the Seventeenth Army Corps, and nearly on the
flank of my battery. I moved three pieces from my works into the open field, where I could
obtain nearly a flank fire, and opened on them, compelling them for a time to suspend
operations. An attempt was made to return our fire, but only two shots were delivered from their
artillery before they discovered that the place was too warm, and the remainder of the section,
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making the attempt, hastily retired, leaving, however, a portion of one carriage and some horses
on the field. My guns were served with efficiency and zeal, all of my men behaving well. My
loss was I sergeant killed and 1 corporal wounded.
On the morning of the 22d the skirmish line was advanced and occupied the enemy's works
with very little resistance. The main line was then moved forward to the line previously occupied
by the enemy, and my battery was placed in position without works, no danger of an assault
being apprehended. Soon after, however, the general commanding the division, ordered works
erected, and a slight parapet was built without embrasures. The work was considered needless by
all who expressed themselves in my hearing with the exception of General Harrow, commanding
the division. Our skirmish line was a long distance in advance and it was supposed that the main
line would be advanced immediately. About 10 or 11 a.m., however, we were surprised by a
report that the enemy had turned the left flank of our line, and that the Sixteenth and Seventeenth
Corps were falling back in disorder. A few moments proved that the report was too true, for we
discovered the Seventeenth Corps falling back across an open field to our left and reforming
behind a slight breast-work perpendicular to the line occupied by us. My caissons were parked in
a deep ravine in the rear of my guns, but as they were exposed to a raking fire from the flanking
force if they opened with artillery, the chief of artillery of the division, believing no attack need
be apprehended on our front, ordered them moved into a road running parallel with, and about
100 yards in the rear of, our main line, affording an exit into the main road in the rear of the
Second Division, Fifteenth Army Corps. I ordered them there in obedience to his orders and
immediately afterward was ordered to move with one section of my battery to the left of our line.
At this time my battery was divided into sections, one section being in our direct front, one
section operating with the Seventeenth Army Corps, one section on the left of our line, and my
caissons in columns in the road in the rear of the Second Division. I was with my left section.
Two of my officers had been detached from the battery, and one was home on sick leave, leaving
me but one officer. Consequently two of my sections and my line of caissons were under the
command of sergeants. But a short time had elapsed after the assault of the enemy on our left had
been repulsed, and a confidence in our ability to hold our lines restored, when a furious assault
was made on the front of the Fourth and Second Divisions of the Fifteenth Army Corps, breaking
the line of the Second Division near the railroad and driving our men from their works. Every
effort was made by the sergeant in charge to save my caissons but without avail, for before they
could reach the main road the rebels had the lead horses by their bridles. The drivers saved
themselves from capture by jumping from their horses into the brush. Two of them were severely
wounded, but the majority escaped unhurt. I am informed by the sergeant in charge that no
cowardice was exhibited by the drivers, and that not a solitary one of them left his saddle until
the road was blockaded by the leading carriage being halted by the rebels. My entire line of
caissons were captured, with all their implements and equipments, and the haversacks, canteens,
blankets and a part of the cooking utensils of the men. The breaking of the line of the Second
Division compelled our division to fall back, and the line was reformed and the artillery placed
in position on the ridge occupied in the morning. As soon as it was fully ascertained that the
enemy were the only occupants of the front line, the artillery in position, consisting of one of my
sections, the First Iowa Battery, and a battery from the Seventeenth Army Corps, under the
direction of the chief of artillery of the Fourth Division, opened a fire so destructive in its effects
that our infantry reoccupied the line broken with scarcely any resistance. This closed the fighting
for the day.
I forward herewith a report of casualties and loss of horses and materials so far as I have been
able to ascertain them.
Yours, very respectfully,
44
J. H. BURTON,
Captain, Comdg. Baty. F, First Regt. Illinois Light Arty.
Brig. Gen. WILLIAM HARROW,
Commanding Fourth Division, 15th Army Corps.
HEADQUARTERS FIRST IOWA BATTERY,
In the Field, Ga., June 4, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to report that on the 1st of May one section of this battery, commanded
by Lieut. A. S. Curtiss, left Scottsborough, Ala., with the Fourth Division, Fifteenth Army Corps,
marching in the direction of Chattanooga. The two sections remaining being without horses, I
was ordered by the general to remain until horses were sent me, and then at once rejoin the
command. After remaining three days, and finding that there was no probability of receiving
horses at this point, I telegraphed to Major Stolbrand, chief of artillery for the corps, my
situation, who immediately ordered me to proceed with the battery on first train for Chattanooga,
and report. I immediately complied with this order, placing Lieut. D. M. Parks in charge, while I,
with sixteen mounted men and one transportation wagon, marched for Chattanooga, where I
arrived on the 6th at noon; found the guns had arrived the day before. Reporting at corps
headquarters I found that horses were expected on the first train from Nashville. On the 7th the
horses came, and I made immediate preparation to rejoin the division. Many of the horses were
without shoes, and I was compelled to delay long enough to get them shod. Left Chattanooga on
the 9th, and reached the command at Snake [Creek] Gap on the evening of the 11th.
On the 13th we moved upon the enemy, and found him in force at Resaca About 4 p.m. I was
ordered by you to take position on the right of Company F, First Illinois Artillery, and on the
extreme right of the division, in front of heavy works of the enemy, and open fire. Our fire was
well directed, and the effect was good. On the 14th one section of the battery was ordered to take
position farther to the left, to enfilade the enemy's works. Good firing was done, eliciting a
response. On the 15th the entire battery opened a heavy fire, and drew a heavy and well-directed
response from the enemy. But their guns were silenced in every instance. Some of our firing was
the best I ever saw, and brought forth many cheers from our skirmishers in front. On the night of
the 15th the rebels evacuated. On examination of the rebel works in the direction of our fire, one
gun was found dismounted and broken and one carriage destroyed.
Our guns were new 10-pounder Parrotts and worked admirably, and the effect of the firing
proved them to be a very effective gun.
I am under obligations to Lieuts. A. S. Curtiss and Thomas A. Ijams for their efficiency and
good conduct throughout.
Corpls. Samuel Black, Clinton E. Olney, and Alonzo C. Blanchard are deserving of great
credit for their coolness and the accuracy with which they fired their guns.
I cannot close without mentioning the admirable conduct of First Sergt. William R. Lebert,
who had charge of one section during the engagement. I am under many obligations to him.
Our loss was 2 wounded, Sergt. C. P. Spicer severely, in the right leg, since died. He was a
veteran and a most worthy and efficient officer, and his loss is regretted by both men and
officers.
Corpl. C. E. Olney was wounded slightly in the right leg.
I am happy to say that the entire command acquitted itself well, for which the men deserve
the praise.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. H. GAY,
Lieutenant, Commanding First Iowa Battery.
45
Capt. H. H. GRIFFITHS,
Chief of Artillery. Fourth Division.
HEADQUARTERS FIRST IOWA BATTERY,
Before Atlanta, Ga., July 25, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the battery on
the 20th and 21st instant:
In the afternoon of the 20th I was ordered by you to take position on the extreme left of the
division and in the edge of a timber fronting an open field, with orders not to open fire till
instructed so to do from you. I moved the battery to the place indicated, and while getting into
position a rebel battery opened on our right flank with a well-directed and destructive fire, killing
and wounding in the short space of fifteen minutes 7 of my men and 4 of my horses. I remained
here till night, the enemy occasionally firing, but doing us no further damage. About dark I was
ordered by you to change my front to the right and put my guns in the best position the ground
would admit of, which I did. During the night I put up temporary works as good as the exhausted
state of my men and the want of proper tools could warrant. In the morning (21st) I was ordered
by you to open fire. This I did with great effect, as could be plainly seen, causing the enemy
great discomfort, forcing them to retire, and giving the right of the Seventeenth Corps an
opportunity to advance their lines. A good portion of the time I had three of my guns out of the
works--firing in the open field.
My men all behaved well--extremely well, which I am proud to acknowledge.
The firing done by Corpl. William Watson was as good as I ever saw.
I regret to record the death of Sergt. Alonzo C. Blanchard, who was killed while getting his
gun into position on the 20th. His death is regretted by all; genial, brave, and manly, he had the
good will of all who knew him.
Lieut. Thomas A. Ijams was seriously wounded in the left leg, which occasioned me the loss
of a brave and efficient officer for some time to come.
The following is the list of casualties.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. H. GAY,
Lieutenant, Commanding First Iowa Battery.
Capt. H. H. GRIFFITHS,
Chief of Artillery, Fourth Division.
-----
HEADQUARTERS FIRST IOWA BATTERY,
Before Atlanta, Ga., July 25, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the part which this battery took
in the action of the 22d instant:
Early in the morning it was discovered that the enemy were leaving their works in our
immediate front, and our skirmishers pushing forward, soon had possession of the works. Not
long after I was ordered by you to move the battery to the front, across the ravine, and to the left
of my old position, and take position on a knoll with directions to open fire on the city as soon as
Battery H, First Illinois, opened, which was to be the signal. The signal not being given, I did not
fire. About 1 p.m. firing was heard on our left and rear, and this not far off. It became evident to
me at once that the enemy were endeavoring to turn our left. The firing soon became heavy.
About this time you came up and ordered my two Napoleon guns to the left, but they were not
used. In the mean time I changed the front of my battery to the left, and was ready to open fire.
At this juncture General Harrow came up and told me that I had better not open fire then, as there
46
was danger of firing into our own men. I was also told that there were two or three batteries in
my front. I then concluded to move the battery across the ravine in my rear and get in battery on
the hill. When I reached the crossing, I found a battery there already making an effort to cross.
Finding that I could not cross at once, I went into battery with three of my guns (Sergeant Lebert
having joined me with the section of Napoleons) on a little knoll in front of the caissons. About
this time you came up and ordered the battery to the hill on the opposite side of the ravine, and
here ordered me to open fire, which I did. The firing, however, was soon discontinued. I here
ordered my caissons and transportation up under cover of the hill, and about 200 yards in the rear
of the battery.
Shortly after it became evident that the enemy were preparing to charge our front, and you at
once ordered me to change the front of the battery to the right, and push it down to the rifle-pits,
which had been hastily constructed by our division out of the works the rebels had vacated. We
had scarcely put ourselves in position when the enemy charged our lines with the greatest fury. I
opened fire on their advancing columns with case-shot first, and then with canister, and with
great effect. They were checked in the front of our division, but continued to charge with
unabated fury in the front of the Second Division, and finally succeeded in breaking the line.
This compelled the right of our division to fall back (though not without hard fighting), which
was done in good order. In the mean time I had turned three of my guns to the right, firing
canister, with the hope of checking the enemy's advance. But the line was too thoroughly broken,
and you seeing this, ordered me to take my guns out. Five of them I got out without sustaining
any loss in men or animals, but the sixth piece, being on the extreme right, was more exposed.
Three of the horses were shot, and it seemed for a time that the piece must be lost; but after much
personal exertion I succeeded in getting it off also. For this I am much indebted to Lieutenant
Curtiss and Private Hugh McKeloogue, who remained with the gun to the last.
I then sent for my caissons, well knowing they were in danger. I had placed them in charge of
Corpl. Elliott Frazier, and gallantly did he sustain his trust. Seeing that the caissons were in great
danger, he promptly moved them back out of the reach of the enemy, without the loss of a strap.
I am greatly indebted to him for the prompt and energetic action in this affair. To him I feel that I
owe the safety of my caissons, and I cannot say too much in his praise.
I must also mention the good conduct of Quartermaster-Sergt. R. Z. Bell in promptly putting
my transportation out of danger, which he did with great personal exertion. The battery never
sustained itself better than on this occasion, and this I attribute to the indomitable courage of the
men. I cannot say too much in their praise. All did their duty well.
I cannot close this without mention of the gallant Forty-eighth Illinois, who stood by us to the
last, and to them I feel that I owe in a great measure the safety of the battery on this occasion,
for, while we were getting out the enemy turned fire on us. At this point more than 100 of the
Forty-eighth Illinois rushed out in front of the battery and opened fire, which for the moment
checked them, and enabled us to get away. In this struggle this regiment lost their gallant
colonel, lamented by all.
The following are the casualties on this occasion:
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. H. GAY,
Lieutenant, Commanding First Iowa Battery.
Capt. H. H. GRIFFITHS,
Chief of Artillery, Fourth Division.
HDQRS. LEFT WING, SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Saint Louis, Mo., November 25, 1864.
47
COLONEL: I have the honor herewith to submit my report of the operations of this
command during the campaign in Georgia, from its commencement up to and including August
19, at which time I was compelled, on account of wounds that day received, to relinquish the
command.
On the 29th day of April, 1864, the command, consisting of the Second and Fourth
Divisions, and First Alabama Cavalry, Sixteenth Army Corps (excepting the Third Brigade of
the Fourth Division, which was left at Decatur, Ala.) moved east, the Second Division, Brig.
Gen. T. W. Sweeny commanding, moving from Pulaski, Tenn., and Athens, Ala., the Fourth
Division, Brig. Gen. J. C. Veatch commanding, from Decatur, Ala., with orders to concentrate at
Huntsville, Ala.
From Huntsville, May 2, the command moved along the main road toward Stevenson, Ala.,
until May 4, when the command embarked on cars for Chattanooga, Tenn, the Second Division
from Larkinsville, and the Fourth Division from Woodville. The transportation and artillery of
the command, except one battery to each division taken on cars, was sent by land on main road
to Chattanooga, via Bridgeport, under escort of the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry and a portion
of the First Alabama Cavalry, under command of Lieut. Col. J. J. Phillips, Ninth Illinois
Mounted Infantry. The entire command reached and debarked at Chattanooga on the morning of
May 5, and with three days rations in haversacks immediately marched out on the Rossville road.
The Second Division, in advance, bivouacked at Gordon's Mills, on Chickamauga Creek, and the
Fourth Division at Rossville. The command moved May 7, Fourth Division in advance, on the
Tavern road, via Rock Spring Church, and bivouacked near Gordon's Gap, on Little
Chickamauga Creek. The Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Col. (now Brig. Gen.) J. W. Sprague
commanding, was pushed forward to seize and hold Ship's Gap, which was accomplished, with
slight skirmishing, at 9 p.m. May 8, the command, Second Division in advance, moved, by way
of Ship's Gap and Villanow, to Snake Creek Gap, which was occupied, and the command
bivouacked therein--the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, supported by the Thirty-ninth Iowa
Infantry, being pushed forward to Sugar Creek Valley, to hold the eastern outlet of the gap.
During the night I received orders to move at 6 a.m., May 9, toward Resaca, advancing as far as
Rome Cross-Roads, in Sugar Valley, and there await specific orders and instructions, the object
of the, move, as stated to me, being to demonstrate on Resaca while other troops would cut the
railroad north of that place.
At daylight in the morning (May 9) the advance, consisting of the Ninth Illinois Mounted
Infantry and Thirty-ninth Iowa Infantry, was attacked by Ferguson's brigade of the enemy's
cavalry. The Second Brigade of the Second Division was immediately ordered up, and, moving
forward, promptly drove and routed the enemy. In this engagement the gallant Lieut. Col. Jesse
J. Phillips, commanding Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, was severely wounded. Upon reaching
Rome Cross-Roads I received orders to advance on Resaca, pressing forward until I should
succeed in developing the enemy in line of battle or in his fortifications, and, if I gained the
Calhoun and Dalton cross-roads, one mile west of Resaca, to hold them until one division of the
Fifteenth Army Corps should arrive and relieve me. I advanced steadily, meeting with
considerable resistance and skirmishing heavily the entire distance to the last-named cross-roads,
when the enemy was discovered in line of battle on the Bald Hill, about three-quarters of a mile
west of Resaca, and in his works at Resaca. Leaving the Fourth Division at the crossroads I
immediately ordered the Second Division formed in two lines, and, advancing it rapidly, drove
the enemy, took possession of the Bald Hill, and held it. My position and that of the enemy and
his strength was promptly reported to Major-General McPherson, who soon thereafter arrived on
the ground and directed me to send a few mounted men up the Dalton road to reconnoiter the
country and find an approach to the railroad in that direction. He also directed me to hold the
48
Bald Hill and cross-roads until the Fifteenth Army Corps arrived. I immediately sent a
detachment of eighteen mounted men (all I had left), under Captain Hughes, Ninth Illinois
Mounted Infantry, up the Dalton road. This force struck the railroad about two miles south of
Tilton (which they found strongly patrolled by the enemy's cavalry) and succeeded in cutting the
telegraph wires and in burning a wood station, reporting to me without loss at dark. About 4 p.m.
I received orders to advance my left, the Fourth Division, to the railroad north of Resaca, and
hold the Bald Hill with the Second Division. General Veatch was immediately ordered to move,
with Fuller's and Sprague's brigades, of his (Fourth) division, massed in close column by
divisions, and, forming promptly, he moved rapidly across the west fork of Mill Creek, in plain
view of Resaca. The enemy, observing the movement, opened a heavy fire from his batteries
upon the column, and also, together with rapid musketry, upon the left of the Second Division,
doing, however, but little execution. After having moved the column across the first open field, I
received from General McPherson an order directing me to look well to my right, as the enemy
was massing and pressing forward in that direction. Colonel (now Brigadier-General) Fuller led
the advance of the column, and, just as he was gaining cover of the woods on the east side of
Mill Creek, I received notice that Colonel (now Brigadier-General) Sprague's brigade had been
halted, by order of General McPherson, to support the left of the Second Division and hold the
space between that division and the Fourth Division. I was with the advance (Fuller's brigade).
The skirmishers had just reported that they were within a short distance of the railroad when the
enemy opened fire upon the brigade with a regiment of infantry and a battery in position, directly
on our right. I immediately sent orders to Colonel Fuller to charge the battery and swing still
farther to the north, under cover of the timber. Before this order was executed I received orders
from General McPherson to withdraw the brigade and close upon Colonel Sprague, who was
formed on the left of the Second Division. This had to be done in view of the enemy, whose
batteries had a point-blank range across the open fields upon the column. Colonel Fuller
deployed his brigade under cover of the timber, and, withdrawing by regiments across the open
fields, formed in position on the west side of Mill Creek. By the time the withdrawal was
accomplished it was sunset, and I received orders to withdraw the command and return to Snake
Creek Gap. I accordingly withdrew the command and bivouacked, about 12 o'clock at night, at
the eastern outlet of the gap. The Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry skirmished from Snake Creek Gap
to Resaca, some eight miles, driving the enemy before them the entire distance without detention
to the column. My loss during the day was 29 killed, wounded, and missing. We took some 30
prisoners. An official report, seen some days after in the rebel papers, showed that one of the
enemy's regiments at Resaca lost 70 men killed and wounded. During the entire day the
command acted under the personal direction of Major-General McPherson, and promptly obeyed
and executed all his orders. My transportation had not as yet reached me. I had with the entire
corps, since leaving Chattanooga, only seventeen wagons, and I had marched out in the morning
without rations, most of the command having been without food since the day before at noon.
Thus a march of sixteen miles was made by the command, the men and animals whereof had had
nothing to eat for a day and a half.
The command remained at Snake Creek Gap, intrenching its position and bringing forward
transportation and supplies, until May 13, when it moved out with the army. The Fourth
Division, being in advance, formed on the right of the Fifteenth Army Corps (the Second
Division in reserve), and advanced to Mill Creek, fronting Resaca, with the right resting on
Oostenaula River. Batteries were placed in positions that commanded the town, and the division
intrenched. On May 14 the Second Division, which had remained in reserve, was ordered to
Lay's Ferry to cover the laying of a pontoon bridge, and secure a crossing over the Oostenaula.
During the afternoon a portion of the Second Brigade, Second Division (Sixty-sixth Illinois
49
Infantry and Eighty-first Ohio Infantry), crossed the river, drove the enemy from his rifle-pits,
and captured a number of prisoners and 1 battle-flag. Reports having reached General Sweeny
that the enemy was crossing in force at Calhoun Ferry, that officer withdrew the brigade (Sixtysixth
Illinois and Eighty-first Ohio) to the north side of the river, and sent the Third Brigade to
ascertain the truth in relation to the reported crossing of the enemy at Calhoun Ferry, and found
the report false. During the afternoon the line of hills east of Mill Creek and directly in front of
Resaca were charged and carried. The Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Col. (now Brig. Gen.) J.
W. Sprague commanding, participated in the charge, and received from General Woods (under
whose orders he acted) great credit for the gallant and efficient manner in which it aided in
carrying and holding the lines. In the charge the right of the Fifteenth Army Corps becoming
much exposed, General J. C. Veatch, in order to cover and protect it, threw forward the Thirtyninth
Ohio Infantry, of the First Brigade, Fourth Division. This regiment did its work most
nobly, capturing the enemy's skirmish line, including 3 commissioned officers, and held the
position taken, which during the night was intrenched.
On the morning of the 15th the First Brigade, Second Division, Col. (now Brig. Gen.) E. W.
Rice commanding, was thrown across the Oostenaula at Lay's Ferry. The pontoon bridge was
laid, and Second Brigade, Second Division, crossed. The troops had scarcely got into position
when the First Brigade was attacked by a portion of Walkers division, Hardee's corps, in largely
superior force, which impetuously charged down upon the brigade. Colonel Rice, by an
admirable maneuver, caught the enemy in flank, while the batteries, in position on the north side
of the river, opened a direct and deadly fire upon the enemy's front, and he was soon routed and
driven from the field, leaving his dead and a portion of his wounded in our hands. The Third
Brigade soon came up, and was thrown across the river, and the entire division intrenched, thus
placing it on the flank and rear of the enemy's army and almost directly upon his
communications, which, no doubt, was one great cause leading to the evacuation of Resaca and
the retreat of Johnston's army south. The loss of the Second Division in this engagement did not
exceed 200 in killed, wounded, and missing, while that of the enemy was much greater, as their
own reports acknowledge in killed alone more than that number. Col. E. W. Rice, who had
charge of the crossing and commanded the troops in the engagement, deserves great credit for
the gallant and efficient manner in which he performed his duty. His division commander (Brig.
Gen. T. W. Sweeny) was not on the ground, and the entire direction and control of the movement
fell upon him.
The following morning, May 16, I received orders to move the Fourth Division to Lay's
Ferry, cross the Oostenaula, and push the entire command forward, as far as practicable, on the
road to Adairsville Station. The Second Division, General Sweeny, had received orders at
daylight, direct from Major-General Sherman, to move out at once and secure the Rome and
Calhoun cross-roads. I arrived at the ferry about 9 a.m. with the advance of the Fourth Division,
and was informed by General Sweeny that the Third Brigade only, Col. M. M. Bane
commanding, had been pushed forward. Knowing that the enemy would in all probability contest
our advance on this flank, and endeavor especially to hold those roads, I ordered the other two
brigades of the Second Division to move out immediately to Colonel Bane's support; and
instructing General Veatch to cross as rapidly as possible and follow the Second Division, I went
immediately to the front, and found Colonel Bane in line of battle, skirmishing heavily along his
entire front and on both flanks, and the enemy developed in heavy force in rifle-pits on his left.
General Sweeny, commanding the division, not being present, I immediately ordered Col. P. E.
Burke, commanding Second Brigade, into position on Colonel Bane's right, directing him to
deploy the Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry as skirmishers. I placed the First Brigade, Colonel Rice
commanding, in position on the left and rear of Colonel Bane, on a line of commanding hills that
50
we could occupy and hold in case of an attack by a superior force of the enemy, until the balance
of the army arrived. Colonel Burke had pressed his skirmishers forward on the right until they
had seized the Rome and Calhoun cross-roads, which I ordered him to hold, if possible, until the
Fourth Division could be brought up. General Veatch had just arrived upon the ground, and was
being shown the position to be taken by his division, on the right of the Second Division, when
the enemy in heavy force charged down upon the right of the Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry, which
was deployed as skirmishers, striking it in flank. This regiment, which is in part armed with the
Henry rifle (seventeen-shooters), by a stubborn resistance, and a steady, cool fire, checked the
enemy's advance, and gave me time to throw forward to its support, and directly to the enemy's
front, the balance the of Second Brigade and part of the Third Brigade. The Sixty-sixth Illinois
then fell back gradually to its supports. The enemy advancing rapidly in line of battle received
the fire, first of the Eighty-first Ohio Infantry, then of the Twelfth Illinois Infantry and Thirtyninth
Iowa Infantry, which checked and routed him. At the same time the enemy advanced on
Colonel Burke. They moved in force around on the east side of Oothkaloga Creek, on my
extreme left and rear, to a high range of hills commanding the valley and road up which my
command was advancing, when they opened a battery, which for a few moments caused some
confusion in rear of my line. The Second Iowa Infantry, of Colonel Rice's brigade, was
immediately ordered to cross the creek and charge the battery. It moved promptly forward for
that purpose, and received a heavy fire, but found the creek impassable. The enemy, however,
discovering the movement, withdrew. A new line was immediately formed on an extension of
the First Brigade, Second Division, on the line of hills before alluded to; the Fourth Division
forming on the right of Colonel Rice, the Second and Third Brigades, Second Division, were
drawn back and formed as a rear line and reserve. Major-General McPherson arrived on the
ground just before the attack of the enemy and after their defeat ordered the troops to bivouac in
the new position. Skirmishers were pushed forward and crossed the ground fought over. At dark
the Fifteenth Army Corps arrived and formed on my right. During the night my transportation
crossed the river and came up. My loss during the day was about 70 killed and wounded; that of
the enemy unknown. From prisoners captured I ascertained that three divisions of Hardee's corps
were intrenched at the cross-roads, covering Calhoun and the railroad. I cannot speak in terms
too highly of the conduct of Col. M. M. Bane. He found the enemy in his front in force largely
superior to his own, and forming and handling his brigade with consummate skill fought it
successfully. Nor can I speak too highly of the conduct of the gallant and lamented Col. P. E.
Burke, commanding Second Brigade, who fell at the head of his brigade while engaged in
checking the enemy's charge, and from his wounds there received died a few days after at
Resaca. His loss fell heavily upon the command. An officer of acknowledged ability, he had
already won the esteem and secured the confidence of all in his superior judgment on the march
and in battle. In this engagement his prompt action and quick and skillful management of his
three regiments, with their steady unflinching fire, converted a promised serious disaster to the
command into one to the enemy.
At 7 p.m. of May 17 the command moved out toward Kingston, via McGuire's and
Adairsville and Woodland roads, and after two nights and one day and a half's march reached
Kingston, where transportation was reduced and twenty days' short rations for men and animals
collected. May 22, the Third Brigade of the Second Division, Col. M. M. Bane commanding,
was detached from the command and sent to Rome, Ga., to garrison that place, and did not take
any further part in the campaign. On May 23 the command moved out on the Van Wert road,
with orders to concentrate at Pumpkin Vine Post-Office, some ten miles south of Dallas. After
three days and two nights' tedious march, as rear guard to the army, the command reached Little
Pumpkin Vine Creek, ten miles southeast of Dallas, and one mile and a half south of Moody's
51
Mills, on the direct road to Pumpkin Vine Post-Office, late in the night of the 25th. At 12 o'clock
that night I received orders to move north, camp on the Van Wert and Dallas road, and be
prepared at daylight to advance with the rest of the army on Dallas. The troops had hardly
bivouacked, when, daylight having arrived, the advance was moved out on a cross-road, striking
the main Dallas road at Pumpkin Vine Creek. A crossing was effected, the command formed in
line, advanced upon, and, after slight skirmishing, entered Dallas, General Jeff. C. Davis
division, of the Fourteenth Army Corps, entering at the same time from the north. The command
bivouacked about half a mile east of the town, facing a high range of hills occupied by the
enemy. At daylight on the morning of the 27th the enemy pressed forward in heavy force, drove
in a portion of my skirmishers, and made a determined attack upon a portion of the Fifteenth
Army Corps. I immediately formed the command in the following order: The Second Division
on the right, connecting with left of Fifteenth Army Corps; the Fourth Division on the left,
connecting with right of General Jeff. C. Davis' division, Fourteenth Army Corps. The formation
perfected, our lines were advanced, driving the enemy into his works, and our line intrenching
itself upon the new ground taken, batteries were placed in position and a strong skirmish line
thrown forward. Heavy skirmishing was kept up constantly until 4 p.m. of the following day
(May 28), when the enemy, massed in heavy columns, under cover of the timber, made a sudden
assault upon our line. This first assault was promptly repulsed, but rallying and reforming his
lines, he again, with increased force and impetuosity, charged and contested strongly for
possession of the works, many of his dead and wounded being left within fifty yards of our lines,
some, indeed, on the works. Three officers and a few enlisted men only succeeded in getting
inside the works; they were either killed instantly or captured. This assault, although most
desperate and determined, was promptly and gallantly met and repulsed. Welker's battery, Lieut.
A. T. Blodgett, Thirty-ninth Iowa Infantry, commanding, being in a position on the front line, did
most excellent execution; its constant fire of grape and canister, and the cool, steady fire of the
men on the front line, told heavily upon the enemy, causing him to fall back in confusion,
leaving his dead and many of his wounded in our hands. The men of my command engaged,
being behind strong works which covered them, my loss was very small, while that of the enemy
in my front was very large, especially in killed. One of my regiments (Sixty-sixth Indiana
Infantry), having in its front alone, and within a few yards of the works, found and buried 53
dead rebels. On May 29 I received orders to withdraw the command during the night from the
enemy's front and move, following the rest of the army, toward the left to a position in the
vicinity of New Hope Church. During the day my transportation and hospitals were moved, and
preparations in compliance with orders made for the withdrawal. At 10 p.m. the enemy (having
evidently either suspicioned or discovered the movement) in heavy columns assaulted my lines,
making five separate determined attacks, and although in each promptly repulsed, he kept up a
continuous and heavy musketry fire along the entire front during the night, thereby necessitating
a postponement of the movement for the withdrawal of the army. In the different day and night
attacks made by the enemy, in front of Dallas, he suffered great loss. At no time did he move our
lines one inch. In every instance he was speedily repulsed and severely punished, and left his
dead and wounded in our possession. On May 31 a portion of the Fourth Division, and the
Second Brigade, Second Division, Col. August Mersy commanding, advanced, and with slight
loss carried one line of the enemy's works, capturing several prisoners. The Second Brigade was
soon after withdrawn and sent to the left, relieving the brigade of Colonel Mitchell, on General J.
C. Davis' front.
At 7 a.m. of June 1 the movement for withdrawing the army was commenced. The First
Brigade, Second Division, Colonel Rice commanding, was sent in advance to the left to occupy
some new works on the Allatoona road, built to cover the withdrawal of the army. The Fourth
52
Division brought up the rear and moved to a position near Owen's Mill, covering the roads to
Van Wert, Burnt Hickory, and Kingston. After the army had passed the works occupied by
Colonel Rice, the Second Division was moved to and posted on the left of the Fourth Division,
filling the space between it and the Fifteenth Army Corps, and covering the Acworth road at the
crossing of Little Pumpkin Vine Creek. The position taken up by the command was strongly
intrenched, and batteries placed in position. On the 2d of June the enemy attacked General
Veatch's right (Fourth Division). Big Pumpkin Vine, and was speedily reposed. On June 3 I
contracted my lines, the Fourth Division moving to the left and east of Big Pumpkin Vine Creek,
with only slight skirmishing with the enemy's pickets; this position was held until June 5, when
the movement toward Acworth was begun, which was completed on June 6, and the command
bivouacked southwest of Acworth on the evening of that day. Quartermaster stores and a full
supply of rations were brought up, and my sick and wounded sent to the rear. On June 10 the
command moved from Acworth as rear guard to the army, and on the following day the Fourth
Division went into position near Big Shanty, its right resting on the railroad near "Moon's
Siding," its left connecting with the Fifteenth Army Corps. The line was intrenched and batteries
placed in position. This position was held, with constant heavy skirmishing, until June 18, when
the first line of the enemy's rifle-pits in my front were charged and taken, together with about 50
prisoners; my loss not exceeding 100. In this charge the Thirty-fifth New Jersey Infantry
displayed great gallantry; under a heavy fire it held its position for a long time after its
ammunition was exhausted and until it was relieved. At daylight of June 19 the enemy evacuated
his works on my front. General Veatch, by prompt movement, pressed him closely on the Burnt
Hickory and Marietta road, while the First Alabama Cavalry and Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry
pursued on the direct Marietta road. The enemy's new line was soon developed on my front in a
strong position on the crest of Kenesaw Mountain, which he had previously fortified. The Fourth
Division was moved into position facing and close upon the enemy's works, connecting on the
right with the Fourteenth Army Corps and on the left with the Fifteenth Army Corps, the Second
Division, as before, being held in reserve near Big Shanty. On June 22 two regiments of the
Second Division were placed in position with the Fourth Division, and the entire line was
advanced to within 2,700 feet of the enemy's batteries. Strong works were built at once and
batteries placed in good positions. This position was held, with sharp skirmishing and some
artillery firing, until June 26, when the Second Division relieved a portion of the Fifteenth Army
Corps. On June 27, pursuant to orders for a general movement along the line of the armies, the
Ninth Illinois Infantry, Sixty-fourth Illinois Infantry, and Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry were
deployed, and at 8 a.m. advanced upon the enemy's works at the top of Kenesaw Mountain. The
natural defenses and obstructions encountered rendered the ascent of the mountain very slow and
difficult, but the men advanced steadily under a galling fire until the main line of the enemy's
works was reached, which, however, was found too strong to carry, and the object of the
movement, which was to keep the enemy from weakening his force in my front, to throw against
the main charging columns on my right, being successfully accomplished, it was deemed
inexpedient to attempt further to carry the works. The Sixty-fourth Illinois Infantry deserves
special mention for its action this day. It secured and held a position so close to the enemy's main
line of works on top of the mountain that they (the enemy) were obliged to keep closely inside of
their works; its loss was heavy, and its position the most trying that soldiers could possibly be
placed in. Three of its men were killed upon the enemy's works and several others within a few
yards of the works.
This position was held, with heavy and continual skirmishing and much artillery firing, until
July 2, when the command was ordered to move at 9 p.m. to the extreme right. The movement
had commenced, the Second Division having moved out, when orders were received for the
53
Second Division to bivouac and the Fourth Division to remain in position. At daylight of the
following morning (July 3) it was discovered that the enemy had evacuated, and that our
skirmishers had taken possession of the mountain and works, capturing some prisoners. During
the day the command moved to the right, and bivouacked on Nickajack Creek, near Ruff's Mill,
the Second Division going into position and intrenching on the east side of the creek. Early in the
morning of July 4 the Fourth Division moved out on the Ruff's Station road, and, encountering
the enemy, pressed him steadily back for a distance of two miles, and until he was developed in
strong intrenchments in heavy force. Prisoners taken showing that Hood's entire corps was in my
front, the Second Division was brought up and placed in position on the right of the Fourth
Division, and the command proceeded to intrench and develop fully the enemy's position. At 4
p.m. a charging column, consisting of the Thirty-ninth Ohio Infantry, Twenty-seventh Ohio
Infantry, and Sixty-fourth Illinois Infantry, of the Fourth Division, under command of Col. E. F.
Noyes; and the Eighty-first Ohio Infantry, Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry, and Second Iowa
Infantry, of the Second Division, was formed, and gallantly charged and carried the enemy's first
line of works, capturing over 100 prisoners. In this charge my loss was about 140 killed and
wounded. Among the latter was Col. E. F. Noyes, Thirty-ninth Ohio Infantry, who lost a leg. A
most gallant and efficient officer, beloved and admired by all, his loss to the division was, and
still is, deeply felt and deplored. The line charged was soon abandoned along its entire length by
the enemy, and he immediately commenced his retreat to the Chattahoochee. During the
following day (July 5) the command moved to, and bivouacked at, Widow Mitchell's, on the
Sandtown road. The Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry was pushed forward, and guarded Howell's
and Baker's Ferries, on the Chattahoochee River. On the day following (July 6) the Second
Brigade. Second Division, Colonel Mersy commanding, with one section of Fourteenth Ohio
Battery, was sent to Sandtown Ferry. Skirmishers were thrown forward to the river, and the
enemy developed in strong intrenchments on the south side. July 7, General Veatch moved his
division (Fourth) to the forks of Howell's and Green's Ferry roads, and throwing his skirmishers
forward to the banks of the Chattahoochee, he placed batteries in position and opened a heavy
fire therefrom upon the enemy's position on the south side of the river. On July 9, in compliance
with orders from Major-General Sherman, the command moved out on the Sandtown and
Marietta road, via Marietta, en route to Roswell, and, having marched until 10 p.m., bivouacked
one mile east of Marietta. The command resumed its march at 3 a.m. The infantry and one
battery were immediately pushed across (fording) the Chattahoochee River, and occupied the
works held by General Newton's division, of the Fourth Army Corps, which I relieved. A strong
tête-de-pont was thrown up to cover the bridge and crossing. A foot bridge, 700 feet long, was
thrown across the river, and from Monday noon, July 10, to Wednesday night, July 12, a good,
substantial double-track trestle road bridge, 710 feet long and 14 feet high, was built by the
pioneer corps of, and details from, the command. The march from Sandtown to Roswell, some
thirty-one miles, and the crossing of the Chattahoochee and intrenching of the command was all
accomplished in less than two days, under a scorching, burning sun, and was certainly one of the
most laborious undertakings of the campaign; a most severe test of the endurance, patience, and
spirit of the men. General Sherman fearing that the enemy (who had evacuated a portion of his
front line) might send a force and secure and hold the bluffs on the south side of the river, near
Roswell, urged celerity; and the alacrity and spirit with which the command met the emergency,
and the skill and cheerful industry displayed by the men in building the bridge (over which the
entire Army of the Tennessee crossed with all its trains), entitles them to much credit, and proves
that our gallant soldiers are equal to any and every emergency. The plan, stability, and
workmanship of the bridge reflect much credit upon the pioneer corps of the command. The
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Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry opened communication, on the south side of the Chattahoochee,
with the Twenty-third Army Corps.
The command remained at Roswell, bringing forward provisions, &c., preparatory to the next
movement, until the morning of July 17, when it moved out on a road leading to Old Cross Keys,
Decatur being the objective point. My orders required me to find and move upon a road between
those used by the Twenty-third Army Corps and Seventeenth Army Corps. This necessitated the
cutting of new roads and deviations from a direct route. The Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, my
advance, struck the enemy at Nancy's Creek, on Old Cross Keys road, and after a sharp skirmish
drove him across the creek. The Fourth Division, Brig. Gen. J. W. Fuller commanding, was
brought forward, deployed and drove the enemy beyond Cross Keys, taking and holding a
position on the south side of the creek. Communication was established on the right with the
Twenty-third Army Corps, and on the left with the Seventeenth Army Corps. At 6 a.m. (July 18)
the command moved directly across the country, crossing the Peach Tree road, and striking the
old Roswell and Decatur road at Widow Rainey's, which it took, moving toward Decatur. The
advance found the enemy in considerable force at Cressey's Branch, and drove him across Little
Peach Tree Creek, on which stream the command bivouacked that night, opening communication
on the right and left with the Twenty-third and Seventeenth Army Corps. On the morning of July
19 the command moved forward on the old Decatur road, and struck the Twenty-third Army
Corps about two miles and a half distant from Little Peach Tree Creek. Here one of my scouts
joined me, he having left Atlanta that morning, bringing the intelligence of the supersedure of
Johnston by Hood, which information was immediately communicated to Generals Sherman and
McPherson. The Twenty-third Army Corps having taken the Decatur road, I ordered a road cut
parallel with it, upon which my command moved, and having crossed Peach Tree Creek proper,
my advance, Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, struck the enemy in force in front of Decatur, and,
driving him steadily back, entered the town with the advance of the Twenty-third Army Corps.
Being ordered by General McPherson to occupy and hold the town during the night, I ordered
General Fuller to place his division (Fourth) in position on a range of hills south of, and
commanding, the town. As this division advanced through town, the enemy opened fire upon it
with artillery posted on a range of hills west of town. General Fuller threw his division promptly
into line; batteries were brought into action, and, opening fire upon, silenced the enemy's
artillery. The Second Division was brought forward promptly, and placed in position on the right
of the Fourth Division, and west of town. The line then advanced, and occupied and held the
range of hills south and west of town. At 1 p.m. of July 20 the command moved, on the Decatur
and Atlanta road, in rear of the Fifteenth Army Corps. General Logan having found the enemy in
heavy force in his front, near the Three Mile House, and his right being much exposed, requested
me to fill the gap intervening between him and the Twenty-third Army Corps, which I did by
placing the Second Division in line on the right of the Fifteenth Army Corps, and connecting by
a heavy skirmish line with the Twenty-third Army Corps. The position taken by this division was
intrenched during the night. The Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Col. (now Brig. Gen.) J. W.
Sprague commanding, was ordered back to Decatur to relieve General Garrard's cavalry division,
and guard the trains of the army.
On the morning of the 21st of July General Fuller was ordered to move the First Brigade of
his division into position as a reserve to the Seventeenth Army Corps, and Light Battery F,
Second U.S. Artillery, attached to Fourth Division, was placed in position on General G. A.
Smith's front, Seventeenth Army Corps. The Second Division moved forward and occupied a
range of hills three-quarters of a mile in advance of its former position, forming close connection
on right with the Twenty-third Army Corps. The enemy contested this advance very sharply. The
new line taken up was immediately intrenched and made secure. At 4 a.m. of July 22 General
55
Sweeny, commanding Second Division, reported to me that the enemy had disappeared from his
front, and I immediately ordered him to push forward a heavy skirmish line, which he did
promptly, and reported the enemy in force' in works surrounding Atlanta. The forward
movement made by the army that morning left the Second Division out of line, and General
McPherson ordered me to move my command to the left flank of the army, to place the First
Brigade of the Fourth Division in line on the left of the new position to be taken up by the
Seventeenth Army Corps, and hold the remainder of the command (Second Division)in reserve.
At an early hour in the morning, I rode with General McPherson from his headquarters to the
front, on the direct Atlanta road. The sudden evacuation of the enemy caused us some surprise
and serious concern, and the general requested me to repair to the left, get my troops on the
ground as soon as possible, and to examine the ground in front and on the left of the Seventeenth
Army Corps, which I hastened to do. The enemy allowed myself and staff to approach their
works on the south side of Atlanta to within easy musket range without firing a shot. When I
turned about, however, to return in the direction of the old line, they opened a heavy fire of
artillery and musketry upon us. I selected the ground to be occupied by my command, and sent
orders for General Fuller to send out working parties to intrench his line, and for the Second
Division to move to the rear of the Seventeenth Army Corps and bivouac. Before these orders
could be executed the command was attacked by the enemy in heavy force. For report of the
battle that ensued, I respectfully refer to my report of that date, July 22, which is hereto attached
and made a part hereof, marked A. The fortunate position of the command, and the prompt
manner in which it formed and received the attacks; the cool, stubborn bravery with which it met
and hurled back, and broke and scattered the columns of an enemy outnumbering it at least three
to one, no doubt prevented a serious disaster to the Army of the Tennessee, if not to the entire
army. Colonel Sprague, commanding at Decatur, saved the trains of the army, and covered and
held the Roswell road. For his uniform good conduct during the campaign, and especially his
gallant services in this action, he was immediately promoted to brigadier-general of volunteers.
During the engagement, I received an order directing me to send the Fourth Division to destroy
railroad from Decatur, east. This order had evidently been issued in the morning, and its delivery
to me from some reason delayed, and the command being heavily engaged with the enemy at the
time of its receipt, rendered compliance with it impossible.
The line taken in the evening, and held and intrenched during the night of the 22d, was
strengthened on the following day (July 23); Colonel Mersy's brigade (Second), of Second
Division, was distributed by regiments on the line of the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps;
Sprague's brigade (Second), Fourth division, reoccupied Decatur.
During the 24th July Sprague's brigade was employed, assisting General Woods' division,
Fifteenth Army Corps, in destroying the railroad between Atlanta and Decatur. The pioneer
corps of the command were set to work constructing a line of works in rear of the occupied line
for use during the execution of the contemplated movement of the army. The caissons of Light
Battery F, Second U.S. Artillery, were discovered between our own and the enemy's skirmish
lines, and were taken possession of and brought in by details made for that purpose. On the
afternoon of July 25 Sprague's brigade rejoined the Fourth Division. Brig. Gen. T. W. Sweeny
was relieved from command and placed under arrest, and was ordered to Nashville by Major-
General Sherman, and Col. (now Brig. Gen.) E. W. Rice assumed command of the Second
Division. Col. August Mersy's term of service having expired, he was, at his own request,
relieved from command of the Second Brigade, Second Division, and Lieut. Col. J. J. Phillips,
Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, was assigned to command the brigade. During the night of the
26th of July the command drew out of its works and moved to, and halted in rear of, the Fourth
Army Corps, the Second Brigade, Fourth Division, covering the rear, and occupying a line of
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works near to and parallel with the Decatur and Atlanta road, until the withdrawal was effected.
July 27, the command moved out, passing in rear of the Army of the Cumberland, and crossed
Proctor's Creek. Brig. Gen. J. M. Corse, acting inspector-general on staff of Major-General
Sherman, was, at my request., permanently assigned to command the Second Division, and being
in the advance, his division deployed soon after crossing Proctor's Creek, and moving forward
drove the enemy steadily back, and went into position, by successive brigades, on the west side
of Atlanta, facing due east, and forming connection on his left with the right of the Army of the
Cumberland. General Fuller, commanding Fourth Division, went into position in similar manner,
forming on General Corses right. During the night the line was intrenched. The forenoon of July
28 was occupied by the command in completing its intrenchments, constructing forts, and
placing batteries in position. At 2 p.m. I sent the Eighty-first Ohio Infantry and Twelfth Illinois
Infantry, of Second Brigade, Second Division, under command of Lieut. Col. J. J. Phillips, to reenforce
the Fifteenth Army Corps, which being at the time heavily engaged, these regiments
went immediately into action. I also soon after sent the Sixty-third Ohio and Thirty-fifth New
Jersey Infantry, of the Fourth Division, under command of Col. J. J. Cladek, as additional reenforcements,
and they took immediate part in the engagement. As these regiments reported to
Major-General Logan, they fought under his direction, and I can not make a detailed report of the
part they took in the action; I am informed, however, that their arrival upon the ground was very
opportune, and that they went gallantly and promptly into action. Their loss was about 40 killed
and wounded. The Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry was sent to Turner's Ferry, with orders to
picket all roads leading to our right and rear. July 29, 30, 31, and August 1, were spent in daily
skirmishing, occasional unimportant changes in the line, and some artillery practice.
August 2, Brig. Gen. T. E.G. Ransom was assigned to command the Fourth Division. August
3, the skirmish line advanced somewhat, holding the ground gained. August 4, I received orders
to advance the entire command, as a diversion in favor of Major-General Schofield's movement
to the right, and to occupy a line of hills about 1,000 yards distant from the enemy's works. At 2
p.m. the command advanced. The Second Division captured the enemy's first line of rifle-pits,
and, after severe fighting by a portion of this division, during which it was driven from and
recaptured, these pits three times, the enemy was driven back, and the line taken was intrenched
that night and held by a double line of skirmishers. On account of a change of line to the rear by
the command on its right, the Fourth Division was obliged to fall back from its advanced
position, which it did, and threw up and occupied an intermediate line of works, connecting on
the right with the Seventeenth Army Corps, and on the left with the Second Division. My loss in
this advance was about 70 in killed, wounded, and missing, being, I think, small, considering the
exposed position taken, the enemy having close range with artillery and musketry, especially on
the position of the Second Division. During August 6, 7, and 8, the entire line advanced to the
last range of hills fronting Atlanta, and in plain view of the city. This line was heavily
intrenched, strong forts constructed, and batteries casemated, and a steady fire kept up upon the
enemy's works and the city. During this advance the enemy contested stubbornly every inch of
ground, and, by his excellent artillery practice and continuos musketry fire at close range,
inflicted a heavy loss to my command in killed and wounded. During August 9 and 10 a brisk
fire of artillery and musketry was interchanged day and night. August 11, my skirmish line was
strengthened, advanced, and carried the enemy's vedette line, gaining some very commanding
ground, and driving the enemy into his main works. The captured line was intrenched, forts
constructed, and batteries placed in them, and orders issued directing that every gun in the
command should open upon any battery of the enemy that should be developed within our reach.
This had an excellent effect. The enemy's artillery kept more quiet, indeed, nearly silent, while
we kept up a continuous and damaging fire, day and night, upon the enemy's line and the city
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from our field batteries and one 4 1/2-inch ordnance gun. August 17, orders were received
directing a movement to the rear of Atlanta, and preparations thereto were accordingly made.
During the night, however, orders from department headquarters were received suspending the
movement, and the command resumed its former attitude. On the morning of August 19, while
engaged in superintending preparations for taking a detached work of the enemy on my right, I
was severely wounded, and relinquished the command to Brig. Gen. T. E.G. Ransom, to whose
report I respectfully refer for accounts of the part taken by the corps during the balance of the
campaign.
During the campaign the command marched about 500 miles, was engaged in thirteen
distinct engagements, and was under fire during almost the entire campaign. It captured from the
enemy 727 prisoners, 11 battle-flags, about 2,500 stand of small-arms, with much other material.
Its losses foot up as follows: Killed, 376; wounded, 1,799; and missing, 202.
I feel that but one thing occurred to mar the entire success of the campaign--the loss of our
brave, talented, young, and idolized commander, our noble and gifted McPherson. The full
measure of his loss cannot be estimated, or the pain and sorrow shared by all computed.
Although he met a soldier's death, it was hard, very hard, to part with him.
To Generals Veatch, Fuller, Corse, and Ransom, who commanded the divisions of the corps
during the campaign, I tender my warmest thanks. Always prompt, giving their personal
attention to all movements, and working with that harmony which is requisite for full success,
they are entitled to much of the credit due the corps for the successful part taken by it in the
campaign. The brigade commanders also, without exception, performed fully and well their part
of the arduous and trying duties of the campaign.
I take great pleasure in calling the attention of the commanding general to the reports of my
division, brigade, regimental, and battery commanders for full and explicit accounts of the part
taken by each and to their special mention of officers and enlisted men for meritorious conduct
and efficient service rendered during the campaign. I earnestly request that all such may receive
proper attention.
I take pleasure in bearing testimony to the good conduct and services of my staff officers
during the entire campaign. Col. George E. Spencer, First Alabama Cavalry Volunteers, and
Lieut. Col. J. J. Phillips, Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, served on my staff during portions of
the campaign, and rendered me valuable aid. Each of these officers has often before received my
commendations for gallant and efficient services in other duty, and I take pleasure in again
calling the attention of the commanding general to them.
Capt. James M. McClintock was in command of the signal corps attached to my command,
and rendered valuable services throughout the campaign, not only in his particular duty as signal
officer, but in reconnoitering and scouting. I bear cheerful testimony of the efficiency of and the
aid rendered by himself and corps. The report of Captain McClintock details fully his operations,
and I respectfully refer the general commanding to it.
Lieut. Col. D. F. Tiedemann, acting chief of engineers; Maj. W. H. Ross, chief of artillery;
Maj. Norman Gay, medical director: Capt. William Kossak, chief of engineers; Capt. H. L.
Burnham, provost-marshal-general; Capt. Thomas C. Fullerton, acting assistant inspectorgeneral;
Capt. W. H. Chamberlin, assistant commissary of musters; Capt. W. W. De Heus (on
special duty, and was captured by the enemy at Tilton, Ga.), and Lieut. N. R. Park, ordnance
officer, all performed their respective duties faithfully and well. Often kept awake night after
night, they cheerfully and without complaint met every demand to my own and the entire
satisfaction of the chiefs of their respective departments.
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Maj. J. W. Barnes, my assistant adjutant-general, had entire control of the adjutant's office,
the arduous duties of which he performed with great credit to himself and the corps. He never
rested until the labors that the day imposed upon him were fully accomplished.
Capt. J. K. Wing, assistant quartermaster, and Capt. C. C. Carpenter, commissary of
subsistence, are each entitled to great credit for the faithful and efficient manner in which they
discharged their laborious duties. Although often laboring under very great difficulties, in no
instance did they fail to have on hand, at the proper time, full supplies for the command.
My personal staff, Capt. George E. Ford, Fourth Iowa Infantry; Lieut. George C. Tichenor,
Thirty-ninth Iowa Infantry; and Lieut. Edward Jonas, Fiftieth Illinois Infantry, have placed me
under very many obligations for the intelligent, efficient, cheerful, and satisfactory manner in
which they performed all duties assigned them. In battle, on the march, in the trench, or in camp,
they have never failed, but were always found where duty called them.
I am under many obligations for aid and kindness received from the staff officers at
department headquarters, who always responded promptly to our wants, and met every request
with alacrity; and especially am I indebted to Lieut. Col. William T. Clark, assistant adjutantgeneral,
and Capt. C. B. Reese, chief engineer, Department and Army of the Tennessee.
My report has been delayed from the fact that I have, on account of my wounds, been absent
from the command, and unable to get access to the papers and records necessary to its proper
completion.
Tabular statements of losses, captures, &c., and maps. showing the routes marched and each
position taken by the command during the campaign, are hereto annexed, and respectfully
submitted as a part hereof.
During my absence the command has been assigned to other corps, and I would not be doing
justice to my own feelings or to the command did I fail to state that I have to part with it with
great reluctance. I believe I do not exaggerate when I say that throughout the entire army, among
officers and men, a more intelligent, brave, patriotic, and harmonious command did not exist.
Most of the officers and men have served under me for over two years, and during all that time
nothing has occurred to mar the agreeable freedom of our intercourse. They have never been
called upon to perform any duty but that they have promptly, cheerfully, and successfully
responded. From Corinth to Atlanta they have hewn their way without one reverse, leaving the
impress of their work in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, where many--very
many--of their comrades' graves mark the scenes of their valor, labor, and success. With
whatever commands their fortunes may hereafter be cast, I am certain that they will prove, as in
the past they have done, that no better or more successful soldiers grace any of our armies.
I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. M. DODGE,
Major-General.
Lieut. Col. W. T. CLARK,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Dept. and Army of the Tennessee.
HDQRS. LEFT WING, SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
East Point, Ga., September 14, 1864.
COLONEL: I have the honor to report that, in pursuance of instructions from department
headquarters, I temporarily assumed command of Left Wing, Sixteenth Army Corps, on the 19th
of August, 1864, Major-General Dodge having received a severe wound in the head on that day,
rendering it necessary for him to leave the command. At this time the corps occupied a position
in the front line, distant from the enemy's works around Atlanta from 800 to 1,000 yards, and
joined on the right flank by the Third Division, Seventeenth Corps, and on the left flank by a
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brigade of the Fourteenth Army Corps, as shown by accompanying map of chief engineer. On
the 25th of August the pioneers and two regiments of infantry were detailed to construct new
works for the corps, running from a point near the center of the Seventeenth Corps to the rear
(west), being the line occupied by the Fifteenth Corps in the battle of July 28. On the night of
August 25 the corps was withdrawn to the new works without opposition, and a strong picketline
established along Proctor's Creek. We thus formed the left flank of the entire army. On the
night of the 26th the whole army was withdrawn from its position, and marched by different
routes to Camp Creek, the Sixteenth Corps acting as rear guard. The pickets of the army were
kept out in the old line until all the main columns were out of the way, when, at 3 a.m., they were
quietly and successfully withdrawn under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Strong, assistant
inspector-general, Department of the Tennessee. The Sixteenth Corps followed the Seventeenth
on the Green's Ferry road, crossing the Utoy, and arriving at Dry Pond at 6 a.m., August 27,
when, after a halt of three hours, it moved to Campbell's, a march in all of ten miles, where the
Second Division, General Corse commanding, formed on the right of the Seventeenth Corps,
with the Fourth Division, General Fuller commanding, in reserve. On the morning of the 28th the
corps followed the Seventeenth Corps on the Jonesborough road encamping near Shadna
Church, on the West Point railroad, making a march of seven miles, and forming in reserve in
rear of the Seventeenth Army Corps. On the 29th the corps moved at 8 a.m. to Fairburn, and
effectually destroyed the railway for three miles toward Palmetto, and returning destroyed it for
one mile and a half north of Fairburn. The Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, in advance, during
the day picketed the main roads, and discovered and drove off several small squads of the
enemy's cavalry. At 6.30 on the morning of the 30th the Sixteenth Corps took the advance of the
right column, on the right of the main Jonesborough road, General Kilpatrick's cavalry covering
the front. At his request I sent him as a support the Second and Seventh Iowa Infantry, which
remained with him nearly all day, skirmishing with the enemy, and losing in killed and wounded
9 men, among the latter Major Hamill, commanding Second Iowa Infantry. Owing to the
opposition of the enemy and our being obliged to cut an entirely new road through heavy timber,
and to build several bridges, our progress was slow, and at 10 p.m. the command bivouacked on
the west side of Flint Creek, one mile and a half from Jonesborough, and on the right and rear of
the Fifteenth Corps. On the morning of the 31st the Second Division crossed the creek and took a
position on the right of the Fifteenth Corps. The Fourth Division went into position west of the
creek, refusing on the right flank of the army. At 3 p.m. heavy firing commenced on General
Logan's front, extending rapidly to his right, and soon after General Corse's division became
engaged with the enemy. The Third Brigade, Fourth Division, was ordered across the creek, as a
reserve to General Corse, with one regiment, the Tenth Illinois Infantry, in line on the right of the
Second Division. The enemy charged General Corse's line, but were handsomely repulsed, and
fell back in confusion when the Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry was ordered by General Corse to
charge across the field in their front, and did so in fine style, capturing 24 prisoners. Our loss was
very light, consisting of 1 officer and 1 man killed, and 16 men wounded. That of the enemy was
comparatively severe. Fifty-seven of their dead were buried in our front, showing, with the 92
prisoners captured by us during the day, a probable loss on their part of 500 men. Welker's
battery, Lieutenant Blodgett commanding, though in the open field without works, poured
canister into the advancing lines of the enemy during his assault, breaking his lines, and forcing
him back in disorder. All of Rice's brigade and the Tenth Illinois Infantry were without works,
but during the intervals between the assaults constructed a strong barricade of rails.
September 1, the picket-lines of Second Division were with little resistance, advanced 300
yards. The enemy showed himself during the day. In the night the pickets of Second Division
were again advanced with those of General Logan, and at daylight on the morning of 2d they
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occupied the enemy's works, which, with the town, was found to have been evacuated by the
enemy during the night. A railroad train loaded with wounded was leaving town as the pickets
entered, but the latter were not in sufficient force to capture it. Two regiments of General Rice's
brigade were moved into the town at 5.30 a.m. At 8.30 a.m. on the 2d instant my command was
ordered to march toward Lovejoy's, and did so, moving through the fields and woods between
the roads occupied respectively by the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps. When, half a mile from
Lovejoy's, at 11 a.m., the enemy was found intrenched, General Corse formed a line of battle in
the Fayetteville and Covington road, on the right of the Fifteenth Corps, and sent out the Sixty-'
sixth Illinois and Eighty-first Ohio Infantry, Colonel Adams commanding, as skirmishers,
connecting on the left with the skirmishers of General Logan. I was then ordered to mass my
command in the rear as a reserve, leaving the two regiments mentioned on the picket-line where
they remained till the afternoon of the 3d, and rendered very important service. In the afternoon
of the 2d Colonel Adams advanced his line on the right, and, with General Logan's skirmishers
and the Sixty-sixth Illinois and Eighty-first Ohio, charged through the open fields and drove the
enemy from a commanding position on a bald hill where he was erecting a battery. The loss of
the two regiments during the skirmish was 6 men. Under orders from Major-General Howard,
one-third of my command was engaged in tearing up the railroad track during the evening. On
the 3d the Second Division, General Corse commanding, went into position on the right of the
Seventeenth Corps, and-intrenched itself, the Fourth Division remaining in reserve on the
Fayetteville and Covington road near Hebron Church. On the 4th the pioneers constructed a line
of works half a mile to the rear of Hebron Church, near Turner's house, which on the 5th the
Fourth Division, General Fuller commanding, occupied for the purpose of covering the
withdrawal of the right of the army. At 8 p.m. of the 5th the Second Division withdrew to
Turner's, and halted to allow the Seventeenth Corps to pass. A severe storm set in at 7 p.m.,
lasting for several hours, and filled the small creeks crossing the roads, washing away our
bridges and corduroys, and rendering the roads almost impassable. This delayed the trains
beyond the hour fixed for the withdrawal of the troops, and as the rear guard on the
Jonesborough road, under General Hazen, withdrew at the proper time, the pickets being already
in, I directed General Corse to occupy the works vacated by Hazen, and pushed out the Ninth
Illinois Mounted Infantry in front. Through the exertions and good management of Lieutenant-
Colonel Clark, chief of staff, department headquarters, the trains and artillery of the Seventeenth
Corps were finally got out of the road at 4.30 a.m., when General Corse's division, on the
Jonesborough road, and General Fuller's division, on an interior road, left Turner's at 5 a.m.
Arriving at our old works on Flint Creek we occupied them during the day, and on the 7th
marched toward East Point, camping at night on the Fayetteville and East Point road, six miles
north of Renfroe Place. On the 8th marched to East Point, and occupied the rebel works on the
west of the railroad between the Newnan and Sandtown roads.
Before closing this report I desire to commend the skill evinced by Brigadier-General Corse,
commanding Second Division, in the management of his troops in the battle of the 31st, and to
thank Brig. Gen. J. W. Fuller, commanding Fourth Division, for his promptness in re-enforcing
General Corse on that occasion. To both of these officers I am indebted for able and cordial
assistance during all the time I have been in command.
Brig. Gen. E. W. Rice, commanding First Brigade, Second Division, and Colonel Adams,
commanding Second Brigade, Second Division, are deserving of mention for the ability
manifested by them in the engagement of the 31st.
The manner in which Brig. Gen. J. W. Sprague, commanding Second Brigade, Fourth
Division, has discharged the duties of his position during the past month, is worthy of the
honorable reputation which he had previously earned.
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The Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, Major Hughes commanding, has rendered must
efficient service during the entire movement to Lovejoy's and return, and to its commander I feel
greatly indebted for the energy and willingness with which frequently, under trying
circumstances, he has executed all my orders.
I thank the members of my staff for the manner in which they have each in his own
department discharged their duties.
For an account of the operations of this command while under Major-General Dodge, I
respectfully refer you to the report which it is expected he will forward upon returning from the
North.
A table of casualties is hereto appended, together with a statement of prisoners captured.
I have the honor to be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
T. E. G. RANSOM,
Brigadier-General of Volunteers.
Lieut. Col. W. T. CLARK,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Near East Point, Ga., September 8, 1864.
MAJOR: In compliance with Special Field Orders, No. 75, headquarters Left Wing,
Sixteenth Army Corps, I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this
division (accompanied by those of subordinate commanders) during the campaign commencing
on the 3d day of May, 1864, and only regret that I shall be unable to speak of the distinguished
services rendered by individual officers and men, from my personal knowledge, up to the 26th
day of July, 1864, at which time I assumed command thereof.
On the morning of May 3. 1864 (having arrived at Hurricane Creek the night previous, en
route from Pulaski, Tenn.), the command was hastened forward to Larkinsville, Ala., where it
arrived on the morning of May 4, and was immediately placed on board cars and transported by
rail to Chattanooga, Tenn., where it arrived on evening of same day, and bivouacked one mile
and a half west of the town, at the base of Lookout Mountain. Most of the transportation, led
horses, and two batteries belonging to the division, was left at Larkinsville to be marched
through, guarded by the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, under the direct charge of Lieut. Col. J.
J. Phillips, of this regiment. At 8 a.m. on the 5th day of May this division--composed as follows:
First Brigade of Infantry, 91 commissioned officers and 2,076 enlisted men, Col. E. W. Rice,
Seventh Iowa Infantry Volunteers, commanding; Second Brigade Infantry, 108 commissioned
officers and 2,294 enlisted men, Col. P. E. Burke, Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry Volunteers,
commanding; Third Brigade Infantry, 102 commissioned officers and 1,686 enlisted men. Col.
M. M. Bane, Fiftieth Illinois Infantry Volunteers, commanding, making total commissioned,
301; total enlisted, 6,056. Aggregate infantry, 6,357. Also three batteries of artillery, 6
commissioned officers, and 327 enlisted men, consisting of fourteen guns, viz: Battery H, First
Missouri Light Artillery, six 12-pounder light guns; Battery B, First Michigan Light Artillery,
four 10-pounder Parrott guns; and Battery I, First Missouri Light Artillery, four 12-pounder light
guns, commanded by Capt. Frederick Welker, Battery H, First Missouri Light Artillery; making
a grand total of commissioned officers and enlisted men, infantry and artillery, present for duty,
of 6,690--moved from Chattanooga, on the Rossville road, through Rossville, to Gordon's Mills,
on the Chickamauga Creek, a distance of fourteen miles, at which place the command encamped
until the morning of May 7, laying in supplies, obtaining the necessary transportation, and
making thorough preparations for the campaign. On the morning of May 7 the command moved
out from Gordon's Mills, following the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, passing through
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Ship's Gap, Villanow Village, down Horn Mountain, into and nearly to the south mouth of Snake
Creek Gap, where it arrived and bivouacked on the evening of May 8. Information being
received at Villanow that the enemy was expected in Snake Creek Gap, the Ninth Illinois
Mounted Infantry, which had joined the column at this point (having brought the trains safely
through to the Chickamauga Creek) was thrown in advance of the infantry, and moved thus
through to the south entrance of the gap, exchanging only isolated shots with the enemy. During
the night of this day the batteries and trains, which had arrived at Gordon's Mills the night
before, came up, and were parked at the north entrance of the gap, and one regiment from each
brigade sent back as guard to the same.
At an early hour on the morning of May 9 the division pursued its course toward the south
entrance of the gap, pushing the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry cautiously before, until it struck
a skirmish line of the enemy's cavalry, which was driven entirely from the gap and forced back
by this regiment, until, striking a superior force of the enemy, it was in turn compelled to give
way (in some little confusion) and fall back upon the infantry, already deployed for its support, It
was during the momentary panic of this regiment that Lieut. Col. J. J. Phillips, its commander,
received a painful wound in the leg, while gallantly striving to rally and hold his men. Prior to
the onslaught of the enemy upon the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, and as soon as the
exchange of shots became sufficiently rapid to indicate any considerable force of the enemy, the
Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry Volunteers (riflemen) was deployed as skirmishers, covering the
front of the division, formed as follows: Second Brigade on the left and Third Brigade on the
right, with the First Brigade and two batteries following on the road, ready for any contingency.
In this formation the enemy's cavalry was received, checked, and repulsed, as it dashed forward,
driving the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry before it, and almost at the same moment the Sixtysixth
Illinois Volunteers, without knapsacks, rushed forward as skirmishers, driving the enemy
like sheep before them, in the direction of Resaca. No further stand being made by the enemy,
the command moved forward, with the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry deployed in front and on
the flanks, until within two miles of Resaca, when the Sixty-sixth Illinois Volunteers was again
deployed as skirmishers and the march continued. On arriving in the vicinity of Camp Creek a
brigade of the enemy, 1,400 strong, was encountered, whereupon the Eighty-first Ohio Infantry,
of the Second Brigade, was thrown forward as a support to the Sixty-sixth Illinois, and the
Fiftieth and Fifty-seventh Illinois Volunteers of Third Brigade, were placed in line, the former on
the right and the latter on the left of the road, as a reserve, with the First Brigade and batteries in
all open field to the right and rear. Thus formed, the command was given to the Sixty-sixth
Illinois Volunteers to advance upon the enemy, which it did with such impetuosity as to break
their lines and drive the rebel brigade thus opposed to them across the creek, thoroughly routed
and in confusion, taking 19 prisoners, and following the enemy over a hill, compelling them to
seek refuge in their fortifications, and holding a position in musket-range of the same. The
Eighty-first Ohio Volunteers were now brought forward, and deployed seven companies as
skirmishers on the right of the Sixty-sixth Illinois, holding three companies in reserve. The
position thus secured, the remainder of the division was brought up and thrown into line from
right to left, as follows: Sixty-sixth Indiana, Fiftieth Illinois, Fifty-seventh Illinois, the Fiftysecond
Illinois and Second Iowa being held in reserve; thus at 2 p.m. the division occupied the
first range of hills within one mile of Resaca, awaiting patiently for orders to assault the enemy's
works, but at 5 p.m., instead thereof, orders were received for a retrograde movement, which
immediately began, and the division withdrew from its position, moving back on the same road
pursued by it in the morning to Snake Creek Gap, where it arrived at 12 midnight, the men
wearied and exhausted, having been on the march or confronting the enemy since daylight, and
bivouacked on the banks of Snake Creek, making a distance of fourteen miles. The casualties in
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the command in the skirmishing at the gap and before Resaca were: Killed, 2; wounded, 19;
total, 21, being mostly in the Ninth and Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry Volunteers.
During May 10 the command remained at rest, drawing rations and preparing for new
operations until 9 p.m., when, pursuant to instructions from the commanding general. Left Wing,
Sixteenth Army Corps, and during a most terrific thunder-storm, moved to a position in front of
Snake Creek Gap, taking possession of slight earth-works, and forming a line facing to the south,
with the right, composed of the First Brigade, Battery I, First Missouri Light Artillery, and
Battery B, First Michigan Light Artillery, holding a wooded hill to the right of the Calhoun Ferry
road: the left, composed of the Second Brigade and Battery H, First Missouri Light Artillery,
occupying the above-named road and a portion of an extended plain to the left of said road and
Snake Creek, the Third Brigade being held in reserve on the Calhoun road. During the entire
night, with the rain pouring in torrents, the men were engaged in constructing fortifications in
anticipation of an attack from the enemy. This severe labor was performed by the men
cheerfully, and without a murmur, preparing abatis, and otherwise strengthening their works, but
were not permitted to give the enemy battle, with the advantage which would nave certainly been
derived from their protection. No attack being made upon our force at this point, the command
was withdrawn a short distance to the rear of their intrenchments, which position it occupied
during the 11th and 12th of May. While at this point the command was joined by the Twelfth
Illinois, Second and Thirty-ninth Iowa Infantry Volunteers, with the supply train, which they had
been detached to guard. On the morning of the 13th of May the command moved out upon the
Calhoun Ferry road, one mile directly south, and thence across to the Resaca road, following the
same two miles and a half, and then turning to the right, pursuing a cut road until it came to the
Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, when, in compliance with instructions from Brig. Gen.
G. M. Dodge, commanding corps, it was thrown in line of battle, with the Second Brigade on the
right, Third Brigade on the left, and the First Brigade as a reserve, and thrown into a position on
the right and rear of the Fourth Division as a support, acting as a reserve during the afternoon,
shifting its position to conform with the movements of said division, but not becoming engaged
with the enemy, except Battery I, First Missouri Light Artillery, which obtained a position from
which its shells could for a time reach the enemy's skirmish line. The command bivouacked for
the night upon the field two miles from Resaca, having marched a distance of seven miles, and
stood for several hours in line of battle.
At 9 a.m. on the 14th of May, in compliance with instructions from the major-general
commanding Department and Army of the Tennessee, this command moved from its position on
the right of the Army of the Tennessee, out upon the Calhoun Ferry road, a distance of one mile
and a half, thence to the right on the Lay's Ferry road, leaving Calhoun Ferry to the left a
distance of two miles, and to within half a mile of Lay's Ferry, across the Oostenaula River,
where the command was halted until a pontoon train and two battalions of an engineer regiment,
under Colonel Buell, arrived, when the pontoons were immediately unloaded and put together,
and the Second and Seventh Iowa Infantry detailed to carry them to the mouth of Snake Creek, in
which stream they were to be placed, loaded with soldiers and pushed across the Oostenaula
River. During the time employed in carrying the pontoons to the point designated, Battery H,
First Missouri Light Artillery, Lieutenant Blodgert commanding, took position on a hill about
400 yards from the river, opening upon the enemy, who replied briskly with artillery upon our
battery, and with musketry upon our skirmishers, which had been thrown out from the First
Brigade, near the north bank of the river, under cover of the heavy timber, to attract the enemy's
attention from the placing of the boats one mile below the ferry. At 4.15 o'clock the pontoons
had been launched and loaded with six companies of the Eighty-first Ohio Infantry Volunteers
and one company of the Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry, of the Second Brigade, and the remainder
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of the brigade deployed upon the river bank, skirmishing briskly with the enemy upon the
opposite side, while the First Brigade was above and near the ferry, to cover the passage of the
troops below, the Third Brigade being held in reserve with Battery B, First Michigan Light
Artillery, the other two batteries taking position and opening upon the enemy's rifle-pits. At this
time, and before the pontoons had moved out of Snake Creek, an officer of Colonel Murray's
division of cavalry (name not ascertained) sent information that the enemy was constructing a
bridge over the river, near Calhoun Ferry, four miles above Lay's Ferry, which, if true, would
permit the enemy to throw a large force across in our rear, entirely isolating this command front
the army at Resaca. In consequence of this report the crossing was delayed in hopes of
ascertaining further and more definite information in regard to the building of the bridge above,
but as nothing more was received in regard thereto at this time, and night was fast approaching,
the order for crossing the boats was given, and at precisely 5 p.m. pushed out of Snake Creek
into the Oostenaula River; crossing the same, landed on the south bank, and with a cheer drove
the enemy's skirmishers from their pits, taking a number of prisoners, and occupying a position
as skirmishers, with their left resting on the river. Several of the oarsmen were wounded during
the crossing, which was made under the enemy's fire, but the soldiers immediately resumed the
oars, determined to accomplish the task allotted them. No sooner had this handful of men
obtained a footing on the opposite side of the river than arrangements were immediately made to
throw the remainder of the Second Brigade across, but before they could be completed, two
reports were received from couriers, confirming the report previously received, of bridges being
constructed on the river above by the enemy. Upon the receipt of this latter information the Third
Brigade, infantry, and Battery B, First Michigan Light Artillery, were immediately dispatched to
Calhoun Ferry, with orders to take that position, throw forward a strong line of skirmishers,
ascertain whether or not the enemy had constructed bridges, and to prevent his crossing, in case
he should have done so, or until re-enforcements could be forwarded. It now being dark, and the
reports of bridges being constructed by the enemy twice confirmed, the troops which had crossed
the river were withdrawn, and the pontoon train moved back on the road; the Second Brigade
was moved back to the forks of the Calhoun and Lay's Ferry road, and the First Brigade to
Licking Creek, on the road to Resaca, midway between Lay's and Calhoun Ferries, one battery
with each brigade. Thus disposed the command bivouacked for the night, after first thoroughly
picketing both ferries, the roads being watched by cavalry, under Colonel Murray. At 9 p.m.
Capt. L. H. Everts, assistant adjutant-general, was instructed to go to Calhoun Ferry, and, if
possible, ascertain from personal investigation if the enemy had placed pontoons across the river
at any point in the vicinity of the ferry. In compliance with instructions he proceeded in company
with Capt. Charles Rattray, acting assistant inspector-general Third Brigade, to a point two miles
above Calhoun Ferry, and on foot followed the river down a distance of three miles, discovering
no bridge whatever, but ascertaining that what had been supposed as such was only fortifications
thrown up during the day by the enemy.
At an early hour on the morning of the 15th of May the First Brigade was ordered to move
down to the river, and be ready to cross as soon as pontoons were launched, but before this could
be done the brigade had taken possession of an old scow, or flat-boat, and already began the
crossing of the river, driving the enemy from their rifle-pits. As soon as this brigade had made a
lodgment on the opposite side of the river, the Second Brigade was brought forward, and at 10
a.m., the pontoons being placed, began crossing thereon. As soon as these brigades had crossed
the river they immediately commenced throwing up earth-works, the right resting upon the river
below the Calhoun road and occupied by the First Brigade, and the left resting on the river above
said road, occupied by the Second Brigade. In the mean time Batteries H and I, First Missouri
Light Artillery, were ordered up and placed in position, the former on the right, and the latter on
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the left of the Calhoun road, about 100 yards north of the river, and commanding a large open
field in front of the works on the south side. Up to this time no enemy of importance had been
developed, owing, it is supposed, to the demonstration made by the Third Brigade and a battery
at the ferry above during the crossing, in compliance with instructions given Col. M. M. Bane, its
commander, in the morning. At 12 m., and while the right of the line was being thrown forward
preparatory to constructing a second line of works, the first having been completed, the enemy
appeared, advancing from the woods in line of battle, charging across the field, making for our
right and center, moving with a degree of boldness that showed clearly their confidence in being
able to crush and annihilate the small force thus opposed to them, with a deep river in its rear and
but a floating bridge for its passage in case of defeat. As soon as the assaulting lines of the
enemy had unmasked and stretched out upon the open field, Batteries H and I, First Missouri
Light Artillery, opened a destructive fire from their ten guns upon the advancing enemy, which
compelled him first to waver and then break in confusion, moving by the left to the cover of an
orchard and a dense growth of small timber, when he struck the advance regiment of Colonel
Rice's brigade, the Seventh Iowa Volunteers, which opened a deadly volley of musketry upon the
already discomfited-foe, who, after delivering a rapid fire into the ranks of this regiment, and
trying in vain to overpower it by mere numbers alone, gave up the field and fled in disorder,
completely routed and defeated. No further assault, or even demonstration, being made by the
enemy, the command commenced constructing a second line of works, skirmishers being thrown
well to the front, and the battery brought forward across the river. At 5 p.m. the Third Brigade
and Battery B, First Michigan Light Artillery, having been brought down from Calhoun Ferry,
the former was thrown across the river to a position in advance of the second line of works, near
a brick house, and immediately commenced throwing up earth-works, the battery occupying the
position left by Battery I, First Missouri Artillery, on the north side. Thus at dark of this day this
division had secured and fortified a position on the south bank of the Oostenaula River, placing
itself nearly in rear of the rebel army at Resaca, and threatening their only line of
communications, the Atlanta and Chattanooga Railroad. Every officer and soldier seemed
impressed with the importance of this undertaking; and manifested a determination that it should
not fail, if gallantry, perseverance, and promptness could avail. During the night of this day
extreme vigilance was kept up, not only by the skirmishers, but by the entire line, and, in
compliance with instructions given brigade commanders, select parties were sent to the front as
far as the Rome road, and reported hearing distinctly the moving of wagon trains and trains of
cars. This information was at once communicated to Major-General Sherman, commanding
Military Division of the Mississippi, by one of his staff officers, who was present during these
operations.
On the morning of the 16th of May, pursuant to orders from Brigadier-General Dodge,
commanding Left Wing, Sixteenth Army Corps, the division moved south in the direction of
Calhoun, the Third Brigade and battery in advance, Second Brigade and battery in center, and
First Brigade and battery in rear, followed by the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps. When
near the Calhoun and Rome cross-roads, the skirmishers of the advanced brigade came upon the
enemy in some force, and were compelled to fall back to a better position, which they did,
holding the enemy in check until the troops got into line, the Third Brigade at the right, the
Second in the center (holding the road). and the First Brigade on the left. In this formation
skirmishers were pushed forward, supported by a regiment from each brigade, taking possession
of a hill near Rome Cross-Roads, upon which a section of Battery B, First Michigan, and Battery
I, First Missouri Light Artillery, were placed, opening upon the enemy's skirmishers. At the same
time the Third Brigade was shifted to the left of the road, nearly in front of the First Brigade, and
the Second Brigade thrown to the right of the road, both advancing cautiously, and their
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skirmishers becoming more warmly engaged, until the skirmishers of the Third Brigade came to
a small stream held by the enemy, in rifle-pits on its opposite side, which checked their farther
advance, while on the left Captain Taylor, Sixty-sixth Illinois Volunteers, was thrown forward
with four companies of that regiment as skirmishers, with orders to proceed cautiously toward
the Rome road, taking possession of and holding the same, if possible. Upon receiving his
instructions, this officer charged forward, taking possession of said road; but, instead of simply
holding the same, through a misunderstanding of his orders, or from being too impetuous, passed
beyond the road, approaching a hill on its left, when, without any warning, the enemy sprang
from cover in line of battle, and charging the thin skirmish line drove it, in some confusion, back
across the Rome road, and upon the remainder of the Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry Volunteers and
a portion of the Eighty-first Ohio, thrown forward as its support, where they were repelled, and
the line immediately re-established. It was here that Colonel Burke, commanding Second
Brigade, was severely wounded in the leg, and Captain Taylor, Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry, shot
through the head, being instantly killed, while trying to steady their men. At the time of this
charge by the enemy, a rebel battery was opened upon some empty caissons, and the main road
pursued by the troops, and now filled with ambulances removing wounded, creating quite a
stampede among camp followers, &c., who had by accident ventured too near the front, but not a
man in the ranks, not a soldier with arms, left his post. At 4 p.m. the troops were brought back in
good order, taking position on the left of the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, which by
this time had come up, and which position it occupied until dark on the evening of May 17.
The casualties in this division during its engagement and skirmishes with the enemy on the
14th and 15th of May at Lay's Ferry, and up to the evening of the 16th, resulted as follows:
Commissioned officers--killed, 1; wounded, 8. Enlisted men--killed, 15; wounded, 181; missing,
4. Aggregate, 209. Prisoners captured from the enemy, 48.
The division moved from its position near Rome Cross-Roads at dark on the evening of May
17, in rear of the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, on the Rome road; thence on
Adairsville road, passing near Adairsville, and arriving one mile and a half from Kingston, Ga.,
on the 19th of May, where the command was encamped, having marched from Lay's Ferry, a
distance of twenty-nine miles. On the 20th of May orders were received from the major-general
commanding Department and Army of the Tennessee, for the troops to be prepared for a twenty
days' march, and subsistence independent of railroad communications. The command was thus
employed until the 23d of May. While at this place the Third Brigade and Battery B, First
Michigan Light Artillery, were detached from this command and ordered to Rome, Ga., to
relieve a division of the Fourteenth Army Corps, Department of the Cumberland, and the officers
and men of Battery I, First Missouri Light Artillery, were sent North to be mustered out of
service, by reason of expiration of term of service, the guns being turned over to the ordnance
department. The non-veterans of the Second Iowa Infantry were also sent to Pulaski, Tenn., for
the same purpose, the remainder of this regiment being consolidated into six companies. At 1
p.m., May 23, the command moved forward, following the Fifteenth Army Corps, crossing the
Etowah, and thence in a direction south-southwest, making slow and irregular marches; passed
through Van Wert, and arrived at Dallas, Ga., at 4 p.m. May 26, taking a position south of town,
fronting the east, and picketing the hills in front, throwing one regiment down to the forks of the
Villa Rica and Dallas road. Up to this time but slight opposition had been met with from the
enemy, but at an early hour on the morning of the 27th of May a brisk skirmish fire was opened
on both sides, and continued without abatement during the entire day. After much maneuvering
and a gradual pressure and driving back of the enemy's skirmishers, this division, at dark of this
day, occupied two ridges from which the enemy had been forced, separated by a ravine, and
about 100 yards apart. During the night each of these elevations were fortified and occupied by
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the First Brigade, the first line by the Sixty-sixth Indiana and Second Iowa, the former on the
right, with four guns of Battery H, First Missouri Light Artillery, between these regiments: the
second line by the Fifty-second Illinois and Seventh Iowa, former on the right, with one section
of said battery between them, both lines connecting with troops of the Fifteenth Corps on their
right, and Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, on their left, the Second Brigade being held in
reserve.
At daybreak, May 28, the skirmishing opened briskly and continued, without abatement, until
about 4 p.m., when the enemy made a desperate charge along the entire front, pressing forward
within ten paces of our works, but were met with a determination equal, if not superior, to their
own, and, broken by a terrific fire of musketry and artillery, at last fled in utter rout and panic,
having continued their fruitless but desperate assault just twenty-eight minutes. Upon the
skirmishers being sent to the front the bodies of 53 dead rebels were counted in front of the
works of this division. During this engagement the troops behaved with their usual gallantry.
Battery H did fine execution during the assault, using grape and canister almost exclusively, and
firing with the utmost rapidity, sending death and consternation into the ranks of the foe. A
contemplated movement of the troops of this army during the night was abandoned on account of
the report that another assault upon our lines would be made at 12 midnight, but which was not
attempted, and the command remained quietly in its works, with exception of continued
skirmishing and relieving the regiments of the First Brigade in the first line by regiments from
the Second Brigade until the evening of the 29th of May, when, as the troops of this command
were about to withdraw from their works, in compliance with instructions, and at about 10 p.m.,
the enemy With either a single line of battle or re-enforced skirmish line rushed forward to
within twenty yards of our line, driving in our skirmishers and pouring into our works rapid
volleys of musketry for about five minutes, when they broke, taking advantage of the darkness to
make good their retreat, or throw themselves upon the ground to await an opportunity to repeat
the assault and watch our movements, in order to prevent the withdrawal. Five separate
demonstrations were made upon the works of this command during the night, the last of which
assumed more the character of a determined assault, and was made a little before 3 a.m., but
found it impossible to penetrate or surmount the wall of fire presented by the brave and
unflinching men of the Second Brigade. It is impossible to state the damage inflicted upon the
enemy in their several night attacks, as, during the intense darkness, they were enabled to remove
all dead and wounded.
During the 30th of May, with the exception of the continued skirmishing, everything
remained quiet along the lines, and until the morning of the 31st, when the Sixty-sixth Illinois
Volunteers, deployed as skirmishers, supported by the Eighty-first Ohio, was ordered to advance
upon the enemy, driving him into his works, which was executed with a degree of promptness
worthy the veteran soldiers of any country or age, the enemy being compelled to abandon his
rifle-pits, and only succeeded in making a stand at his main works, which were ascertained to be
too strong to hazard an assault without the co-operation of other divisions on the right and left,
and, therefore, these regiments were compelled to fall slowly back to their intrenchments. No
further demonstration was made on either side during the remainder of this day or night thereof.
At or near 9 o'clock, June l, 1864, in compliance with instructions, the troops were
withdrawn from their works in front of Dallas, which had been so long and well defended, First
Brigade of this division moving in advance of the Army of the Tennessee (the Second Brigade
having been sent to the left to relieve a brigade of the Fourteenth Army Corps), passed through
the village of Dallas, thence on cut road to the Burnt Hickory road, which it followed until it
arrived at a new line of works, situated on this road, which it occupied, fronting south, and
holding the same until the Army of the Tennessee had passed through, and well to the rear of the
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same, when, pursuant to orders received from Brigadier-General Dodge, it moved back to a
position two miles farther in rear, taking possession of high wooded ground, with large open
fields in front, and immediately commenced constructing works and abatis, Continuing this labor
during most of the night. The Second Brigade, having rejoined the command at this place, was
thrown to the left and at right angles with the First Brigade, the battery in position between the
two. The casualties before Dallas and up to the evening of June 1, in this command, was as
follows: Commissioned officers--killed, 2; wounded, 9. Enlisted men--killed, 11; wounded, 98;
total, 120. The command occupied this position until June 5, with but slight skirmishing with the
enemy. At 2 p.m. on the 5th of this month the division left its fortifications and proceeded to
Burnt Hickory Church, and from thence to Allatoona Creek, at which place the First Brigade and
Battery H, First Missouri Light Artillery, of this command, encamped, with instructions to hold
the position, picketing strongly the roads and bridge, while the Second Brigade moved forward
to the village of Acworth, on the railroad, and two miles distant from Allatoona Creek, where it
arrived at 4 p.m., and was placed in camp south of the town. The two brigades and battery
composing this command occupied the positions above designated, making preparations for
future operations, until the morning of June 10, when the First Brigade and battery having
arrived at Ac-worth, the division moved out at 11 a.m. upon the Acworth road, in the direction of
Big Shanty, at which place it arrived at 1 p.m. of this day, encamping near and northwest of the
town. The command remained in camp at this place until the 15th of June. Officers and men
suffered considerable from exposure to the weather, it having rained almost incessantly for four
days successively. Battery C, First Michigan Light Artillery, was temporarily assigned to the
division on this day, commanded by Lieutenant Shier, and consisting of four 10-pounder guns.
At 6 a.m. June 15 the division was moved a short distance to the front, taking position in rear
of the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, where it remained until 1 p.m., when it was
moved back to a position formerly occupied by the Fourth Division, Fifteenth Army Corps,
being held in reserve until 11 a.m. on the 17th instant, except Battery H, First Missouri Light
Artillery, which was placed in position in the first and second line of works, and Battery C, First
Michigan Artillery, which was moved into position on the front line, on the right of the Fourth
Division, Sixteenth Army Corps. At 11 p.m. on the 17th June the Fifty-second Illinois
Volunteers, of First Brigade, and the Eighty-first Ohio Volunteers, of Second Brigade, were sent
to report to General Veatch, commanding Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, the former
being assigned temporarily to General Fuller's brigade, of that division, and the latter to the
Second Brigade of the same.
With the exception of the changes above named, this command remained in reserve until
June 20, when the Second Iowa Infantry, of the First Brigade, was detailed for guard duty at the
station, and on the 21st the Sixty-sixth Illinois Volunteers, of the Second Brigade, was ordered
forward on picket duty on the left and rear of the Army of the Tennessee. On the 22d of June
Colonel Mersy, commanding Second Brigade, was ordered to take the Twelfth Illinois, of his
brigade, and relieving the Fifty-second Illinois Volunteers, assume command of the Twelfth
Illinois and Eighty-first Ohio, subject to the orders of Brigadier-General Veatch. Up to the 26th
of June the division remained in the position occupied on the 15th, with the exception of the
changes enumerated, and some other unimportant movements of a few regiments. At 2 p.m. June
26 the command, with the exception of the Second Iowa Volunteers, moved from its position in
reserve to the foot of Kenesaw Mountain, relieving the division of General Osterhaus, of the
Fifteenth Army Corps, and forming its lines as follows: First Brigade on the right, with the
Seventh Iowa Volunteers, its right regiment, resting on the railroad, and the Second Brigade on
the left, with its left regiment, Eighty-first Ohio Volunteers, resting on the main Marietta road,
artillery in position on the flanks of each brigade. Skirmishers were immediately thrown forward,
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and engaged those of the enemy during the night. At 3 a.m. June 27 the Sixty-sixth Illinois
Volunteers were deployed as skirmishers, and ordered to advance up the mountain as far as
possible, which order was carried out promptly and with energy, this regiment moving briskly
forward until compelled to halt on the side of the mountain, in consequence of the skirmish line
of the Seventeenth Army Corps being driven back, leaving the left flank of the Sixty-sixth
Illinois Volunteers exposed to a flank fire from the enemy, and making it necessary to throw one
company across the flank thus uncovered for its protection. The Ninth Illinois Volunteers, having
been dismounted temporarily, were thrown forward during the night as a support to the skirmish
line.
During the 28th, 29th, and 30th of June and 1st of July the general position of the troops of
this command remained unchanged, and no demonstration being made on either side in our
immediate front, except the usual and constant skirmishing. At 10 p.m. July 2 the command
moved, in compliance with orders from headquarters Department and Army of the Tennessee, to
a position one mile and a half to the right and rear, remaining in line of battle until the morning
of July 3, at which time it was ascertained that the enemy had evacuated Kenesaw Mountain. At
7 a.m. of this date the division was again put in motion, passing down the Sandtown road past
the Twenty-third Army Corps, then bearing to the left toward Ruff's Mill, on Nickajack Creek,
which was reached about 7 p.m., and, in compliance with instructions, relieved a division of
troops found stationed at this point. During the night works were thrown up for the batteries and
rifle-pits for the men, and occupied until 12 m. on the 4th of July, when the command again
moved forward to a position on the right of the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, the
Second Brigade in line, the First Brigade in reserve, and the Sixty-sixth and Ninth Illinois
Volunteers as skirmishers. Sharp skirmishing commenced and continued until 5 p.m., when
orders were received for the command to move forward and take the enemy's works. The
advance was immediately made by the Sixty-sixth Illinois Volunteers, well supported, and at
dusk the enemy was driven from his works (although making a stubborn resistance), which were
occupied by the entire division during the night. At an early hour on the morning of the 5th of
July a skirmish line was advanced a distance of two or three miles, without meeting with any
serious opposition from the enemy. At 1 p.m. of this day the command moved back on to the
Sandtown road, and thence to the Widow Mitchell's, where the division was massed in an open
field, remaining until the 7th of July. On this day the Sixty-sixth Illinois Volunteers, with one
section of Battery C, First Michigan Artillery, was moved down the Sandtown road to the river,
engaging the enemy on its opposite side, who opened with artillery and musketry. On the 8th of
July, in compliance with orders, the remainder of the Second Brigade was sent down to
Sandtown with instructions to make a demonstration upon the enemy. It arrived at the point
designated at 7 a.m., taking position, and throwing skirmishers down the river to the right, and
making such other dispositions as would lead the enemy to believe that the real crossing was to
be made at this place. The casualties in this command while before Kenesaw Mountain, and up
to July 9, were as follows: Commissioned officers--wounded, 3; enlisted men--killed, 1,
wounded, 39; aggregate, 43. Early on the morning of July 9 the entire command was put in
motion, in rear of the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, for Marietta, at which place it
arrived at 8 p.m., and bivouacked on the east side of the town. At 4 a.m. July 10 the division
moved out, followed by the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, and arrived at Roswell at
12 m. From thence proceeded to the Chattahoochee River, crossing the same, and relieving
General Newton's division, of the Fourth Army Corps, Department of the Cumberland. As soon
as the crossing had been made, the troops were at once set to work constructing fortifications,
which the division occupied until the 17th of July, when it was again put in motion, and
bivouacked at Mason's Creek, about five miles distant. On the morning of the 18th of July the
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division moved forward at an early hour, the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry being in advance.
The march was continued without any important incident, crossing Peach Tree Creek, and from
thence to Decatur, where it arrived at 4 p.m. on the 19th, and bivouacked to the southwest of
town, in line of battle. On the 20th of July the division moved but a short distance, taking a
position on the right of the Fifteenth Army Corps, the First Brigade in line, the Second Brigade
in reserve. Skirmishers were here thrown forward, and works constructed. The command
remained in position as above described, until about 2 p.m. the 21st of July, when it moved to the
front and right in the direction of Atlanta, Ga., making connection with General Schofield on the
left, the First Brigade in line, the Second Brigade in reserve, remaining in this position during the
night.
On the 22d of July the division took an important part in one of the severest battles of this
memorable campaign, a special report of which has been made by the brigade and battery
commanders and transmitted to your headquarters, in consideration of which I shall only attempt
to give a brief statement of position and operations of this day. At 10 a.m., it having been
ascertained that the enemy had left our front, the division was put in motion, with orders from
Major-General Dodge, commanding Left Wing, Sixteenth Army Corps, to proceed to a position
on the extreme left of the Army of the Tennessee. It was during the movement of this command,
in compliance therewith, and while making a temporary halt at a cross-roads, in waiting for an
officer of General Dodge's staff to ascertain which was the road the command was to pursue, that
the enemy's pickets were discovered, being in rear of the Seventeenth Army Corps, which was in
line of battle fronting nearly due west. The Second Brigade, being in advance, was immediately
thrown into position on the left of the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, with the
Fourteenth Ohio Battery on its left, and facing to the south, while the First Brigade, now coming
up, was placed in line almost at right angles with the Second Brigade, its right resting on the
Fourteenth Ohio Battery, and fronting nearly east, Battery H, First Missouri Artillery, being
placed in position by Capt. Frederick Welker, chief of artillery, a little in front, and near the left
center of Colonel Rice's command, the entire division being without fortifications or cover.
Hardly had these arrangements been completed when the enemy, driving in our skirmishers,
advanced through an open field upon our lines flaunting their flags and evincing a determination
to crush the small force opposed to them. Their advance was met first by Battery H, First
Missouri Light Artillery and the Fourteenth Ohio Battery, plowing through their ranks with grape
and canister, and strewing the field with their dead and wounded, but still pressing forward until
meeting with a withering fire from the infantry, when they wavered, broke, and fled in confusion
to the woods. At the time the enemy's line first wavered, the Twelfth Illinois and Eighty-first
Ohio Volunteers, of the Second Brigade, charged forward in the most gallant manner, adding
greatly to the final repulse and rout of the foe, and taking 2 stand of colors and 466 prisoners.
Each successive assault of the enemy was met and repulsed in the same gallant manner by the
troops of this command, until, disheartened, the enemy was compelled to withdraw from a field
made untenable by the determination, coolness, and valor displayed by the troops of the Second
Division, Sixteenth Army Corps. At the time the enemy's assault had ceased in front of this
command, and in compliance with orders from Left Wing, Sixteenth Army Corps, the Second
Brigade was sent to the support of the Second Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, and, deployed
near the railroad, immediately charged the enemy in the most daring manner, retaking the works
from which this division had been driven and four 20-pounder Parrott guns of De Gress' battery,
and captured about 190 prisoners. The works thus retaken by a handful of men, led by the brave
Mersy, were occupied by the same until evening of the same day, when the brigade was relieved
and placed in reserve to the Second Division, Sixteenth Army Corps. At 12 midnight two
regiments of this brigade were ordered to report to General Leggett, commanding Third
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Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, remaining on duty with this command until the 26th of July,
when they rejoined their brigade.
The casualties in this command during the battle of the 22d of July, which continued from 12
m. until 5 p.m., resulted as follows: Commissioned officers--killed, 2; wounded, 6. Enlisted men-
-killed, 31; wounded, 165; missing, 4. Making an aggregate of 208. Number of prisoners
captured from the enemy, 660.
During the 23d, 24th, and 25th of July that portion of the command not detached (First
Brigade and one regiment of Second Brigade) was engaged in burying rebel dead, removing their
wounded and our own, and constructing fortifications. For number of dead buried, capture of
arms and colors, see recapitulation.
July 26, I am indebted to Capt. L. H. Everts, assistant adjutant-general, for the foregoing
report of the operations of the Second Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, to this date, at which
time I assumed command. I found the division, with its corps and department, under marching
orders, organized and occupying a position as follows: The First Brigade, Col. (now General) E.
W. Rice commanding, numbering 1,084 effectives, occupying a line on the extreme left of the
army about half way between Decatur and Atlanta, south of the Augusta railroad, and distant
from it about 1,000 yards. The Second Brigade, Lieut. Col. J. J. Phillips (now commanded by
Col. R. N. Adams, Eighty-first Ohio) commanding, numbering 1,569 effectives, distributed as
follows: the Eighty-first Ohio Infantry and Twelfth Illinois Infantry in the line of Leggett's
division, of the Seventeenth Corps; the Sixty-sixth Illinois on the railroad to Augusta, having
been engaged in destroying that road, and the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry beyond Decatur,
picketing and scouting, under the orders of the corps commander, Company H, First Missouri
Light Artillery, Lieutenant Blodgett commanding, numbering 146 effectives, lay in battery on
Rice's line. In addition to the effectives in line there was a pioneer corps, composed of 123
whites and 190 blacks--making a grand total, in the division, of 3,754 effectives. At 2 p.m. the
division moved north, crossing the railroad and uniting Rice's and Phillips' brigades, following
the road made during the day, till it ran into the Decatur and Buck Head road, when a detour to
the left was made, and the head of the column moved along a road south of Peach Tree Creek in
a westerly direction, till it struck the Peach Tree Creek and Atlanta road near Sherman's
headquarters. Here it halted, and the command went into bivouac until daylight. July 27, the line
of march continued westerly, and close to Peach Tree Creek, till we crossed the Atlanta and
Chattanooga Railroad, when the column again approached Atlanta, bearing east of it till it
arrived near the intersection of the Atlanta and Turner's Ferry road with Proctor's Creek at a
point known as the Jeff. C. Davis hill (his troops being in occupation on the extreme right of the
army). Here it halted for further orders. The Second Division, being in advance of the Army of
the Tennessee, necessarily went first into the new position. Major-General Howard, who had
assumed command of the Department of the Tennessee that morning, wishing to expedite the
movements, ordered me to cross Proctor's Creek, and advance with my left on the creek, to a
high ridge, distant about 1,500 yards south of the Jeff. C. Davis hill. At 3 p.m. the division
passed over, and was formed in echelon by brigades from the left, Rice's brigade on the left,
Phillips' on the right, both covered by a cloud of skirmishers. The command moved forward
through the thick undergrowth in fair order, over the consecutive ridges, without meeting any
opposition that the skirmishers could not overcome. The ridge designated was soon intrenched, a
substantial six-gun battery built on a prominent knoll, the whole line having a fine command
over an open field, beyond which Atlanta was visible, distant about 2,000 yards. Late in the
evening the other division of this corps came up, and extended over our right, and still later the
Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps bivouacked in our rear. Our line now rested its left on Proctor's
Creek and ran southerly, facing almost due east. The stream here divided the Army of the
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Cumberland from that of the Tennessee; Baird's division, Fourteenth Corps, being the right of
the former, this division of the Sixteenth Army Corps being the left of the latter. July 28, the
Seventeenth Corps got into position early on our right, and the Fifteenth, while forming on their
right, were struck by Hood's column with so much fury as to threaten disaster. This division was
held in readiness to re-enforce any point, but being called on for but two regiments, I directed
Col. J. J. Phillips to comply with the orders promptly as possible. He moved about 3 p.m. at a
double-quick, with the Eighty-first Ohio and Sixty-sixth Illinois, arriving just in time to relieve
two regiments of Morgan L. Smith's division that had exhausted their ammunition. Their loss
was slight, but their services at the critical moment invaluable and warm? appreciated by Major-
General Logan, commanding Fifteenth Army Corps. During this engagement, although in
reserve, the command was subjected to a severe and continuous shelling from the rebel artillery.
July 28 and 29, the command, engaged in strengthening their works, suffered some from the
proximity of rebel sharpshooters; we could not drive them out of their pits, in consequence of
lack of co-operation of the command on our left. July 30 and 31, the enemy, besides a 20-
pounder Parrott battery, used a 6 -inch siege piece on our men, producing no other casualties
than the loss of a few horses, and compelling the men to traverse that portion of the line
exposed. The weight of their guns overmatched ours, and I prohibited the opening of our light
l2's till we could get a position nearer the enemy's line.
August 1, 2, and 3, inclusive, a slight advance of the skirmishers, and a brief shelling of their
line on the 1st, by Lieutenant Blodgett, with a continued working on our obstruction, were all the
events of these three days. The enemy disposed to be quiet, occasionally opening from their
siege pieces. August 4, in compliance with orders from Military Division of the Mississippi,
through corps headquarters, to make a demonstration to cover some movements on the right, and
in co-operation with the command on my right and left, I doubled my skirmish line and, with the
Sixty-sixth Illinois and Fifty-second Illinois, charged the rebels: drove them from their pits back
into their main line. Under cover of this movement I reconnoitered the ground, and discovered a
commanding position for the main line. About 6 p.m. the enemy opened their batteries, and, with
a strong line of battle, advanced, driving my skirmishers from the position gained in the morning,
and threatening our main works. I ordered Colonel Phillips to take his brigade and recover the
position. With the aid of the artillery he charged them in return, and, after a vigorous fight,
secured the greater portion of the ground, but suffered from a galling fire on his flanks, the other
commands not coming to his support as was expected. Our casualties were about 25 killed and
wounded. August 5, the skirmishing was vigorous all day, but no effort on the part of the enemy
to advance. Men intrenched themselves as well as possible under the enemy's fire. August 6, the
enemy, evidently annoyed by our success and the fire of our skirmish line, shelled it warmly
about 8 a.m., but produced no effect. August 7, 8, and 9, constant skirmishing, with a steady
advance of our lines, produced a list of casualties expected only from an extensive engagement.
Again were the rebels assaulted successively on the 8th, capturing 12 or 15 prisoners, and
bringing our line within 1,000 yards of the enemy. On the 11th the rebel vedettes were captured
or driven in, and we obtained a position from which we could command the rebel batteries and
occupy with the main body. August 12, the command occupied works thrown up in the night on
a ridge overlooking the eastern part of Atlanta. Our skirmishers were distant from the enemy
about sixty yards. There was from this line a single ravine separating the ridge from that on
which the city of Atlanta is located, and the central point of the line being quite elevated,
furnished a fine natural position for a battery. Welker's battery, Lieutenant Blodgett
commanding, moved in about 2 a.m., and was ordered to open whenever the enemy did. As soon
as the fog had moved from the intervening space, the enemy discovered our line, our battery, and
our working parties, and opened all their metal on the six 12-pounders. Their shot and shell
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penetrated the parapet, tore out the revetment, burst in front, over, and inside, killing and
wounding the gunners, and threatening demolition to the entire battery. The veteran artillerists
stuck close to their guns and handled them so well that Lieutenant Blodgett was enabled, in one
hour, to silence both forts in his front. The true effect of artillery was here best found in volley
firing. While one or two guns fired consecutively at an object for a week may produce no effect,
six guns fired together and repeatedly will overcome any possible obstacle in a very short time.
The great success of this battery throughout this entire campaign is owing to the fact that its fire
has ever been concentrated, and by battery or in volleys. August 13, obtained from General
Sherman a 4 -inch Rodman, which was placed in battery where my line connected with the right
of the Army of the Cumberland. The position overlooked the whole valley, being the salient of
our joint lines, and the gun opened on the city, with orders to fire a round every fifteen minutes
throughout the day, and every five minutes during the night. This piece fired 1,080 rounds before
being dismounted, with no other injury than the enlargement of the vent. A battery [of] 20-
pounder Parrotts was sent to me from the Seventeenth Corps, and placed in position with
Welker's guns; a furnace was built and hot shot fired from two of them during the night. The
heating process seemed to expand the shot, so as to take the rifling more perfectly, and with the
guns we had the experiment was a perfect success. I cannot say positively that the hot shot fired
any of the houses, but large fires were visible in the city every night hot shot was used save one.
The command suffered from the first advance till the evening of the 25th of August, as severely
as a besieging party. Our lines were so closely drawn that extreme danger attended the exposure
of the person at any point on the skirmish line. We were constantly annoyed by batteries on our
right and left flanks, which destroyed more men in the reserve lines than elsewhere. There was
no safety or security; cooks, grooms, clerks at work in their offices, were as subject to being hit
by the random shell or shot as men in the extreme front.
On the evening of August 25, at 8 p.m., with muffled artillery wagons, and with great secrecy
and celerity, the Second Division withdrew, occupying a line of works thrown up through the
day on the ridge running north and south, on which Ezra Church is located, and conforming
nearly to the line of the Fifteenth Corps in their battle of the 28th of August [July], facing east
instead of west, Rice's brigade on the left and Adams' brigade on the right. The division, with its
corps, withdrew from this position on the night of August 26. Being in rear of the Army of the
Tennessee, Rice's brigade was thrown out as rear guard, not to move till the pickets all fell back.
The entire command drew out at 8 p.m. and marched, via Lick Skillet, over Utoy Creek, through
Dry Pond, to a plantation on Camp Creek, owned by one Campbell, nearly due south of
Sandtown. August 28, our trains went round by Judge Wilson's place, and joined us at this point.
This division, in advance of the corps, and in rear of the train of the Seventeenth Corps, swung
out about 11 a.m., after waiting three hours for the Seventeenth Corps train to clear the road. The
march was short, bringing us to Shadna Church on the West Point railroad, distant from Fairburn
two miles. Here the Sixteenth Corps laid in reserve. August 29, the division, with the corps,
moved down the West Point railroad, destroying the track between Shadna and Palmetto, about 5
miles; returned to the position occupied the night before, in rear of the Seventeenth Corps.
August 30, the Second Division, in advance of the corps, moved toward Jonesborough, taking a
direct road, crossing Pond Fork and Shoal Creek, via Renfroe Place on the west bank of Flint
River, where the command went into bivouac about 10 p.m. The Fifteenth Corps occupying the
main road compelled us, being in the advance of the parallel column, to make a road as we
marched. By direction of the corps commander I ordered two regiments from Rice's brigade to
report to General Kilpatrick, as he said, to support his cavalry, but really to do the work the
cavalry should have done. They were kept in advance of the main body of the cavalry, carrying
four days' rations, pioneer tools, knapsacks, guns, and equipments, and compelled to march
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rapidly to keep up, under an August sun in Georgia. The cavalry, not being able to dislodge, with
their few troops in advance, the enemy, who had covered himself with rails and dirt on an
eminence overlooking the surrounding country, withdrew, and sent the infantry in. Major Hamill,
of the Second Iowa Infantry, commanding both regiments (the Seventh Iowa and his own),
deployed the Second and, placing the Seventh in support, charged the works through a cornfield,
driving the rebels from their position, killing and wounding, but not capturing any. Major
Hamill, in this gallant affair, received a serious wound, and was borne to the rear. His loss was 8
or 9 killed and wounded.
The morning of the 31st of August found us bivouacked on the west bank of the Flint River,
about two miles from Jonesborough, Rice's brigade in line, facing south, Adams' brigade in rear
of department headquarters, facing north. The Fifteenth Corps had crossed the river the evening
previous, and gone into line of battle, facing east, with their flanks well refused. After throwing
up a strong line on the west bank of the stream and building two bridges, I was directed by
Major-General Howard, through General Ransom, to send Adams' brigade, which had just been
relieved by the Seventeenth Corps, across the river to occupy the line of works General
Osterhaus' right brigade were then in; Colonel Adams occupying the position designated by
General Howard, relieving two or more regiments of General Osterhaus' division. About 10 a.m.
Battery H, First Missouri Light Artillery, Lieutenant Blodgett commanding, was placed on the
right of Adams' brigade, without any protection. The distance from the battery to the river was
about 1,000 yards, which, by order of General Howard, was to be left open for the enemy to
come in. In the course of the morning I received another order to throw General Rice's brigade
across the river in reserve. This was done at 1 p.m. The line of the Fifteenth Corps, as before
observed, was due north and south, facing east. The left of this division connected with the right
of the Fifteenth Corps, but at right angles with that line; consequently, we faced due south, our
right projecting into air. The line we occupied was on a ridge with a corn-field in front, a ravine
intervening, the whole composing the eastern water-shed of the Flint, which drained the fields
toward our right. Along the edge of the river in the bottom the woods are quite dense, and furnish
excellent cover for infantry. Six hundred yards in our front another strip of timber parallel to our
line, along the farther edge of the corn-field. At 2 p.m. our skirmishers were pushed in, followed
by a line of battle, which emerged from the strip of forest opposite, and came out obliquely to
our line into the corn-field. Adams' brigade, with Blodgett's battery, sent them back. Rice's
brigade was now double-quicked to the right of the battery, to continue the line if possible to the
river. Again the enemy charged, advancing squarely with our works. The battery, exposed to the
pattering fire, stood out in open field, sending case and solid shot, without marked effect, and the
lines advanced through the corn-field steadily, their flags floating in the lazy breeze. A few shots
are sent. The men, however, are restrained, and ordered not to fire a shot till the enemy comes
out of the field of corn into the meadow in front of our works. Their appearance there is
welcomed by a tremendous volley along Adams' brigade, and by double-shotted guns from the
battery, followed by the rattling of file-firing along the line. A portion of the rebel, line breaks
and runs for life to the woods; the rest, in front of Rice's command, seek shelter in a gully or
wash, about deep enough to conceal a man, and are thus temporarily safe. I ordered Rice to send
a regiment to clear out the hollow, which was followed by the Sixty-sixth Indiana rushing down
the declivity into the gully, killing and driving them out, and bringing about 60 back as prisoners.
Rice sent me word from his right that the enemy are massing in the woods down in the bottom,
trying to work to the right. I saw columns moving to the right, and feeling somewhat
apprehensive about that, the vulnerable point of our line, sent to General Ransom a request for
the Third Brigade, from the Fourth Division, to support my right. Colonel Tillson's brigade
arrived before the enemy could take advantage of our weakness, threw two regiments on our
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right, and secured that point. During this short space of time the men on the line of Rice's brigade
built a parapet, from which it would have been impossible to have driven them, so expert have
the men become in practical engineering. By this time the enemy, having reformed his scattered
lines, massed, and moved through the woods to our right, but not sufficiently covered to prevent
our canister from raking his flanks, so as to compel him to hurry off, leaving his dead and some
of his wounded in our hands. From the prisoners captured in both brigades we learned that Bate's
division, Hardee's corps, had been sent to force the right of our lines, while Cheatham's and
Cleburne's divisions laid behind it, to rush in and strike the Fifteenth Corps in rear. Our losses
were light; about 100 prisoners captured, 43 dead buried, and some 12 or 15 wounded brought
in. The battery of six light 12-pounders did excellent service here with canister in volleys. No
column can stand a concentrated fire of six Napoleons by volley or battery, double shotted with
canister.
September 1, skirmished briskly in the morning, and in the afternoon advanced the line,
supported by the Second Iowa Infantry, driving the enemy from a portion of his line. September
2, the skirmishers of this division advanced about daylight, and found the rebel lines empty. On
pressing into the town of Jonesborough, they succeeded in giving a few farewell shots to a train
of cars just leaving, but were too late to capture. The line of skirmishers as an organization being
the first in the place, pursued the enemy a short distance south of Jonesborough, till they struck
the rear guard of the enemy, when they halted, remaining there as a picket till relieved by the
Fifteenth Corps. At 10 a.m.. moved on new roads south and parallel with the railroad till we
came onto the enemy at the headwaters of Camp Creek, two miles from (north) of Lovejoy's
Station. The Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth Corps, marching on different and parallel
roads, came in front of the enemy, consecutively by heads of column, the Fifteenth first, then this
division (it being in advance), of the Sixteenth Army Corps, &c. I was directed to deploy two
regiments on the right of the skirmish line of the Fifteenth Corps. After reconnoitering the
position, two regiments from the Second Brigade, under Colonel Adams, were thrown forward.
At the signal to advance they assaulted the hill in their front, capturing the rebel line and a few
prisoners in the pits. In their turn the enemy assaulted our line, but were repulsed with
considerable loss. This command was afterward withdrawn and sent to another portion of the
line of the Fifteenth Corps, and before they returned, on the subsequent day, the Sixty-sixth
Illinois and Eighty-first Ohio had been three times in line and once in reserve, and moved from
right to left, and left to right twice. The Twelfth Illinois reported to Rice's brigade, which was
engaged in destroying the Macon railroad, during the night. On the 3d of September the division
was united and detached from the corps and placed on the extreme right and front of the army,
almost facing Lovejoy's Station from the west. It laid here September 4 and 5, and on the
evening of the 5th [marched] in the midst of a terrific thunder-storm, that flooded the streams to
such an extent as to require men to go waist deep to ford them, and converted the roads into sinkholes
and slush. The livelong night the patient, wet, and weary men labored over the roads, now
halting and lying in the mud till some team ahead was resurrected from the mud, now deploying
as skirmishers, and moving to the rear to take the place of some other command that had gone
and left the rear, without orders, or to cover some cavalry brigade, whose retrograde movement
had commenced before the time required. Daylight, on the morning of the 6th, found us dragging
our weary way into Jonesborough, and by 7 a.m. the command occupied the works they were in
during the battle of the 31st ultimo. The march from this point, via Morrow's Mill and the West
Point railroad, to the line of works the division now occupies near East Point, is barren of events
worthy of record. Suffice it to say the men are in camp, in good spirits, cheerful, and manifestly
as strong in spirits for mischief as if they had not walked their toilsome miles or fought the most
stubborn struggles of the war.
76
I am largely indebted to my personal staff, to the general staff officers--of the adjutant's,
quartermaster's, commissary's, inspector's, engineer's, and medical departments--they have all
rendered me efficient aid.
I am particularly obliged to thank Capt. Benjamin S. Barbour, Company I, Seventh Iowa
Infantry, my chief of outposts, for his faithful, patient, and constant attention to the picket and
grand guard duty of this division, for his promptness in pursuit of the enemy, and energy in
watching and advancing his line.
In conclusion, I respectfully call your attention to the accompanying tabular statement of the
casualties of this division, the prisoners captured, and ammunition expended.
Words are inadequate to convey a fitting eulogium of the brave men and gallant officers of
this command. Their conduct inspires one with a profound admiration for his own species, and
their devotion to their country's cause awakens a conviction that with such men the flag of our
country must ever be triumphant.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. M. CORSE,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Maj. J. W. BARNES,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Left Wing, Sixteenth Army Corps.
HDQRS. SECOND DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,
Kingston, Ga., May 21, 1864.
I. Owing to the continued movement of the troops of this command since the engagement at
Lay's Ferry, the general commanding has not been able to express his thanks to the officers and
men of his division in general orders for their gallant behavior at Snake Creek Gap, and thence to
Resaca, and at the crossing of Lay's Ferry, on the 14th and 15th of May, 1864. He now avails
himself of the opportunity, and takes pleasure in stating that the conduct of both officers and
men of his command was all that he could have desired, and that they never have exhibited more
coolness, bravery, and determination than when making the perilous crossing of the Oostenaula
River at Lay's Ferry, on the above-mentioned dates, which resulted in the immediate retreat of
the enemy from Resaca. For this he most sincerely thanks them, and feels a proud gratification in
being their commander. In due time each regiment and individual officer and soldier shall
receive due credit for meritorious conduct, especially the part borne by the Seventh Iowa
Infantry Volunteers in its exposed position at Lay's Ferry, the Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry
Volunteers at Snake Creek Gap, the Eighty-first Ohio Infantry Volunteers on the evening of the
14th, and the daring soldier of the Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry Volunteers who swam the
Oostenaula River, snatched the rebel banner from the works, and bore it triumphantly to our lines
in the very face of the enemy. For the gallant dead who sleep beneath the turf of the battle-field
we may drop a tear, and will ever hold them in most grateful remembrance as men who freely
offered up their lives for the salvation of their beloved country.
By order of T. W. Sweeny, brigadier-general commanding:
LOUIS H. EVERTS,
Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.
-----
GENERAL ORDERS No. 15.
HDQRS. 2D DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, near Dallas, Ga.,
June 3, 1864.
77
I. The general commanding takes this opportunity of again extending his thanks to the troops
under his command for their gallant and meritorious conduct in repulsing the enemy's assaults
upon our lines on the afternoon of the 28th ultimo, as also repelling the repeated assaults of the
enemy during the night of the 29th ultimo. During the engagements of the 28th the men of the
Second Iowa and Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry held the front line with the most determined spirit
of valor and heroism, while the same may be said of the troops composing the Second Brigade
during the midnight assaults of the 29th. The second line, composed of the Fifty-second Illinois
and Seventh Iowa Infantry Volunteers, though not engaged on this occasion, were ready to aid
their comrades in front if they needed it, or for any other emergency that might arise, their valor
being too well known to be doubted for a moment. Without signal mention of any regiment at
this time it is sufficient for the brave troops of this command, for their country and their friends,
to know that their commanding officer feels proud of their gallant conduct, their endurance, and
promptness during five successive days, in which they were engaged with the enemy. Too much
credit cannot be given to the officers and men of Battery H, First Missouri Light Artillery, who
were at no time absent from their post and fought their battery with the utmost coolness and
determination.
By order of T. W. Sweeny, brigadier-general, commanding:
LOUIS H. EVERTS,
Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. FIRST BRIG., SECOND DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,
Before Atlanta, Ga., August 4, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my brigade in
the action of July 22, before Atlanta:
At early dawn of the 22d my skirmishers discovered and reported to me that the enemy had
disappeared from my front. I immediately ordered them forward, and obtained permission from
your headquarters to send the Fifty-second Illinois to their support, which was done. They
advanced, connecting with the skirmish line of the Fifteenth Corps on the left and Twenty-third
Corps on the right, and passed over the rifle-pits of the enemy, and three-quarters of a mile
beyond found the enemy's first line of works, in rear of which, and running parallel thereto, a
main road, leading to the southeastern portion of the city. The line was advanced half a mile on
this road, closely followed by the Fifty-second Illinois, and soon found the enemy in strong
works immediately around Atlanta. Our skirmish line was established within 800 yards of the
rebel works, and distant about one mile and a quarter from the heart of the city. Between the
hours of 9 and 10 a.m. I received orders to move my command, following the brigade of Colonel
Mersy. I moved in a southerly direction on the main road running in rear of the army, crossing
the railroad near the Three-Mile House, arriving at a point two miles and a half from my old
position and one mile in rear of the line of Seventeenth Army Corps. Here I formed my brigade
in single line perpendicular to Colonel Mersy's line and facing east, my right joined his left at the
high point in the open field, the two lines thus forming a right angle, and the Fourteenth Ohio
Battery, of Mersy's brigade, in the apex of the angle. My regiments were posted in the following
order: Sixty-sixth Indiana Volunteers on the right, Second Iowa on their left, next Welker's
battery, Lieutenant Blodgett commanding, the Seventh Iowa Volunteers on the left. I
immediately covered my front with a skirmish line, but had no time to construct works. My
position being in an open field, I could only rely on the bravery and endurance of my command.
The skirmish line had just arrived at the timber, 800 yards from my front, when they met the
enemy advancing in heavy force. The skirmish line, after exchanging a few shots with the
enemy, moved by the left flank and uncovered my front. This movement was hardly completed
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when the enemy emerged from the woods in heavy charging column with battle-flags proudly
flaunting in the breeze. They burst forth from the woods in truly magnificent style in front of my
right. At the same time another heavy column charged General Fuller's line, which was at the
edge of the woods half a mile to my right and rear, and perpendicular to my line. Hardly had the
enemy made his appearance in my front when Blodgett opened on them a deadly fire, which
rather staggered their line, yet on came the advancing rebels, and hotter grew the fire of the
splendidly managed and magnificently fought battery of Blodgett. At the same time the Second
Iowa Infantry Volunteers and Sixty-sixth Indiana Volunteers opened on them with cool and
deadly aim. Still on came the charging columns, more desperate than ever, those in front urged
up by those in rear. Yet still my thin line stood like a fence of iron, not a man deserting his
colors, which were all the time being proudly and defiantly waved in the very teeth of the enemy.
The battle was approaching a crisis, one or the other must soon succumb, when up came the
gallant Fifty-second Illinois, in obedience to my order, with a cheer that for a moment attracted
the attention of all, encouraging my hard-pressed line to renewed efforts, and striking terror into
the torn and bleeding ranks of the enemy. They turned and fled in utter confusion and terror,
leaving their dead and wounded, and 1 stand of colors in front of my brigade. During the heat of
the action the line of Brigadier-General Fuller was pressed back, and to guard against any
contingency I ordered my right regiment, Sixty-sixth Indiana, which being out of ammunition
had just been relieved from the front line by the Seventh Iowa, to change front to the rear, which
was done, but Fuller's line soon regained their lost ground. I formed the Fifty-second Illinois on
the left of my brigade. Lieut. Col. Roger Martin, commanding Sixty-sixth Indiana Volunteers,
was in the thickest of the fight with his heroic troops. Lieutenant-Colonel Howard, commanding
Second Iowa, was at his post, and heroically performed his duty until near the close of the
engagement, when he received a painful wound and was carried to the rear.
Lieutenant-Colonel Parrott, Seventh Iowa; Lieutenant-Colonel Bowen, Fifty-second Illinois,
and Lieutenant Blodgett, commanding Welker's (Missouri) battery, performed their whole duty
unflinchingly. No better soldiers than the tried veterans of these regiments and battery ever
engaged the enemy. I leave to regimental and battery commanders to make mention of those of
their command deserving notice.
My staff officers, Lieut. D. T. Bowler, acting assistant adjutant-general; Lieut. J. B.
Morrison, aide-de-camp: and Lieut. R. K. Randolph, acting assistant inspector-general, deserve
my special thanks for their assistance and heroism. My orders were executed by them with
energy and without mistake; no position was too perilous or too trying for them to go into to
carry out my desires. My command captured 1 stand of rebel colors, 75 prisoners, over 600 stand
of arms, and buried on the field, 79 dead rebels. In addition to this there were at least 40 dead
beyond my skirmish line, left unburied. A portion of these rebel dead, and captured arms, were
found in front of Colonel Mersy's line.
My loss was 3 killed, 3 officers and 35 men wounded, a list of which has heretofore been
forwarded.
I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
E. W. RICE,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Capt. L. H. EVERTS,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Division.
-----
HDQRS. FIRST BRIG., SECOND DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,
Near East Point, Ga., September 11, 1864.
79
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the part taken by this brigade in the operations against
the enemy in Northern Georgia and Atlanta:
The brigade left Pulaski, Tenn., with the division, the 28th of April, 1864, and marched, via
Elkton and Huntsville, to Larkinsville, a distance of eighty-five miles; from thence it moved by
raft to foot of Lookout Mountain, at the mouth of Chattanooga Creek; from thence marched, via
Rossville and Mattox Gap and Snake Creek Gap, to Resaca, where it arrived about 10 a.m. May
9, and took part in the demonstration against the enemy intrenched there, by throwing the Sixtysixth
Regiment Indiana Infantry forward to the extreme right of the line as skirmishers, the
Seventh Iowa Infantry in support. The Fifty-second Illinois Infantry was left to guard the battery,
which was not brought into action, but left on the road at the south end of Snake Creek Gap. The
Second Iowa Infantry had been sent back to the north end of the gap to guard the wagon train left
there. No change was made in the above disposition until, about 4 p.m., I received orders from
Brigadier-General Sweeny, commanding division, to march my command back to Snake Creek
Gap, where I arrived about midnight.
At 10 p.m. May 10, under orders from division headquarters, I moved the brigade to the
extreme right of a line formed across the mouth of Snake Creek Gap, and continued the line of
intrenchments already begun there, and on which my left rested, to a point beyond my extreme
right. My command was disposed as follows: the Sixty-sixth Indiana Volunteers on the right of
Captain Arndt's (Michigan) battery, the Second Iowa on its right, the Seventh Iowa on the
extreme right, and the Fifty-second Illinois doubled on the center in support. On the morning of
the 12th, under orders, I moved again to the attack of the enemy at Resaca. Arriving in the
vicinity of the enemy's position I formed the brigade under the direction of the general
commanding division, on the extreme right of the line, the Sixty-sixth Indiana on the left,
Welker's (Missouri) battery in center, and the Fifty-second Illinois on the right, the Second and
Seventh Iowa in support. This line was changed to one farther to the front. On reconnoitering the
position I found I was only the length of the front of my brigade from the Oostenaula, an
impassable river. Asked and obtained permission to change my line to the left and perpendicular
to last position, thus resting the extreme right of my line on the river. About 4 o'clock I, under
orders, moved my brigade about half a mile along the road toward Resaca, and, under
information from the general commanding that the enemy had crossed the river and was
following in my rear, immediately changed front in that direction. The information proving false,
I bivouacked for the night. About 10 o'clock the morning of the 14th I moved on the Calhoun
road to Oostenaula River, at Lay's Ferry, and disposed my command so as to attract the attention
of the enemy while Colonel Burke, commanding Second Brigade, attempted a crossing of the
river at the mouth of Snake Creek; the Second Iowa was sent to carry the pontoons to the river,
the Sixty-sixth Indiana thrown as skirmishers near the river bank, east of the road running
directly south to Lay's Ferry; Captain Welker's (Missouri) battery was placed in the best position
possible, and opened fire on the enemy's rifled battery, well posted on the south side of the river;
the other two regiments of the command were placed to the rear, deployed under cover of
undulating ground. The Sixty-sixth Indiana was sent to the front far enough to dislodge some
rebel sharpshooters that annoyed our battery. Private Asahel M. Pyburn, discovering their battleflag
floating in front of their rifle-pits, swam the river and captured it, under cover of the fire of
his comrades. Receiving an order to take two regiments to the relief of Colonel Burke, who had
succeeded in crossing a portion of his command and was suffering from a severe fire from the
enemy, I immediately took the Second and Seventh Iowa, the regiments nearest him, and at
double-quick soon gained the river-bank, threw my regiments into line, and, in compliance with
Colonel Burke's request, detailed men to recross the troops he had thrown over the river, he
having received orders to abandon the attempted crossing. This being completed, I, under orders
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from the general commanding division, marched my command a mile and a half to the rear, and
bivouacked on Lick Creek for the night.
At 8 a.m. the 15th I received orders to proceed with my command toward the crossing of the
Oostenaula, and to report in person in advance of my column to Brig. Gen. T. W. Sweeny,
commanding division. From him I received orders to effect a crossing of the river at the ferry
landing. Two companies of the Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry (sharpshooters), commanded by
Captain Eads, reported to me. A flat-boat, capable of carrying sixty men, was at the landing;
under cover of a hill, about 200 yards from the stream, I formed the two companies of the Sixtysixth
Illinois, and the Sixty-sixth Indiana Regiment to support them directly in the rear. Welker's
battery was finely rusted in a commanding position on the hill; the enemy's sharpshooters
occupied well-constructed rifle-pits on the south bank of the river. As soon as the pontoons were
reported to be ready, I threw the two companies of the Sixty-sixth Illinois (sharpshooters) under
the bank, with instructions to cross rapidly in the bust, gain the opposite bank, and deploy as
skirmishers. To cover this I ordered Colonel Martin, commanding Sixty-sixth Indiana, to
advance at double-quick to the river-bank and open fire on the enemy's rifle-pits, and the battery
to open on them at the same time. So completely did these officers obey my orders that a rapid
and deadly fire was opened on the enemy, driving him in confusion from his intrenchments. As
rapidly as the boat and pontoons could cross, I threw over my entire brigade, surrendering the
pontoons as fast as they could be used in constructing the bridge. In one hour and fifteen minutes
from the commencement of the crossing my entire brigade was ferried over the Oostenaula, the
bridge was completed, and the brigade formed in echelon on the south bank, the Second Iowa
resting on the river, with the Fifty-second Illinois, Sixty-sixth Indiana, and Seventh Iowa to the
left and advance, the left of the brigade resting on the road, and the whole completely concealed
in the woods. A tête-de-pont was immediately thrown up. The Second Brigade then crossed on
the bridge. Colonel Burke reporting to me for orders, I formed his command on the left of my
brigade in the open field, left resting on the river (the river making a horseshoe bend at the point
of crossing); this brigade immediately completed the tête-de-pont in their front. I was satisfied
that there was a considerable rebel force in my front, and, as soon as the bridge was completed,
the Second Brigade over, and I knew the Third Brigade was on the bank opposite, I commenced
demonstrations to ascertain their strength and position by sending a company of the Twelfth
Illinois Infantry up the river-bank to the left of the position, in sight of the enemy, throwing a
strong line of skirmishers directly to the front across the open field. At the same time, under
cover of the woods, I sent the Seventh Iowa Infantry, Major McMullin commanding, supported
by the Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry, forward to a point where I determined the rebel left to rest,
with orders to feel the enemy vigorously, and determine their strength and position. Just as the
regiment arrived at the point I expected to find the enemy they were massing in column to charge
across the open field on the troops I had thrown in sight, doubtless, with the expectation of
capturing the entire forces thrown over the river. The regiment immediately made a gallant and
determined charge on the left flank of the rebel brigade; Welker's and Brunner's batteries
immediately opened a brisk fire on the enemy. He was thrown into confusion and driven
disgracefully from the field. From captured prisoners I learned that an entire rebel division,
commanded by General Walker, opposed my crossing. So speedily was the brigade thrown over,
and so well concealed in the woods, that the enemy was completely surprised when my troops
attacked him. This engagement was short, determined, and decisive. The Seventh Iowa lost 7
men killed and 46 wounded; the Sixty-sixth Indiana 1 man killed and 13 wounded. Captured
from the enemy 1 stand of colors and 23 prisoners; found on the field 36 of the enemy's dead,
and learned from prisoners subsequently captured, that the enemy's loss in killed and wounded
was not less than 250. The importance of this engagement cannot be measured by the enemy's
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killed, captured, and wounded. The position gained placed our army on the flank of the enemy,
and his communications at our mercy. All that was left him was to achieve a victory over our
troops at Resaca, or retreat. The former was tried, resulted in his defeat, and the latter resorted to.
May 16, moved from the crossing of Oostenaula to Rome CrossRoads, and skirmished with
the enemy, with but slight loss to my command. The enemy having left on the morning of the
l7th, pursuit was made, via Adairsville, as far as Kingston. Arriving there on the evening of the
19th, our troops had a much-needed rest, and on the 23d of May again moved against the enemy,
crossing the Etowah River at Wooley's Bridge, thence, via Van Wert, to Dallas, arriving at the
latter place in the evening of May 26. Found the enemy in force about one mile east of town. On
the 27th I advanced my skirmish line to the crest of a hill, where it engaged the enemy's
skirmishers; constructed a good line of works on this crest, joining the Fifteenth Corps on my
right; also made a second line about 300 yards to the rear. The former was occupied by Sixtysixth
Indiana Volunteers, two sections of Welker's (Missouri) battery, and the Second Iowa
Infantry; the second line by Fifty-second Illinois, one section Welker's (Missouri) battery, and
Seventh Iowa Infantry. May 28, at 4 p.m. the enemy, commencing near the right of the Fifteenth
Corps, made a vigorous attack on our position. Directly in front of my brigade, Bate's division,
of Hardee's corps, was formed in column for attack. The enemy's heavy columns, commencing
on their left, were thrown forward on our lines. This division in its turn hurled itself impetuously
upon my brigade. My skirmishers were soon thrown back upon the works, closely followed by
the enemy's charging column. Welker's (Missouri) battery, commanded by Lieutenant Blodgett,
opened upon them first with grape, then with canister. The infantry coolly held their fire until
within close range, when the Second Iowa and Sixty-sixth Indiana opened upon them with such
deliberate and deadly aim that they soon wavered, halted, and finally ran in disorder to their
works, leaving behind them, in front of the Sixty-sixth Indiana Volunteers alone, 63 of their dead
within thirty yards of my works. During this engagement the troops evinced the most determined
bravery and heroism, not a man in either line left his post; all seemed anxious to join in the
contest; none shirked or neglected their duty. In the evening of the 28th my troops in the first line
were relieved by Colonel Mersy's brigade, and about 10 o'clock at night, May 29, the position
was again attacked by the enemy. Colonel Mersy's command held the enemy in check until his
ammunition was exhausted, and there being none at hand, I relieved one of his regiments by the
Sixty-sixth Indiana Volunteers. This regiment held the position firmly until the enemy withdrew,
when it was again relieved by Colonel Mersy, he having supplied his command with
ammunition. May 30, I relieved Colonel Mersy's brigade, in the front line, by the Seventh Iowa
and Fifty-second Illinois Infantry.
June 1, the works at Dallas were abandoned, and, with the Sixteenth Corps, I moved my
command about four miles north, across a branch of Pumpkin Vine Creek, and made a line of
works, which were held until June 5, from which the command was moved to within one mile of
Acworth. The troops rested here until the 10th, when we again moved against the enemy on
Kenesaw Mountain. My command remained in reserve near Big Shanty until June 26, when I
advanced to the base of the mountain and relieved a portion of General Osterhaus' command.
Remained in this position, skirmishing with the enemy and making demonstrations in favor of
other portions of the army, until July 2, when I started toward the right of our army. The morning
of the 3d Kenesaw Mountain was discovered to be evacuated by the enemy. We moved into
Nickajack Creek, near Ruff's Mill: constructed works during the night. The morning of the 4th of
July advanced across the creek and skirmished with the enemy during the day, losing only a few
men. The enemy retired from this line in the night across the Chattahoochee River and to their
tête-de-pont on the north side. On the 5th moved, on Howell's Ferry road, to within four miles of
the river, from thence, via Marietta, to Roswell, and crossed the Chattahoochee. The afternoon of
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the 10th took a good position on a hill, and completed the works already begun there by troops of
the Fourth Corps. Left this position on the 18th, and marched, via Decatur, to a position on the
right of the Fifteenth Corps, and distant two miles and a half from Atlanta, east.
Constructed works during the night of July 20; afterward moved to the front and right, and
joined the left of the Twenty-third Army Corps. Left this position the morning of the 22d July,
and moved about two miles and a half south, and engaged in the battle of the 22d before Atlanta,
a report of which has been forwarded. On the 27th left the position of the battle of July 22 and
moved around the north side of Atlanta to right of Fourteenth Corps, on Proctor's Creek; drove
the enemy's skirmishers about half a mile, and occupied a good position two miles and a half
west of the city. Here I skirmished constantly with the enemy, advancing my line several times,
until I reached a fine position, about 1,100 yards from the enemy's main works and less than 200
yards from a strongly intrenched skirmish line. This position was in plain sight of Atlanta, and
from it shot and shell were constantly thrown into the doomed city for ------ days and nights.
Retired from this position in the night of August 25 and moved to the right, south; crossed Utoy
and Camp Creeks, struck Atlanta and West Point Railroad, and destroyed the track near Fairburn
during August 29. August 30, moved in the direction of Jonesborough to Flint River; sent
Second and Seventh Iowa Infantry to report to General Kilpatrick. They skirmished with the
enemy most of the day, losing a few wounded, among them Major Hamill, Second Iowa. At
noon of the 31st I was ordered over the river and in reserve of the Fifteenth Corps and Second
Brigade of your division. At 3 p.m. the enemy opened their batteries upon our line, and at once
made a vigorous assault on the Fifteenth Corps. Colonel Adams, commanding Second Brigade,
reported to me that there was a gap between his line and the Fifteenth Corps. I immediately sent
the Seventh Iowa to fill it. The enemy was then found to be moving in heavy columns to turn our
right. I immediately put the balance of my brigade in position on the extreme right of the line,
my left resting on Welker's battery, and my right near Flint River, direction of line east and west.
The attack on the Fifteenth Corps having been repulsed, and the enemy moving on my position, I
immediately withdrew the Seventh Iowa from the left of the Second Brigade and ordered it in
reserve of my brigade. During this time Blodgett was pouring into the rebel columns his welldirected
fire of shot and shell from Welker's splendid battery. My skirmishers were driven in,
and the enemy had halted under cover of the hill to reform for the final charge. Learning their
position I took the Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry, a splendid regiment, commanded by Captain
Morris, supported by the veteran Seventh Iowa, commanded by Major Mahon, and charged
directly on their forming columns; threw them into confusion, and by a well-directed, terrific fire
drove them, torn and bleeding, from the field; captured 5 officers and 51 privates, making 56
prisoners, several stand of arms, and the day following buried 40 of the enemy's dead on the
field.
September 2, advanced my skirmish line into Jonesborough, close on the heels of the rebel
rear guard, and followed after with the Sixty-sixth Indiana and Seventh Iowa, and occupied the
town: pursued the enemy to near Lovejoy's the same day, and returned with the army to this
place September 6, 1864, and received with proud satisfaction the official intelligence of the
evacuation of Atlanta by the enemy and its occupation by the national forces, thus ending the
campaign.
My command has lost 1 officer killed, 10 wounded, and 1 missing; 46 enlisted men killed,
275 wounded, and 2 missing; total loss, 335 officers and men. Captured 2 stand of colors, 159
prisoners, and 777 stand of arms, and buried on the field 163 of the enemy's dead.
It is with feelings of exultant pride that I refer to the patient, heroic spirit manifested by the
troops of my command during the entire campaign. Whether marching under a burning sun in
suffocating dust, or through storm and rain in darkness of night over unfamiliar roads, almost
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impassable; whether in the trenches or on the battle-field, at all times and under all
circumstances, that cheerful, determined, heroic spirit displayed entitles them to the admiration,
almost adoration, of their commander. The Fifty-second Illinois, Seventh Iowa, Sixty-sixth
Indiana, Second Iowa Infantry Regiments, and Welker's (Missouri) battery will have a name in
the history of the magnificent campaign just closed that will always be referred to with proud
satisfaction. They and their commanding officers, Lieutenant-Colonels Bowen, Parrott., Martin,
and Howard, and Lieutenant Blodgett will receive the thanks and plaudits of a grateful country.
The members of my staff, Lieutenants Bowler, Morrison, Randolph, Martin, and Applegate
have my hearty thanks for the determined energy displayed on all occasions, and I am
particularly indebted to Lieutenants Bowler, Morrison, and Randolph for the efficient aid
rendered me on the field.
ELLIOTT W. RICE,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Capt. L. H. EVERTS,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Division.
HDQRS. FIFTY-SECOND ILLINOIS INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS,
In the Field, September 6, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: In compliance with Special Field Orders, No. 40, dated headquarters First
Brigade, Second Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, September 4, 1864, I have the honor to submit
the following report of the operations of this command from May 3 to the present date with the
exception of the battle of July 22:
On May 3 the effective strength of this command was 523 men, including officers. Marched
twenty miles, spending the night near Larkinsville, Tenn. [Ala.] May 4, embarked on cars for
Chattanooga, reaching our destination in afternoon of same date. May 5. marched to Gordon's
Mills., After resting one day, the march was renewed in the direction of Villanow. Passed
through Snake Creek Gap, May 9, and marched to Resaca. During the skirmish of the advance of
this day's march and before Resaca the regiment was for awhile exposed to the enemy's fire. By
order of General Sweeny, my command was moved from the position assigned me at Captain
Welker's battery on the road to the front line and placed in position to close up the space between
Colonel Bane's brigade and the Fourth Division. Marched back in the evening to Snake Creek
Gap. During the night of May 10 moved into position on the extreme right of our lines across
Snake Creek Gap, working by detail in constructing earth-works through the night, following
day, and afternoon of May 12. After dark, May 12, by your order, I proceeded with my command
half a mile to the right of your lines with instructions to watch carefully the movements of the
enemy, to guard against a flank movement, and in case the enemy should attack me to skirmish
as I fell back. Three o'clock the following morning I was ordered to rejoin the brigade, and
marched with the brigade to Resaca, being assigned a position in the line on the extreme right.
During the advancement of our lines on the afternoon of May 13 before Resaca, Company A of
the regiment only was engaged with the enemy, this company being deployed as skirmishers.
Just before the brigade retired from the line, this company reached the Oostenaula River, and for
a few minutes delivered an effective fire upon the enemy across the river. During the afternoon
the regiment advanced and executed ten separate formations. May 14, marched to Lay's Ferry,
and was assigned a position to the left of the road fronting the river as support to the Sixty-sixth
Indiana Infantry deployed as skirmishers. While in this position did not become engaged with the
enemy, and although exposed to the enemy's fire suffered no loss. About dark, per your order, I
detailed Companies E and H to relieve the skirmishers of Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry at the
crossing. Early in the evening marched back equidistant between Lay's Ferry and Calhoun Ford,
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and there spent the night. May 15, marched back to Lay's Ferry, and as soon as the enemy was
driven from the crossing, my command was second to be ferried across the river, following the
Second Iowa Infantry. In the skirmish to gain possession of the crossing, only Companies E and
H were engaged, sustaining no loss. The crossing effected, my command was formed to the left
of Second Iowa, that regiment being on the extreme right; Company B was immediately
deployed and advanced to cover my front. In the engagement that took place soon after the
crossing was effected the regiment was not engaged, and sustained no casualties.
May 16, marched to Rome and Parker's cross-roads, and, during the engagement at that
place, was assigned a position to the right of Captain Welker's battery, right resting on the road.
Shortly after was ordered to the left and rear to support Second Iowa Infantry, but was quickly
recalled and assigned to my former position; at no time was the command engaged. During the
night of May 17 marched until 1 a.m., reaching Adairsville 12 m. May 18, after dark march
renewed and continued until 12 at night, bivouacking at Woodland Hermitage. May 19, march
renewed at 12 m., arriving at Kingston in the evening. After several days' rest at Kingstoll,
marched 1 p.m., May 23, and continued until 9 p.m. May 24, marched as guard to wagon train,
with one company between each twenty wagons, the advance of command reaching Van Wert 9
p.m., the rear 11 p.m., dark, wet, and muddy. May 25, marched over mountains, bivouacking
after dark. May 26, marched 3.30 a.m. Halting on Pumpkin Vine Creek a short time to obtain
rations, the march was resumed toward Dallas, taking several different positions as support to
Fourth Division during the afternoon. Late in the afternoon passed through Dallas, being
assigned a position on the left of front line of brigade, sending out Company F on picket to cover
my front. 9 p.m., received orders from your headquarters to report with my command to General
Sweeny, leaving Company F on picket. Was instructed by General Sweeny to proceed to the
junction of the Marietta and Villanow roads and picket it during the night, holding the position, if
attacked, as long as possible. Early on the morning of May 27 received orders from General
Sweeny to rejoin my brigade without delay. On reporting to Colonel Rice was assigned a
position on the right of second line, connecting with the left of General Osterhaus' division.
Company F, left on the skirmish line during the night, became engaged with the enemy early in
the morning and continued until 1 p.m., when relieved, sustaining a loss of 1 killed and 2
seriously wounded. No other portion of the command became engaged during the day, and
suffered no loss, although considerably exposed to the random shots from the enemy. During the
night the regiment constructed a line of earth-works. In the battle of May 28 the command
occupied the right of the second line, and was protected by the works constructed the night
previous. Did not become engaged, and sustained no casualties. Occupied the same position
during May 29 and 30, and notwithstanding the men were constantly exposed, when not behind
their works, to bullets from the enemy's skirmish line, no casualties were sustained, with the
exception of 1 man badly wounded while on the skirmish line without orders. 4 p.m., May 30, in
obedience to your orders, I proceeded to the front line of works with my command and relieved
the Eighty-first Ohio Regiment. In this line of works the command spent one day and two
sleepless nights, owing to the close proximity of the enemy and the constant fire between the
skirmishers. The last night Companies A and B were on the skirmish line in front of the works.
Soon after daylight the regiment fell back and marched with the brigade to rear of Dallas, some
four miles, and occupied temporarily a line of works to cover the retreat of the army, this
command being assigned to a position on left of brigade. The army having passed through, the
march was renewed some two miles farther, where a new line was to be formed. In obedience to
your order, I proceeded with my command to report to General Dodge, and was directed by the
general to occupy the gap between the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Corps, construct works, and
picket some cross-roads to my left. Remained in this position, constructing works night and day,
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until the afternoon of June 4, when relieved by the Twelfth Illinois Infantry, and I rejoined the
brigade. While in this position the regiment constructed 800 yards of formidable breast-works.
June 5 and 6, marched to Acworth, Ga., arriving after dark evening of the 6th. Remained at
Acworth until June 10, on which day the regiment marched to Big Shanty. Remained in the
position assigned the command on arriving at Big Shanty until June 13, when the brigade moved
to a more desirable position, this command being assigned to the right of first line. Remained in
this position as reserve until June 15, when ordered to march toward the front. Marching to the
front and right one mile, was assigned a position to the left of Captain Welker's battery. During
the afternoon moved to the left half a mile, and occupied the left of the line. 1 o'clock, morning
of June 16, in obedience to your order, I proceeded to the front, with my command, and reported
to General Veatch. Was directed by General Veatch to report to General Fuller for orders.
General Fuller assigned my command to support the Second U.S. Battery, in second line of
works, taking position to the right of the battery. Remained in this position until the evening of
June 17, when ordered by General Fuller to proceed to the left of the front line and relieve the
Thirty-ninth Ohio Infantry. Sent Companies E and G out on skirmish line; remaining portion of
the command constructed 100 yards of earth-works during the night. Occupied this position until
afternoon of June 20, the regiment doing its own skirmishing. While here the command lost 2
seriously wounded. In obedience to orders from General Fuller, joined his brigade to the front.
June 20, lying in reserve during the night and following day. Evening of June 20 sent Companies
H and K out on the skirmish line along the base of Kenesaw Mountain. June 21, 1 man wounded
of Company H on skirmish line and 1 man Company G by random shot (since died). 5 p.m., June
21, moved forward, with General Fuller's brigade, near the base of Kenesaw Mountain, and was
assigned a position on the right of General Fuller's brigade, connecting with the left of General
Morgan's brigade. June 22, constructed earth-works to cover the front of the regiment. During
the day the command was exposed to the enemy's shells and stray bullets from the skirmish line.
Late in the afternoon received orders that the Twelfth Illinois Infantry would relieve me, and,
when relieved, directed me to join my brigade at Big Shanty. Rejoined brigade at dark, reporting
to your headquarters. Remained in camp at Big Shanty until 2 p.m., June 26, when ordered to
march, with the Second Division, to the front, relieving General Osterhaus' division, this
command being assigned to the right of the second line, Company F going out on the skirmish
line in the evening. 1 p.m., June 28, received orders to proceed to the skirmish line with my
command, and relieve Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry. 4 p.m., June 29, Twelfth Illinois Infantry
relieved my command on skirmish line, and I returned to former position in second line of
works, sustaining a loss of 2 wounded (1 since died). Late in afternoon of June 30 moved my
command to front line of works, and relieved Seventh Iowa Infantry. Occupied these works until
11 p.m., July 2, when the command marched, with brigade, to the rear and right three miles,
forming line, Fifty-second on the right, bivouacking until morning.
July 3, marched to the right of our army, passing through General Schofield's lines. The
march was continued to Nickajack Creek, this regiment being assigned to the right of the lines
that night formed. During the night the regiment constructed earthworks. 12 m., July 4, this
command moved across Nickajack Creek, lying in reserve until 3.30 p.m., when ordered to move
to the front and report to Colonel Mersy, commanding Second Brigade; was assigned to the
position occupied in the line by Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry. Very soon after getting into position
Colonel Mersy ordered me to advance as support to Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry, deployed as
skirmishers. In advancing the lines, without assistance from my command, the first line of works
was carried by the Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry, and I moved my command forward to the work,
then by the flank double-quick through an open field, while exposed to the fire of the enemy's
skirmishers, taking a position across the open field, having no protection for the men only
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disconnected rifle-pits from which the enemy had been driven. As soon as I had gained this
position the skirmishers were again successfully advanced. After dark the enemy opened artillery
upon my command, and for twenty minutes they were exposed to the most terrific and dangerous
fire to which the command was ever exposed. The enemy, seeing the command take the position
before dark, did quickly obtain the range. Many shells burst over and among the men, but,
fortunately, none were hurt, one shell exploding between Company B, of my command, and
Company H, Twelfth Illinois Infantry, to my left, wounded 5 men in the Twelfth. Officers and
men remained cool and steadfast in their places. The shelling over, silently, under cover of
darkness, the command worked all night constructing heavy earthworks, anticipating that the
enemy would again shell us in the morning. Company I was sent out on skirmish line to relieve a
company of Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry soon after midnight. Early in the morning Lieutenant
Welbern, commanding the company, reported that his men had been out as far as second line of
works, and found no enemy. Soon after receiving this report I received orders from your
headquarters to send out a strong skirmish line, with instructions to gather in all stragglers, and'
ascertain, as near as possible, the whereabouts and movements of the enemy. I accordingly sent
out Companies I and F, under command of Capt. S. S. Dunn. After several hours' absence
Captain Dunn returned with 25 prisoners and the same number of arms and accouterments,
which were delivered to your headquarters. During both days' skirmishing the command
sustained no casualties. 12 m., July 5, this command marched back through General Schofield's
lines, taking the Sandtown road, leading to the Chattahoochee River. On arriving in rear and
right of the Seventeenth Army Corps bivouacked for the night. Here the command remained
until July 9, when the regiment marched for Marietta, with entire Sixteenth Corps. Marched,
5.30, morning of July 10, for Roswell, on the Chattahoochee River, reaching Roswell early in the
afternoon; crossed the river, men wading, carrying accouterments and pants on their arms carried
upon the shoulders. Just before dark moved up the hills, and was assigned a position on the
extreme right, receiving orders for the command to build earth-works to cover their front during
the night, which order was executed. This two days' march was exceedingly severe on the men,
rendered so on account of the extreme heat and distance marched. Remained in position opposite
Roswell until July 17, the day upon which the Army of the Tennessee began to advance upon
Atlanta. Marched some five miles, bivouacking so as to cover the left flank of First Brigade.
Marched early in the morning of July 18, going into position 12 m., Fifty-second on the extreme
right. On July 19 this command was ordered to guard wagon train; remained by the roadside
until 12 m., waiting for the column to advance so as to place one company between every
seventeen wagons; 1 p.m. the rear came up, and the last two companies of the command placed
in rear, the march was fairly under way. On arriving at Decatur, assembled my command and
joined brigade at dark. Marched toward Atlanta, 12 m., July 20, spending much time on the road,
waiting for the road to become clear. Late in the afternoon moved forward, being assigned a
position in front line, on the left of brigade and to the right of Welker's battery. Constructed
earth-works during the latter part of the night and forenoon of the following day. 4 p.m. on the
24th the command moved forward to take new position and was assigned to the right, joining the
Twenty-third Army Corps to the right. During the night furnished five companies for the
skirmish line; the remaining five companies constructed earth-works during the night. Regarding
the part taken by this command during the battle of July 22, I would respectfully refer you to
report already submitted of that action. July 24, occupying position in front line, on the right of
First Brigade, constructed a new line of works a few yards in rear of first line of works
constructed. At 2 o'clock, morning of July 27, this command marched with the Army of the
Tennessee in executing the flank movement to the right. Arriving in front of the right of
Fourteenth Army Corps this command was assigned a position on the left of rear line, following
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up the advance, as support to Seventh Iowa Infantry, until the position desired was gained, when
the command was placed to the left of Welker's battery, and immediately commenced the
construction of earth-works. On July 28 the enemy opened an enfilading fire of solid shot upon
our position, causing the men, for a short time, to seek shelter and protection on the opposite side
of their works. Five companies of the command, in charge of Major Boyd, proceeded to the
skirmish line to relieve the same number of companies of Seventh Iowa, July 29. 5 p.m. The
command remained in position on the left of Welker's battery from July 29 until the evening of
August 5, when, in obedience to orders from your headquarters, I proceeded with the command
to the front, and relieved the Second Iowa Infantry on skirmish line, deploying five companies,
holding the balance in reserve.
11 a.m., August 6, after about 15 minutes' profound silence, the enemy attempted to advance
their line in front of the right of my line. Companies A and B received their fire without
wavering, and in turn delivered an effective fire upon the enemy, compelling them to quickly
retire. During this tour of skirmish duty the command sustained a loss of 3 wounded. In
obedience to orders, proceeded to second line of works 2 p.m. August 9, and relieved Sixty-sixth
Indiana Infantry, constructing earth-works. Continued work until 10 p.m., bivouacking in rear of
works until morning. After being relieved by the Seventh Iowa Infantry 6 o'clock the following
morning returned to first line of works. 3 p.m., of same date, in obedience to orders, proceeded
again to second line of works, and relieved Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry, to enable them to go out
on skirmish line. August 9, received orders to construct two bridges over a small creek in rear of
second line of works. The work was accomplished by a detail of thirty men, in charge of
Lieutenant Kessler. 10 a.m., moved the regiment out to the front to occupy works formerly used
for the reserve to skirmish line. 5.30 p.m., moved to the front 240 yards in advance of last
position, and relieved Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry, constructing works on the skirmish line.
Detailed Companies C and E to relieve the men of Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry on the skirmish
line. Received orders from your headquarters to advance the skirmishers after dark, at least thirty
paces, which was successfully accomplished without loss. During the stay of the command at
this place lost 2 men wounded. The enemy's fire was exceedingly hot; no one could leave the
intrenchments without endangering his life. It was wonderful that no more casualties occurred.
Twelfth Illinois reporting to relieve my command, I was directed to move to the left and occupy
works vacated by Second Iowa Infantry. During the night men worked hard to strengthen and
complete the works commenced by Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry, and during the afternoon of
August 10 the men worked with energy to remodel and improve the works of Second Iowa
Infantry. 4 p.m., received orders that the Eighty-first Ohio Infantry would relieve my command
in front line of works, and, when relieved, directing me to occupy middle line of works to the
right of fort. After working hard for twenty-four hours completing these works, to surrender
them to another command, the men were disposed to complain, but the prospect of getting some
rest and quiet proved quite sufficient to hush all murmurs. August 11, while occupying middle
line of works lost 2 men slightly wounded by pieces of shell. 5.30 p.m., same date, moved out to
front line of works and relieved Seventh Iowa Infantry. During the night, in obedience to orders,
strengthened works to resist solid shot, and cut and placed an abatis in front of the works. This
command occupied this position on the front line of works from August 11 to August 19,
inclusive; when, discovering that it was injurious to the health of my command to remain longer.
I made application to be relieved, and by your order, the Seventh Iowa Infantry took my place,
and my command returned to the middle line of works. While in this position the men were
obliged to sleep, and constantly remained, in the ditches. No one could go to the front or rear
without endangering his life. During the nine days my command occupied this line of works the
command sustained a loss of 2 killed and 8 wounded. From August 20 to 25 this command
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remained in second lines of works, furnishing their usual detail for skirmish duty, sustaining the
loss of only 1 man seriously wounded.
In obedience to orders from your headquarters I reported, with my command, to Captain
Barbour, chief of outposts, Second Division. 4 p.m., August 25, proceeded to the rear some two
miles and deployed five companies of my command (holding the balance in reserve) in front of
the new position selected for the Second Division to occupy. Maintained this position during the
night, following day and night, until 1 o'clock morning of August 27.
In obedience to orders from General Corse, received morning of the 27th, sent Company E,
Lieutenant Spalding commanding, to patrol the road on which the Sixteenth Corps retired, with
instructions if possible to establish a vedette post in Welker's fort; to watch the movements of the
enemy, and in case he was forced to retire, to deploy his company and skirmish as he fell back.
Lieutenant Spalding maintained the vedette post for several hours, when the enemy pressed so
hard that he was forced to retire 400 yards, the enemy taking possession of the fort. At this
moment two regiments came up, of the Fourth Corps, and charged the enemy, driving the enemy
back with considerable loss. Lieutenant Spalding immediately re-established the vedette post and
maintained his position for several hours. The rear guard of the Fourth Corps having passed
through our line the enemy made their appearance, opening fire on the lines. Fearing that
Lieutenant Spalding would be cut off I immediately sent orders for him to join the regiment
without delay. The enemy did not appear in my front in much force, and when they discovered
our position they quickly retired to a wholesome distance. As ordered, reported to Lieutenant-
Colonel Strong for orders when to retire my command, and at 12 o'clock at night was directed to
proceed to my command and bring them in to rejoin the brigade. This order was executed as
promptly as the distance, darkness, and character of the roads would permit. Rejoined the
brigade 2 o'clock morning of the 27th, marched with the brigade during the balance of the night
and day, reaching bivouac, near Campbellton Station, Ga., late in the afternoon. 12 m., August
28, marched on Campbellton road, with brigade, bivouacking in rear of Seventeenth Corps.
August 29, marched, with brigade and corps, to Fairburn and was engaged during the day
destroying the railroad, returning to last bivouac late in the evening. Marched to Flint River
August 30, arriving late in the evening. During the forenoon, August 31, constructed temporary
breast-works; Fifty-second on left of brigade. 12.30 p.m., moved across Flint River to the right of
our lines, moving left in front, Fifty-second in advance of brigade. Was assigned a position on
left of brigade in front line, laying in reserve to the rear of Second Brigade until 3 p.m., when the
enemy commenced shelling our lines, quickly followed by a charge and rattle of musketry. In
obedience to orders, moved forward double-quick toward the front line, following Second Iowa
Infantry. On reaching the right of the Second Brigade was assigned a position on the right of
Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry in a dense thicket of pines. As directed, ordered Company C to
deploy and advance to cover the right flank of my command. Second Iowa Infantry being
assigned a position on my right, I immediately recalled Company C and sent out Company I,
Lieutenant Doty commanding, to cover the front of the regiment. This company passed through
the pine thicket to the edge of an open field and soon became engaged with the enemy. Having a
fair view and good range their fire was effective. No other portion of the command became
engaged, although more or less exposed to the enemy's fire while getting into position, sustaining
a loss of 2 wounded. In twenty minutes after getting into position the command had constructed
formidable rail-works, behind which the men could take cover. The battle over, men continued to
strengthen the works until they were made strong and formidable.
September 1, regiment remained in works. Company I remained on skirmish line until 1 a.m.,
when relieved by Company K. During the advance of skirmish line early in the morning
Company I captured and delivered to my headquarters 10 prisoners and 3 Enfield rifles, which I
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delivered to your headquarters. In compliance with your orders I made a detail to bury the
enemy's dead in my front. Sergeant in charge reported that he buried 3 commissioned officers
and 14 privates. -During the advancement of the skirmish line on the morning of September 2
Company K, Captain Barto commanding, captured 3 prisoners, 1 lieutenant and 2 privates, all of
whom I sent to your headquarters. Captain Barto also reports capturing 15 stand of arms, which
he destroyed; being under orders to advance he could not remove them from the field. The
regiment marched late, morning of September 2, following Captain Welker's battery, to
Jonesborough, rejoining brigade at that place. After a short tarry at Jonesborough the march was
renewed toward Lovejoy's, where the enemy was found in force. Bivouacked in rear of
Seventeenth Army Corps early in the afternoon. Remained in this bivouac until 2 p.m.
September 3, when the regiment marched to the front line on the right of Seventeenth Army
Corps, and was then assigned a position on the left of First Brigade, connecting with the right of
Second Brigade; men immediately commenced to construct breast-works of rail and earth.
Throughout the entire campaign the conduct of both officers and men under the most trying
circumstances has been commendable and truly praiseworthy. Without making particular
mention of any I am free to acknowledge that the cheerful manner in which the arduous duties of
the soldier has been performed, and the spirit of forbearance manifested in sharing the privations
of so tedious a campaign has far surpassed my anticipations.
With the exception of the following named officers, absent with authority, all the officers of
the regiment were present on all occasions detailed in this report.
During the present campaign the regiment has expended 46,500 rounds of ammunition in
skirmishing with the enemy, and constructed 2,885 yards of breast-works.
The regiment has marched (including the distance from Pulaski, Tenn., Larkinsville, Tenn.,
[Ala.]), --------
Recapitulation: The regiment has lost in killed and died of wounds received during the
campaign 6, wounded, 32.
The command has captured 38 prisoners, and secured 175 stand of arms.
I have the honor to be, lieutenant, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
E. A. BOWEN,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.
Lieut. J. B. MORRISON,
A. D. C., First Brig., Second Div., 16th Army Corps.
HDQRS. SIXTY-SIXTH REGT. INDIANA INFTY. VOLS.,
In the Field, near Kingston, Ga., May 20, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report that on the afternoon of the 14th instant the Sixtysixth
Regiment Indiana Infantry Volunteers, under my command, was ordered forward to
dislodge the enemy, then occupying the south bank of the Oostenaula River. In obedience to this
order I had the left wing (Companies H, K, F, D, and B) deployed as skirmishers on the left side
of the road leading to the ferry, and Companies I and G, of the right wing, were deployed on the
right of said road. The other companies remained in line of battle. In this order the regiment
moved steadily forward. Upon arriving at Turner's house I caused Companies C and A to deploy
to the right, holding Company E in reserve. After a sharp fight the enemy was driven from his
rifle-pits in such haste that he left his battle-flag in the works, whereupon Asahel M. Pyburn,
private Company I, plunged into the river, swam over and captured it, returning with it safely.
We continued to occupy the river bank until 9 p.m., when we received orders to withdraw.
On the morning of the 15th the regiment was ordered forward to dislodge the enemy again,
and protect the companies about to cross in pontoon boats. We moved forward by the right flank
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at double-quick until the right reached the river bank, then changed front forward on first
company; the men moved rapidly forward, delivering their fire as they came into line, causing
the enemy to abandon the works on the river bank. After crossing the river Company C was
ordered out as skirmishers with Companies A and K as supports. These companies rejoined the
regiment about the time it formed line to support the Seventh Iowa Infantry, when it so bravely
repulsed a charge from three rebel regiments. It affords me sincere pleasure to state that as far as
I could perceive every officer and soldier present with the regiment on these occasions
discharged his whole duty faithfully and fearlessly.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
ROGER MARTIN,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.
Lieut. D. T. BOWLER,
A. A. A. G., 1st Brig., 2d Div., 16th Army Corps.
HDQRS. SIXTY-SIXTH REGT. INDIANA INFTY. VOLS.,
Near Lovejoy's Station, Ga., September 5, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to submit the following:
On the 4th of May this regiment (Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and K), under
command of Lieut. Col. Roger Martin, at Larkinsville, Ala., embarked upon the cars for
Chattanooga, which place was reached on the evening of the same day. The next morning the
regiment marched to Gordon's Mills, Ga., where it rested until the morning of the 7th, when the
march was resumed, reaching the east end of Snake Creek Gap the following night. On the 9th
the cavalry met the enemy, and drove them to Resaca, this regiment, with the division, acting as
a support. After night-fall, in obedience to orders, fires were built along the line, when we retired
to the position occupied that morning. The regiment again moved forward on the 13th, reaching
a position near Resaca, where one company (H) was deployed as skirmishers, becoming,
however, only slightly engaged. Late in the afternoon a position farther to the left was taken,
where we bivouacked for the night. The following morning we moved, with the division, about
five miles to the right and down the Oostenaula River, to near Lay's Ferry, where seven
companies were deployed as skirmishers, three (C, A, and E) being held in reserve; two (C and
A) were soon afterward deployed. After a brisk skirmish fight the enemy was dislodged from his
fortified position on the opposite bank, losing his battle-flag, which was taken by Private AsaheI
M. Pyburn, of Company I. At dark the regiment was withdrawn some distance to the rear. Early
next morning an advance was again ordered, and the enemy retired, offering a very slight
resistance. The regiment was again deployed as skirmishers, to protect the pontoniers while the
bridge was being laid, after which it crossed the river, and took position in the woods to the right
of the road. On the following day marched to Rome Cross-Roads, and took position during the
fight on the left of the Third Brigade, but was not engaged. Kingston was reached on the 19th,
nothing occurring worthy of notice. On the 23d the regiment marched to the right of the
Allatoona Mountains, passing through Van Wert, and reaching Dallas on the 26th. The next day
the regiment was assigned a position in line of battle on the right of the brigade and left of the
Fifteenth Corps. Our skirmishers gradually advanced until night, when rude earth-works were
constructed. Sharp skirmishing continued during the night and next day until late in the
afternoon, when the enemy made an assault, but were repulsed after a brisk fight of a few
minutes, leaving many dead and wounded on the field. The day following the regiment was
relieved by the Eighty-first Ohio Infantry, and returned to the second line of works. At night,
however, it was again thrown forward to support the Eighty-first during the second assault of the
enemy.
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The regiment retired from its position near Dallas on the 1st of June, marching by the left
flank, and reaching Acworth on the night of the 7th. On the 10th marched to Big Shanty, and,
with the division, was left in reserve until the 26th, when we relieved the Twenty-fifth Iowa, of
First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, at base of Kenesaw Mountain. On the night 2d July
marched from front of Kenesaw Mountain to the right, and next evening relieved a regiment of
the Fifteenth Corps, on the skirmish line. Was withdrawn next morning, and assigned to position
as a support to the Seventh Iowa. Later in the day was ordered to construct works on the right of
the Fifty-second Illinois, then occupying the rebel rifle-pits. The day following marched several
miles down the Sandtown road, and encamped within four miles of the Chattahoochee River, and
rested until the 9th, when we marched to Marietta, arriving there at 9 p.m. Early next morning
resumed the march, and reached Roswell, on Chattahoochee River. At noon crossed over and
fortified. Remained in this position until Sunday, the 17th, when an advance was again ordered.
The regiment arrived at Decatur, on the Atlanta and Augusta Railroad, on the evening of the
19th, without having been engaged with the enemy. On the 20th moved forward on the road to
Atlanta, and took position on the right of said road, and intrenched.
Late in the afternoon of the following day again advanced and built a line of works, and
rested on arms during the night. On the 22d moved, with the division, to the left, and was
engaged in the battle of that day. July 23, Maj. T. G. Morrison assumed command, Lieut. Col.
Roger Martin having been sent to hospital. At midnight of the 26th moved to the extreme right,
and, acting as a support, advanced the skirmish line, and afterward relieved a regiment of the
Fourteenth Corps, then on the line; were relieved next day by the Seventh Iowa Infantry.
On the 11th August Captain Jordan, with the right wing, charged the rebel skirmishers, drove
them, and built works under fire of both artillery and musketry. After this nothing more than the
usual skirmish fire occurred in our front during the siege of Atlanta. On the 24th, when Capt. A.
Morris assumed command, the regiment was sent to the rear of the Seventeenth Corps, and
constructed works, and, with the brigade, on the night of the 26th, brought up the rear in the
movement on the Montgomery railroad, where it arrived on the 29th, when we proceeded to
destroy the track. On the 30th moved eastward toward Jonesborough, and camped at night near
the town, and the following morning built a line of earth-works west of Flint River. At noon was
marched to the rear of the Fifteenth Corps, where we rested until the enemy made an assault,
when we were assigned position on the right of the Second Brigade, to support Company H, First
Missouri Light Artillery. The regiment did not become hotly engaged, but advanced in line of
battle to a ridge overlooking a ravine, where the enemy were preparing for a charge. About 50
prisoners, including several commissioned officers, were captured during the day.
The regiment marched into Jonesborough the morning of the 2d September, and thence to its
present position, near Lovejoy's Station, September 4.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
ALFRED MORRIS,
Captain Company F, Commanding Regiment.
Lieut. J. B. MORRISON,
A. D. C., First Brig., Second Div., 16th Army Corps.
HDQRS. SIXTY-SIXTH INDIANA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS,
In position near Atlanta, Ga., August 1, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: In compliance with Special Field Orders, No. 45, paragraph 5, I have the
honor to submit the following report, craving your attention to the fact that inasmuch as I was on
duty as field officer of the day, by your direction, and on the morning of July 22, by direction of
Major-General Sherman, on the northwest side of Atlanta, where the grand guard of your brigade
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was advanced as skirmishers, and effected a lodgment on two ridges ranging from 200 to 400
yards from the enemy's main line of works, a position which I held with them until relieved by
Captain Sry, of General Woods' division, Fifteenth Army Corps, and under the direction of
Lieutenant-Colonel Bowen, commanding a reserve of five companies of the Fifty-second Illinois
Infantry, marched to rejoin my regiment. I had five companies of his regiment and two of the
Sixty-sixth Indiana as grand guards. The former I turned over to Major Boyd as soon as they
were relieved. We arrived upon the battle-field at 12.45 [p.] m., just as the Seventh Iowa Infantry
relieved the Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry, when I at once reported to Colonel Martin, who was in
command of the regiment, and had been to that time actively engaged with the enemy for
twenty-five minutes. At the moment I arrived on the ground with Companies I and F, and before
I understood the true position of affairs, viz, that the Seventh Iowa Infantry was relieving the
Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry (I thought the latter were being driven from the field), and seeing
Captain Welker and General Sweeny I reported first to them, and formed the two companies I
had in charge (I and F) between the guns of Battery H, First Missouri Light Artillery, and the
caissons. When Colonel Martin had withdrawn his regiment he had those companies moved
farther to the left to make room for the others. After the enemy had been driven from the front of
our brigade, Colonel Martin received orders from you, by which he withdrew his regiment across
the low, open ground on a line at a right angle with the right of the brigade line of battle, where
we soon threw up a line of breast-works, and lay upon our arms. On the morning of the 23d
Colonel Martin was taken sick and sent to the hospital. Hoping for his return I have waited from
day to day, recognizing his superior fitness to make this report. In his absence, however, I must
say that he expressed himself to me in the very highest terms of praise of the officers and men
engaged under his command on the ever memorable 22d of July.
Casualties, Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry Volunteers July 22, 1864, was 3 killed and 15
wounded, a descriptive list of which is herewith attached and respectfully submitted.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
THOS. G. MORRISON,
Major, Commanding Regiment.
Lieut. D. T. BOWLER,
A. A. A. G., 1st Brig., 2d Div., 16th Army Corps.
HDQRS. SECOND REGIMENT IOWA VOL. INFANTRY,
In the Field, near Lovejoy's, Ga., September 5, 1864.
SIR: In compliance with Special Field Orders, No. 40, dated brigade headquarters,
September 4, 1864, I have the honor to report the part taken by the Second Regiment Iowa
Infantry Volunteers in the present campaign, from May 3, 1864, to the present date.
The regiment, under command of Col. James B. Weaver, left Larkinsville, Ala., on the
morning of May 4, and arrived at Chattanooga, Tenn., by rail late in the evening of the same day.
On the 5th it marched out, participating in the movement on Resaca, and arrived at the eastern
mouth of Snake Creek Gap on the morning of the 9th. Here it was detached from the brigade and
ordered, with other regiments, back to the western mouth of the gap to guard the trains and
communications of the army. It joined the brigade at sunset on the 10th, and still later on the
same evening took position on the right center of the brigade, which formed the right of the
army. On the morning of the 13th it marched out in the direction of Calhoun, and took position
on the extreme right of the army. On the 14th participated in the operations at Calhoun Ford,
assisted in carrying and launching the pontoons, after which it resumed its arms and its place in
line of battle, which was formed along the northern bank of the Oostenaula River. Was the first
regiment to cross on the morning of the 15th, and, deploying as skirmishers, held the enemy at
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bay until the remainder of the brigade effected a crossing. Marched out on the evening of the
16th, and participated in the action at Rome Cross-Roads, being deployed as skirmishers, and
occupying a position on the extreme left of the division. On the evening of the 17th commenced
the march to Kingston, where it arrived on the afternoon of the 19th. Under command of Lieut.
Col. N. B. Howard, it participated in the march to Dallas, Ga., starting on the evening of the 23d
and arriving on the afternoon of the 26th. On the 27th took position in line of battle on the left of
the brigade, and, during the afternoon and ensuing night, after having gained the crest of the
ridge in front, assisted in the construction of defensive works, laboring hard, nearly all the time
under a heavy skirmish fire from the enemy. In the same position it took part in the battle of the
28th, and lay in support of the Twelfth Illinois Infantry during the battle on the night of the 29th.
It covered the rear of the army on its withdrawal from Dallas a portion of the afternoon of June 1,
and arrived at Acworth on the 6th. Marched to Big Shanty on the 10th, and took position in
reserve in front of Kenesaw Mountain. On the 20th was detached from the brigade to do picket,
provost, and fatigue duty at Big Shanty Station. Joined the brigade near Lost Mountain on the
morning of July 3, and took position at dusk of the same day on the western bank of Nickajack
Creek and fortified. Was with the advance on the day following. Crossed Nickajack Creek in the
forenoon, and deployed as skirmishers; took part in the action of that afternoon. Commenced the
march to the extreme left on the 9th. Arrived at Roswell, and crossed the Chattahoochee River on
the 10th; took position on the left of the brigade, and fortified during that night and the
succeeding day. Participated in the movements of the army against Decatur, Ga., from which
point it advanced in the direction of Atlanta. On the 20th was deployed as skirmishers, and filled
a gap between the Sixteenth and Twenty-third Army Corps during that night and the succeeding
day. On the 23d, under command of Major Hamill, it took position on the extreme left of the
army and fortified. On the 27th it was in its place in the march to the extreme right of the army;
held the right of the brigade in the advance to gain the position in front and in sight of the city of
Atlanta. On the evening of the 4th of August, the skirmish line in front of the brigade having
been driven by a superior force of the enemy from the advanced position taken the same day, the
regiment was ordered to drive him back, which it did, holding permanently the position gained. It
was in the front on the 8th, when the lines were advanced, which position it held until the army
was withdrawn. It participated in the series of marches and maneuvers commenced on the 26th,
which brought the Sixteenth Army Corps into position in the rear of the remainder of the Army
of the Tennessee, on the evening of the 28th. On the 29th it assisted in destroying the Atlanta and
West Point Railroad, near Fairburn Station. On the morning of the 30th, in company with the
Seventh Iowa Infantry, it was ordered to support the cavalry under General Kilpatrick, and the
advance on Jonesborough was commenced. Taking the main road leading to Jonesborough, the
command moved out at a brisk step, under a burning sun, carrying, besides arms and
ammunition, rations and clothing, a number of intrenching tools. A force of the enemy's cavalry
was found at Stithville Post-Office, six miles northwest of Jonesborough, posted on an eminence
in the open field, and protected by a barricade of rails. This position the regiment was ordered to
charge, supported by the Seventh Iowa Infantry. Two companies, B and G, were deployed as
skirmishers. Major Hamill assumed command of the two regiments, and the advance was
ordered. The command moved cautiously until it arrived at the edge of the corn-field through
which it had to pass when the charge was ordered. The regiment moved in fine style, driving the
enemy from, and taking possession of, the crest of the ridge and the defenses. It was while
making this charge that Major Hamill was wounded. It is needless to say that he was in the
coolest and bravest manner doing his whole duty. Skirmishers were advanced and the enemy
driven from his second position in the edge of the woods. Throwing out an additional company
(E) as skirmishers, the command again moved forward by order of Captain Mahon, of the
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Seventh Iowa Infantry. The enemy was found in his third position near Liberty Hill Church,
which was charged, taken, and held by Companies B, E, and G, and a squadron of cavalry. Here
five companies of the Seventh took the advance, supported by the remainder of the two
regiments united. Advanced a mile farther, when orders came to join the brigade. Arrived at Flint
River late on the evening of the same day, took position on the right center of the brigade, and on
the morning of the 31st fortified. Crossed the river at noon, and the enemy making an attack
shortly afterward it was ordered to support the Second Brigade. Formed in rear of the Eighty-first
Ohio Infantry, having moved up at double-quick, and in fine style. From this position was moved
to the right, forming in the front line on the right of the Fifty-second Illinois Infantry. One
company was thrown out to the front and right as skirmishers, and the front rank men---those in
the rear rank holding the arms--with rails from a fence near by soon had constructed a barricade
from which the regiment could easily have repulsed three times its own number. Here it
remained until the evening of September 1, when it had orders to support the skirmishers in front
of the First Brigade, to deploy a portion of it on the line, and open fire on the enemy, which must
continue until dark. It was already growing dark, and the regiment started without a guide. The
route was a difficult one, and but for the accidental meeting of Captain Barto, of the Fifty-second
Illinois Infantry, who had just been relieved as brigade officer of the day, it might have arrived
too late to have done the service it did. The commanding officer, in behalf of the regiment, takes
this method of acknowledging the valuable services rendered by that officer. The regiment had
just reached the position assigned it when the enemy resisted sharply our advancing lines, and
Companies B, C, and D, under command of Captain Tunis, were sent to re-enforce them. By
their prompt and timely arrival the enemy was not only checked but was driven from his
position.
The regiment captured during the campaign 25 prisoners, 1 stand of colors, and 196 stand of
small-arms. It also buried of the enemy's dead 3 officers and 22 men.
For report on conduct of officers see Appendix A, and for list of casualties see Appendix B.
Throughout the whole of this most remarkable campaign the officers and men of this
regiment have displayed that patriotism, courage, fortitude, and patience, under all
circumstances, which characterize only the best of soldiers, and humanity, true to itself, will
remember their actions and appreciate their worth, which, as truth, are imperishable.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN A. DUCKWORTH,
Captain, Commanding Regiment.
Lieut. J. B. MORRISON,
Aide-de-Camp, 1st Brig., 2d Div., 16th Army Corps.
CAMP SECOND IOWA INFANTRY,
In the Field, near Atlanta, July 26, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the following as the part taken by the Second Regiment
Iowa Infantry Volunteers in the engagement of July 22, 1864:
The regiment was marched, with the brigade, from position on the line between the Fifteenth
and Twenty-third Corps, on the morning of the 22d, to position on the extreme left, to meet a
rapid advance of the enemy on the left flank of the Seventeenth Corps. We took position on the
left of the brigade, the Seventh Iowa on our right, on a ridge running almost at right-angles with
the line of the Seventeenth Corps and in an open field. Company G, under command of Captain
Duckworth, was deployed as skirmishers, but had advanced only a short distance when the
enemy was discovered in the edge of the woods advancing in force directly on our front. Our
skirmishers being hard pressed entered to the left to avoid exposure in an open field until the
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regimental front was uncovered, when the regiment opened a well-directed fire on their
advancing column, checking their advance and throwing them into confusion. After fruitless
efforts to rally their men under our fire, they were driven from the field, leaving their dead,
wounded, and arms in our hands. During the progress of the battle in our front the enemy had
advanced on our right flank and gave us an enfilading fire, wounding several. But the men did
not seem to notice the enemy so near in our rear or the injury they were doing us until they were
driven from our front. About the close of the engagement Lieut. Col. Noel B. Howard was
severely wounded and compelled to leave the field, leaving the regiment in my command. Capt.
George Heaton and 3 sergeants were severely wounded, 1 corporal mortally and 4 privates
slightly. The above were all the casualties. The captures were 20 prisoners, 167 stand of arms,
and 1 stand of colors.
Were I to make special mention of the officers and men who did their whole duty well and
deserve promotion I would have to name every member of the regiment, for each officer and
soldier seemed to feel and deport himself as if the safety of the army and the triumphs of our
holy cause depended on his undivided efforts. No soldiers ever discharged their duty better.
None were ever more worthy the lasting gratitude of a rescued nation.
I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
M. G. HAMILL,
Major, Commanding Second Iowa Infantry.
Capt. J. W. BARNES,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. SEVENTH IOWA VETERAN INFANTRY VOLS.,
In the Field, Kingston, Ga., May 20, 1864.
In compliance with circular of this date from headquarters First Brigade, Second Division,
Sixteenth Army Corps, I respectfully make the following report of the part taken by the Seventh
Iowa Veteran Volunteers at the crossing of the Oostenaula River, Ga., on the 14th and 15th of
May:
On the 14th of May the regiment, under my command, moved in the vicinity of the river,
when four companies from my command were detailed for duty for the purpose of preparing
pontoons for crossing the river, which was done with promptness and dispatch. At about 4 p.m.
the companies were relieved, and three of them returned to the regiment in good order and
without casualty. Company C, on its return, met with a serious calamity. When within a short
distance of the regiment a shell from the enemy exploded in their ranks, causing the death of 3
and wounding 4. At about 6 p.m. same day I was ordered; with the regiment, to the front, at the
crossing of the Oostenaula River, to cover the recrossing of our troops, when I made a detail of
boatmen to man the boats, and in a short time the recrossing was completed. At 10 p.m. I was
ordered to fall back with my regiment to a position on Snake Creek, where I bivouacked my
men for the night. On the morning of the 15th the regiment was again ordered to the front, and I
being unwell and entirely exhausted from previous exposure and exertion, and from instructions
of my medical officer, I remained at the hospital. I placed the regiment in command of Maj. J.
W. McMullin, knowing that in case of emergency it was in good hands, and I am proud to say
that shortly after passing the river the gallant old Seventh, under command of the major,
encountered the enemy in vastly superior numbers, and by the energy and determination of the
officers and men, and their love for the good old flag, drove the enemy from his works and
strongholds, and secured a crossing for the balance of our troops.
I will state that it is with regret that I was not able to be with the regiment on the 15th, but I
am proud to know that in the major they were properly commanded, and did their duty, as on
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former occasions, nobly. I regret to add more to this report, but in the accomplishment of the
foregoing, the noble old Seventh had to sacrifice 54 of her members, viz, 7 killed and 47
wounded.
I know of no officer or soldier personally who was present for duty who did not do his duty
well. The accompanying reports from company commandants will more fully explain the part
taken by each company.
The following officers were present on the 14th and 15th, and all, so far as I know, did their
duty gallantly: Maj. J. W. McMullin, in command on the 15th; Captain Hedges, acting major;
Lieutenant Springer, Company A; Lieutenant Folsom and Lieutenant Smith, Company B;
Captain Bennett and Lieutenant Helmick, Company C; Captain Gale, Company D; Captain Conn
and Lieutenant McCormick, Company E; Captain Mahon and Lieutenant Sergeant, Company F;
Lieutenant Berkey, of Company C, commanding Company G; Captain Montgomery and
Lieutenant Graham, Company H; Captain Barbour, Company I; Lieutenant Wightman and
Lieutenant Spence, Company K. Lieut. C. H. Trott, regimental quartermaster, was with the
regiment both days, and did his duty promptly.
I am satisfied that the Seventh Iowa Infantry did its duty in the engagements at Oostenaula,
and has added more luster to its former bright record, of which our noble young State can and
will feel proud.
In conclusion, I mourn the loss of the noble dead and sympathize with the gallant wounded.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. C. PARROTT,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Comdg. Seventh Iowa Veteran Infantry.
Lieut. D. T. BOWLES,
A. A. A. G., 1st Brig., 2d Div., 16th Army Corps.
HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH IOWA VETERAN INFANTRY,
In the Field, near Atlanta, Ga., July 25, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the
Seventh Iowa Veteran Infantry, Friday, July 22, 1864, near Atlanta, Ga.:
On the morning of the 22d I was ordered to move my regiment south toward Atlanta, arriving
on the field of battle about 1 p.m. same day. The Seventh took an active part in the action, and
claims her share of the honors which are due the Second Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, Army
of the Tennessee.
I am proud to say, sir, that the officers and men of the regiment behaved gallantly, and fought
like veterans.
The following is a list of casualties :
J. C. PARROTT,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Regiment.
Lieut. D. T. BOWLER,
A. A. A. G., 1st Brig., 2d Div., 16th Army Corps.
HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH IOWA VETERAN INFANTRY,
In the Field, near Lovejoy's Station, Ga., September 5, 1864.
I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by Seventh Iowa Infantry,
First Brigade, Second Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, in the campaign just closed:
The regiment, in command of Lieut. Col. J. C. Parrott, left Prospect, Tenn., April 29, 1864,
and by forced marches, reached Larkinsville, Tenn. [Ala.], May 3, distance sixty-seven miles;
thence by rail to Chattanooga, May 4, arriving in the evening; sixty miles. On the morning of the
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5th moved with the First Brigade, Second Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, and arrived in Sugar
Valley, Ga., via Gordon's Mills and Ship's Gap, on the 8th, distance forty-six miles, where the
enemy was first encountered. Moved on the morning of the 9th down the valley, skirmishing
with the enemy's advance, to Resaca, nine miles, where the regiment took position before the
enemy's works, and remained till dark, when it was ordered back seven miles. On the night of the
10th moved to the right and constructed a line of works. On the 13th the regiment moved on
Resaca, and was formed in column; in reserve till noon of the 14th, when it moved to Lay's
Ferry, on the Oostenaula River, distance three miles. The report of operations at this point, and
the action of the 15th, has already been forwarded by Lieut. Col. J. C. Parrott and Maj. J. W.
McMullin. On the 16th the regiment moved to Rome Cross-Roads, two miles and a half, taking
position in reserve during the skirmish. Moved from Rome Cross-Roads on the evening of the
17th, and reached Kingston, via Adairsville, on the evening of the 19th, distance thirty miles.
The regiment lay in camp at Kingston, enjoying a much-needed rest, till noon of the 23d, when it
moved southward, reaching Dallas, Ga., on the 26th, after a fatiguing march of thirty-eight miles,
mostly performed at night, over bad roads. On the morning of the 27th skirmishing began and
continued during the day with some loss. In the evening the regiment constructed works in the
second line, on the left of the brigade, and occupied them, where it remained during the assault
of the enemy on the evening of the 28th. On the 30th the regiment relieved the Twelfth Illinois
Infantry in the front line, where it remained till the morning of June 1, constantly skirmishing
with the enemy, when the works were abandoned, and it moved to the left four miles and built a
line of works, remaining in them till the 5th, when it again moved to the left, one mile north of
Acworth, Ga.; fourteen miles. The regiment moved to Big Shanty on the 10th, six and a half
miles; took position in reserve in rear of the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, till the 26th,
when it relieved the Fourth and Thirtieth Iowa, of the First Division, Fifteenth Corps, in the
works in front of Kenesaw Mountain. Held this position till the night of the 2d of July, when the
works were abandoned, and the regiment moved to the right in rear of the army. Continued the
march next day, and took position in the evening one mile east of Nickajack Creek, near ----------
- Mills, distance fifteen miles. At noon on the 4th of July, moved a quarter of a mile to the left
and constructed works. Moved on the 5th at 3 p.m. to the right, on Sandtown road, and remained
till the 9th. Moved on the 9th, via Marietta, and crossed the Chattahoochee River near Roswell,
Ga., on the evening of the 10th, distance twenty-five miles; constructed works one-quarter of a
mile from the river, which the regiment occupied till the 17th of July. Moved on the Decatur
road on the morning of the 17th, reaching Decatur on the evening of the 19th, distance nineteen
miles. July 20, moved on the Atlanta road two miles and a half; went into position north of the
railroad, and built works during the night. July 21, in the evening the regiment advanced one
mile and built an advanced line of works, which it occupied during the night.
The report of the movements in the action of the 22d has been forwarded by Lieut. Col. J. C.
Parrott. On the 24th the regiment built a line of heavy works: 300 yards in rear of the position
held on the 22d, which it occupied till the night of the 26th, when the works were silently
abandoned and the regiment moved to the right, in rear of the army, arriving on the extreme right
of the Fourteenth Corps on the evening of the 27th, distance fifteen miles, when it was formed on
the left of the brigade and took position on a hill, forming the extreme left of the Sixteenth Army
Corps. In the action of the 28th the regiment was in reserve and not engaged. On the 29th built a
line of heavy works on the position occupied on the evening of the 27th.
On the 2d day of August I took command of the regiment, in consequence of the sickness of
Lieutenant-Colonel Parrott and resignation of Major McMullin. The regiment remained in this
line till the 8th, when I received orders in the morning to relieve the Fifty-second Illinois,
Colonel Bowen commanding, in the advance line. During the day the regiment completed a
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heavy work, covering its front, where it lay during the night. On the morning of the 9th I
received orders to relieve the Eighty-first Ohio Infantry, building a line 400 yards farther in
front. The work was completed during the day and following night under a troublesome fire from
the enemy. The regiment lay in this work, with the exception of five days (while in reserve), till
the night of the 25th, when I received orders and abandoned the works silently at 8 p.m.; moved
three miles to the right, went into position, and threw up temporary works during the following
day. On the evening of the 26th moved half a mile farther to the right, abandoning the works, and
remaining till 3 a.m. of the 27th, then moved with the brigade, arriving near the Atlanta and
Montgomery Railroad, three miles north of Fairburn on the evening of the 28th, distance twentythree
miles. On the morning of the 29th marched to Fairburn, and, under instructions from
General Corse, occupied the town and destroyed the railroad by burning the ties and breaking the
rails. Rejoined the brigade in the evening and moved back to the camp of the previous night,
distance six miles. On the morning of the 30th I was ordered to report to Major Hamill,
commanding Second Iowa Infantry, to accompany the cavalry division of General Kilpatrick.
Moved out on the Jonesborough road five miles, when the cavalry advance encountered the
enemy. I then received orders from Major Hamill to form the regiment in support of the Second
Iowa and advance on the position of the enemy, which was situated on the hill, protected by a
rail barricade. The position was carried without loss, and the regiment advanced as reserves to
the skirmishers of the Second Iowa, supported by the cavalry. In this way I advanced three miles
in line through a difficult country, through dense thickets and across swamps, with men already
exhausted by a rapid march in the morning after cavalry column, till the skirmishers reached the
cross-roads, when I was relieved, and reported to the brigade, continuing the march with it.
Camped at night on Flint Creek, one mile west of Jonesborough, distance fifteen miles. On the
morning of the 31st the regiment built temporary works to protect its position. At noon I received
orders, crossed Flint Creek, and formed in reserve in the point of timber, in rear of the position of
Second Brigade. When the action began I moved the regiment, under orders, to the front on
double-quick, and reported to Colonel Adams, commanding Second Brigade. I went into position
on the left of the Second Brigade, with a battery on my right. I remained in this position about
fifteen minutes, when I received orders from Colonel Adams to report to my brigade, and took
position, supporting Battery H, First Missouri Light Artillery. Shortly afterward I moved forward
to support the Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry in the advance on the enemy. After the repulse of the
enemy I received orders to form in reserve on the right of Battery H, First Missouri Light
Artillery, and built temporary works, in which position I lay till the morning of the 2d of
September, when the regiment entered Jonesborough, it having been evacuated by the enemy the
previous night.
Total distance marched, about 425 miles.
I are proud to say that the conduct of both commissioned officers and enlisted men of the
regiment, in the arduous campaign just closed, has been all that could be desired. Every fatigue,
however severe, has been cheerfully borne, and they have been always ready at the post of
danger. Whether on the weary marches (many of them performed at night) over difficult roads,
or working in the trenches before Atlanta under the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters and
artillery, or standing shoulder to shoulder on the battle-field, they have done their whole duty.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
SAML. MAHON,
Captain, Commanding Regiment.
Lieut. J. B. MORRISON,
Aide-de. Camp, 1st Brig., 2d Div., 16th Army Corps.
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HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., SECOND DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,
Rome, Ga., September 12, 1864.
CAPTAIN: In compliance with orders from headquarters Second Division, Sixteenth Army
Corps, dated September 8, 1864, and received the 11th instant, I would respectfully submit the
following report:
This brigade left Athens, Ala., on the 30th of April last, under command of Col. M. M. Bane,
Fiftieth Illinois Infantry, and was comprised of the Fiftieth and Fifty-seventh Illinois Infantry,
Thirty-ninth Iowa Infantry, and Captain Arndt's battery (B), First Michigan Artillery, the Seventh
Illinois Infantry having been detached by order of Brig. Gen. G. M. Dodge, and doing duty on
the Tennessee River, from Decatur, Ala., to Eastport, Miss. Marched to Limestone Creek first
day, eleven miles.
On the 1st May moved to Huntsville, Ala., and May 2 crossed Flint Creek and camped near
Gurley's farm, seventeen miles. May 3, passed through Woodville, to within five miles of
Larkinsville. May 4, reached Larkinsville at 8 a.m., and took the cars for Chattanooga, Tenn.,
arriving at 11 p.m. May 5, moved forward and camped on Chickamauga Creek, near Gordon's
Mills. May 7, moved forward on La Fayette road, and camped near Middle Chickamauga Creek.
May 8, crossed Taylor's Ridge at Mattock's Gap, and reached Villanow; found Kilpatrick's
cavalry brigade; went into camp near center of Snake Creek Gap. May 9, reached mouth of gap
about 7 a.m. The Ninth Illinois had just been driven back. The Sixty-sixth Illinois was deployed
as skirmishers, this brigade supporting them; advanced, whipping the enemy, and pressing him
until reaching the hills around Resaca, about noon: skirmished until dark; built large fires, and
retired to mouth of Snake Creek Gap, camping at midnight. May 10, details busy throwing up
intrenchments across mouth of gap; ordered inside of intrenchments awaiting an attack. May 13,
moved at 7 a.m., reaching vicinity of Resaca about noon; this brigade in reserve. May 14, moved
at daylight, reaching Lay's Ferry about 10 a.m. Second Brigade crossed one mile below. First
Brigade made demonstrations on ferry; this brigade in reserve. Rebels shelled hotly; brigade was
ordered to Calhoun Ferry, reaching there at dusk. May 15, made demonstration on Calhoun Ferry
2 men wounded; ordered to Lay's Ferry; found First and Second Brigades across the river;
moved across and one mile beyond; busy all night fortifying. May 16, moved forward, advancing
some three miles; brisk skirmishing all the way; found the enemy in force, skirmishing until 4
p.m., when the enemy made severe attack on Second Brigade; command fell back half a mile and
camped. Loss, 1 killed and 1 officer and 20 men wounded. May 17, was passed by train of
Fifteenth Army Corps; marched until 2 a.m. May 18, moved, passing Adairsville, and camped 1
a.m. May 19, reached Kingston, Ga., [at] sundown, camping near the town. May 22, received
orders, 4 a.m., to move to Rome, and arrived there 5 p.m., and have since formed the garrison, or
a portion of the garrison, of the place. Total loss of brigade during the above movements, 3 killed
and 27 wounded.
I will also add: The Seventh Illinois Infantry (being mounted) was, on the 1st of May,
patrolling the Tennessee River from Decatur to Eastport, with headquarters at Florence, Ala. On
the 7th a portion of Roddey's rebel force succeeded in crossing and capturing a part of the picketpost
at Bainbridge Ferry about daylight, part of the regiment available (a portion being at Centre
Star) was sent to meet the enemy, and a sharp skirmish ensued, which resulted in the regiment
being forced to leave Florence, with a loss of 3 officers and 32 men captured, 1 man wounded.
After inflicting severe loss on the enemy, and retarding considerably his advance, returned, by
way of Lawrenceburg, to Pulaski, and thence to Athens, where the regiment, joined by the Ninth
Ohio Cavalry, moved toward Florence, forcing the enemy to cross the river at Coffee's Island
after a sharp skirmish; 2 of the enemy killed and 16 captured. The enemy also evacuated
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Florence, evading an attack, crossing the river below Florence. Remainder of the month the
regiment patrolled on Elk River and toward Florence.
June 16, the regiment was dismounted, and left Athens, joining the brigade at Rome, July 9.
R. ROWETT,
Colonel Seventh Illinois Infantry, Comdg. Brigade.
Capt. L. H. EVERTS,
Asst. Adjt. (Yen., Second Division, 16th Army Corps.
HDQRS. BATTERY H, FIRST MISSOURI LIGHT ARTY.,
In the Field, Ga., September 5, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to report, in compliance with Special Field Orders, No. 40,
headquarters First Brigade, the operations of my command from May 3, 1864, to the present
time, noting the incidents of the march, so far as I remember them. As I kept no diary I can only
give the principal events, such as particularly affected the company, without giving the distances
marched each day, &c.
On the night of the 3d of May encamped one mile from Larkinsville, and received orders to
have the battery at the railway station to embark at 9 a.m. on the next morning. On the morning
of the 4th embarked on the train, and at 8 p.m. of the same day disembarked at Chattanooga,
Tenn. Left Chattanooga on the morning of the 5th and bivouacked on Chickamauga Creek, at
Gordon's Mills. Marched out of camp at 6 o'clock on the morning of the 7th, and went into park
at midnight of the 8th in the mouth of Snake Creek Gap. Marched on Resaca on the 9th, coming
into battery several times, but were not engaged, and the same night marched back to the gap. On
the night of the 10th moved into works which we occupied until the morning of the 13th, when
we moved forward, with the command, to attack Resaca. Were ordered into battery by General
Rice in an old field, to command the ground to my right and front. Afterward, the line
advancing, we were again ordered into battery in a peach orchard near a farm house. The next
and last position occupied on that day was on a high point commanding a heavy skirt of timber
extending along ---------- Creek. That night we encamped in front of Resaca. Up to this time we
had lost no men. On the 14th marched toward Lay's Ferry., reached a house one mile from the
river and left the caissons, moving forward with the pieces and went into battery on the crest of a
hill 400 yards from the river, where we had a severe artillery duel, which lasted about two hours.
In this engagement we suffered as follows: Corpl. L. M. Presler wounded; Private William F.
Gauger wounded in breast by fragment of shell; 2 horses were killed, and the guidon was torn to
pieces by a solid shot. We received an order from General Rice to withdraw at dusk, and
following ------- Regiment, encamped one mile and a half from the river. On the 15th moved
again toward the river, following the -------- Regiment. Arriving near the ferry, received an order
from General Rice to move to the front at a trot. We went into battery near the bank of the river,
and opened on the enemy's skirmishers, and continued the fire at intervals until the enemy
charged our lines, when we opened across the front of the Seventh Iowa, who were then at right
angles with us, advancing to meet the enemy. In the action of this day I lost but 1 horse, killed.
At 11 a.m. of the 16th we crossed the river following the --------- Regiment. At Rome Cross-
Roads we came into battery on the reserve line. Enemy's battery opened on caissons, teams,
ambulances, &c., parked in front of us. General Rice ordered one section onto a commanding
point looking to the left. We were not engaged during the day. From this date to the 26th of May
I am forced to leave a blank, as I have not the notes from which to get the several halts, distances
marched, &c. On the evening of the 26th we went into camp at Dallas, Ga., and on the morning
of the 27th moved into position with four pieces. At 6.30 opened on the enemy's skirmish
reserves, fired sixty-two rounds, and ceased. At 2 o'clock the next morning moved to the advance
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line and occupied a fort built for my battery, the Sixty-sixth Indiana on my right, the Second
Iowa on my left. On the afternoon of the 28th the enemy charged the line in force, but was driven
back with great loss. Moved out of the fort at 9 p.m., and halted one mile in rear of the line, and
at 11 p.m. received orders to return to the same position to be in readiness to receive an attack at
midnight. We were in action during the night of the 29th. The enemy advanced a line to within
300 yards of our line, and opened a brisk fire of musketry. In the engagements at Dallas I lost as
follows: Corp. V. A. Welton wounded in hand; Private Adam Hill wounded in shoulder; Private
Peters wounded. During the time we were at Dallas our horses suffered greatly for want of food
and rest. For three days they had nothing but browse, while at one time they stood in harness for
four days. The battery was next engaged in front of the Kenesaw Mountains. On the 16th of June
we were ordered to the front line. I sent Lieutenant McCarthy's section to the advanced line, and
formed the remaining four pieces, as ordered by Capt. F. Welker, on the reserve line, supported
by the Fifty-second Illinois Infantry, On the 17th, 18th, and 19th was engaged, losing, however,
neither men nor horses. On the 19th I again reported back to the Second Division, and went into
a position on the reserve line near Big Shanty. On the 27th we moved to the advance line at the
foot of the mountain, where we remained until the army was withdrawn.
On the night of the 2d of July we moved to the right, with muffled wheels, and on the
evening of the 3d encamped six miles from the Chattahoochee River. Sent out one section,
Lieutenant Brunner commanding, at 2 p.m. on the 4th of July, which immediately engaged the
enemy. The enemy charged, and was repulsed. July 6, we moved with the command to within
two miles of the river; laid over one day, and moved with the command to the extreme left of the
army, crossing the Chattahoochee on the 9th; moved into position and built works. We marched
on Atlanta July 17, encamping at Decatur on the 19th. Went into position on the second line on
the night of the 20th, and moved forward to the advanced line on the evening of the 21st. On the
morning of the 22d we moved with the command toward the left of the army, halting for rest in
an open field in rear of the Seventeenth Army Corps. About 1.30 o'clock received an order from
Captain Welker to move the battery forward and come into position, fronting to the left oblique.
We accordingly moved forward and to the left, coming into battery at a gallop march. Four
pieces commanded the open field in our front, and one section, Lieutenant McCarthy
commanding, the field and sweeping a gorge extending to the right and front. Our range was
excellent, and the appearance of the field showed clear proof that our pieces did good execution.
The enemy being repulsed, I was ordered by Captain Welker to change the front of the battery,
which I did immediately, fronting on a line at right angles to our former position. The enemy
attempted to advance from the timber, but was driven back with case and shell. I requested, and
was granted permission by General T. W. Sweeny, to move one piece to the right of the Fiftysecond
Illinois Infantry, to a point commanding the mouth of the valley, across which the enemy
was then moving. Having no cover for the men, this engagement was severe, and our losses were
as follows : Three horses were killed and 5 wounded. We fortified on the night of the 22d, and
occupied the works until the night of the 26th, when we moved, with muffled wheels, toward the
right. On the night of the 27th put four pieces in position on the advanced line, our skirmishers
being thrown out well forward. On the 28th were under a flank fire from the enemy's batteries, to
which, however, we could not reply.
On the 29th and 30th of July we were engaged, as also on the 5th and 6th of August, in
repelling a charge on the skirmish line, and preparing the way for our skirmishers to advance. On
the 9th we moved the battery into a new work, 300 yards in advance of our old position. On the
11th the following enlisted men were wounded: Corpl. William Miller wounded, and leg
amputated; Corpl. William Williamson wounded: Privates Blossom and Mahan wounded. On the
same day I received an order from General Corse to occupy a new fort, 500 yards in advance of
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the one then occupied, and was directed by him to move out some time during the night. We
moved into the works, and were ready for action at daybreak the following morning. I was
ordered by Captain Welker to open on the first rebel gun that fired, and continue firing till it
ceased. Waiting until the fog had cleared away, I could plainly see four guns looking from the
fort in our front 1,050 yards, [and] two in the fort to our left, distant 1,100 yards. The guns in a
work on our right I could not distinguish, the work being partly hidden by trees and underbrush.
About 9 o'clock challenged the center fort, which was immediately accepted by the three
batteries in our front. Their firing was excellent, their shot penetrating our works and entering the
embrasures in several places, and, for a short time, our little fort had the appearance of becoming
demolished. Soon their aim became more uncertain, and in our finally silencing their guns they
acknowledged themselves demoralized. On this line our loss was as follows : One horse was
killed and 1 wounded. August 21, Chapman Williamson wounded, and I horse killed. August 26,
Privates David Lagler and Jacob Huber wounded. We occupied this line from the 11th to the
25th August, during which time we succeeded in keeping silent the enemy's artillery in front of
us. On the night of the 25th we moved back, with muffled wheels, to the new line already
established. Occupied works during the 26th, and at 9 p.m. again moved out, and marched during
the night to Dry Pond. Was ordered by General Corse to occupy a position from which I could
command the cross-roads, and at 3 p.m. we again moved forward, in advance of the Second
Brigade, to ---------, where we encamped the night of the 27th. On the 28th marched to the
Montgomery railroad, and laid over during the 29th. On the 30th we marched toward the Macon
railroad, and went into park at midnight near Jonesborough. At 7 a.m. of August 31 moved into
the line, on the right of the Seventh Iowa Infantry. At 12 m. the same day moved to the advanced
line, occupied a position designated by the general commanding, supported on the left by the
Second Brigade. About 1.30 or 2 p.m. the enemy commenced his charge, his right advancing
toward our front obliquely. I changed the front of the battery in order to get a full battery fire.
Again the enemy charged, this time advancing directly on our front. We changed the direction of
our fire, and handled him with case and solid shot until he got within canister range. Again the
greater portion of his line went flying back for cover, while the remainder advanced to within
150 yards of the battery, where they gained shelter in a deep gorge, which, from our position, our
guns could not command. Seeing this, and fearing that they would reform and again charge, I
ordered the firing to cease, and double-charged my guns with canister, pointing to sweep the
ground between me and the ravine. At the same time I informed the general commanding of the
fact. A regiment, the Sixty-sixth Indiana, was soon moved forward, causing the enemy to leave
their cover, and affording us an excellent opportunity of sending double charges of canister after
them as they crossed the field. It seemed to be the object of the enemy to establish a line on the
edge of the timber. I continued shelling this point until dark. The engagement was severe, as we
had no cover. Our range was very good. The enemy advanced in plain view on the open field,
and I have every reason to believe that our pieces did good execution.
During the 1st of September we held the same position, without being engaged. On the 2d
moved forward between the Second and First Brigades, the enemy having evacuated his works,
and camped in rear of the advance line on the night of the 2d. Moved to our present position on
the extreme right of the army September 3.
In reviewing the conduct of the officers and men whom it has been my honor to command
during the severe campaign through which we have passed, I cannot but mention them with
words of praise to the general commanding; ever ready, ever willing they have at all times
proven themselves. Nor need I want for deeds of daring and examples of bravery of which to
speak. On the 14th of May I saw these brave men stand up in an open field, without cover of any
kind, and fight the enemy for three hours in his masked works. On the 15th I saw them hurl death
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and confusion into the enemy's charging columns. At Dallas, for four days and nights, they lay
under the most terrible fire from rebel sharpshooters without a moment's rest. Again, at the foot
of Kenesaw they occupied an advanced position on the line. On the 4th of July they were
engaged on the extreme right of the army. Again, on the 22d of July, a day ever to be
remembered by the Sixteenth Corps, Battery H was not silent. Right bravely did they work their
pieces whenever the enemy dared to show himself. In front of Atlanta the task allotted us was by
no means an easy one. Never did a battery live under a more severe artillery fire than that to
which we were subjected on the 12th of August. Without a particle of assistance we silenced
three rebel batteries occupying superior works and already acquainted with our position and
distance. On the 31st of August, our last engagement, the men of my command were again called
upon to face a rebel charge, nor did their conduct on this day cast a shade upon former
achievements. The efficiency of their fire is proven by the number of dead found upon the field
and the traces of many more removed. In addition to this, they have marched day and night,
many times without forage for horses, and often on half rations, and not a murmur has been
heard. As cheerfully have they labored, as they manfully fought, and for this they deserve the
respect of their commanding general.
I have the honor to be, lieutenant, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. T. BLODGETT,
First Lieutenant, 39th Iowa Infantry, Comdg. Company.
Lieutenant MORRISON,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, First Brigade.
HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, July 4, 1864--8.30 p.m.
COLONEL: I have the honor to report that, in obedience to instructions from the majorgeneral
commanding, two regiments of the Third Division, under command of Brigadier-General
Force, moved at 9 a.m. to the left from the Sandtown road, between two branches of the
Nickajack, as indicated on the map. After a slight resistance, General Force crossed the
Nickajack, but had to retire before a superior force of the enemy. After ascertaining that he
could not connect with the force on his left, he was re-enforces by two more regiments from the
same division, with which he recrossed the Nickajack, attacked, drove the enemy, connected
with the troops on his left, and materially assisted in the establishment of their present line. By
my order he was withdrawn, before I had heard that you desired him to remain, and will occupy
to-night the same ground he had last night. About the same hour two regiments of the Fourth
Division, Colonel Belknap commanding, advanced on the Sandtown road to the Widow
Mitchell's. A strong line of the enemy was encountered, which was driven back about one mile
with heavy skirmishing. The enemy, however, opening upon this line from two guns with grape
and canister, checked it until re-enforced by three additional regiments, with a section of
artillery, under the command of Colonel Hall, Eleventh Iowa, when the enemy was driven
rapidly about one mile and a half, when they took refuge in a strong line of earth-works. The
skirmishers of Colonel Hall's brigade, in connection with General Stoneman's cavalry, made a
determined and gallant attack on the enemy's line, approaching within 500 yards of the works,
drawing the fire of the whole of the enemy's force from behind the works, and also that of two
pieces of artillery. After fully developing the enemy's force in that direction I ordered Colonel
Hall's skirmishers to be drawn in and the remainder of General Gresham's division to move up
and occupy the position immediately in front of the works. I also ordered two brigades of the
Third Division to move forward about one mile and a half so as to be in supporting distance of
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the Fourth Division. The cavalry on my right have been very active, entirely covering that flank
and keeping fully up with my advance.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
FRANK P. BLAIR, JR.,
Major-General.
Lieut. Col. W. T. CLARK,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Dept. and Army of the Tennessee.
HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Before Atlanta, Ga., ---- --, 1864.
COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Third
and Fourth Divisions of the Seventeenth Army Corps, under my command, during the 20th, 21st,
and 22d days of July:
On the morning of the 20th, under orders from General McPherson, I moved my command
through the town of Decatur, out on the Fayetteville road about one mile and a half. I then
turned to the right, following a very crooked country road, the general direction of which was
toward Atlanta, and parallel to the railroad between that place and Decatur. After marching three
or four miles I struck the road running nearly north and south, and in front of Clay's house. At
this point the Fourth Division, commanded by Brigadier-General Gresham, discovered the
enemy posted a half or three-quarters of a mile west of Clay's road, in a strip of timber, who
immediately opened with artillery upon my advance. I immediately ordered up two batteries and
silenced the enemy's artillery, and in the mean time the Fourth Division was deployed into line
and advanced, driving the enemy fully a mile and a quarter to a ridge of hills. At this point my
right connected with the left of Major-General Logan, commanding the Fifteenth Army Corps. I
found, however, that I could not advance farther with the Fourth Division, as the left of my line
was commanded, and in case of an advance would have been enfiladed, by the enemy from a
high, bald hill on my left. General Gresham was shot by one of the enemy's sharpshooters from
this hill after his troops had taken up the position I have described. The Third Division,
commanded by Brigadier-General Leggett, which had been in reserve during the day, was now
advanced up into position on the left of the Fourth Division, and I sent orders, which, however,
did not reach General Leggett, to assault the hill on the left of Gresham immediately. My loss
was light in the advance of the 20th, as the enemy in my front consisted of cavalry and militia. If
my order had reached General Leggett on the evening of the 20th. I am sure the hill would have
been carried without serious loss on our part. General Gresham, who was very seriously
wounded in the affair of the 20th, displayed the greatest courage and skill in the management of
his troops on that day. I immediately advised General McPherson that General Gresham had
been badly wounded, and that it was necessary to assign another officer to the command of-the
division. Brig. Gen. Giles A. Smith was accordingly assigned to me and reported for duty at 2
o'clock on the morning of the 21st. Both divisions had in the mean time thrown up
intrenchments, the Fourth Division occupying the right of my line and connecting with the
Fifteenth Army Corps, and the Third Division holding the left of my line and the extreme left of
the army.
On the morning of the 21st, about sunrise, General Leggett moved his division upon the
enemy's works on the bald hill in his front. The enemy made a stubborn resistance, having been
strongly re-enforced during the night as I afterward learned, and as I had anticipated they would
be, but the Third Division moved upon them at a double-quick and took possession of their
works, capturing 40 or 50 prisoners. The enemy rallied and made repeated attempts to regain
possession of the hill, in all of which they were unsuccessful, and suffered considerable loss. The
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First Brigade, of the Third Division, commanded by Brig. Gen. M. F. Force, was conspicuous in
this fight, and to use General Leggett's words "did great honor to themselves and the cause for
which they fought." As soon as the Third Division took possession of the hill on their front, I
ordered the Fourth Division to advance, to engage the enemy, and prevent them from turning
their whole force upon General Leggett. The enemy occupied a line of works in front of the
Fourth Division, in the edge of a wood, about 600 yards from our intrenchments, the intervening
ground being an open field and gradually ascending the whole distance. The division moved
gallantly forward in two lines and were met by a heavy fire of musketry. They continued to
advance until nearing the top, when the enemy opened with artillery loaded with grape and
canister at such short range, and with such deadly effect, as to stop our advance. The line halted
and returned the fire, but evidently without doing much damage to the enemy, who lay securely
behind his works. The ground in front of the Fourth Division was held about half an hour, when,
General Leggett having well established his lines and the main object of the attack having been
accomplished, in assisting General Leggett to maintain his position he had carried on the enemy's
right flank, the Fourth Division was withdrawn from its exposed position within our works. The
officers and men of the Fourth Division acquitted themselves in a highly creditable manner.
Colonels Potts and Shane, commanding First and Third Brigades respectively, are especially
commended by General Smith for their skill and good conduct. Before 9 a.m. of the 21st General
Leggett had placed a battery in position on the hill and threw shell into Atlanta, which was not
more than a mile and a half distant. The position thus secured by General Leggett was one of the
greatest importance, and commanded all the ground occupied subsequently by the Army of the
Tennessee, and if the enemy had been allowed to retain it and fortify himself securely upon it, he
could not only have prevented our advance, but would have made the positions previously held
by the Seventeenth and Fifteenth Corps exceedingly insecure and dangerous. Our occupation of
this point compelled the enemy to give up his line in front of my Fourth Division, and also in
front of the Fifteenth Corps, and fall back nearer Atlanta. The loss in my command in the fight of
the 21st was quite severe, and amounted to 728 in killed, wounded, and missing; the loss in the
two divisions being nearly equal. The enemy's loss could not have been so large as mine, as they
fought from behind their intrenchments. Their principal loss was in front of the Third Division,
in their efforts to recover the hill from which they had been driven. During the day the enemy
were observed moving to my left, and to meet their movement the Fourth Division was moved to
the left of the Third Division and took up a position on a continuation of the same ridge held by
the Third Division and along the line of the McDonough road, with its left flank refused toward
the east: As the corps under my command held the extreme left of the army in position before
Atlanta, and as movements of the enemy toward my left were constantly reported to me, I
endeavored to guard my flanks by pickets and outposts as well as it was possible to do with my
limited force. Unusual precautions were deemed essential from the absence of our cavalry force
from this flank, it having been sent some days previous to make a raid on the Augusta railroad.
The balance of the day of the 21st and the following night were used in intrenching and
fortifying our position. Late in the evening of the 21st a brigade of the Sixteenth Army Corps,
commanded by Brigadier-General Fuller, was sent to me, and placed in reserve in rear of my
line.
On the morning of the 22d information was brought to me that the enemy had withdrawn
from my front and retired into the works of Atlanta. I found the enemy had given up a line of
rifle-pits made by them the night before, about three-quarters of a mile in advance of my line,
and fallen back to the heavy fortifications of the city, which were not more than 1,200 yards
from the line they had built and abandoned the night previous. I received orders from General
McPherson to send out working parties and construct works on this line of the enemy's rifle-pits,
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and to occupy them as soon as completed, and as soon as General Dodge, with the Sixteenth
Army Corps, who was ordered to take position on my left, could throw up works to cover his
men on that line. After these orders were given, I returned to my quarters in company with
General McPherson, and met General Dodge and the advance of his command marching to take
up position on my left. The head of General Dodge's column was then on the Clay road, a mile
and a quarter in rear of my line, and at a point where the road turns at right angles, due west, to
reach my position. The column turned at this point and proceeded a short distance and halted to
await the return of General Dodge, who had gone to the front to select a position for his
command immediately on my left. The diagram herewith forwarded gives a general idea of the
positions held at this time by the Fifteenth, Seventeenth, and part of the Sixteenth Corps, facing
to the west toward Atlanta, and part of the Sixteenth Corps halted on the Clay road running
south, and the road at right angles with it, pointing toward the position held by the Seventeenth
Corps. The diagram also shows the position held by the three corps at the close of the day, when
the Fifteenth and Sixteenth held substantially their original positions, and the left of the
Seventeenth Corps was bent back toward the east from the high bald hill captured by General
Leggett on the day previous, and stretched toward General Dodge's line in the effort to fill the
gap between the left of the Seventeenth Corps and the right of the Sixteenth Corps. A small
brigade of the Fifteenth Corps, commanded by Colonel Wangelin, of the Twelfth Missouri
Volunteer Infantry, is also represented on the left of the Seventeenth Corps, but even this
addition did not suffice to fill the interval between these corps, which, in the morning at the time
of the attack, was upward of a mile in extent. When I reached my headquarters, coming from the
front with General McPherson, I received information that an attack had been made on nay
hospitals in rear by a small party of the enemy's cavalry, and that Colonel Alexander, my
assistant adjutant-general, had taken a small company of infantry and gone to their assistance. I
sent to General Leggett for a regiment of infantry to protect the hospitals and move them nearer
to the front' In half an hour or less there was sharp skirmishing in the rear and in front of General
Dodge's line, and it became evident that the attack was something more than a cavalry raid on
our flank and rear. With this impression I started to go back to my command, and witnessed the
first furious assault made on the Sixteenth Army Corps, and its prompt and gallant repulse by
that command.
It was a most fortunate circumstance for the whole army that the Sixteenth Corps occupied
the position I have attempted to describe at the moment of the attack, and although it does not
belong to me to report upon the bearing and conduct of the officers and men of that corps, still I
cannot withhold my expressions of admiration for the manner in which this command met and
repulsed the repeated and persistent attacks of the enemy. The attack upon our flank and rear was
made by the whole of Hardee's corps, the divisions of Bate and Walker falling upon Dodge's
command, and the divisions of Cleburne and Cheatham (under command on that occasion of
General Maney) striking my left flank and swinging around through the wide interval or gap
between my extreme left and the right of General Dodge, and reaching my extreme right, and
occupying the breast-works constructed by Generals Leggett and Smith in their advance upon the
bald hill, and as far to the right of it as General Leggett's command extended. At the same time
the enemy advanced upon my line and that of the Fifteenth Corps on my right from the direction
of Atlanta, with Hood's old corps, commanded on this occasion by General Cheatham. The
Seventeenth Army Corps was thus completely enveloped, and attacked from the front, flank, and
rear. General McPherson was killed in attempting to reach my command by the enemy as they
swung through the gap between my left and General Dodge's right, on the road which is
indicated on the diagram, and which passes through the woods in rear of my line. I was but a
short distance from him at the time, and saw him enter the woods and heard the volley which
107
probably killed him and the yells of the rebels which perhaps followed his fall. I sent word
immediately to General Logan, commanding the Fifteenth Army Corps, that I was satisfied that
General McPherson had been killed or had fallen into the hands of the enemy, and suggested that
as he was the senior officer of the Army of the Tennessee, he should immediately assume
command. General McPherson before his death sent word by Lieutenant-Colonel Strong, of his
staff, to General G. A. Smith, commanding the Fourth Division of the Seventeenth Army Corps,
and holding the extreme left, to hold his position, and that he would order up troops to occupy
the gap between the Seventeenth and Sixteenth Corps. In pursuance of these orders from General
McPherson, Colonel Wangelin's brigade, First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, came up on the
double-quick and took position on a knoll in the edge of the timber between General Dodge and
the right of my line; but the brigade was so very small (about 600 or 700 men) that it did not near
fill the gap, and the enemy had already, before this brigade had time to assume its position,
passed through the interval and attacked the Seventeenth Corps directly in the rear. If the enemy
had concerted his attacks from front, flank, and rear, so as to strike my line at the same moment
with his different lines of battle, it would have been extremely difficult, if not impossible, to hold
our ground, but this was not done, and as his first assault fell upon our rear, both divisions took
the opposite side of their breast-works, and repulsed them with severe loss. The attack was
renewed from the same direction upon General Leggett's division, but was again repulsed with
great slaughter. This was followed by an attack upon General G. A. Smith's division, which came
upon his flank and rear as his troops stood on the reverse side of their works, with their backs to
the city of Atlanta. Both brigades of this division were immediately formed to meet this attack, at
right angles with our works, in two lines, facing to the southwest in the open field, and the
enemy were repulsed with great loss and driven back in confusion. The third attack made upon
the Third Division (General Leggett's) came from the direction of Atlanta. A skirmish line,
followed by a heavy force, advanced from that direction with great impetuosity. The division
changed front and got on the east side of the breast-works, and met the charge with the same
deliberate and cool courage as they had the others, repulsing the enemy in handsome style. The
enemy rallied, reformed their lines, and returned to the charge, but were again repulsed and
driven back, leaving their killed and wounded on the ground. About 4 o'clock in the evening the
enemy renewed their attack upon the division of General Smith from the east side of the works,
on what was originally our rear. The men again jumped over the breast-works, and received the
enemy with the same constancy and courage as before. This attack is described by General Smith
and his officers as the most fierce and persistent made upon them during the day. The enemy
approached under cover of the woods to within less than forty or fifty yards without being
perceived, and pressed forward under a deadly fire from the entire division and two regiments of
General Leggett's division, up to the breast-works occupied by our troops, and until the men
could reach one another across them with their bayonets, and the officers used their swords in
hand-to-hand encounter. The enemy's loss in this assault, which lasted three-quarters of an hour,
must have been very severe. They finally yielded and fell back with reluctance. In a short time
the enemy again advanced from the direction of Atlanta, and at the same time attacked from the
flank and rear, using his artillery loaded with grape and canister, and heavy musketry, rendering
it necessary to abandon a large portion of the works which had been held by the Fourth Division
and by part of the Third Division. A new line was now formed facing south and extending east
from the crest of the bald hill captured by General Leggett on the 21st, General Leggett
extending also to the right of this hill facing west toward Atlanta with one of his brigades and the
Eleventh Iowa, from the Fourth Division, the balance of his division holding the crest and
extending eastwardly down the slope of the hill in an open field, the Fourth Division forming on
his left and extending still farther to the east, facing to the south, and connecting with Wangelin's
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brigade, of the Fifteenth Army Corps, which I had ordered up for that purpose. These
dispositions of the two divisions were made under a heavy fire of musketry and artillery from the
advancing enemy, composed of fresh troops, selected, doubtless, for the occasion. It was
Cheatham's division, of Hardee's Corps, commanded by Brigadier-General Maney. They made a
determined and resolute attack, advancing up to our breast-works on the crest of the hill, planted
their flags side by side with ours, and fought hand-to-hand until it grew so dark that nothing
could be seen but the flash of the guns, from the opposite side of the same works. The enemy
seemed determined to retake the hill, which was the key-point to the whole of my line, and
controlled, to a great extent, the position held by the other corps. General Leggett was equally
resolute to hold this important point, and his troops responded nobly to his spirit. The ground
over which this assault was made was literally strewn with the enemy's dead, but as the enemy
held the ground up to our lines until nearly daylight the next morning, he was able to remove all
of his wounded and the dead bodies of many officers.
The loss in the corps on the 22d was very severe, amounting to 1,801 killed, wounded, and
missing. Among the missing was the Sixteenth Iowa (245 men), which was on the extreme left of
the Fourth Division, and was completely enveloped and cut off by the enemy in their first attack,
which was so sudden and unexpected in that quarter as to make it impossible to guard against it.
In the same attack a section of Battery F. Second Illinois Artillery, which was in position on the
left, was captured. Many of the men detailed on the working parties to construct a new line of
works in advance were also cut off, and fell into the enemy's hands; but a large number of them
reported as missing were either killed or wounded, and left on the ground we were compelled to
abandon later in the day.
We captured from the enemy at least 500 prisoners, which certainly equals the number they
took from us, and the enemy's loss in killed and wounded in front of the Seventeenth Corps
greatly exceeded ours.
On the morning after the fight the enemy sent a flag of truce to bury their dead, and we
buried and delivered over to the enemy to be buried of their dead between 900 and 1,000. These
were collected from the ground which formed only a part of General Leggett's position. About
one-third of the ground occupied by General Leggett, and the whole of the position which had
been held by General Smith, having been abandoned late in the day, remained in the enemy's
hands, and upon this ground the enemy collected and buried their own dead; but upon this
ground the fighting had raged for over five hours, and the enemy had been repulsed, with
immense slaughter, in five or six distinct assaults.
The fighting was at very close quarters, and our men generally fought from the cover of their
breast works, and the officers and men engaged in this part of the field concur in stating that the
loss of the enemy there was equally as great as upon that part of the field which remained in our
hands, and upon which we gathered and counted their dead. I am fully persuaded that the
enemy's loss in killed in front of the Seventeenth Army Corps must have been at least 2,000. I
believe that the killed exceeded the usual proportion of wounded on such occasions, not only on
account of the closeness and desperate character of the fighting, but as the enemy charged
repeatedly over the same ground upon which they had left their wounded it is altogether probable
that many of them were slain by the tremendous fire which swept the ground on which they lay
after being wounded. Upon this point General Leggett, commanding Third Division, in his
report, says:
We captured about 400 prisoners, and from less than two-thirds of the ground fought over by
the division we buried and delivered to the enemy, under flag of true, between 900 and 1,000
dead rebels. I am fully confident that my division killed and wounded more rebels than I had
men engaged.
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General Giles A. Smith, commanding the Fourth Division, is equally emphatic. In speaking
of the loss of the enemy in front of his division, he says:
My loss was 1,040 men killed, wounded, and missing, and 2 pieces of artillery. The loss of
the enemy was not less than 4,000 killed and wounded, 326 prisoners (including 1 colonel, 2
lieutenant-colonels, and several other officers), and 5 stand of colors.
We captured from the enemy 7 stand of colors and 1,000 stand of muskets.
Men who are acquainted with either of these officers will not regard them as in the slightest
degree prone to exaggerate upon such a subject.
I transmit with this report a consolidated return of the killed, wounded, and missing in my
command on the 20th, 21st, and 22d.
I call special attention to the reports of Generals Leggett and Smith, commanding Third and
Fourth Divisions, respectively, of this corps, giving the details of these actions.
I take pleasure in incorporating into my report, the following extracts from the reports of the
division commanders, making favorable mention of the officers and men under their command
who distinguished themselves for gallantry and good conduct.
General Leggett, commanding Third Division, says:
My losses were heavy and in some respects particularly unfortunate and embarrassing. At the
very commencement of the action, even before a shot had been fired from my line, Col. R. K.
Scott, commanding my Second Brigade, was captured by the enemy while returning to his
command from a detached regiment, and during the first attack both Brigadier-General Force and
his adjutant-general, Capt. J. B. Walker, fell severely wounded. These officers, occupying the
positions they did and having the entire confidence of their commands, could not be spared
without great detriment to the division. This was especially the case with Brigadier-General
Force, whose coolness, sagacity, and bravery had long since won the admiration of the whole
division, and always inspired the men with confidence and enthusiasm. The batteries of artillery
in my division, the Third Ohio, Battery D, First Illinois, and Battery H, First Michigan, did very
effective service during all of these successive engagements, and their officers and men showed
great skill and determined bravery. Capt. W. S. Williams, Third Ohio Battery, my chief of
artillery, is entitled to great credit for the coolness and skill displayed in adjusting and using his
batteries, and in saving them when exposed. Especial notice is also due to Col. George E. Bryant,
of the Twelfth Wisconsin Veteran Volunteers, who assumed command of the First Brigade when
General Force fell, and to Lieut. Col. G. F. Wiles, Seventy-eighth Ohio Veteran Volunteers, who
took command of the Second Brigade. These officers, though taking command after the battle
opened, displayed great coolness and skill. Capt. G. D. Munson, my picket officer, was very
efficient in the management of the skirmishers until driven m, and in acting as aide during the
balance of the time. My aides, Lieut. G. W. Porter and Lieut. A. W. Stewart; Capt. J. C.
Douglass, assistant adjutant-general; Lieut. W. H. Hessin, acting assistant adjutant-general, and
Maj. J. T. Rainey, acting assistant inspector-general, all displayed great coolness and bravery in
collecting information and delivering orders, and Lieut. V. Warner, ordnance officer, for his skill
in saving his train, and his promptness in supplying the command with ammunition. The
character of the fight was such, our front changing so often and rapidly, that the position of a
staff officer was more than usually exposed, yet all were prompt and efficient. Lieutenant Hessin
fell from his horse severely wounded during the latter part of the action.
I quote as follows from General Smith:
Col. B. F. Potts, Thirty-second Ohio, commanding First Brigade, handled his command with
skill and judgment, contributing largely to the success of the day. He is a thorough and energetic
officer. Col. W. W. Belknap, Fifteenth Iowa, displayed all the qualifications of an accomplished
soldier. Col. W. Jones, Fifty-third Indiana, than whom there was no braver or better soldier, was
110
severely wounded early in the action, and before he was taken from the field he was struck by a
shell, killing him instantly. Col. John Shane, Thirteenth Iowa, Lieut. Col. John C. Abercrombie,
and Capt. John Anderson, Eleventh Iowa, were conspicuous for their coolness and bravery. R. B.
Bennett, chaplain Thirty-second Ohio, carried his musket and fought all day in the ranks, which I
learn is his custom on all such occasions. After becoming exhausted, he employed Private
Mitchell, Company B, to load for him, who was killed by his side. Many acts of gallantry were
displayed on the field by both officers and men, but having been but a short time in command of
the division, I am unable to give the list of names, but refer you to the reports of my brigade
commanders. To Capts. C. Cadle, assistant adjutant-general; J. C. Marven, acting assistant
inspector-general; Charles E. Putnam, assistant commissary of musters; George S. Doane, acting
aide-de-camp: John E. Gurley, picket officer; L. O. Gilman, engineer, and Lieut. D. H. Budlong,
aide-de-camp, of my staff, I am indebted for valuable assistance. They were active, intelligent,
and brave to reckless, acting as scouts, skirmishers, or commanders as occasion required.
Captain Gilman was seriously wounded in the shoulder near the close of the engagement, and
Captains Cadle, Doane, Marven, and Gurley had their horses shot. Lieut. X. Picquet, ordnance
officer, was captured by the enemy while supplying the command with ammunition.
I have already officially recommended Colonels Belknap, Potts, Malloy, and Scott for
promotion to the rank of brigadier-general. Colonel Belknap has received his appointment, and I
now renew the recommendation for the others as soon as vacancies occur.
This report would be very incomplete if I failed to bring to the notice of the commanding
general of this army and of the Government the great and meritorious services rendered by
Generals Leggett and Giles A. Smith in the transactions to which this relates. No officers were
ever placed in more trying or difficult circumstances, and none could have displayed more
courage, sound judgment, and skill in the management and direction of their respective
commands, whose splendid fighting has not been excelled by that of any troops in the armies of
the Republic.
The Seventeenth Army Corps maintained the fair renown it had won under its first
commander, Major-General McPherson, the youthful and illustrious leader of the Army of the
Tennessee, who, in this battle, laid down his unsullied life for the cause to which he' had
consecrated it. Yet his genius survived in the discipline, valor, and constancy with which he had
inspired his veterans.
I recommend that the distinguished services of Brig. Gens. M. D. Leggett and Giles A. Smith
be recognized by the Government by conferring upon both of them the brevet rank of majorgeneral,
to be followed by promotion to that rank on the occurrence of the first vacancies. I am
satisfied that such recognition is not only due to these officers, but that it will prove beneficial to
the service.
I am under great obligations to the members of my staff, and especially to my adjutantgeneral,
Lieut. Col. A. J. Alexander; inspector-general. Lieut. Col. Jefferson J. Hibbets, of the
Thirty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and First Lieut. Logan Tompkins, Twenty-first Missouri
Volunteer Infantry, acting aide-de-camp, for the courage, zeal, and fidelity with which they
assisted me on the field.
I am also under obligations to Lieut. James R. Dunlap and Lieutenants Conard and Stickney
for their gallant services in transmitting dispatches during the engagement, and when under
heavy fire from the enemy. I call attention to the report of Lieutenant Dunlap, which is
transmitted herewith.
Respectfully,
FRANK P. BLAIR, JR.,
Major-General, Commanding.
111
Lieut. Col. W. T. CLARK,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Dept. and Army of the Tennessee.
GENERAL ORDERS No. 8.
HDQRS. 17TH ARMY CORPS,
DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,
Before Atlanta, Ga., July 26, 1864.
During the bloody battle of the 22d instant, in which this corps was engaged, Private George
J. Reynolds, D Company, Fifteenth Iowa Infantry Volunteers, was, while in the performance of
his duty on the skirmish line, severely wounded in the arm. In attempting to evade capture he
came to the spot where the late beloved and gallant commander of this army, Major-General
McPherson, was lying mortally wounded. Forgetting all considerations of self, Private Reynolds
clung to his old commander, and, amid the roar of battle and a storm of bullets, administered to
the wants of his gallant chief, quenching his dying thirst, and affording him such comfort as lay
in his power. After General McPherson had breathed his last, Private Reynolds was chiefly
instrumental in recovering his body, going with two of his staff officers, pointing out the body,
and assisting in putting it in an ambulance, under a heavy fire from the enemy, while his wound
was still uncared for. The noble and devoted conduct of this soldier cannot be too highly praised,
and is commended to the consideration of the officers and men of this command. In
consideration of this gallantry and noble, unselfish devotion, the gold medal of honor will be
conferred upon Private George J. Reynolds, D Company, Fifteenth Iowa Infantry Volunteers, in
front of his command. This order will be read at the head of every regiment, battery, and
detachment in this corps.
By command of Maj. Gen. F. P. Blair:
A. J. ALEXANDER,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Near East Point, Ga., September 8, 1864.
COLONEL: I have the honor to report that, in compliance with Special Orders, No. 210,
Seventeenth Army Corps, I took command of this division on the 23d of August near White Hall,
southwest of Atlanta. I found the division strongly intrenched, and the works pushed up within
very short musket-range of the enemy's main line of works, and skirmishing heavily with the
enemy night and day. On the night of the 23d of August the division commenced throwing up
flank works, which were completed on the 25th, and the division was withdrawn to these works
that night. On the night of the 26th of August the division was successfully withdrawn from the
front of Atlanta, and marched all night and part of the next day to a point near Camp Creek. On
the 28th of August moved forward and struck the Montgomery and Atlanta Railroad, at New
Hope Church, about 2 p.m. Rifle-pits were immediately thrown up to protect the working parties,
and the three reserve regiments of the division were put to work tearing up railroad and
destroying ties and rails; 890 yards were destroyed. On the 29th of August 1,000 yards were
destroyed, making in all 1,890. This work was thoroughly done; every tie was burned, and every
rail heated, bent double, and twisted or broken. On the 30th of August moved in the direction of
Jonesborough, and encamped near the Renfroe Place. On the 31st moved up and took position in
reserve in rear of the Fifteenth Army Corps, and put up a line of works west of Flint River.
About 9 a.m. I was ordered to send one brigade to report to Maj. Gen. John A. Logan,
commanding Fifteenth Army Corps. I sent the First Brigade, under command of Colonel Bryant,
Twelfth Wisconsin Volunteers. This brigade was posted on the left of the Fifteenth Army Corps,
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upon a refused line, where it threw up strong works and skirmished heavily with the enemy.
About 2 p.m. the enemy made a determined attack upon the front of the Fifteenth Army Corps,
reaching around so as to engage two of the regiments in the First Brigade of this division. The
enemy was handsomely repulsed at all points with great slaughter. Col. George E. Bryant claims
as a fair proportion of the killed and wounded in his front and the interval between his brigade
and the Fifteenth Army Corps 250; 12 prisoners were taken. As soon as the attack was made I
was ordered across Flint River, with the remainder of the division, and took position on the left
of the First Brigade, where works were put up to cover the men.
On the afternoon of September 1 I recrossed Flint River with the division and moved around
to the right of the Sixteenth Army Corps, and took the position occupied by General Kilpatrick's
cavalry. Two brigades (Second and Third) were thrown across Flint River, where they
intrenched. During the night the enemy evacuated their works, and fell back in the direction of
Griffin. About 9 a.m. of September 2 the division started in pursuit, and found the enemy
throwing up works in a strong position near the Atlanta and Macon Railroad. By direction of
Major-General Howard I sent the Second Brigade (Lieut. Col. G. F. Wiles commanding) to hold
a hill that had been taken by the skirmishers of the Sixteenth Army Corps. This brigade moved
forward under a heavy artillery fire, and secured a position about 400 yards from the enemy's
line of works. As soon as bridges could be built across the swamps I sent up the First Michigan
Battery (six 3-inch Rodman guns), commanded by Lieut. William Justin, which soon silenced
the rebel battery, and by its splendid shooting prevented the enemy from completing his works
until night. Shortly after occupying this hill with the Second Brigade I moved forward, with the
First and Third Brigades, and occupied two other hills farther to the right, pushing the line of
skirmishers to within 300 yards of the rebel works. After reconnoitering the ground I occupied a
position, with the First and Third Brigades, about 400 yards from the enemy's main line, and
secured it by a line of rifle-pits. The division remained in this position during the 3d, 4th, and 5th
instant. The skirmishing was heavy and continuous, owing to the lines being so close. The losses
in the division were large, being 5 killed and 40 wounded. On the night of the 5th instant the
division was withdrawn, and moved back to Jonesborough, without molestation from the enemy.
On September 7 moved to a position near Morrow's Mill, and on the 8th camped near East
Point.
I cannot speak in too high terms of the officers and men under my command. Their coolness
under fire, the patience with which they have withstood the hardships and fatigues of the
campaign, deserve the highest praise, and show a higher state of discipline than is generally
found in a volunteer army.
Especial mention is due to my brigade commanders--Col. George E. Bryant, Twelfth
Wisconsin, commanding First Brigade; Lieut. Col. G. F. Wiles, Seventy-eighth Ohio Veteran
Volunteers, commanding Second Brigade, and Col. A. G. Malloy, Seventeenth Wisconsin
Volunteers, commanding Third Brigade--for their untiring energy and the promptness with
which all orders were executed.
Although the division has not been engaged in any general battles since I was assigned to the
command, yet it has been constantly engaged in skirmishing, and has been well pushed up to the
enemy's lines, and my warmest thanks are due to the members of my staff-- Capt. J. C.
Douglass, assistant adjutant-general; Capt. W. S. Williams, Third Ohio Battery, chief of artillery;
Capt. G. D. Munson, Seventy-eighth Ohio Veteran Volunteers, picket officer; Capt. C. B. Loop,
engineer officer; Lieut. J. R. Conklin, Twentieth Illinois Infantry, provost-marshal; Lieut. C. M.
Marriott, Seventy-sixth Ohio Veteran Volunteers, aide-de-camp; Lieut. F. Critz, Thirtieth Iowa
Volunteers, aide-de-camp, and Lieut. A. W. Stewart, Seventy-eighth Ohio Veteran Volunteers,
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aide-de-camp to General M. D. Leggett---for the prompt, fearless, and efficient manner in which
all orders were executed.
Inclosed please find a list of killed and wounded of the division since I took command: First
Brigade, 6 killed and 38 wounded; Second Brigade, 5 killed, 10 wounded, 1 missing; Third
Brigade, 3 killed, 22 wounded, 2 missing; pioneer corps, 1 killed, 1 wounded. Total, 15 killed, 71
wounded, 3 missing. Aggregate, 89.
I am, colonel, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,
CHAS. R. WOODS,
Brig. Gen., Comdg. Third Division, 17th Army Corps.
Lieut. Col. A. J. ALEXANDER,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Seventeenth Army Corps.
HDQRS. ARTILLERY, SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Atlanta, Ga., July 25, 1864.
COLONEL: In compliance with your order of 23d instant, I have the honor to submit the
following special report of the part taken by Battery F, Second Illinois Light Artillery, in the
action on the 22d instant:
One section was on the extreme left of batteries of Fourth Division, intrenched on what is
called the old McDonough road, facing our left flank, under the immediate command of First
Lieut. W. H. Powell, who was also in command of the battery. Another section, under immediate
command of Second Lieut. G. R. Richardson, was on our main line, covering a road running
west and nearly perpendicular to our main line. The third section was a few rods to the rear, in
the reserve. The support of the left section was Sixteenth and Thirteenth Iowa Infantry, left and
right, respectively, the former of which was captured, and one company of the latter. The right
and reserve sections made good their escape, the former having done all the execution possible.
The left section, acting as artillery always should do, and having received no orders to the
contrary, fought till their support was captured, when it was too late for them to get away, and
Lieut. W. H. Powell, 2 sergeants, 4 corporals, and 26 men, were missing, either killed, wounded,
or missing. The section entire (save the caissons) fell into the hands of the enemy. The two
sections who left passed to the right over a road that I had selected, and caused to be made
passable, and took position on the left of the Fifteenth Army Corps, and at a critical moment
rendered them good service; this last came under my own observation in part, and is all
substantiated by the best of evidence.
I have made every exertion to learn the facts connected with the conduct of this battery, and
am happy to be able to say that I believe they did all that could be expected, taking into
consideration the fact that they were subjected to a fire from every direction save the right, and
so far as the loss of the section is concerned, it certainly looks much better that the officer and
men should go with the section than be found deserting their guns.
Second Lieut. G. R. Richardson, now in command of the battery, has already made
application to Captain Spear, chief of artillery, Fourth Division, to send an officer to take
command of the battery, which has been done. The name of the officer has not been reported.
Lieutenant Richardson has had but little experience in artillery practice, but there is no evidence
that he did not act well his part on the 22d.
For the benefit of the artillery in the Seventeenth Army Corps and the service generally I
have endeavored to give you a truthful statement of the action of the battery, based upon my own
observation, in part, and good evidence.
I have the honor to be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN T. CHENEY,
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Major and Chief of Artillery, Seventeenth Army Corps.
Lieut. Col. A. J. ALEXANDER,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Seventeenth Army Corps,
NEW ALBANY, IND., -- , 1864.
COLONEL: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of the Fourth
Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, during the time I commanded it, viz, from the 27th of May
until the 20th of July, 1864:
On the 27th of May, at Decatur, Ala., I was assigned temporarily to the command of the
division by Special Orders, No. 128, from headquarters Seventeenth Army Corps, relieving Brig.
Gen. M. M. Crocker, on account of sickness. On that day at 12 o'clock we left Decatur, marching
seven miles, and encamping on Phillips' plantation. On the 28th marched thirteen miles;
encamped at Somerville, Ala. On the 29th we marched seventeen miles, encamping on Shoal
Creek. On the 30th marched eighteen miles, encamping at Warrenton, Ala. On the 31st marched
seventeen miles, encamping on Short Creek.
On July [June] 1 marched twelve miles, encamping on Mill Creek. On the 2d remained in
camp collecting forage and resting. On the 3d marched eighteen miles, encamping near the
Chattooga River. On the 4th crossed the Chattooga River by fording, and, marching sixteen
miles, encamped near Coosatown. On the 5th marched sixteen miles, encamping on the west
bank of the Oostenaula River, near Rome. On the 6th marched sixteen miles, encamping at
Kingston. On the 7th marched thirteen miles, encamping on south side of Etowah River at
railroad bridge. Here, in accordance with orders received from you, I left one regiment, the Third
Iowa Infantry, as guard to the road. On the 8th marched five miles, reaching the main army at
Acworth, Ga., and taking position on the left. In passing through Allatoona this day, in
accordance with orders received through you, I left the Second Brigade, Col. George C. Rogers
commanding, as guard to the road. On the 10th moved forward to Big Shanty, striking the enemy
just beyond the station. Took position as reserve to the corps. On the 11th moved out on a
reconnaissance, meeting the enemy one mile from camp; slight skirmishing all day. From this
time until the 16th we were advancing our lines slowly, continually driving the enemy. On the
16th we moved forward and threw up a line of works, the enemy disputing every inch of our
advance. Our loss this day was 46 killed and wounded. From this time until the 19th heavy rams
prevented active movements. On the 19th the enemy evacuated their line and fell back to a
position near Kenesaw Mountain. The division advanced at once and took position before them.
On the 27th an assault was made on Kenesaw, an official report of which has already been made
to you. It resulted in a loss to this division of 97 killed and wounded.
On the 2d of July, at 8.30 p.m., the division started for the right of the army, reaching our
position about 6 p.m. of the 3d, after heavy skirmishing, and bivouacked on Mrs. Marble's
plantation. On the 4th we moved forward, and drove the enemy into his rifle-pits about four
miles from the Chattahoochee River, and, after heavy skirmishing, threw up works within 1,000
yards of his line. The enemy here attempted to shell us from our position, but we soon silenced
his guns. On the 5th we charged his works and carried them, driving him into his fortifications
on the south side of Nickajack Creek, with a loss to us of 6 killed and 48 wounded. An official
report of this affair has been forwarded to you. On the 6th we threw up works on Nickajack
Creek, within 900 yards of the enemy, who had a very strong position, with three redoubts, in
our immediate front, mounting fourteen guns. At 6 o'clock on the evening of the 7th the enemy
opened their artillery, concentrating their fourteen guns on our front, and delivering for one hour
a terrific fire, though doing but little damage. Our loss was 1 killed and 3 wounded. The fire was
returned with equal vigor, and we succeeded in silencing him. During the night of the 9th the
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enemy abandoned his position and fell back to the south side of the Chattahoochee River. We
immediately occupied their works, and remained within 600 yards of the river, skirmishing with
the enemy on the opposite side until the 16th, when we started for the left of the army,
encamping that night near Marietta. On the 17th we passed through Marietta, crossed the
Chattahoochee at Roswell Factory, and encamped three miles south of the river. On the 18th we
moved to and encamped on Peach Tree Creek near Cross Keys. Moved forward on 19th and
encamped within two miles of Decatur, Ga. On the 20th moved forward and met the enemy
about 12 m. In accordance with orders from Major-General Blair, I took a position on the left of
the Fifteenth Army Corps. After some skirmishing I was directed to move forward and occupy a
ridge near the enemy's works, which order was executed with a loss in this division of 51 killed
and wounded. Just as my command took possession of this position, I received a severe gunshot
wound in my leg, which rendered it necessary for me to be carried from the field. I accordingly
turned over the command of the division to Col. William Hall, Eleventh Iowa Volunteers, senior
officer with the division.
From the 8th of June until the 20th of July the division was continually in the face of the
enemy. Our loss in that time was 49 killed, 381 wounded, and 34 missing.
W. Q. GRESHAM,
Brigadier-General.
Lieut. Col. A. J. ALEXANDER,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Seventeenth Army Corps.
HDQRS. FOURTH DIVISION, SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Before Atlanta, Ga., July 28, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Fourth Division,
Seventeenth Army Corps, under my command, in the engagement of Friday, the 22d of July,
1864:
After the attack on the enemy's position by my division on the 21st instant, I was ordered by
Major-General Blair to move to the left of General Leggett's division, to meet a similar
movement of the enemy, who was extending his lines in that direction. The Seventeenth Army
Corps now occupied the extreme left of the army, and my division was on the left of the corps,
with my line running northeast and southwest along a road known as the McDonough road, with
the First Brigade, Colonel Potts, on the right, joining General Leggert, and the Third Brigade,
Colonel Hall, on the left, with two regiments thrown back and facing south to protect my flank,
and a picket-line running back a mile and a half, to guard against any movement around my rear.
This line was intrenched during the night, the enemy being busily engaged throwing up works
about 1,000 yards in my front. Early next morning my pickets were advanced in connection with
General Leggett's, the enemy's skirmishers falling back with little or no opposition, although they
were well protected by log and earth works, a short distance behind which we came upon a
nearly completed line of their rifle-pits, the result of their previous night's labor. This position
was in full view of and not more than 1,600 yards from the intrenchments in front of Atlanta,
which was but a short distance beyond. While making preparations to occupy this line, but
before commencing the movement, reports were sent in from the picket-line on my left flank that
there were indications of an enemy in their front, and very soon after some skirmishing was
heard far back on my left or rear, which soon extended along the whole line. The pickets were
forced back and followed closely by the enemy's line of battle, which moved rapidly forward,
striking my left flank exactly perpendicular to my line of battle. Artillery was also opened from a
ridge in rear of their assaulting columns, which did us considerable damage. I directed Colonel
Potts to send two regiments of his brigade to Colonel Hall's left, but before they were fully in
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position they were met by a heavy column of the enemy, which they succeeded in checking until
their left was turned, when they fell back to the works. I ordered Colonel Hall to withdraw his
two flank regiments, which this movement enveloped, and to move them by the right flank
around the front or east side of my main line of works, having already directed the men
occupying that line to take the same position and drive back the enemy now closely pressing
their rear. This movement was promptly executed and successful, except in the case of the
Sixteenth Iowa occupying the extreme left, which was completely surrounded, and over 230 men
captured. Two pieces of artillery belonging to Company F, Second Illinois Artillery, and in
position on the right of that regiment, were at the same time taken by the enemy. My whole line
was now hotly engaged, and although fighting from the opposite side of their works from the one
intended when they were constructed, still, owing to the absence of any deep ditch, it afforded
them very good protection, while their well directed and rapid volleys were doing great
execution in the enemy's ranks, driving them back some distance into the woods until their fire
was partially silenced. Skirmishers were immediately ordered out, who discovered the enemy not
far back, but apparently in no condition to renew the attack. This disposition was scarcely made
when another column was discovered advancing from the southeast, threatening, considering the
side of the works we now occupied, our right and rear. To meet this two regiments of Colonel
Hall's brigade were formed perpendicular to the work on which the left rested, the right
extending west toward Atlanta, the remainder of the brigade still occupying the works. Colonel
Potts' brigade was formed about seventy-five yards to the rear of Colonel Hall's perpendicular
line and parallel to his, both being directed to hold that position against any odds. By the time
these lines were formed the enemy emerged from the woods into the open field in solid column
three lines deep, striking Colonel Hall's line on the front and right, forcing him back to the
works, our skirmishers on the east side still holding back the enemy, enabling Colonel Hall to put
his whole brigade back again on his original side of the work. Colonel Potts' line being longer,
and throwing back his right regiment (Thirty-second Ohio), had already opened upon their lines.
One regiment of Colonel Hall's, the Eleventh Iowa, occupying the line of works above the left of
Colonel Potts' brigade, rendered some service in repulsing this assault, but the main opposition
they met was the brigade of Colonel Potts, consisting at that time of not more than 1,000 men, in
the open field without cover. They, however, maintained their ground, and after a determined but
unsuccessful effort of the enemy to break their lines, he gave way in confusion, and retreated into
the woods beyond. It was now past 4 o'clock, and only two regiments' front of our main line had
yet been given up. Not five minutes elapsed from the repulse of the last assault when another still
more desperate attempt was made from the opposite or east side, in the present rear of Colonel
Hall's brigade. Again the men jumped over their works, and the most desperate fight of the day
now took place. The enemy having the cover of the woods could in many places approach within
fifteen or twenty yards of our works without discovery. Regimental commanders, with their
colors, and such men as would follow them, would not unfrequently occupy one side of the
works and our men the other. Many individual acts of heroism here occurred. The flags of two
opposing regiments would meet on the opposite sides of the same works, and would be flaunted
by their respective bearers in each other's faces. Men were bayoneted across the works, and
officers with their swords fought hand-to-hand with men with bayonets. Colonel Belknap, of the
Fifteenth Iowa Volunteers, took prisoner Colonel Lampley, of the Forty-fifth Alabama, by
pulling him over the works by his coat collar, being several times fired at by men at his side. The
colors of his regiment were taken at the same time. The enemy's loss in this attack must have
been very severe. It lasted for nearly three-quarters of an hour, when they reluctantly retired. The
Twentieth Ohio Volunteers, and, I think, some other regiment of General Leggett's division,
having become partially detached from their command, were now acting with my troops, and
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fought splendidly. It was now about 6 o'clock, and the ground gained by the enemy was only
about 300 yards of the left of my work.
The forces of the enemy engaged was Hardee's corps, two divisions of which were engaged
on my immediate left; Cleburne's in front, with Cheatham's in reserve, with Walker's division on
their right, and Bate's on the left. Other forces, who had been left in Atlanta, now advanced from
that direction, which compelled us to again change our position to the east side of our works.
This was scarcely done when we were opened upon from our left and rear with artillery loaded
with grape, accompanied with heavy musketry, which compelled the abandonment of another
portion of our ground, this attack coming from both front and rear. I now formed Colonel Potts'
brigade in rear of our work, and perpendicular to it, with a portion of Colonel Hall's troops on his
right, the remainder occupying the works vacated by General Leggett's command. This
perpendicular line was so nearly enfiladed by the fire from the advancing troops from Atlanta
that I was compelled to swing my right still farther back, connecting with a portion of the Third
Division, formed across a corn-field, facing south. By direction of General Blair, Colonel
Wangelin's brigade, of the First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, reported to me, and was formed
on my left. In this position another attack was made by the enemy by fresh troops brought up for
the occasion, but was again unsuccessful, though as persistently persevered in as on any previous
occasion. The Eleventh Iowa, of Colonel Hall's brigade, with the Sixteenth Wisconsin, of the
Third Division, held the crest of the hill behind an angle in the works, the enemy holding the
same worlds, a little lower down, with four stand of colors planted within a stone's throw of the
colors of the Eleventh Iowa. The portion of the Third Division formed along the ridge facing
south did great execution in this engagement. By dark the enemy had retired except along the
line of the works, which position they held until nearly daylight next morning, thus being
enabled to get off their wounded, but leaving the ground literally strewn with their slain. I forgot
to mention that during this attack I ordered Colonel Wangelin to swing the left of his brigade
around and advance, threatening their flank, which he did as far as he could without endangering
his own left. The movement gave the enemy a decided check. We remained in this position
during the night.
In this engagement, which lasted from 12 m. until 7 p.m., seven hours, with scarcely any
cessation, the only change being in the fury with which it raged, the troops of this division
displayed the greatest gallantry. The first attack, sweeping around our left, and attacking
suddenly in the rear, might have thrown any veteran troops into confusion, but at the command
they promptly took the other side of their works and fought with great coolness. Officers did
their whole duty, and, by their example and efficiency, prevented any accident, which, at many a
critical moment, would have been fatal. Four times during the battle they were compelled, by
attacks in their rear, to change from one side of the works to the other, and change front twice to
repel assaults from the left, thus occupying seven different positions during the engagement,
besides minor changes of a portion of the command.
My loss was 1,040 men killed, wounded, and missing, and 2 pieces of artillery. The loss of
the enemy was not less than 4,000 killed and wounded, 326 prisoners, including 1 colonel, 2
lieutenant-colonels, and several other officers, and 5 stand of colors.
Although the enemy held a portion of the left of our works, which was of no particular
importance to either party, I consider their attack an entire failure in the object contemplated, a
few repetitions of which would destroy their own army.
For over four hours there was no communication with my hospital, and many of the wounded
who were unable to walk fell into the hands of the enemy. I think fully one-third of those
reported missing were either killed or wounded. Col. B. F. Potts, Thirty-second Ohio,
commanding First Brigade, handled his command with skill and judgment, contributing largely
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to the success of the day. He is a thorough and energetic officer. Col. W. W. Belknap, Fifteenth
Iowa, displayed all the qualifications of an accomplished soldier. Col. W. Jones, Fifty-third
Indiana, than whom there was no braver or better soldier, was severely wounded early in the
action, and before he was taken from the field he was struck by a shell, killing him instantly. Col.
John Shane, Thirteenth Iowa, Lieut. Col. John C. Abercrombie, and Capt. John W. Anderson,
Eleventh Iowa, were conspicuous for their coolness and bravery. R. B. Bennett, chaplain of the
Thirty-second Ohio, carried his musket and fought all day in the ranks, which I learn is his
custom on all such occasions. After becoming exhausted, he employed Private Mitchell,
Company B, to load for him, who was killed by his side. Many acts of gallantry were displayed
on the field by both officers and men, but having been but a short time in command of the
division, I am unable to give the list of names, but refer you to the reports of my brigade
commanders. To Capts. C. Cadle, assistant adjutant-general; J. C. Marven, acting assistant
inspector-general; Charles E. Putnam, assistant commissary of musters; George S. Doane, acting
aide-de-camp; John E. Gurley, picket officer; L. O. Gilman, engineer, and Lieut. D. H. Budlong,
aide-de-camp, of my staff, I am indebted for valuable assistance. They were active, intelligent,
and brave to recklessness, acting as scouts, skirmishers, or commanders, as occasion required.
Captain Gilman was seriously wounded in the shoulder near the close of the engagement, and
Captains Cadle, Doane, Marven, and Gurley had their horses shot. Lieut. X. Picquet, ordnance
officer, was captured by the enemy while supplying the command with ammunition.
The accompanying diagrams will illustrate the different positions occupied during the day.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GILES A. SMITH,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Lieut. Col. A. J. ALEXANDER,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Seventeenth Army Corps.
HDQRS. FOURTH DIVISION, SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
East Point, Ga., September 10, 1864.
COLONIAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Fourth
Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, which I have the honor to command, from the 21st of July,
when assigned to the command of the division, to the fall of Atlanta, and consequent close of the
campaign. A report of the battle of the 21st has already been forwarded to your headquarters :
Nothing of importance transpired after the 22d until the morning of the 27th, when the Army
of the Tennessee was moved from the left to the extreme right of the army, my division
occupying the right of the corps, the Fifteenth Army Corps protecting the flank with their whole
line. On the 28th we advanced some distance, and had hardly got into position when an attack
was made on the Fifteenth Corps. I soon received orders from Major-General Blair to send them
two regiments to re-enforce their right. I sent the Fifteenth Iowa, Colonel Belknap, and the
Thirty-second Ohio, Captain Morris, all under command of Colonel Belknap. About 2 o'clock I
again received an order from General Blair to send two more regiments to the assistance of the
Fifteenth Corps, and immediately dispatched the Thirteenth Iowa, Colonel Shane, and the Third
Iowa. All these regiments were hotly engaged and did excellent service. A report of Colonel
Belknap and Colonel Shane is herewith transmitted. On the 30th my division was ordered to
move to the right, occupying a position in front of the old line of the Fifteenth Corps. This line
was intrenched. We now commenced siege operations; continued advances, and new lines of
works were made, with constant severe skirmishing until the 26th of August, when the army was
withdrawn and moved to Fairburn, on the Montgomery railroad, which was thoroughly destroyed
for many miles, when we moved to the Macon railroad, near Jonesborough, on the 30th ultimo,
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the Seventeenth Corps occupying a position on the left of the Fifteenth, my division being on the
left of the corps. On the afternoon of the 31st, by General Blair's order, my division moved to the
right about two miles and a half, relieving a division of cavalry at that point. We crossed Flint
River just before dark, drove back the enemy, and intrenched a line near their works, the Third
Division taking a position on my right. The next morning the enemy had left. We started in
pursuit, and before night encountered them near Lovejoy's Station, about six miles south of
Jonesborough. Line of battle was formed, my division occupying the extreme right of the army.
Atlanta having been evacuated on the 1st, no farther pursuit of the enemy was ordered, but on
the 5th instant we started back to East Point, where the Army of the Tennessee is now in camp.
Great credit is due to both officers and men for the patience, energy, and bravery displayed in
this long campaign, being almost constantly under fire.
I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GILES A. SMITH,
Brigadier-General.
Lieut. Col. A. J. ALEXANDER,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Seventeenth Army Corps.
HDQRS. FIRST BRIG., FOURTH DIV., 17TH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, near Atlanta, Ga., July 23, 1864.
CAPTAIN :I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of the First
Brigade, Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, on the 22d day of July, 1864, near Atlanta,
Ga.:
The Fifty-third Indiana Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Jones commanding; Thirty-second
Ohio Volunteers, Capt. W. M. Morris commanding; Third Iowa Volunteers, Captain Mathes, of
the Fifty-third Indiana Volunteers, commanding; Fifty-third Illinois Volunteers, Lieutenant-
Colonel McClanahan commanding, composed the brigade engaged with the enemy. The brigade
was intrenched on the left of General Leggett's division, or on the right of Colonel Hall's brigade,
with two regiments front; the Thirty-second Ohio Volunteers and Fifty-third Indiana Volunteers
occupied the front line, and the Fifty-third Illinois Volunteers and the Third Iowa Volunteers as
reserves. Major Allison, of the Fifty-third Illinois Volunteers, and eight companies of his
regiment had been posted as pickets on the left flank two miles distant from the division on the
evening of July 21.
About 1.20 p.m. of the 22d instant the enemy attacked Colonel Hall's brigade with great
impetuosity and turned his left flank. I was directed by General Smith, commanding Fourth
Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, to move my reserve regiment to the left of Colonel Hall's
brigade and repel the enemy. The Third Iowa Volunteers and two companies of the Fifty-third
Illinois Volunteers moved rapidly to the left, but soon met an overwhelming force of the enemy,
and after a severe fight of a few minutes were compelled to fall back to the works. In this severe
and brief encounter many of the Third Iowa and Fifty-third Illinois were killed, and wounded and
fell into the hands of the enemy. It was there the brave and gallant Captain Mathes, commanding
Third Iowa Volunteers, was mortally wounded and left on the field. In a few moments after my
brigade occupied the works it was attacked on the front, flank, and rear. I then formed the
brigade perpendicular from the works westward in the edge of a corn-field where I repulsed the
enemy's advance three times, and did [not] abandon the position until the enemy's fire enfiladed
my whole line, when I changed front with my right regiment and held my position until a heavy
line of battle advanced from the direction of Atlanta and also east of our works, when I moved
my brigade to the east of the line of works and formed it in the ravine below and advanced my
line until I met a superior force of the enemy, and after a sharp engagement, lasting for a
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considerable time, I withdrew to the rifle-pits, covering the ravine east of the line of works and
fronting and covering the left flank of the division, where the brigade remained for the night.
The list of casualties already forwarded shows how severely the contest waged. Both officers
and men acted nobly, repulsing line after line of the enemy, displaying a veteran coolness under
a murderous fire of a drunk and infuriated enemy.
Lieutenant-Colonel Jones, commanding Fifty-third Indiana Volunteers, fell wounded through
both thighs early in the engagement, and was again struck by a shell on the head and instantly
killed. Colonel Jones was in his sixty-fifth year and was a brave and patriotic officer. After he
was first wounded he drew his revolver and assisted in guarding prisoners behind the works,
where he received his death-wound; then the gallant Major Vestal took command and was soon
severely wounded.
Great credit is due Lieutenant-Colonel McClanahan, Fifty-third Illinois, and Captain Morris,
commanding Thirty-second Ohio Volunteers, for their bravery and coolness during the entire
engagement.
The brigade captured a large number of prisoners, but in the heat of the engagement were
sent to the rear and not counted. Amongst them were several line officers.
The Third Iowa Volunteers captured 30 prisoners the first charge they made on the enemy.
The list of the missing already forwarded will be materially diminished, as many of the Fiftythird
Illinois on picket were cut off from their command. The aggregate loss of the command
during yesterday's operation is 324. The engagement lasted for four hours.
H. Duncan-first lieutenant and acting assistant adjutant-general, Captain Guthrie, picket
officer, and Captain McAllister, provost-marshal, of my staff, acted nobly and gallantly during
the entire day and have my thanks for their valuable aid.
I cannot forget the brave conduct of Chaplain R. B. Bennett, Thirty-second Ohio Volunteers,
who fought in the ranks of his regiment during the entire engagement. Private Mitchell,
Company B, was killed while loading muskets for the fighting chaplain to kill rebels with.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
B. F. POTTS,
Colonel Thirty-second Ohio Vols., Comdg. Brigade.
Capt. C. CADLE,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Fourth Division, 17th Army Corps. HDQRS. FIRST BRIG., FOURTH
DIV., 17TH ARMY CORPS,
Near Atlanta, Ga., September 10, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the generations of the First
Brigade, Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, since I assumed command of the same:
In obedience to Special Orders, No. 83, headquarters Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army
Corps, in the field, Georgia, of date July 17, 1864, I assumed command of the First Brigade,
Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, and crossed the Chattahoochee River the same day
with the corps. On the morning of 20th of July the brigade moved, prepared for battle, in advance
of the corps to take position on the left of the Army of the Tennessee, and passed through the
village of Decatur, Ga., and took the road running in the direction of Atlanta. After marching
about two miles from Decatur we encountered the enemy's pickets. I at once advanced a heavy
skirmish line, and after a brisk skirmish the enemy's pickets fell back to the main line posted in a
strong position on an eminence about one mile and a half from Atlanta. As my brigade advanced
the enemy opened on the column with a battery of artillery, which was replied to by the Fifteenth
Ohio Battery with fine effect. I then deployed my brigade in line of battle and advanced on the
doublequick until we crossed a ravine about 400 yards from the enemy's line of battle, when I
halted under cover of the bank until the Third Brigade would come up on my left, and I could
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establish connection with the Fifteenth Army Corps. Brig. Gen. W. Q. Gresham, commanding
Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, came up to my line and at my request dismounted
and was proceeding to my skirmish line to observe the position of the enemy's battery when he
fell severely wounded by a ball from the enemy's sharpshooters, and was carried from the field. I
was then directed by Major-General Blair, commanding Seventeenth Army Corps, to intrench
my position and hold it for the night. The proper orders were given and the works were at once
constructed. My loss was 1 killed and 24 wounded. On the morning of 21st of July I was directed
by Brig. Gen. Giles A. Smith, who had just been assigned to the command of the Fourth
Division, to charge the enemy's position. This order was brilliantly executed by my brigade, and
when General Leggett, commanding Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, had obtained the
desired position I was directed to move and take up position on General Leggett's left, which
placed me in a position near the left of the Army of the Tennessee, where my brigade constructed
works during the night. My loss on this day was 17 killed and 88 wounded. The operations of the
22d of July have already been reported, also the list of casualties. On the 23d of July I was
directed to prolong the line of the Sixteenth Army Corps and intrench the same, which was at
once done. We remained in that position until the night of 26th of July, when I moved with the
Seventeenth Army Corps to the right flank of the Army of the Cumberland. On the 28th of July,
the Fifteenth Army Corps being hard pressed by the enemy, in obedience to orders from Brig.
Gen. Giles A. Smith, I ordered the Thirty-second Ohio Veteran Volunteers and Third Iowa
Veteran Volunteers to report to Colonel (now Brigadier-General) Belknap to re-enforce the line
of the Fifteenth Army Corps. The day closed with a brilliant victory for the Army of the
Tennessee. My loss on the 28th was 1 killed and 1 wounded. On the morning of the 30th of July
we changed position to the right of the position occupied on the 28th, where we immediately
constructed a heavy line of works, and gradually advanced on the enemy until the 26th of
August, when the brigade had completed its fifth line of works, in very close proximity to the
enemy's front line. This was accomplished with the loss of 8 killed and 43 wounded.
At 8 p.m. on the 26th of August the brigade was withdrawn from the front, and at once joined
the division and started on the march for Jonesborough, Ga. We marched all night, and with
great rapidity, fatiguing the men very much. Bivouacking at daylight, the men rested and
prepared and took their breakfast. Moving directly forward on by-roads, through fields, and on
cut roads, we arrived near Jonesborough on the morning of 30th of August, and took up position
on the left of the Fifteenth Army Corps and close to Flint River. After constructing a line of
works we were then ordered to take up position on the right of Sixteenth Army Corps and
support General Kilpatrick's division of cavalry, who was reported to be falling back, driven by
the rebel General Cleburne's division of infantry. The desired position was obtained about dark,
after a difficult march through deep forests and almost impassable ravines, which position I held
during the night. On the morning of 31st of August I was ordered to occupy my old position on
the left of the Fifteenth Army Corps. At 1 p.m. of the same day I was directed to cross Flint
River with the division in rear of the Fifteenth Army Corps. After crossing the river and halting
at the point indicated we were directed to return and take position on the right of the Sixteenth
Army Corps, at the ford on the river held by General Kilpatrick's cavalry division. After a march
of about five miles we reached the ford, and General Smith directed me to at once cross the river,
relieve the cavalry, and take up position on an eminence beyond the river, which order was
promptly executed, position taken, a strong picket well advanced, and a work well constructed at
dark. The enemy's skirmishers resisted the advance of my pickets with great spirit, but were soon
compelled to fall back to their main line of pits. My position was held until daylight, when my
line advanced and found the enemy's line abandoned by them during the night.
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On the morning of the 1st of September we moved in pursuit of the retreating enemy. The
enemy being overtaken by our army near Lovejoy's Station, I was directed to take up position on
the right of the division and the extreme right of the army, which position I caused to be well
fortified by my brigade during the night. This position I held, picketing my front and right until
the evening of the 5th of September, when I was directed by General Smith to withdraw my
brigade and move to the rear with the army. We reached Flint River about 6 o'clock on the
morning of the 6th and halted for breakfast. We marched during the night over a very rough,
dark, and muddy road, a distance of about six miles. From this point we made slow marches until
we arrived in our present position near East Point, Ga.
The troops of this brigade have on all occasions acted in the most soldier-like manner,
evincing the highest order of discipline. I desire to return my thanks to Lieut. Col. George S.
Babbitt, commanding Twenty-third Indiana Volunteers; Lieut. Col. J. J. Hibbets, commanding
Thirty-second Ohio Volunteers; Lieutenant-Colonel McClanahan, commanding Fifty-third
Illinois Volunteers; Lieutenant Wilson, commanding Third Iowa Volunteers, and Captain Beers,
commanding Fifty-third Indiana Volunteers since 22d of July, for their co-operation in the
execution of all orders.
To my staff I am indebted for much valuable assistance.
I am pained to be compelled to report the following medical officers for a shameful neglect
of duty: Surgeon Welch, Fifty-third Illinois Volunteers; Surgeon Brucker, Twenty-third Indiana
Volunteers; J. S. Horner, assistant surgeon, Fifty-third Indiana Volunteers. These officers were in
charge of the primary depot of my brigade, but were scarcely ever to be found when wounded
and sick required attention, and in positive violation of law and general orders used an
ambulance to transport their private baggage to the exclusion of sick and disabled of my
command who were left by the way to the mercy of the enemy. Such conduct, in my opinion,
deserves and should be at once punished to the fullest extent of military law.
The total loss of this command since I assumed command of the same was 497.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
B. F. POTTS,
Col. 32d Ohio Vols. Comdg. 1st Brig., 4th Div., 17th A. C.
Capt. A. WARE, Jr.,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Fourth Division, 17th Army Corps.
HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., FOURTH DIV., 17TH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, Ga., June 28, 1864.
SIR: In obedience to orders from headquarters Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, of
this date, I have the honor to submit the following detailed report of the operations of this
command on yesterday:
My line of battle extended from the left of the First Brigade and behind a line of rifle-pits
thrown up by me on the crest of the hill on the 24th instant. My regiments were posted in the
following order: The Fifteenth Iowa Volunteers on the right in support of the First Minnesota
Battery, and having on its left the Tenth Ohio Battery; on the left of the Tenth Ohio Battery six
companies of the Eleventh Iowa Volunteers, having on their left the Fifteenth Ohio Battery; on
the left of the Fifteenth Ohio Battery and about eighty rods from it the Thirteenth Iowa
Volunteers; five companies of the Sixteenth Iowa Volunteers constituted the left of my line, their
right being some fifty rods on the left of the Thirteenth and resting on a road leading to an old
tannery. My command thus covered my own and a greater portion of the front of General
Leggett's division. Nine companies, four from the Eleventh and five from the Sixteenth Iowa
Volunteers, two companies of the Sixteenth and one from the Eleventh having relieved three
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companies of the First Brigade, formed my line of skirmishers. About 7 a.m., in obedience to
orders, two companies of Fifteenth Iowa were stationed on the left of the Thirteenth, their left
connecting with the Sixteenth at the road previously mentioned. About 11 a.m. the Sixty-eighth
Ohio Volunteers relieved the five companies of the Sixteenth Iowa, which were then posted on
the right of the Thirteenth Iowa, their right resting on the left of the Fifteenth Ohio Battery. At 8
a m., in obedience to orders, my line of skirmishers advanced in connection with those of the
First Brigade, driving in the advance line of the enemy's skirmishers, with heavy loss. Two
companies of the Sixteenth Iowa held for some time the railroad, when, owing to a heavy and
destructive enfilading fire from the enemy's reserve, which had been re-enforced, my line was
compelled to fall back to the position occupied by it in the morning, my right connecting with the
left of the skirmish line of the First Brigade and my left with that of the Third Division.
I inclose herewith a list of casualties.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. HALL,
Colonel Eleventh Iowa Volunteers, Comdg. Brigade.
Capt. C. CADLE, Jr.,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
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HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., FOURTH DIV., 17TH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, Ga., July 5, 1864.
In obedience to your order of this date I have the honor to submit the following account of
this day's operations:
At 7.30 a.m., in compliance with orders, the skirmish line, consisting of eight companies
(from the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Iowa), was moved forward along the Turner's Ferry road. It
was supported by the remaining twelve companies of those two regiments, the Eleventh and
Thirteenth Iowa moving in reserve. At 9 a.m. the enemy's works, one mile and a quarter from
Nickajack Creek, were charged and carried. Resting there a half hour, my command moved
forward in the same order, reaching a point three-quarters of a mile from the creek about 10 a.m.
Here my command remained until 4 p.m., skirmishing sharply with the enemy during the
forenoon, and exposed to the fire of their artillery. During this time the Eleventh Iowa was
placed in refuse on the right of my advance line, its left resting on the right of the Fifteenth Iowa.
At 4 p.m. my whole line was advanced, the Eleventh Iowa in obedience to your order resuming
its position in the reserve line. My skirmishers moved forward rapidly and took possession of
Nickajack Creek; the right of the line being advanced across the creek, and the left resting on this
bank. My main lines took position on the crest of the hill an eighth of a mile this side of the
creek, and are now intrenching themselves there.
Total loss: Lieutenant Hunter, Thirteenth Iowa, wounded. Enlisted men--killed, 3; wounded,
26.
I will forward a complete list of casualties as soon as it can be obtained.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. HALL,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
Capt. C. CADLE, Jr.,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., FOURTH DIV., 17TH ARMY CORPS,
Before Atlanta, Ga., July 25, 1864.
124
SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by this brigade in the
engagement of the 22d instant:
The brigade was in position on the extreme left of our line in the following order, viz: The
Eleventh Iowa with its right resting on a road leading at right angles from the old McDonough,
or Flat Shoal, road to the new McDonough road, and its left resting on the Flat Shoal road, being
formed in the arc of a circle; the Sixteenth Iowa with its right resting on the left of the Eleventh
Iowa, and extending across the Flat Shoal road and perpendicular to it; the Fifteenth Iowa to the
left and about thirty yards to the rear of the Sixteenth Iowa, and slightly in refuse to it; the
Thirteenth Iowa to the rear of the Eleventh and Sixteenth Iowa. My line was about three miles
southeast of Atlanta, and facing from it, in which position it was intrenched, with one section of
Company F, Second Illinois Light Artillery, on the right, and one on the left of the Eleventh
Iowa, the First Brigade being on my right and facing west. About 12 m. my line of skirmishers
were driven in, and the enemy advanced in force upon my front and flank, opening a severe fire
of musketry and artillery. Receiving orders from General Smith to hold my front line, and that
my flank would be protected, I ordered up two companies of the Thirteenth Iowa to the left of
the Eleventh Iowa, and two companies to the left of the Sixteenth Iowa, having before that sent
one company to the left of the Fifteenth Iowa. This position was held, pouring in a heavy and
continuous fire into the enemy, and checking them until completely flanked and I was ordered to
retire. The regiments retired by the right flank in good order, the Eleventh taking position behind
the front of the line of works built by the First Brigade and facing to the rear; the Thirteenth on
the left of the Eleventh and perpendicular to it and facing south; the Fifteenth on the right of and
in prolongation of the Thirteenth. The Sixteenth Iowa and three companies of the Thirteenth
Iowa, including the one on the left of the Eleventh Iowa, were utterly unable to make their way
out, being completely cut off and surrounded by a superior force of the enemy. This position was
held, repeatedly repulsing the enemy, until the right of the Fifteenth Iowa was flanked, when the
brigade again retired, but in some confusion, and was formed in the rear of the same work and a
portion of the works of the Third Division, which position was held, repulsing repeated assaults,
until about 4 p.m., when the enemy again advancing in the rear, the brigade was formed on the
other side of the works, where the enemy were repulsed with terrible slaughter, losing 2 stand of
colors and a large number of prisoners. The fire again coming in rear and flank, the brigade again
formed in rear of the works, but, owing to a severe fire of artillery and musketry on the flank,
were finally compelled to retire to a line facing south and perpendicular to the line of works, with
seven companies of the Eleventh Iowa, their right resting on the hill, which was occupied on the
morning of the 21st instant by General Force's brigade, of Third Division, and extending to the
left, in which position the brigade repulsed assault after assault. These seven companies of the
Eleventh Iowa remained in the above position during the night, with their colors opposite to and
but a few feet distant from the colors of the enemy, Captain Anderson, of Company A, Eleventh
Iowa, with a portion of his own company and other men of the division, holding the crest of the
hill and most gallantly defeating every attempt of the enemy to advance, the other portion of the
brigade forming on the left of the First Brigade, where they remained during the night. At the
commencement of the engagement 180 men and 7 officers were on fatigue detail, most of whom
subsequently joined the command at different times during the day. Thus stubbornly contesting
the ground inch by inch, first on one side of the works, then on the other, then back again, and in
the open field, front, and rear, my command fought, both officers and men, with a cool
determination and heroic bravery seldom equaled, but never surpassed. When surrounded the
Sixteenth Iowa, under their brave and fearless commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Sanders, and the
companies of the Thirteenth Iowa, including a company on the left of the Eleventh Iowa, were
most gallantly holding their works and repulsing the enemy in front, not a man leaving the line.
125
The colors captured by my command were brought in, one by Private George B. Haworth, of
Company B, Eleventh Iowa, being the Stars and Bars, which is now in his possession; the other
by Private Edward Siberts, Company G, Eleventh Iowa, being the battle-flag of the Forty-fifth
Alabama, and claimed as a trophy by the Fifteenth Iowa, in whose front that regiment charged,
the color bearer being reported as having been shot by Private Crowder, of Company C, of that
regiment.
The whole number of prisoners captured by my command and sent to the rear was 257--l
colonel, 1 lieutenant-colonel, 1 major, 2 captains, 3 lieutenants, and 130 enlisted men captured
by the Fifteenth Iowa; 1 colonel, 1 captain, and 91 enlisted men captured by the Eleventh Iowa;
20 men captured by the Thirteenth Iowa.
Where all officers and men devotedly did their whole duty I can make special mention of but
few. Among them Col. John Shane, commanding the Thirteenth Iowa, cool and brave, fearlessly
rallying his men in the thickest of the fire; Col. William W. Belknap, commanding the Fifteenth
Iowa, displaying at all times the highest qualities of the soldier, cheering his men by his voice,
and encouraging them by his personal disregard of danger; Lieut. Col. J. C. Abercrombie,
commanding the Eleventh Iowa, who, with a quiet courage and calm determination, inspired his
men with his own steadfast spirit; Lieutenant-Colonel Hedrick, Fifteenth Iowa, wounded in the
noble discharge of his duty: Major Foster, Eleventh Iowa, also wounded while bravely rallying
his men; Major Walker, Thirteenth Iowa, killed at his post where the brave should die; Adjutants
King, Fifteenth Iowa: Prescott, Eleventh Iowa, and Rood, Thirteenth Iowa, for gallant and
efficient services; also Sergeant-Major Myers, Thirteenth Iowa; Captain Anderson, Company A,
Eleventh Iowa, whose gallant defense of the crest of the hill has already been mentioned; Sergt.
Maj. John O. Safley, who, with First Sergt. John A. Buck, Company K, Eleventh Iowa
(afterward killed), with a party of picked up men numbering thirty or forty made a dash over the
works held by the rebels, bringing back with them more than their own number of prisoners,
among them a colonel and captain, Safley being wounded.
My warmest thanks are due to Lieut. O. D. Kinsman, acting assistant adjutant-general;
Captain Bassett, Lieutenant Kellogg, Lieutenant Stone, and Lieutenant Safely, members of my
staff, who performed their arduous and trying duties with a heroism deserving the highest praise.
On the graves of the silent dead, buried where they fell, a grateful people will look with
sorrowing pride, and to the survivors award well-earned honor.
My loss is very severe, being 4 officers and 33 men killed, 10 officers and 140 men
wounded, and 22 officers and 455 men missing, many of whom are believed to have been killed
and wounded, making a total of 664 officers and men.
I inclose herewith a complete list of casualties.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. HALL,
Colonel Eleventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry, Comdg. Brigade.
Capt. C. CADLE, Jr.,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., FOURTH DIV., 17TH ARMY CORPS,
Near Atlanta, Ga., July 21, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to submit my report of the part taken by this brigade in the action with
the enemy on this day:
The Fourth Division, commanded by Brigadier-General Gresham, took position on the
evening of the 20th instant in front of a strong line of the enemy's works, and at a distance of
about 600 yards therefrom, the First Brigade on the right, the Third Brigade on the left, and
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Brigadier-General Force's brigade, of the Third Division, on the left, and in refuse of the Third
Brigade. In a short time after this position was taken, General Gresham was severely wounded,
and Colonel Hall, of the Eleventh Iowa Infantry, commanding brigade, assumed command of the
division, and turned over the command of the Third Brigade to the undersigned. Immediately in
front of General Force's brigade, and to the front and left of this brigade, was an eminence
occupied by the enemy with infantry and artillery, with which they enfiladed our whole brigade
front, rendering the possession of the enemy's position at that point of the last importance to us.
General Force was ordered to advance and take the hill, and I was ordered to advance my lines in
connection with his, and in the event that he met with serious resistance, I was ordered to make a
strong demonstration against the whole line of the enemy in my front. In the mean time Brig:
Gen. Giles A. Smith arrived on the ground, and assumed command of the Fourth Division, and
directed the subsequent movements. At 8 a.m. of the 21st General Force moved on the enemy,
and my lines were accordingly promptly advanced. The Thirteenth Iowa Infantry, commanded
by Major Walker, and the Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, commanded by Colonel Belknap, in front, and
the Eleventh Iowa Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Abercrombie, and the Sixteenth
Iowa Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Sanders, in the rear. It soon became apparent
that General Force was meeting with a stubborn resistance, making the result in that quarter
doubtful, when I received orders from General Smith to advance on the enemy's works, which
the movement was at once commenced: but arriving on the crest of the hill, and within 100
yards of the enemy's works, and observing that General Force's command held the eminence
contested for, and that the enemy had fallen back to a strong line of works, powerfully manned,
with an abundance of artillery, covering the whole space upon which we were deployed, and
over which our farther advance lay, and being without support, the command was ordered to
retire to its original position, which was done in good order, the object of the advance having
been entirely accomplished.
The loss to the brigade during the action, which did not last more than thirty minutes, was
very severe, principally falling on the Thirteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth Regiments Iowa
Infantry. The Eleventh Iowa not being, from the nature of the ground in its front, so much
exposed to the enemy's fire, suffered but little.
I cannot speak in too high terms of praise of the conduct of both officers and men of the
brigade during the brief but bloody conflict. The advanced line was particularly exposed to a
terrible fire of grape, canister, and musketry from the moment the movement commenced. The
Thirteenth Iowa in that brief space of time lost one-fourth of its men, the Fifteenth and Sixteenth
in nearly the same proportion; but although thus suffering and their comrades being momentarily
cut down, every man acted the hero and veteran that he was, until the eminence had been gained
and secured from danger of being retaken.
The commanding officers and men of the several regiments of the brigade I have every
reason to thank for their hearty co-operation in carrying out all orders preparatory to and during
the conflict.
Although but accidentally placed in command of the brigade the evening before, which
command terminated with the termination of the conflict by the appearance of Colonel Hall on
the field, yet officers and men obeyed every order as though emanating from some long-tried and
much-esteemed commander.
I have the honor to be, respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN SHANE,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
Capt. C. CADLE, Jr.,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Fourth Division, 17th Army Corps.
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HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., FOURTH DIV., 17TH ARMY CORPS,
Before Atlanta, Ga,, August 13, 1864.
CAPTAIN: In accordance with the communication from headquarters Seventeenth Army
Corps, of date July 25, 1864, I have the honor to recommend the following-named officers and
men of this command to receive the medal of honor:
Maj. Charles Foster, Eleventh Iowa Volunteers, distinguished in the present campaign for his
gallant conduct in the actions of the 4th, 5th, 21st, and 22d of July. He commanded the
skirmishers of brigade during portions of both the 4th and 5th of July, when this command was
driving the enemy to and across Nickajack Creek, and 22d of July he was severely wounded
while bravely doing his duty.
Sergt. Maj. John G. Safley, Eleventh Iowa Volunteers, in the action of 22d of July, collected
together thirty or forty men, made a dash over the works then held by the enemy, capturing and
bringing over with them as many prisoners as they numbered, amongst whom were a colonel and
a captain. Safley was wounded in the attack, but came back with his party and sent the prisoners
to the rear and remained with the regiment until the action was over.
Lieut. Col. John M. Hedrick, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteers, for marked gallantry in the actions
of the 4th, 5th, 21st, and 22d of July. He also commanded the skirmishers during the actions of
the 4th and 5th of July, while this brigade was advancing on Nickajack Creek, and on the 22d of
July, while encouraging the men by word and example, he was severely wounded in the arm and
hip and carried off the field.
Sergt. William L. Watson, Company I, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteers, for meritorious conduct in
the advance on Nickajack Creek and for conspicuous gallantry in the actions of 22d and 28th of
July.
Private Nathan S. Hayes, Company G, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteers, for special gallantry on the
22d of July. Being in charge of a wagon belonging to these headquarters he, with the wagon, was
captured by two rebels. Watching his opportunity, he attacked his guard with a revolver which he
had kept concealed, overpowered one of them and brought him into camp, the other guard
making his escape.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. W. BELKNAP,
Brigadier-General.
Capt. ADDISON WARE, Jr.,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Fourth Division, 17th Army Corps.
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HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., FOURTH DIV., 17TH ARMY CORPS,
Near Atlanta, Ga., September 11, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of this brigade
since the date of my assuming command (July 31, 1864):
The brigade was at that date in position near Ezra Church, three regiments (the Eleventh,
Sixteenth, and Thirteenth Iowa) being in front and one (the Fifteenth Iowa) in reserve. Remained
there until August 9, when the Fifteenth and Eleventh Iowa were moved to the front and the
Sixteenth and Thirteenth Iowa placed in reserve. August 11, the Fifteenth Iowa was moved to the
right of the Eleventh Iowa, being on the left of the First Brigade. August 23, the Eleventh Iowa
was advanced to new line with the Sixteenth and Thirteenth Iowa on its right, the Fifteenth Iowa
being in reserve on the old line. August 26, the command was placed in new line, formed for the
purpose of withdrawing the army. The brigade moved at 8 o'clock that night, being the advance
of the division; reached the Montgomery railroad near Fairburn at 1 p.m. of the 28th; threw up
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works along the railroad, placing the Eleventh, Thirteenth, and Fifteenth Iowa in front, and the
Sixteenth Iowa in reserve. On the same evening and on the 29th effectually destroyed the
railroad in the rear of the command, and on the latter date sent the reserve regiment to destroy
the railroad on the right of the Third Division. On the 30th, at 8 a.m., the army moved, this
brigade moving at 8 p.m. as guard to the entire train of the Army of the Tennessee. On the 31st,
at 2 p.m., in pursuance of orders from General Smith, I left the train and moved to the front,
where the command took position in the line vacated by the Third Division. Soon afterward the
brigade moved to the right of the Sixteenth Corps, and at 9 p.m. moved to the left of the Third
Division and erected works, the Eleventh and Sixteenth Iowa being placed on the left of and the
Fifteenth and Thirteenth Iowa on the right of Battery F, Second Illinois Light Artillery.
September 1, moved to the right of the Sixteenth Corps, crossed Flint River at dusk, and
erected works, placing the Eleventh and Thirteenth Iowa in front, with Fifteenth and Sixteenth
Iowa in reserve. September 2, moved six miles south of Jonesborough, and at 2 p.m. formed line
and advanced skirmishers (supported by the Fifteenth Iowa) upon a hill in front. Soon afterward
advanced the whole line and took position on the hill. After dark moved to the left and formed in
line on the right of the Third Division, all the command being in the front line. Remained there
till the 5th instant, the skirmishers being constantly engaged with the enemy. At 8 p.m. of the 5th
the command withdrew and marched to near East Point, going into line there at 1 p.m. on the 8th
behind the old rebels works, the Sixteenth, Fifteenth, and Thirteenth Iowa being placed on the
left of and the Eleventh Iowa on the right of Battery F, Second Illinois Light Artillery. September
9, moved at 9 a.m. and reached present position at 12 m., where the command is in line with the
Fifteenth, Thirteenth, and Sixteenth Iowa on the left of the First Minnesota Battery, the Eleventh
Iowa being in reserve.
Since assuming command the brigade, though not in any battle, has been almost constantly in
conflict with the enemy, particularly in front of Atlanta, where the skirmishers were continually,
both day and night, engaged with the enemy's line at very short distance.
The loss of the command since and including July 31 is: Killed--enlisted men, 12. Wounded-
-commissioned officers, 2; enlisted men, 62; total, 64. Total loss--commissioned officers, 2;
enlisted men, 74. Aggregate, 76.
WM. W. BELKNAP,
Brigadier-General, Commanding Brigade.
Capt. ADDISON WARE, Jr.,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Fourth Division, 17th Army Corps.
CAMP ELEVENTH REGT. INFANTRY IOWA VET. VOLS.,
In the Field, near Atlanta, Ga., July 24, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to report the part taken by this regiment in the action of the 22d instant:
At 12.30 p.m. the enemy attacked us in our intrenched position, driving in the pickets in our
front, right, and left. The fire became heavy on our left, while the enemy was found closing in on
both flanks. Our line being curved we were receiving a heavy cross-fire, when the order came to
move by the right flank. Moving to the right about 300 yards, we halted and crossed to the other
side of our line of breast-works, engaging the enemy. This movement was executed from time to
time as a shelter against the advancing columns of the enemy, until reaching the first line of
works facing south, which were held, and the enemy forced back. At this line of works seven
companies of the regiment, by order, lay until the morning of the 23d. The holding of the small
fort on the hill and the immediate line of works connected with it., was the duty assigned to me
in connection with another regiment (Fourteenth Wisconsin). Being relieved in the morning, I
reported with the regiment at brigade headquarters. At the time of the attack upon us three
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companies (D, E, and F) were on picket duty to our right and front, also 4 commissioned officers
and 100 men on fatigue duty, absent from the regiment, leaving about 200 men present. Most of
those absent joined us during the action.
It is highly gratifying to report that the officers and men of the regiment did their duty
gallantly and faithfully throughout. I would mention, as among those entitled to favorable notice,
Capt. John W. Anderson, who, with a part of his company and a number of scattering men,
successfully held the inside of the small fort on the hill while the enemy were on the outside in
strong force. I think I may say that to him and the men with him is due, to a great extent, the
holding of that work, to lose which would have been disaster to us. To First Lieut. and Actg.
Adjt. B. W, Prescott I am greatly indebted for gallant and efficient services in getting together
the various companies and details as they joined the regiment from various directions after the
attack was made upon us, and for faithful service throughout the day and night. Many acts of
bravery were performed by officers and men of the regiment which might be mentioned did time
and opportunity permit.
Maj. Charles Foster was wounded early in the action, faithfully in discharge of his duties.
Captain Neal was killed instantly by grape-shot late in the afternoon at the fort. Captain Barr is
missing. Captain Rose missing; supposed to have been wounded and captured. First Lieutenant
Cassell missing. First Lieutenant Caldwell killed. First Lieutenant Pfoutz wounded. Second
Lieutenant Wylie wounded while gallantly in discharge of his duty.
I would make honorable mention of Sergt. Maj. John G. Safley, who with First Sergt. John
A. Buck, K Company (afterward killed, brave fellow), with a party of picked up men, numbering
thirty or forty, made a dash over the works held by the rebels, bringing back more than their own
number as prisoners, amongst whom were a colonel and a captain. In the sally Safley was
wounded, but not believed to be serious.
During the action a Confederate flag was captured and brought over the works by Private
Haworth, of Company. B, now in his possession; also, a banner belonging to the Forty-fifth
Alabama was brought over by Private Siberts, of Company G, which was placed by him in the
hands of Lieutenant Safely, provost-marshal of the brigade. During the action I sent to the rear
93 prisoners under guard.
A corrected list of casualties is herewith transmitted. Commissioned officers, 8; enlisted men,
129.
J. C. ABERCROMBIE,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Regiment.
Lieut. O. D. KINSMAN,
A. A. A. G., 3d Brig., 4th Division, 17th Army Corps.
HDQRs. THIRTEENTH IOWA VETERAN INFANTRY VOLS.,
In the Field, before Atlanta, Ga., July 21, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Thirteenth Iowa
Veteran Infantry Volunteers in the engagement of July 21, 1864:
At 8 a.m. this regiment was in position in front of the brigade, with the Fifteenth Iowa
Infantry Volunteers on its left, and supported by the Sixteenth Iowa Infantry Volunteers. Its front
was protected by temporary works, thrown up on the night of the 20th. About 8 a.m. I received
orders from Col. John Shane, commanding brigade, to advance at once on the double-quick to
the front, to assist Brigadier-General Force, commanding a brigade in the Third Division,
Seventeenth Army Corps, who was fighting for the possession of a high hill in his front and to
the left of this regiment. The men seized their arms and sprang promptly over the works, and
advanced in good order to the crest of a hill, less than 100 yards from the enemy's works, in the
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face of a heavy fire. Here I was ordered to halt, and held the position, exposed to a very
destructive fire of musketry, grape, and canister, until, the enemy having withdrawn to his works,
and General Force having gained possession of the hill, I was ordered to retire to the position I
originally occupied, which was done steadily and without confusion. Although the men had no
previous notice of the advance, there was no disorder, being made to and over an open field with
no protection.
I regret to say that though the engagement lasted but thirty minutes the loss in officers and
men was severe--17 enlisted men killed and 4 officers and 77 enlisted men wounded.
I cannot close without awarding to the regiment the credit due it for the impetuosity and
gallantry of the advance, the stubbornness with which it held the position it gained, and the
steadiness and good order in which it retired when ordered.
I forward herewith a list of the casualties.
Respectfully submitted.
WM. A. WALKER,
Major, Commanding Thirteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry.
Lieut. O. D. KINSMAN,
A. A. A. G., 3d Brig., 4th Division, 17th Army Corps.
HDQRS. THIRTEENTH IOWA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS,
In the Field, near Atlanta, Ga., July 22, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to herewith submit my report of the part taken by this regiment in the
battle of this day:
At 12 m. this regiment was in position on the extreme left of the Army of the Tennessee and
in support of the Eleventh and Sixteenth Regiments of Iowa Infantry. Early in the morning of
the 22d Company F had been detailed, by orders from Colonel Hall, commanding brigade, as
pickets, and as soon as skirmishing commenced on the picket-line five more companies were
detached, by orders from brigade headquarters, two of whom were deployed on the right of the
Eleventh Iowa Infantry, two on the left of the Sixteenth Iowa Infantry, and one on the left of the
Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, respectively, supporting the flanks of those regiments, leaving but four
companies under my command when the battle commenced. Immediately after the
commencement of the battle and after it had become apparent that the enemy were approaching
in heavy force in front and on each flank, I received orders to move my command to the rear and
form in line on the west side of the works occupied by the First Brigade, fronting east, from
which direction the enemy were then approaching. This movement was made and position
occupied in good order, but had just been completed when I was ordered to form in line facing to
the south, with my left resting on the rifle-pits, to repel the enemy approaching from the south.
This movement was also made, but scarcely had been completed when the enemy attacked us in
front and in heavy force on either flank. Observing that they were getting into the rear and flank
of the Fifteenth Iowa, which was on my right, and that that regiment was falling back, leaving
my whole line exposed to a front, rear, and enfilading fire, I ordered the command to retire by
the left flank across the works, and to form on the north side, fronting west, to repel the
anticipated assault of the enemy from that quarter. This movement was effected in comparative
good order, but owing to the numerous detachments, independent commands, and stragglers
which at that time thronged the road, my regiment was for a short time in some confusion, but
order was soon restored and we formed as directed, but not too soon, as the enemy were then
within rifle-range and approaching our position from two directions in heavy force, when a welldirected
fire from the Eleventh, Thirteenth, and Fifteenth Iowa routed them in confusion, and for
the time being drove them from that part of the field. No sooner, however, had this been
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accomplished, than the enemy were discovered approaching us from the rear in force, when the
command was ordered to take position on the west side of the rifle-pits, face by the rear rank,
and repel the enemy attacking from the east. This position was soon occupied and the enemy
came on with shout and cheer, and a fierce and desperate hand-to-hand fight ensued. In a few
moments the enemy were driven from the ground and fled in disorder. Their withdrawal from the
front was but the signal for a renewed attack from the rear, when the command again crossed the
rifle-pits, about-faced, and contributed materially in repulsing the enemy for the third time. Thus
the contest continued until the enemy brought to bear on us at short range a battery, raking our
whole line with grape and canister with terrible effect, when we received orders to take up the
position occupied by us on the 21st, where we have since remained.
The two companies (A and G) detached in the beginning of the contest and posted on the
right of the Eleventh Iowa, and the two companies (D and K) detached at the same time and
posted on the left of the Sixteenth Iowa, have failed to report, and I regret to say, that from all the
information I have been enabled to obtain in regard to them, I am reluctantly led to the
conclusion that about three-fourths of the men composing those companies were, whilst
supporting and bravely fighting side by side with the men of the Eleventh and Sixteenth
Regiments Iowa Infantry, killed or captured, including all the commissioned officers on duty
with them at the time.
Our loss in officers and men, killed, wounded, and missing, was very heavy in proportion to
the numbers engaged. In the engagement of the 21st the regiment lost in killed and wounded 94
enlisted men and 5 officers out of 400 officers and men engaged, and in this day's battle our loss
in killed, wounded, and missing foots up at present 9 officers and 139 enlisted men out of 300
that went into the fight, among whom, I regret to say, was Major Walker, killed, than whom a
truer soldier, a cooler officer, a more steadfast friend, and more honest man, did not live. His
premature and early death has cast a gloom and a shadow over the regiment, and a vacancy has
been created that but few men can fill so acceptably, and yet so faithfully and successfully, as he.
Ever ready, ever faithful, he was always at his post, and was always the same, a soldier and a
gentleman.
I cannot close this report without acknowledging my indebtedness to Adjutant Rood,
Sergeant-Major Myers, and the line officers of the regiment, who ably seconded and assisted in
all the movements of the command, and who bore themselves throughout the trying scene as
brave men and gallant officers. And to the non-commissioned officers and enlisted men of the
regiment too much credit cannot be awarded, although repeatedly almost surrounded by
overwhelming numbers and subjected at times to a withering fire of grape, canister, and
musketry, not one man showed signs of wavering or despair, but, on the contrary, every man
clenched his arms with a determination to repulse the enemy at all hazards.
I send you a detailed list of killed, wounded, and missing.
Very respectfully,
JOHN SHANE,
Colonel, Comdg. Thirteenth Iowa Infantry Volunteers.
Lieut. O. D. KINSMAN,
A. A. A. G., 3d Brig., 4th Div., 17th Army Corps.
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HDQRS. THIRTEENTH REGIMENT IOWA VOL. INFANTRY,
Near Atlanta, Ga., August 8, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to herewith submit to you my report of the part taken by my command
in the action of the 28th ultimo:
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Arriving with the Thirteenth Iowa Infantry on the line of battle of the Seventeenth Army
Corps at 12 m., the regiment at once erected temporary works to aid in repelling an anticipated
advance of the enemy. At 1 p.m. the enemy commenced the attack by a vigorous assault on the
lines of the Fifteenth Army Corps, which had just arrived in position on the right of the
Seventeenth Army Corps, and in a short time I was ordered by General Smith, commanding
division, to take the Thirteenth and Third Iowa Regiments and report to General Harrow,
commanding the Fourth Division, of the Fifteenth Army Corps, then severely pressed by the
enemy, at a distance of half a mile to our right. My command was at once put in motion, and on
the double-quick arrived on the line of battle, and forming in good order, under a heavy fire from
the enemy, advanced with a cheer to the relief of the almost exhausted soldiers of the Fifteenth
Corps, who had bravely held their position from the beginning of the assault, against great odds,
and whose guns having become heated to such an extent by frequent and rapid firing as to render
the majority of them temporarily useless, had fixed bayonets and were waiting with unyielding
determination the expected advance of the enemy, who occupied an advantageous position on the
crest of a hill 150 yards in our front. Simultaneously with my arrival on the line of defense, my
command poured a destructive fire into the enemy's lines, which soon drove the greater portion
of them beyond the crest of the hill and out of the reach of our guns. Some, however, remained
concealed in the skirmish pits, and being supported by a battery of artillery in their rear, kept up
a continued fire on our lines, but without serious result to the command during the balance of the
time the action continued--which ended by the enemy precipitately retiring at 5 p.m. from our
front, leaving the most of his dead and many wounded on the ground in our hands. This
command, by a vigorous and well-directed fire, kept the whole of our front to the crest of the hill
clear of the enemy, defeating several attempts by him to form in our front, and compelling him
finally to remove his artillery entirely beyond the reach of our rifles, and out of the effective
range of our line, when the action ceased.
During the conflict, which raged unabatedly for three hours, my command was partially
protected by some logs and rails thrown together by the Ninety-seventh and Ninety-ninth Indiana
Regiments, which I relieved, and in consequence of which, and of the wild firing of the enemy,
who were on a considerable elevation in our front, and whose range was generally over our head,
our casualties were but few, being but 2 killed and 6 wounded in the whole command.
The command remained in this position, occupying the same line during the night of the 28th
and until the afternoon of the 29th, when it was relieved from further duty at that point by
General Harrow, and at once reported to the proper division commander, Brig. Gen. G. A. Smith.
To the officers and men of the command the highest meed of praise should be awarded for
their coolness, bravery, and courage during the action. When all did well it is impossible to
discriminate without being unjust, but I must be pardoned for mentioning the names of Capt. J.
C. Kennedy and Capt. John Archer, as having on that and all other occasions of a similar
character exhibited the very highest qualities of soldiers and officers--cool, courageous, and
daring. They always impart confidence by their bearing and their bravery in the hour of danger.
In this action the colors of the Thirteenth Iowa were repeatedly perforated by the enemy's balls,
and in many places bear honorable evidence that they had never been lowered even under the
severest fire.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN SHANE,
Colonel, Comdg. Third and Thirteenth Regts. Iowa Infantry
In the action of the 28th of July, 1864.
Capt. C. CADLE, Jr.,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Fourth Division, 17th Army Corps
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HDQRS. FIFTEENTH IOWA INFANTRY VETERAN VOLS.,
In the Field, on left flank 17th Army Corps, July 22, 1864.
SIR: I herewith transmit a report of the movements of the Fifteenth Iowa in the charge of the
21st instant:
The Third Brigade, advancing on the afternoon of the 20th, took position in front of the
enemy's works in two lines, the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Iowa in front, the former on the right,
with the Eleventh in rear of the Fifteenth, and the Sixteenth in rear of the Thirteenth Iowa. At 8
o'clock on the morning of the 21st, skirmishing having been constant after daylight, the order
was received from Colonel Shane, commanding brigade, to advance on the enemy's works in
front, the Fifteenth being ordered to keep its right on the left of the Thirteenth, with its left
extending in the direction of Force's brigade, of the Third Division. The whole front line
advanced rapidly with cheers to the crest of the hill in full view of the rebel works, and fought
with valor and determination, and the brigade would doubtless have been successful in carrying
the works had not the right of the line beyond the Third Brigade broken and been driven back by
the heavier line and artillery of the enemy. In front of the Fifteenth Iowa a battery of several
guns, previously masked, opened upon us with grape and canister, and when the line was ordered
to retire, it did so in good order, notwithstanding the withering fire from the battery. The attack
was successful in enabling Force's brigade to hold the hill on our left, and compelling the
evacuation of the line by the enemy on the next morning.
The officers and men of the regiment did their duty, as they always do, and merit
commendation for their laborious efforts, notwithstanding the fatigues of the long march just
concluded from the right.
Our casualties were 3 enlisted men killed and 3 officers (Lieutenants McArthur, Gebhart and
Schevers) and 42 enlisted men wounded. A list of the same is inclosed herewith.
WM. W. BELKNAP,
Colonel, Comdg. Fifteenth Iowa Veteran Volunteers.
Lieut. O. D. KINSMAN,
A. A. A. G., 3d Brig., 4th Div., 17th Army Corps.
HDQRS. FIFTEENTH IOWA INFANTRY VETERAN VOLS.,
In the Field, near Atlanta, Ga., July 23, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of this regiment in the
action of July 22:
On the afternoon of the 21st the brigade moved to the left of the line occupied by the
Seventeenth Army Corps on the left flank of the army, the Fifteenth Iowa being placed on the
extreme left with its right resting on the left of the Thirteenth Iowa. On the same evening
Company B, commanded by First Lieutenant Muir, of Company E, was sent out on picket and as
skirmishers, also Company E and Company C on the next morning. At about 12 o'clock sharp
firing was heard and the skirmishers in front fell back, the line of skirmishers on the right having
fallen back and leaving them unsupported; they at once, however, advanced, but were as soon
driven back and the enemy was upon us in heavy force. The men fought gallantly, repulsing their
charges and preventing their advance beyond the timber. Our left, however, was unsupported. A
part of the Fifty-third Indiana was thrown on our left as flankers, together with a company of the
Thirteenth Iowa, but the enemy in strong force and overwhelming numbers easily turned our left
flank, and, driving back the flankers, compelled us to fall back and take a new position, which
was in a corn-field on the right of the main road, where the Fifteenth Iowa was placed on the
extreme right of the new line, with the Thirteenth on its left. Here, by orders from the brigade
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commander, Company A, under Captain Whitenack, was sent out as skirmishers to protect the
right flank and front of the regiment and to develop the enemy. This company advanced gallantly
into a point of woods on the right, but soon fell back, being attacked by the enemy in line of
battle and losing in killed, wounded, and captured 12 of its men. The whole line again fell back,
pressed by superior numbers, and soon took a position in the main road, occupying the outside
line of breastworks erected for the protection of the Third Division in the advance to Atlanta, and
facing to the rear. Here we awaited the advance of the enemy. Flushed with previous success
they came confidently on. My men were ordered not to fire until each had marked his man. The
number of killed of the Forty-fifth Alabama and Thirty-eighth Tennessee lying in front of the
position occupied by this regiment is evidence that the order was obeyed. No men of the
Fifteenth were lost here. The enemy fought bravely and obstinately, and many of them were shot
down fighting at the muzzles of our guns. The Forty-fifth Alabama, led by Colonel Lampley and
Major Freeman, advanced on our line, but was instantly repulsed, every man within view being
killed or captured. The Fifteenth Iowa captured 2 field officers, a captain, and many men of this
regiment, and the lieutenant-colonel of the Thirty-eighth Tennessee. The bearer of the regimental
battle-flag was shot down by Private Crowder, of Company C, and the colors claimed by him,
and the commanding officer of this regiment had the satisfaction of personally capturing.
Colonel Lampley, commanding officer of the Forty-fifth Alabama. The enemy being entirely
repulsed from this point we were ordered to occupy another position, and the fighting of the
division was over for the day.
Our loss was heavy, mostly occurring early in the action and when the regiment was without
support on the left.
I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of the officers and men of the regiment, all of whom
behaved, as far as my observation went, with great gallantry, but I may be permitted to especially
mention Lieutenant-Colonel Hedrick; always brave and gallant, he on this day cheered on the
men by his presence and words, and gave to those around him his own unconsciousness of
danger.
The regiment mourns the loss of its gallant dead. Veterans and recruits fought side by side
and testified their bravery and devotion. Lamenting their loss their comrades know that they
cherish the memories of men who did not falter when the time of trial came.
Lieut. E. M. Gebhart, of Company D, was the only officer killed; wounded severely at
Shiloh, captured there and a prisoner for months, he returned to his regiment, bravely did his
duty, and died a soldier's death. The army has in its ranks no braver man.
My thanks are due Adjt. E. H. King and all the officers and men of the regiment for their
gallantry that contributed so eminently to the success of the day.
We had 380 men in line, 131 of whom were killed, wounded, or captured, a list of whom is
inclosed herewith.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. W. BELKNAP,
Colonel, Comdg. Fifteenth Iowa Infantry Veteran Vols.
Lieut. O. D. KINSMAN,
A. A. A. G., 3d Brig., 4th Division, 17th Army Corps.
-----
HDQRS. FIFTEENTH IOWA INFANTRY VETERAN VOLS.,
Near Atlanta, Ga., July 29, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that on July 28, at 11.30 a.m., I received orders from
Brig. Gen. Giles A. Smith, commanding division, to proceed with the Fifteenth Iowa Infantry
and Thirty-second Ohio, commanded by Maj. A. M. Crumbecker, the former regiment belonging
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to the Third Brigade and the latter to the First Brigade of this division, and re-enforce the
division of General Morgan L. Smith, of the Fifteenth Army Corps, then attacked by a heavy
force of the enemy.
The movement was promptly made, and line was formed in the timber in the rear of General
Smith's division, the Thirty-second Ohio being on the right of the line. While there a regiment
was called for, and the Thirty-second Ohio was sent to the extreme right of the main line,
gallantly holding that position and maintaining it throughout the action. Shortly afterward the
Fifteenth Iowa was ordered up to the main line, and in the midst of a heavy fire relieved the Sixth
Missouri Infantry, of General Lightburn's brigade, which regiment had been stubbornly fighting
from the beginning. After the Fifteenth Iowa occupied this line, the enemy made repeated
charges until evening, when repulsed and discomfited they fell back and failed to renew the
conflict, which continued from noon until near night. The Fifteenth Iowa, the Sixty-fourth
Illinois, Yates' sharpshooters, being on their right, did their duty nobly and drove back the enemy
with great loss at each charge. At 11 p.m. the Fifteenth Iowa was ordered to fill up a gap in
Colonel Martin's brigade, and erect works, which was done, but at about 9 o'clock on the 29th
both regiments under my command, the Fifteenth and Thirty-second, were ordered to return to
their own division.
A copy of a note addressed by General Morgan L. Smith to Brig. Gen. Giles A. Smith, as to
conduct of these regiments, is attached to this report, and respectfully referred to.
Our loss was 2 enlisted men killed, and 1 commissioned officer and 8 enlisted men wounded
in the Fifteenth Iowa, a list of the same being inclosed herewith.
My thanks are due the officers and men of both regiments for their gallantry and good
conduct.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. W. BELKNAP,
Colonel Fifteenth Iowa, Commanding Regiment.
Capt. C. CADLE, Jr.,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Fourth Division, 17th Army Corps.
HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Atlanta, Ga., July 29, 1864.
Brig. Gen. GILES A. SMITH,
Comdg. Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps:
The general commanding thanks you for the assistance rendered him yesterday by sending to
his support the Fifteenth Iowa and Thirty-second Ohio Regiments, under command of Col.
William W. Belknap.
The general also thanks Colonel Belknap and his brave men for the efficient manner in which
they performed their duty.
By order of Brig. Gen. M. L. Smith:
G. LOFLAND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
SIR: I have the honor to report the action of the Sixteenth Iowa Veteran Infantry in the battle
before Atlanta, Ga., July 22, 1864, resulting in the capture of nearly all of said regiment and
myself. On the morning of July 21 my regiment charged on the rebel batteries, and, after a
desperate assault, lost 65 men. The regiment was complimented by General McPherson for its
daring bravery. General McPherson's last words to me the day he was killed were, "The old
Sixteenth shall be remembered." On the afternoon of the 21st the old Iowa brigade was removed
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to the extreme left flank of Sherman's army, about two miles from Atlanta. The Sixteenth Iowa
formed a line at right angles with the main line of the army. Immediately on the right of the
Sixteenth's works the Eleventh Iowa established themselves in rifle-pits; on a road running
between the Eleventh and Sixteenth Iowa's works were planted two Napoleon guns of the
Second Illinois Battery, protected by heavy works. On the left of the Sixteenth and a little to the
rear-the Fifteenth Iowa had rifle-pits. About 100 yards to the rear of the Sixteenth the Thirteenth
Iowa had breast-works. During the night of the 21st each regiment of the brigade built substantial
rifle-pits along the line that I have designated, and each cleared a space of fifty yards in front of
its works. Still the heavy underbrush concealed the works of the different regiments from each
other's view. On the 22d we were under arms at daylight, but no enemy appeared. The afternoon
before, immediately on our arrival, I had thrown out two companies (B and G) several hundred
yards in front to act as pickets and skirmishers. About noon on the 22d I received an order from
General Smith in person to have my regiment ready to fall in at a minute's notice, and that he
expected me to hold those works to the last, as the safety of the division might depend on the
delay we could occasion the enemy at that point. This was the last order that I received that day
from any commanding officer. About 1.30 p.m. our skirmishers in front commenced a brisk
firing. I immediately formed the regiment in the intrenchments, and soon after the skirmishers
were driven in upon us. I again sent them out, but a strong line of the enemy forced them back.
Lieutenant Powell, commanding the battery, opened his fire on the advancing enemy, but I
requested it stopped until the enemy should get nearer. I ordered my men not to fire a gun until
they received my command, no matter how close the enemy came. The rebel line advanced
steadily to the charge, and I permitted them to approach to the open space of fifty yards in front
of my works, when, cautioning the men to fire low and aim well, I ordered the rear rank to fire
and then the front rank. The response was a terrific and deadly volley from one rank, followed
immediately by another, and then a continuous rapid firing, fast as eager and experienced
soldiers could lead and discharge their guns. The result of our fire was terrible, the enemy's line
seemed to crumble to the earth, for even those not killed or wounded fell to the ground for
protection. Lieutenant Powell's battery here did excellent execution. Another heavy line of the
enemy advanced and were repulsed in the same terrible manner. Officers and men worked
enthusiastically; guns became so heated that they could not be handled, the powder flashing from
them as the cartridge was dropped in. The officers prepared the cartridges for the men and helped
them lead their guns. More splendid firing, or more effectual in its results, was never witnessed
in the army. The Eighth and Second Arkansas Regiments, with two Texas companies, got into a
position in our front, in which they could not advance, and dared not attempt to retire, but
hugged the ground close, suffering a terrible fire. While thus lying down they raised the white
flag. I ordered the firing to cease, and these regiments threw down their guns and hurried over to
our works as prisoners. We had at this time double the number of prisoners we had men in ranks.
A part of these men were sent to the rear, but before the remainder could be secured, the enemy
had taken the Thirteenth's works immediately in our rear and commenced a heavy firing into our
ranks. The boys drew their bayonets and made the prisoners stand up to protect their rear while
they blazed away in front. My attention was soon after this called to a large number of prisoners
on the extreme left, marching across to our works with guns in their hands. I immediately started
in that direction, and met Captain Smith, acting major, who told me that a large lot of the rebel
prisoners refused to lay down their guns, and he wanted help to force them to do it. I told him to
take from the right what force he needed and I would see the rebels myself. I immediately went
to the extreme left, where I found a large body of rebels with guns in their hands, confronted by
our own men. I went immediately to the rebels and disarmed two of them, when I was
surrounded myself, the rebels exclaiming, as they threatened me with their guns, "We won't hurt
137
you, sir, if you surrender." Shocked at the word "surrender," I glanced hastily around and saw the
rebels hurrying in large force by our left flank to the rear, and perceived they had possession of
the Fifteenth's works, over which their flags waved. The thought flashed across me that our only
hope was to draw the right wing of the regiment out, and cut our way through to the EIeventh's
works. Exclaiming, "I am not talking of surrender now," I dashed away from them to join my
regiment. A rebel captain seized a gun from one of his men and fired at me, the ball passing
between my heels. Captain Lucas, of Company K, snatched a gun from a private's hand, and,
simultaneously with two soldiers, fired at the rebel captain and killed him instantly, when the
rebels threw down their arms. I immediately proceeded to the right of the regiment and
commenced drawing them out in line, hoping to be able to cut our way out, when I discovered
the rebels had possession of the Eleventh's works at our right. They thus held all the works
around the Sixteenth, and were firing into us from the Thirteenth's works, in our rear. I placed
my men in the pits again, explaining to my officers the condition of things, while at that moment
the rebels were forming a line in front of the Thirteenth's works, to charge bayonets down upon
us. We agreed to surrender, but while discussing the subject on the right, we saw the left going
over the works, surrounded by rebel bayonets. We followed their example, and were soon
marching over the ground where lay the work of our hands, in the form of the rebel dead and
wounded. We had the satisfaction of seeing for every man of us surrendered, at least one dead or
wounded rebel lying on that field of gore. Many of our officers and men were robbed by the
rebels of almost everything as they left the ground. At the time of our surrender we were entirely
out of ammunition, the rebels having been so long in our rear that supplies were prevented from
reaching us. Why we were left alone, an isolated regiment, surrounded and helpless, while the
other regiments around us were ordered from their works, as I suppose they were, I cannot
realize. If the sacrifice of this noble regiment was intended to give the army in our rear time to
rally, then it was well, and the sacrifice was nobly made of a band of as brave and faithful men as
any who fought upon the field that day. They could not be taken from the front, and only
surrendered when further resistance would have been suicide.
The regiment numbered on the morning of the 22d 425 effective fighting men; of these a
fatigue detail of three officers and eighty men was made in the morning, most of whom were
captured afterward while fighting in front of field-works close by. Our loss in killed and
wounded I cannot give, but it was slight.
I should have stated in its proper place, that while firing heaviest, and guns so heated that
they could scarcely be handled, we were re-enforced by Companies D and K of the Thirteenth
Iowa, commanded by Captain Pope and Lieutenant Rice. Captain Pope informed me that they
were ordered to our assistance, fearing our ammunition as well as men must soon be exhausted. I
assigned these companies places along the trenches, and they went into the work like veterans,
fought nobly to the last, and surrendered with us.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
ADD. H. SANDERS,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.
Brig. Gen. N. B. BAKER,
Adjutant-General of Iowa.
CAMP SIXTEENTH IOWA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS,
Near Atlanta, Ga., July 26, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to furnish the following account of the operations of this regiment in
the engagement of the 22d instant:
138
On the 22d day of July, 1864, this regiment was posted upon the left of the Eleventh Iowa
and in the immediate front of the Thirteenth Iowa, the Fifteenth Iowa being upon the left of the
Thirteenth, the four regiments constituting or occupying the extreme left of the army. Companies
B and G of this regiment, under command of Capt. Henry Leefeldt and Lieut. August Timm,
respectively, of this regiment, were deployed as skirmishers in front and upon the left flank of
the regiment, the right of the line connecting with the skirmishers of the Eleventh Iowa and the
left with the skirmishers of the Fifteenth Iowa. At about the hour of 12 m. our skirmishers
became engaged and were very soon driven in, closely followed by the enemy in strong force,
who was thrown upon the front and left flank of the regiment, pressing it most vigorously. The
Fifteenth Iowa, whose left was attacked simultaneously with the Sixteenth, was compelled to fall
back and change its front. During this movement (which was also executed by the other
regiments of the brigade) the enemy concentrated his fire, which by this time was front and rear,
with an enfilading fire from the left, upon the Sixteenth. The regiment entire, including officers
and enlisted men, also the colors, were now captured, after as gallant resistance (I am informed)
as could have been made. So desperate was the fighting that bayonets were freely used over the
works, and men were actually knocked down with breech of muskets, the regiment shifting
position from one side of the work to the other to suit circumstances. Lieutenant-Colonel
Sanders, who was commanding the regiment, is reported to have received a flesh wound in the
thigh upon his refusal to surrender after having been surrounded. Captain Smith, A Company,
acting major, is reported killed while nobly doing his duty. From the information I have obtained
from officers and men of the brigade, the Sixteenth Regiment captured about 200 prisoners, but
was able to hold them only a short time. All of the regiment did their duty well and refused to
surrender while it was possible to inflict punishment upon the enemy. I append to this a list of
the missing. It is impossible to give a list of the killed and wounded, as it is not known, the
enemy having buried the dead. One man, who was carrying ammunition, escaped, also a detail
from the regiment for fatigue, consisting of eighty men and three commissioned officers, to wit:
Capt. C. W. Williams, D Company; First Lieut. Elek Weingartner, K Company, and First Lieut.
John F. Conyngham, H Company, had been sent out to throw up breastworks and were absent
from the regiment when the attack commenced. I am of the opinion that some 10 or 12 of the
fatigue detail were captured by the enemy in their endeavors to rejoin the regiment, and that
some 12 or 15 were killed and wounded, about 25 being the number missing. They were nearly
surrounded before ordered to leave the work; had nearly a mile to travel to rejoin the brigade,
subjected most of the distance to a cross-fire from the enemy's artillery. They became somewhat
scattered, but were rallied and formed in the trenches of the Third Division, Seventeenth Army
Corps, where they did good service. Lieuts. John F. Conyngham and Weingartner did their whole
duty, encouraging the men to remain firm, relying upon their own strong arms for the success of
the day. The loss known to be is: Killed, 1., wounded, 4; missing, 242; total, 247.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant.
C. W. WILLIAMS,
Captain D Company, Comdg. Sixteenth Iowa Volunteers.
Lieut. O. D. KINSMAN,
Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., 3d Brig., 4th Div., 17th Army Corps.
HDQRS. 24TH AND 25TH REGTS. TEXAS CAV. (DISMOUNTED),
Near Atlanta, Ga., July 29, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: I respectfully submit the following report of the part taken by the Twentyfourth
and Twenty-fifth Regiments Texas Cavalry (dismounted, consolidated), in the
engagements near Atlanta, on 20th, 21st, and 22d of July, 1864:
139
On the afternoon of the 20th instant the above regiments, under command of Lieutenant-
Colonel Neyland, of the Twenty-fifth Texas (since wounded), occupied the left of Smith's
(Texas) brigade, with no support upon its left. Soon after, it was ordered forward in line of battle,
passing over two lines of battle, and was then halted in rear of a line of battle occupying the crest
of a ridge immediately in front, and so remained until sundown. It was then moved by the right
flank southeast of Atlanta, and bivouacked until 2.30 a.m. on the 21st instant, when the brigade
was again formed and marched to a position occupied by the cavalry on the right of the army.
This regiment was then ordered from the left to the right of the brigade, the left of the cavalry
resting upon its right. About 10 a.m. a lieutenant-colonel of a cavalry regiment immediately upon
the right came running along the line, saying: "Leave here; you will all be captured; the cavalry
has given way and the enemy is surrounding you," or words to that effect. The skirmishers in my
front, nor those immediately in front of the cavalry regiment on my right, had not yet reached the
breast-works, but were only about twenty paces in front, coming on. The cavalry regiment
immediately on my right fired a volley into them, and commenced running from the breastworks
in confusion. The enemy having driven the cavalry from the line still farther to the right
and succeeded in getting to the near of our line of battle, [by order of] Lieutenant-Colonel
Neyland, in command of the regiment, I immediately started to inform Brigadier-General Smith
of what was occurring upon the right. Not finding him, and seeing the regiment falling back, I
hastened to assist Lieutenant-Colonel Neyland in rallying that portion upon the right which had
fallen back under an order from him (to meet the enemy, who had already crossed the breastworks
immediately upon its right and were then in the rear of it), preparatory to a charge, which
was gallantly made, driving the enemy out of and over the breast-works from which they had
driven the cavalry for over 200 yards. Owing to the largely superior force of the enemy (reported
by prisoners as being 900 strong, while those who left the trenches and in the charge was less
than 100, including very few cavalry), we were again forced to fall back. Again the regiment was
rallied, and drove them out of a large portion of the works, but, still being unsupported, were
obliged to fall back again. Lieutenant-Colonel Neyland at this time was severely wounded in the
thigh. Twice he had gallantly rallied the regiment and led them in the charge. Nothing daunted, I
again rallied the brave little band, now considerably reduced, and charged them the third time,
again driving them from the works, and succeeded in holding over 200 yards of the breast-works
originally held by the cavalry with a thin line of skirmishers until re-enforced by two regiments
from Generals Lowray's and Govan's brigades.
Our loss in this engagement was--killed, 9; wounded, 25; captured, 9.
On the morning of the 22d instant this regiment took position upon the left of the brigade,
and, after marching some distance, it was formed in line of battle, its left resting upon the right of
General Govan's brigade, with orders to conform to the movements of that brigade. The country
in front was broken and covered with very thick undergrowth, which made it difficult to march
in line of battle with any regularity. After marching some distance, Govan's brigade became
engaged with the enemy, and from the shouting I was led to believe he was driving the enemy in
his front. Nothing could be seen in his front for the undergrowth. We still continued to advance
for several hundred yards before meeting the enemy, crossing a very boggy marsh, fringed with
thick bushes, which scattered the lines very much, entirely separating us from Govan's brigade
upon the left. A short distance from this we came upon an outer line of the enemy's breast-works;
drove him from them Without difficulty, passing over a number of cannon, caissons, two wagons
loaded with tools, and a second line of breast-works, capturing a large number of prisoners. The
regiment, now almost become a line of skirmishers, still continued forward, passing over a small
stream and deep ravine close to and under the breast-works of the enemy, which was their third
line, capturing the battle and State flags of the Third Iowa Infantry. A portion of the regiment
140
reached the breast-works and found the enemy leaving with their artillery; but finding but few
men at their works, and not supported on the right or left for a long distance, they rallied, and
reoccupied their works, our men falling back. I ordered my men to occupy the second line of
breast-works captured, and to hold them as long as possible. Very soon other portions of the
brigade formed on the right. Brigadier-General Smith, commanding brigade, coming up soon
after, ordered the line to be held, but in a few moments after was wounded and assisted from the
field. Orders were then given by the next senior officer to fall back; that the brigade was not
supported, and that the enemy were flanking us in force upon the right, which was done without
loss, forming as a reserve to General Govan's brigade, still farther to the rear, in a line of works
captured from the enemy by them.
In the engagement of the 22d instant our loss was 4 killed, 21 wounded, 3 captured.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. A. TAYLOR,
Major Twenty-fourth Texas Cav. (dismounted), Comdg.
Lieut. S. G. SNEED,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. ROSS' BRIGADE, JACKSON'S CAVALRY DIVISION,
In the Field, Ga., August 1, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that at 4 p.m., July 28, I received the order of General
Jackson directing me to withdraw my command from its position near Lick Skillet and move to
Owl Rock Church, on the Campbellton and Atlanta road, which I did without delay, and at the
church designated received your dispatch of 7 p.m., urging me forward to the support of Colonel
Harrison, then engaging the enemy near Campbellton. At 9.15 p.m. I came up with Colonel
Harrison's command and notified the brigadier-general commanding of my presence; while
waiting further instructions my men were allowed to dismount in the road and rest bridle in hand.
At daylight we were again ordered forward.
It was now become generally circulated that we were in pursuit of a party of raiders who,
having crossed the Chattahoochee River at Campbellton, were moving toward the railroad, and
the utmost eagerness and enthusiasm prevailed among men and officers. About noon we came
upon the trail of the foe clearly defined by smoking ashes of burned wagons and the sad havoc
and destruction of property everywhere visible, and the eagerness of all to overtake and chastise
the insolent despoiler was increased two fold. At about 4 p.m. the wish was gratified. We came
in sight of the Yankees on the Fayetteville and Jonesborough road, one mile and a half from
Lovejoy's Station, and without halting to form the order to charge was immediately given. At the
word, the Ninth Texas, led by its gallant colonel, D. W. Jones, dashed forward with a shout and
was in a moment engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle. The enemy at first had considerably the
advantage in numbers, and it must be admitted, boldly met the charge at half distance. For awhile
the issue appeared doubtful. The men of the Ninth Texas having discharged their guns, and not
being provided with sabers or pistols, began to waver before the successive onslaughts of their
better armed opponents, when the charge of General Jackson's escort and the opportune arrival of
the Sixth Texas Regiment, under its brave lieutenant-colonel, P. F. Ross, restored confidence and
forced the enemy from the field. In the mean time the remaining regiments of my command (the
Third and Twenty-seventh Texas Regiments) having come up, dismounted and formed several
hundred yards in rear of the Sixth and Ninth, and when the enemy, immediately after his failure
on horseback, began advancing his forces on foot, these last-named regiments were withdrawn
and took position in line with the others. This disposition being made we waited further
instructions from the brigadier-general commanding, who being present in person had control of
141
the operations of the day. Toward evening the firing of Colonel Harrison's brigade on the right
indicated that the enemy were moving off in that direction, and very soon we were ordered to our
horses. The enemy retired, passing round the flank of Colonel Harrison, and took the direction of
Newnan, leaving 20 dead and wounded and 50 prisoners in our possession.
Colonel Jones was ordered to pursue and harass his rear while the rest of my command
turned back through Fayetteville. Of the chase to Newnan, where the raiders were again
overtaken and severely chastised, it is not considered necessary to give particulars. General
Wheeler, with a portion of his cavalry from the right of our army, had come up and joined in the
pursuit, following immediately in rear of the retreating raiders. I was directed to cross rapidly to
the road upon which the enemy was moving and strike his column in flank, or intercept his rear
guard, but was unsuccessful. His rear had passed before we could reach his line of march. We
then became joined with General Wheeler in pursuit, and continued so to the end of the chase.
Near Newnan, after much trouble and delay, the raiders were overtaken and promptly engaged
by General Wheeler's advance. The enemy fought with desperation and were evidently gaining
ground when my brigade dismounted, charged, and drove them from the woods across an open
field. At this moment a large force which had not been engaged charged around our left, and
succeeded in getting between us and our horses. Without halting to consider, the command to
"'bout face" and move back was promptly given, and as promptly obeyed. The struggle was a
desperate one, and only after an hour's hard fighting were our efforts crowned with success, the
enemy again repulsed, and our horses recaptured and saved. In this affair my men and officers
exhibited that coolness and daring which is almost always sure of success. Many instances of
individual heroism were evinced. The fighting occurred in thick woods, the underbrush
concealing the combatants until within a few paces of each other. Friends and foes were mixed
up in the struggle, without regard to order or organization, and frequent hand-to-hand encounters
were the consequence. Many instances of capture and recaptures occurred during the day, the
victor one moment becoming a captive to his prisoner the next. Colonel Hawkins and
Lieutenant-Colonel Boggess, with their respective commands, for awhile became separated from
the other part of the brigade, but on other portions of the field continued to render most valuable
and efficient service. Having recovered possession of our horses and remounted, I received
orders to move to the left and get in rear of the enemy, and had no sooner done so than a
considerable force (including the Eighth Iowa Regiment) signified by flag of truce their
willingness to surrender. The remaining and by much the larger portion of the enemy, however,
began moving off on the Decatur road, in a direction opposite our position, which fact, as soon as
reported to me, was promptly transmitted to division headquarters for the information of thebrigadier-
general commanding.
I now proceeded to take possession of the prisoners and captured property, and, this done,
bivouacked on the field during the night. Next morning, summing up the fruits of the victory, I
found my command had captured 587 prisoners, including 2 brigade commanders, with their
staffs, several field and a number of company officers, 2 stand of colors (the Eighth Iowa and
Second Indiana Regiments), 2 pieces of artillery, 11 ambulances, and a large number of horses
and horse equipments and small-arms. We also recaptured the colors of the Second Regiment
Dismounted Arkansas Cavalry, and those of another regiment, number not known.
Our casualties in the affair of the 29th, near Lovejoy's Station, was 16 wounded. Near
Newnan on the 30th the loss was 5 killed and 11 wounded. Total loss during the expedition, 5
killed and 27 wounded.
I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
L. S. ROSS,
Brigadier-General, &c.
142
Capt. E. T. SYKES,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Jackson's Cavalry Div.
HDQRS. CHIEF OF CAV., DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Tunnel Hill, Ga., May 11, 1864.
Col. J. L. DONALDSON,
Nashville:
General Thomas says mount one brigade of Gillem's division--three regiments and no more--
until other regiments of divisions at the front are mounted. According to my letter of March 22,
and subsequent telegrams, the following is the order in which regiments are to get horses: Third
Kentucky, Fifth Iowa, and Fifteenth Pennsylvania after Long's brigade. If I could know the
number of horses coming, I could designate the detachments of regiments to get them. My
cavalry is doing heavy service on flanks, which, of course, uses up horses.
W. L. ELLIOTT,
Brigadier-General and Chief of Cavalry.
HEADQUARTERS CHIEF OF CAVALRY,
Sugar Valley, Ga., May 13, 1864..
Col. W. W. LOWE,
Fifth Iowa Cavalry, Nashville, Tenn.:
You will proceed immediately to join the Third Division and take command, General
Kilpatrick having been wounded. Ascertain at Chattanooga the headquarters of the department
and report to me.
W. L. ELLIOTT,
Brigadier-General and Chief of Cavalry.
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Huntsville, Ala., May 16, 1864.
Brig. Gen. C. L. MATTHIES, Commanding Third Brigade:
GENERAL: The detachment of Twenty-sixth Missouri and Ninety-third Illinois Infantry,
now doing guard duty on the railroad bridges between this place and Decatur, you will relieve,
and direct the commanding officer of the Fifth Iowa Infantry with his command to guard and
take charge of the railroad from Decatur to Indian Creek, establishing regimental headquarters at
the most central place on the line, that rapid communication may be made with the whole
command.
By order of Brig. Gen. John E. Smith:
C. L. WHITE,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Huntsville, Ala., May 18, 1864.
Col. CLARK R. WEVER, Comdg. Seventeenth Iowa Infantry:
COLONEL: You will embark your troops on cars, and as soon as practicable return to
Larkinsville, Ala., reporting to Col. Green B. Raum, commanding Second Brigade.
By order of Brig. Gen. John E. Smith:
C. L. WHITE,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
143
MADISON, May 18, 1864.
Brigadier-General SMITH:
I have just arrived here with a detachment of my regiment, only twenty-five men, and
regimental train. Have relieved the detachments of the Twenty-sixth Missouri Volunteers and
Ninety-third Illinois Volunteers, doing duty at Beaver Dam and Limestone Creek, and
established my regimental headquarters at this place, in accordance with orders from General C.
L. Matthies.
J. BANBURY,
Colonel, Commanding Fifth Iowa Infantry.
MADISON, May 18, 1864.
Brigadier-General SMITH:
I have just arrived here with a detachment of my regiment, only twenty-five men, and
regimental train. Have relieved the detachments of the Twenty-sixth Missouri Volunteers and
Ninety-third Illinois Volunteers, doing duty at Beaver Dam and Limestone Creek, and
established my regimental headquarters at this place, in accordance with orders from General C.
L. Matthies.
J. BANBURY,
Colonel, Commanding Fifth Iowa Infantry.
List of troops of the Army of the Tennessee guarding the railroad and stationed near the line
of railroad north of the Tennessee River:
First. Third Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, 3,100 strong, stationed at Decatur, Huntsville,
Brownsborough, Woodville, Larkinsville, and Scottsborough, with detachments at all the
bridges, tanks, &c., between these points.
Second. Troops of the Sixteenth Corps stationed as follows: Third Brigade, Fourth Division,
Sixteenth Army Corps, at Decatur, 1,600; part of First Alabama Cavalry, at Decatur, 250; detail
of Fourteenth Ohio Battery at Decatur; detail of Company B, First Michigan, at Elk River; parts
of three regiments of colored troops, stationed from Elk River to Decatur, 1,500; details of
Seventh and Second Iowa, and convalescents, Second Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, guarding
railroad from Lynnville to Elk River, about 600 men; Seventh Illinois Mounted Infantry,
guarding river from Decatur to Florence, 500; Ninth Ohio Cavalry, stationed at Pulaski, Athens,
and Decatur, 700. The colored troops remaining, the number of men required to relieve the men
of the Army of the Tennessee, 7,000.
SPECIAL ORDERS No. 123.
HDQRS. SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Huntsville, Ala., May 22, 1864.
In compliance with instructions from headquarters Department and Army of the Tennessee,
the Third and Fourth Divisions of this corps are organized as follows:
Third Division: First Brigade--Twentieth Illinois Infantry, Thirtieth Illinois Infantry, Thirtyfirst
Illinois Infantry, Forty-fifth Illinois Infantry. Second Brigade--Twentieth Ohio Infantry,
Thirty-second Ohio Infantry, Sixty-eighth Ohio Infantry, Seventy-eighth Ohio Infantry. Third
Brigade--Eighty-first Illinois Infantry, Ninety-fifth Illinois Infantry, Fourteenth Wisconsin
Infantry, Sixteenth Wisconsin Infantry, Seventeenth Wisconsin Infantry. Artillery--Third Ohio
Battery, First Illinois Artillery, Company D; Tenth Ohio Battery; First Michigan Artillery,
Company H.
144
Fourth Division: First Brigade--Third Iowa Infantry, Thirty-third Wisconsin Infantry,
Twelfth Wisconsin Infantry, Twenty-third Indiana Infantry, Fifty-third Indiana Infantry. Second
Brigade--Fourteenth Illinois Infantry, Thirty-second Illinois Infantry, Fifteenth Illinois Infantry,
Forty-first Illinois Infantry, Fifty-third Illinois Infantry. Third Brigade--Eleventh Iowa Infantry,
Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, Thirteenth Iowa Infantry, Sixteenth Iowa Infantry. Artillery--Second
Illinois Artillery, Company F; First Missouri Artillery, Company C; Fifteenth Ohio Battery, First
Minnesota Buttery.
II. Brig. Gen. M. D. Leggett, U. S. Volunteers, is assigned to the command of the Third
Division, and Brig. Gen. M. M. Crocker, U.S. Volunteers, to the command of the Fourth
Division.
III. The following-named general officers are assigned as follows, and will report for duty to
their respective division commanders at once: Brig. Gen. W. Q. Gresham to the Fourth Division,
Brig. Gen. M. F. Force to the Third Division.
IV. The officers and regiments mentioned in paragraphs I and III will report without further
orders promptly to the commands to which they have severally been assigned.
V. The baggage of this command will be reduced as follows, viz, one valise or carpet-bag to
each officer; one change of clothing, one blanket, and one poncho to be carried by each enlisted
man. Two wall tents to each brigade headquarters; three wall tents to each division headquarters;
six wall and one hospital tent for corps headquarters. No other than the baggage above named
will be allowed, and any infraction of this order will be severely punished, and the baggage
destroyed.
By command of Maj. Gen. F. P. Blair, jr.:
A. J. ALEXANDER,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
KINGSTON, GA., May 23, 1864--8.30 a.m.
Governors of INDIANA, ILLINOIS, IOWA, and WISCONSIN:
GENTLEMEN: I infer from a dispatch from the Secretary of War that I may expect from you
20,000 militia to cover my communications. You know that I am already within fifty miles of
Atlanta, and have added 100 miles to my railroad communications, every mile of which is liable
to attack by cavalry. I want the first 5,000 from Indiana to go to Nashville, and afterward another
5,000 to Louisville, to be sent forward to replace exposed points already fortified, but from
which we have drawn forward the garrisons. I want the first militia that can reach Cairo from
Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois to be reported to General Washburn at Memphis, to be by him sent
up the Tennessee to co-operate with him in a threatening movement from Memphis on
Columbus, Miss., to prevent Forrest and Lee from swinging over against my communications.
General Washburn can use another 5,000 to hold fortified positions at Cairo, Paducah, and
Memphis, which will enable him to use three years' men to march into the interior. I need not
impress on you that now is the time for superhuman energy. It is only by well-combined efforts,
on a large scale, that we can expect to defeat our enemy, who is united and inspired with a
demoniac zeal. Let us break down his large armies and then the militia can go home and leave
the three-years' men to dispose of the fragments. My army is in superb condition, and all I ask is
that I shall not be forced to break it up into small fragments to guard railroads.
W. T. SHERMAN,
Major-General.
HDQRS. FIRST CAV. DIV., DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND,
In the Field, May 28, 1864----8.45 a.m.
145
Lieut. D. F. How,
A. A. A. G., Cavalry Command, Dept. of the Cumberland :
SIR: I have the honor to state in reply to your request that the following are the brigade and
regimental commanders in the brigades of my division now with me. I cannot furnish names of
regimental commanders in Third Brigade without access to my books. First Brigade, Col. J. B.
Dorr, Eighth Iowa, commanding: Eighth Iowa, Lieutenant-Colonel Barner; First Tennessee,
Lieut. Col. James P. Brownlow; Second Michigan, Major Scranton. Second Brigade, Lieut. Col.
Horace Lamson, Fourth Indiana, commanding; Second Indiana, Maj. David A. Briggs; Fourth
Indiana, Maj. George H. Purdy; First Wisconsin, Capt. Levi Howland.
About an hour and a half ago the enemy made an attack all along my lines, the most stubborn
and persistent one I have seen them make during this campaign. They are all fighting dismounted
in the timber, and I can't tell whether they are infantry or cavalry. I judge them to be dismounted
cavalry, however, as there are two divisions in our front, and one brigade on our left, and rear at
the creek, near the junction of the Acworth and Allatoona roads. Should a serious attack be made
with infantry, I regard my force as totally inadequate to hold a position of such importance as I
believe this to be. Stoneman I think is some place on my right; my line is formed on the Marietta
road, facing due southeast. I shall hold this road as long as I can, and not be controlled in my
movements by the movements of our infantry. I believe the general commanding does not
appreciate the importance of it, with all their cavalry in front. If this road is left open or they
force a passage through my lines, as they are now attempting to do, they will have uninterrupted
access to all our trains, hospitals, and the rear of our whole infantry line. When we get through
with this skirmish I will send you the result. Colonel Brownlow sent word to General King that
they were pressing our line pretty hard; he replied that we could expect no infantry reenforcements
in ally emergency. I hope there may be no necessity for asking any. Should there
be, I will transmit my request through the proper channels, in order that, as at Dandridge, I may
receive them after the need has passed. Privately, this thing of covering the flank of the infantry
seems to be a one-sided affair; if they are attacked I am to pitch in, while, if I was attacked by a
superior force I can expect no assistance. The last paragraphs of my letter are unofficial, of
course.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
E. M. McCOOK,
Colonel, Commanding.
DAVENPORT, IOWA, May 28, 1864.
E. M. STANTON:
General Sherman telegraphs for 5,000 men via Memphis, and 5,000 via Louisville, to go out
on his lines. Present orders here require my 100-days' men at Helena, Ark. Can the order be
changed in accordance with General Sherman's wishes? The health of these raw men would be
much preserved by not going to Helena. Two more regiments ready by Tuesday evening.
WM. STONE.
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Huntsville, Ala., May 31, 1864.
Col. JAMES It. HOWE,
Commanding at Decatur :
The commanding officer Twelfth Indiana Cavalry is here, who informs me that he relieved
your troops at Decatur Junction last night. His orders from General Rousseau say nothing about
relieving troops at Mooresville; but he will leave here at 7.45p.m. this day to relieve the Fifth
146
Iowa, now guarding the line of road from Limestone Creek to this place. On being relieved they
will move to Decatur. The general is not here. As soon as I see him I will advise you relative to
the flag of truce.
Very respectfully, &c.,
C. L. WHITE,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Huntsville, Ala., May 31, 1864.
Col. JAMES H. HOWE,
Decatur:
Your dispatch relative to the movement of cavalry received. The Twelfth Indiana Cavalry,
referred to in your dispatch as having come forward to Huntsville last night, will move out on the
railroad between here and Decatur Junction this afternoon and relieve the Fifth Iowa Infantry,
now stationed along the road, who, on being relieved, are ordered to Decatur. They will reach
your place to-night.
Very respectfully, &c., your obedient servant,
C. L. WHITE,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Huntsville, Ala., May 31, 1864.
Col. EDWARD ANDERSON,
Commanding Twelfth Indiana Cavalry:
COLONEL: I have forwarded orders to Col. Jabez Banbury, commanding Fifth Iowa Veteran
Volunteer Infantry, now guarding the line of railroad between this place and Decatur Junction, to
move to Decatur as soon as relieved by your command, as the train leaves sooner than was
expected, and orders above referred to may not reach him. I send this with you, which on being
presented to the different detachment commanders along said line of railroad, they will embark
their commands on the train which conveys your command to the different points, and move to
Decatur, reporting to their brigade commanders. At the same time they will send their
transportation, escorted by a sufficient guard, by dirt road to the same place.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
C. L. WHITE,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION CAVALRY,
DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
June 6, 1864.
Captain LE ROY, Assistant Adjutant-General:
Lieutenant-Colonel Brownlow, with First Tennessee, was sent on Marietta road this morning
in accordance with order of general commanding. He reports to me that he found the enemy in
force about four miles and a half from this point. His command is now three miles from camp,
and I have sent him orders to hold his position for the present. My foraging parties found the
enemy two miles and a half from the camp of Eighth Iowa on Sandtown road; captured 1
prisoner. I am informed General Hooker directed Colonel Brownlow not to attempt a farther
advance.
Respectfully, captain, your obedient servant,
147
J. B. DORE,
Colonel, Commandi
HEADQUARTERS THIRD IOWA INFANTRY,
Near Cartersville, Ga., June 9, 1864.
General W. Q. GRESHAM,
Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps:
GENERAL: We are awkwardly situated; encamped on the Etowah at the railroad crossing,
with verbal instructions to strengthen the fortifications. Cartersville is a mile mid a half distant; it
is at present the depot of supplies, and is without a post commander, or even a guard for our
stores; a rebel force of fifty men could destroy the place. I am informed that it is infested with
stragglers who are entitled to the kind (?) consideration of competent authority. The two
regiments under my command number less than 500 men for duty. I am working 150 daily, and
80 on picket and other guard duty. No cavalry here. Will you be so kind as to send or cause to be
sent to me necessary instructions?
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
AARON BROWN,
Colonel Third Iowa Infantry.
ROME, June 9, 1864.
Maj. Gen. JAMES B. MCPHERSON,
Commanding Department of the Tennessee:
GENERAL: I have been assigned to the command of this place by order of Major-General
Sherman, and am directed to report to you. I find here but three regiments of infantry, the Fiftieth
and Fifty-seventh Illinois, and the Thirty-ninth Iowa; there is a 4-gun battery of 10-pounder
Parrotts, and two companies of mounted infantry. I would like more artillery and a portion of
cavalry. The country across the river from here abounds in roving bands of the enemy, which I
would like to clear out. I am necessarily obliged to forage to some extent, and require some
cavalry to enable me to do that safely. I would like an engineer officer and an experienced
quartermaster.
Very respectfully,
W. VANDEVER,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Kingston, Ga., July 1, 1864.
Col. GREEN B. RAUM,
Commanding Second Brigade:
SIR: You will embark three regiments of your command on cars immediately and proceed by
rail, leaving the Seventeenth Iowa Infantry at Tilton, the Tenth Missouri Infantry at Resaca, and
the Fifty-sixth Illinois Infantry one-half at Calhoun and one-half at Adairsville, the Eightieth
Ohio Infantry at this place, establishing brigade headquarters at Resaca. Relieve the troops
stationed at these points, directing them to report to their commanding officer. You will patrol
the road between the different stations garrisoned by your command, morning, evening, and once
during the night. For additional instructions apply to the officers whom you relieve. The
transportation belonging to your brigade will be stopped on its way out, under charge of Capt.
Holly Skinner, assistant quartermaster.
By order of Brig. Gen. John E. Smith:
148
CARL. L. WHITE,
Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Kingston, Ga., July 2, 1864.
Maj. Gen. JAMES B. STEEDMAN,
Chattanooga, Tenn.:
I have relieved the troops from Tilton to this place, placing Seventeenth Iowa at Tilton, Tenth
Missouri at Resaca, Fifty-sixth Illinois at Calhoun and Adairsville. Train conveying these
regiments left last evening.
JNO. E. SMITH,
Brigadier-General.
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Kingston, Ga., July 2, 1864.
Lieut. Col. WILLIAM T. CLARK,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Department and Army of the Tennessee:
In compliance with orders from your headquarters, I have the honor to report my arrival at
this place with my command, excepting the Fifth Ohio Cavalry, Eighteenth Wisconsin Infantry,
and pioneer corps, who are en route for this place with the wagon train of the division, and the
Twenty-sixth Missouri Infantry, who are escorting cattle from Chattanooga here. The Tenth Iowa
Veteran Volunteer Infantry are also absent from the command, on veteran furlough, by your
order. By direction of Major-General Steedman, I have relieved the troops of Colonel Lowe,
commanding cavalry, between Tilton and this place by placing the Seventeenth Iowa at Tilton,
Tenth Missouri at Resaca, Fifty-sixth Illinois at Calhoun and Adairsville, and to-day I am
relieving the troops guarding the Etowah River with the Third Brigade of this division. The
disposal of the balance of my command will be duly reported.
I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. E. SMITH,
Brigadier-General.
-----
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Kingston, Ga., July 2, 1864.
Col. JABEZ BANBURY,
Comdg. Third Brig., Third Div., Fifteenth Army Corps:
COLONEL: The general commanding directs that you take charge and guard the Etowah
River from Caldwell's Ford, two miles and a half above Gillem's Bridge, to Murchison's Ford
below, and that you make preparations to move at once, placing the Fifth Iowa Veteran
Volunteer Infantry at Wooley's Bridge, throwing out one small post at Murchison's Ford, one
small post at Runnel's Ford, and one small post at Runners Ferry. The Ninety-third Illinois
Infantry will be stationed at Gillem's Bridge, with one outpost of 100 men at Island Ford and one
outpost of 50 men at Caldwell's Ford, with directions to commanding officers to communicate
frequently between posts. By applying to Colonel Lowe, commanding cavalry division, at these
headquarters, you will be furnished with the necessary transportation and guides for the
disposition of your command. After having examined the line placed under your command with
a view to a complete guard of the river, and the most suitable location for brigade headquarters,
you will report to the general commanding, when the detachment of the Tenth Iowa will be
assigned to duty on the same line.
149
By order of Brig. Gen. John E. Smith:
CARL. L. WHITE,
Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Kingston, Ga., July 5, 1864.
Brig. Gen. WILLIAM VANDEVER,
Commanding at Rome, Ga..
GENERAL: For your information I would respectfully state that on the 2d instant the cavalry
command of Colonel Lowe, then guarding the railroad and Etowah River, were relieved by my
division from Tilton, Ga., to this place, and from Caldwell's Ford to Murchison's Ford, placing at
Tilton the Seventeenth Iowa Infantry, Col. C. R. Wever commanding; Resaca, Tenth Missouri
Volunteer Infantry, Col. F. C. Deimling, also Second Brigade headquarters, Col. Green B. Raum
commanding; Calhoun, one-half Fifty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Lieut. Col. John P. Hall
commanding, and at Adairsville one-half Fifty-sixth Illinois, Captain ---- commanding. The river
at and between the points mentioned above is strongly guarded by the Fifth Iowa and Ninetythird
Illinois, under command of Col. Jabez Banbury, commanding Third Brigade. As my
present force is composed entirely of infantry, which will not enable me to patrol the country as I
should desire to do, rendering my line liable to attack without warning, I should be obliged for
all information in regard to the movements of the enemy that may come to your knowledge.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. E. SMITH,
Brigadier-General.
SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS No. 34.
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF THE MISS.,
In the Field, near Chattahoochee River,
July 12, 1864.
I. The Fifth Regiment Iowa Infantry is hereby transferred from the Department of the
Tennessee to the Department of the Cumberland, and the commanding officer will report to Maj.
Gen. George H. Thomas for instructions.
By order of Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman:
L. M. DAYTON,
Aide-de-Camp.
HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Cartersville, Ga., July 24, 1864.
Col. BENJAMIN D. DEAN,
Twenty-sixth Missouri Infantry:
SIR: You will move with your command to Kingston, Ga, and relieve the Fifth Iowa
Infantry, stationed on the Etowah River, and will assume command of the post of Kingston and
Third Brigade, Third Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, relieving Col. J. Banbury, who will report
to his regiment for duty.
By order of Brig. Gen. John E. Smith:
C. L. WHITE,
Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.
SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS No. 47.
150
HDQRS. LEFT WING, 16TH ARMY CORPS,
Near Atlanta, Ga., July 26, 1864.
I. Brig. Gen. J. M. Corse, having reported to these headquarters for duty, is, in accordance
with Special Field Orders, No. 79, headquarters Department and Army of the Tennessee, hereby
assigned to the command of the Second Division, Sixteenth Army Corps. All books, maps, and
papers appertaining to headquarters of the division will be turned over to Brigadier-General
Corse, and the division staff will report to him for duty. Col. E. W. Rice, Seventh Iowa Infantry
Volunteers, will again assume command of the First Brigade.
1I. In making the movement to-night as specified in extract IV, Special Field Orders, No. 79,
headquarters Department and Army of the Tennessee (a copy of which is inclosed), the Second
Division will have the advance, moving promptly at 12 o'clock to-night. The Fourth Division
will remain in its present position till the Second has withdrawn from its works, when it will
closely follow. All wagons, with the exception of one wagon loaded with ammunition to each
regiment and battery, will move this p.m. to a position near where the advanced supply train is
now stationed, in the rear of the center of the army.
V. The following additional instructions in relation to the movement to-night will be
observed: At 8 p.m. Col. J. W. Sprague, commanding Second Brigade, Fourth Division, will
move out and go into position on the left of Brigadier-General Woods' division, Fifteenth Army
Corps, in the new intrenchments north of the railroad, and will join his division as it passes
through these intrenchments during the night. The Second Brigade, Second Division, will draw
out with the Seventeenth Army Corps, and join its division to-morrow morning at the creek near
General Sherman's headquarters, where the command will bivouac. The troops must be moved
quietly, without sound of bugle or drum, and all teams, except one wagon of ammunition to a
regiment and battery, must move off early to-night and go into park with the trains in rear of the
center of the army before 11 p.m., so that the entire road is clear for troops. The ammunition
wagons will move in advance of the divisions. Division picket officers will report to Capt. H. L.
Burnham at these headquarters, at 10 p.m., for instructions in relation to withdrawing the picketlines,
which is not to be done until the entire army has moved out.
By order of Maj. Gen. G. M. Dodge:
J. W. BARNES,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
JULY 26, 1864.--For General Orders, No. 8, headquarters Seventeenth Army Corps,
conferring a medal of honor upon Private George J. Reynolds, Company D, Fifteenth Iowa
Infantry, for recovering the body of General McPherson, &c., see Part III, p. 556.]
HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, near Atlanta, Ga., July 29, 1864.
(Received 2.50 a.m. 30th.)
Col. JAMES A. HARDIE,
Inspector-General, Washington, D. C:
In compliance with your dispatch of the 28th instant, I now send you the names of eight
colonels who are recommended by their immediate and superior commanders for promotion, and
I earnestly recommend that they be appointed brigadier-generals: Col. William Grose, Thirtysixth
Indiana; Col. Charles C. Walcutt, Forty-sixth Ohio; Col. James W. Reilly, One hundred and
fourth Ohio; Col. L. P. Bradley, Fifty-first Illinois; Col. J. W. Sprague, Sixty-third Ohio; Col.
Joseph A. Cooper, Sixth East Tennessee; Col. John T. Croxton, Fourth Kentucky; Col. William
151
W. Belknap, Fifteenth Iowa. Three of them are from each of the armies of the Cumberland and
Tennessee, and two of the Army of the Ohio, and are all at their posts doing good service.
W. T. SHERMAN,
Major-General.
HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Atlanta, Ga., July 29, 1864.
Brig. Gen. GILES A. SMITH,
Comdg. Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps:
The general commanding thanks you for the assistance rendered him yesterday by sending to
his support the Fifteenth Iowa and Thirty-second Ohio Regiments, under command of Col.
William W. Belknap.
The general also thanks Colonel Belknap and his brave men for the efficient manner in which
they performed their duty.
By order of Brig. Gen. M. L. Smith:
G. LOFLAND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
July 30, 1864.
Maj. Gen. W. T. SHERMAN,
Commanding, &c., before Atlanta, Ga.:
Cols. William Grose, Thirty-sixth Indiana; Charles C. Walcutt, Forty. Sixth Ohio; James W.
Reilly, One hundred and fourth Ohio; Luther P. Bradley, Fifty-first Illinois; John W. Sprague,
Sixty-third Ohio; Joseph A. Cooper, Sixth Tennessee; John T. Croxton, Fourth Kentucky, and
William W. Belknap, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteers, were this day appointed brigadier-generals of
volunteers. The appointments will be forwarded without delay.
JAS. A. HARDIE,
Colonel and Inspector-General.
HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Before Atlanta, Ga., July 31, 1864.
Capt. L. M. DAYTON,
A. D. C. and A. A. A. G., Military Division of the Mississippi :
CAPTAIN: The following regiments and detachments were detailed from this corps to take
part in the Red River expedition, under General A. J. Smith, viz, Third Iowa Infantry Volunteers,
Forty-first Illinois Infantry Volunteers, Eighty-first Illinois Infantry Volunteers, Ninety-fifth
Illinois Infantry Volunteers, Fourteenth Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers, Thirty-third Wisconsin
Infantry Volunteers, Fifty-eighth Ohio Infantry Volunteers. I heard unofficially that upon their
return to the Mississippi River they were ordered to rejoin this corps, but were detained at
Memphis to take part in the recent operations of General A. J. Smith in Mississippi. Learning
that this expedition has accomplished its purpose and has returned to Memphis, I have the honor
to request that if consistent with the interests of the public service, these regiments and
detachments may be ordered to rejoin this command without delay.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
FRANK P. BLAIR, JR.
152
OFFICERS' PRISON, Macon, Ga., August 6, 1864.
Major-General SHERMAN,
Commanding Division of the Mississippi:
I have the honor of making the following report: On the 30th of July, near Newnan, Ga.,
General McCook ordered me to dismount two of my regiments to fight the enemy on foot. The
Fourth Tennessee and Fifth Iowa were dismounted, when I dismounted, directing my orderly to
follow me with my horse. We drove the enemy for one mile through the woods. I there found the
enemy in overwhelming numbers in front, and that they were passing in my rear between my line
and the main line of our force. We here commenced retreating and fighting the enemy in our
rear. My horse had failed to come up with me. After three personal encounters with the enemy I
was separated from my force, and, suffering with cramp in my right leg, I was forced to
surrender to a party of the enemy then confronting me. Six of my line officers, 4 of my surgeons,
and about 50 of my men were taken with me. They are all retained as prisoners. I am in fine
health, not wounded, as reported.
T. J. HARRISON,
Colonel, Commanding Cavalry
HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., SECOND DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,
Rome, Ga., August 15, 1864.
Lieut. Col. F. J. HURLBUT, Fifty-seventh Illinois Infantry:
COLONEL: You will take command of the two regiments (Thirty-ninth Iowa and Fiftyseventh
Illinois Infantry) and move to Kingston, Ga., by raft at once, reporting to General John
E. Smith at Kingston.
By order of Col. R. Rowett:
J. S. ROBINSON,
Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
RESACA, August 17, 1864--2.30 p.m.
General SHERMAN:
I am just from Tilton. Your dispatch of 1.45 p.m. received. A dispatch written at Tilton is my
answer, as follows:
The Seventeenth Iowa prisoners, of whose capture I advised you, were paroled by Wheeler
eight miles beyond and northeast of Spring Place last evening about sundown. They were
escorted to that place. I reached here at noon. They report that Wheeler had a very heavy force---
from 10,000 to 12,000. Before the prisoners were paroled the entire force moved off north on the
Federal road. General Steedman obtained information that Wheeler had divided his force,
sending one column against Cartersville, one against Cleveland, and one toward Chattanooga.
General Steedman, with his force,' has returned to Chattanooga. These facts I learn from an
officer from Dalton. I have sent a courier to General Smith. Telegraphed General Steedman via
Dalton. Train now on the way with message. I have advised post commanders. You shall be in
telegraphic communication with Chattanooga to-night, if not now. I have put 300 men on the
repairs of railroad, and will work every hour until they are completed. Trains are at Resaca to
convey General Smith in any direction. I think he will return to Resaca to-night. I will send you
copy of Wheeler's letter to General Steedman in reference to paroling the prisoners. I ask that
you order them on duty.
2.45 P.M.
153
Since reaching the telegraph office I have received the following letter from General
Steedman, which shows that Captain Cilley, captain and assistant adjutant-general, who gave me
the information alluded to, was mistaken:
DALTON, August 17, 1864.
Colonel: Please inform General Smith that the enemy has gone to East Tennessee. They
report having captured Cleveland, but I do not credit the report. Push the work on the railroad
with all possible dispatch. Use the siding at Calhoun, and, if necessary, send to Adairsville and
get all the iron you can. Colonel Laiboldt has sent a small regiment to the bridge two miles south
of this point to protect the working party. I have sent for ties and iron, with which any sidings
you may take up can be replaced. Dispatch General Sherman that the enemy has gone to East
Tennessee, and I have returned to Chattanooga to protect the Chickamauga bridges. The force of
the enemy consists of at least 5,000, nine small brigades, and may reach 7,000. My belief is they
intend to capture Knoxville.
JAMES B. STEEDMAN,
Major-General.
I have sent a courier to General Smith from here. I give you the conflicting accounts as to
Wheeler's strength for what they are worth. My own opinion is that he has between 6,000 and
7,000 men.
G. B. RAUM,
Colonel, Commanding.
HDQRS. DETACHMENT THIRD CAVALRY DIVISION,
Sandtown, Ga., August 20, 1864.
Brigadier-General ELLIOTT,
Chief of Cavalry, Department of the Cumberland:
GENERAL: I have the honor to report that Lieutenant-Colonel Klein, commanding First
Brigade, Third Cavalry Division, has just returned to this place with his command. Lieutenant-
Colonel Klein was detached from Brigadier-General Kilpatrick's command on the night of the
18th instant with about 300 men, and proceeding toward the Atlanta and Macon Railroad he
struck that road at Fayette at noon of the 19th instant. At this place he destroyed one-quarter of a
mile of track and captured a train of 8 cars, which he destroyed, together with the locomotive.
Another train arriving from the north with an infantry force, and being also attacked by cavalry,
he was compelled to leave the railroad. Being unable to rejoin General Kilpatrick, in the
direction of Atlanta, he returned to this place with the loss of 2 men.
I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
M. T. PATRICK,
Lieut. Col. Fifth Iowa Cav., Comdg. Detachment Third Cav. Div.
CARTERSVILLE, August 22, 1864.
Major-General STEEDMAN:
I have two of Vandever's regiments here, which, with the Fifth and Tenth Iowa Infantry at
Kingston, I have in readiness to send to Dalton as soon as transportation arrives. Do you wish me
to uncover Etowah and Allatoona by sending up a brigade in addition? General Sherman
instructs me not to uncover these points.
JNO. E. SMITH,
Brigadier-General.
CHATTANOOGA, TENN., September 13, 1864.
154
Maj. S. B. MOE,
Assistant Adjutant-General, District of the Etowah :
MAJOR: In obedience to the desire of the general commanding the district, I beg leave to
submit the following report of the dates and hours of the occurrences of the expedition under his
command: The troops were loaded upon the trains, and the trains left the depot at this place at
7.30 a.m. September 1, and reached Whiteside's Station at 10 a.m. the same day. Here, in
obedience to the orders of the railroad authorities, the command was delayed two hours and
forty-five minutes, awaiting the arrival of three engines and the cabooses. We left White-side's
Station about 12.50 p.m., arrived at Bridgeport, taking on the train at that point the Thirty-ninth
Iowa Regiment, and reached Stevenson at 1.10 p.m. At this point the command was again
delayed one hour and forty-five minutes by the local agent, Mr. Irish, for the purpose of
changing engines and conductors. Mr. Irish also took the responsibility of cutting up one of the
sections of the train and joining the cars belonging to it on the other four sections. By this some
of the regiments were scattered upon three or four trains, and the horses of the artillery separated
from the pieces. The expedition reached Murfreesborough at 10.30 p.m., and was disembarked
from the train at that point. After several hour's rest, to give the troops an opportunity to cook
their rations, the command moved out upon the La Vergne pike at 2.30 p.m. [a.m.] and marched
to that point, reaching there at 9 a.m. Here a messenger was dispatched to General Rousseau, and
awaiting his reply the command rested in camp. At 5 p.m., no word having been received from
General Rousseau, the command was got in readiness to move, when it was reported to the
general commanding that a column of the enemy was moving down the Lebanon pike in the
direction of the town. The command was immediately moved into position, and the Eighteenth
Ohio Volunteer Infantry deployed as skirmishers. The enemy advanced within sight of the
skirmish line, but seeing or learning our force from the inhabitants, fell back, refusing attack.
The command then moved up the pike toward Murfreesborough, crossing Stewart's Creek, and
taking up position at the church two miles from the creek. Here on the next morning, the 3d of
September, the enemy again tried to cross, but finding us in their front again retired and moved
up toward Lebanon. At the time the enemy fired upon our pickets, General Milroy had sent word
of his coming up with his cavalry, and the command waited until his arrival before moving. At 9
a.m. General Milroy arrived, and line was formed. The command moved forward in line for one
mile, when it was found that the enemy had left our front. Pursuit was commenced and kept up
as far as old Jefferson Crossing of Stone's River. The command then halted and rested, and then
moved over to the railroad, where it had been destroyed by Wheeler. The trains arrived here
during the night, and at daylight of the 4th of September the command was again embarked upon
the train and moved to Murfreesborough. At 9 a.m. General Milroy sent word that the enemy
was crossing the Salem pike five miles from town, and the command was at once moved in that
direction. While upon the march word was received that the enemy had gone in full retreat, and
General Milroy was in pursuit. The command was moved back to Murfreesborough, where it
remained until 10 a.m. September 5, when we moved upon the trains toward Tullahoma,
repairing some 300 feet of track near Christiana. Upon arriving at Tullahoma a request was
received that the general should move his command to Huntsville and Pulaski. Arrangements
were made to comply with this request, and the expedition arrived in Huntsville upon the trains
at 8.30 a.m. of the 6th of September. Rations were drawn here by the men, and the expedition
proceeded to Pulaski, arriving there at 8.30 p.m., where it remained all night. On the morning of
the 7th the command was moved to Athens, and disembarked about 12 m. Here word was
received that Generals Rousseau and Granger were making for the same point, and we awaited
their arrival. In the mean time Colonel Streight, commanding First Brigade, was sent with his
own and the Third Brigade to Rogersville. Generals Rousseau and Granger arrived at Athens
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September 8, at 4 p.m., and about 6 p.m., at the earnest solicitation of General Steedman, the
whole command of cavalry was set in motion to support Colonel Streight. The cavalry camped at
Elk River on the night of the 8th of September. At 4 a.m. September 9 that command moved and
overtook the infantry under Colonel Streight's command at Shoal Creek about 3.30 p.m. Colonel
Streight had overtaken General Wheeler's rear guard and skirmished with it, driving the enemy
and crossing the creek, where he awaited the arrival of the cavalry. At this point it was
determined by General Rousseau to remain for the night. On the morning of the 10th of
September, after a long delay, the cavalry started in pursuit, and the infantry of this command
awaited developments. In the mean time foraging parties were sent out, and meat sufficient for
two days' rations collected from the rebel citizens of the country. A portion of the command was
moved down to Ferry, where some of the boats of the enemy were concealed. Some
skirmishing was had and the guards of the boats driven from their cover, 1 being killed and
several wounded. Orders to move up to Florence prevented any attempt to gain possession of the
boats. These orders were afterward countermanded, and the troops moved back to their camps.
General Rousseau here announced that Wheeler had crossed the Tennessee River at 4 p.m. On
the morning of the 11th the command started for Athens, reaching Elk River at dark, and Athens
at 9 a.m. on the 12th of September. The command started at 11 a.m. September 12 for
Chattanooga, arriving there at 11.30 p.m.
Accompanying this please find the telegrams received during the expedition. The
organization of the command was as follows: First Brigade, Colonel Streight commanding--
Fifty-first Indiana, Eleventh Michigan, Fourteenth U.S. Colored, Second Ohio Volunteer
Infantry. Second Brigade, Lieutenant-Colonel Dunn commanding--Twenty-ninth Indiana
Infantry, Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Sixty-eighth Indiana Infantry, and detachments of
Fifth and Tenth Iowa. Third Brigade, Lieutenant-Colonel Hurlbut commanding--Thirty-ninth
Iowa, Fifty-seventh Illinois.
I have the honor to be, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. E. STANSBURY,
Capt., 19th Infantry, and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
COLLIERVILLE, June 12, 1864.
GENERAL: I have just reached this point with the cavalry and fragments of infantry. Will
you please send by the 11 a.m. train about 25,000 rounds Sharps cavalry ammunition, 10,000
rounds Spencer, and 5,000 rounds Colt revolving rifle, and one day's rations for, say, 4,000 men.
I will send down by first train such sick and wounded as we were able to bring along, and what is
left of the infantry. If it is practicable I would suggest the propriety of sending the Second Iowa
Cavalry in the direction of Salem, as they would no doubt pick up many of our stragglers. Unless
otherwise ordered by you, I will, as soon as I get everything away from this place, send the
cavalry to White's Station.
S. D. STURGIS,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
General WASHBURN.
MEMPHIS, TENN., June 24, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the expedition
which marched from near La Fayette, Tenn., under my command, on the 2d instant:
This expedition was organized and fitted out under the supervision of the major-general
commanding the District of West Tennessee, and I assumed command of it on the morning of the
2d of June, near the town of La Fayette, Tenn., in pursuance of Special Orders, No. 38. dated
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headquarters District of West Tennessee, Memphis, May 31, 1864, and which were received by
me on the 1st instant.
The strength of the command in round numbers was about 8,000 men, and composed as
follows:
Cavalry: First Brigade, Col. G. E. Waring, jr., Fourth Missouri, commanding; strength,
1,500. Second Brigade, Col. E. F. Winslow, Fourth Iowa, commanding; strength, 1,800, with six
pieces of artillery and four mountain howitzers. The division commanded by Brig. Gen. B. H.
Grierson.
Infantry: First Brigade, Col. A. Wilkin, Ninth Minnesota, commanding; strength, 2,000, with
six pieces of artillery. Second Brigade, Col. G. B. Hoge, One hundred and thirteenth Illinois,
commanding; strength, 1,600, with four pieces of artillery. Third Brigade, Col. E. Bouton, Fiftyninth
U.S. Colored Infantry, commanding; strength, 1,200, with two pieces of artillery.
My supply train, carrying rations for eighteen days, consisted of 181 wagons, which, with the
regimental wagons, made up a train of some 250 wagons.
My instructions were substantially as follows, viz: To proceed to Corinth, Miss., by way of
Salem and Ruckersville, capture any force that might be there, then proceed south, destroying the
Mobile and Ohio Railroad to Tupelo and Okolona, and as far as possible toward Macon and
Columbus, with a portion of my force, thence to Grenada and back to Memphis. A discretion
was allowed me as to the details of the movement when circumstances might arise which could
not have been anticipated in my instructions. Owing to some misunderstanding on the part of the
quartermaster as to the point on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad at which some forage was
to have been deposited from the cars there was some little delay occasioned in getting the
column in motion.
The following incidents of the march are taken from the journal kept from day to day by one
of my staff, Capt. W. C. Rawolle, aide-de-camp and acting assistant adjutant-general:
Wednesday, June 1.--Expedition started from Memphis and White's Station toward La
Fayette.
Thursday, June 2.--The general and staff left Memphis on the 5 a.m. train and established
headquarters at Leake's house, near La Fayette, and assumed command. Cavalry moved to the
intersection of State Line and Early Grove roads, six miles from La Fayette. It rained at intervals
all day and part of the night.
Friday, June 3.--Ordered the cavalry to move to within three or four miles of Salem. Infantry
marched to Lamar, eighteen miles from La Fayette. Owing to the heavy rains during the day and
the bad condition of the roads and bridges the train could only move to within four miles of
Lamar, and did not get into park until 11 p.m., the colored brigade remaining with the train as a
guard.
Saturday, June 4.--Informed General Grierson that the infantry and train under the most
favorable circumstances could only make a few miles beyond Salem, and to regulate his march
accordingly. Train arrived at Lamar about noon, issued rations to the infantry and rested the
animals. It rained heavily until 1 p.m., making the roads almost impassable. Moved headquarters
to the Widow Spight's house, two miles west of Salem, and Colonel Hoge's brigade of infantry to
Robinson's house, four miles from Salem.
Sunday, June 5.--Infantry and train started at 4.30 a.m. and joined the cavalry two miles east
of Salem at 10 a.m.; issued rations to the cavalry and fed the forage collected by them. Infantry
remained in camp during the day. Cavalry moved to the intersection of the La Grange and Ripley
and the Salem and Ruckersville roads. Col. Joseph Kargé, Second New Jersey, with 400 men,
started at 6 p.m., with instructions to move, via Ripley, to Rienzi, to destroy the railroad; to
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proceed north, destroy bridge over Tuscumbia) and to join General Grierson at Ruckersville.
Heavy showers during the afternoon.
Monday, June 6.--Infantry and train moved at 4 a.m. on the Ruckersville road. Commenced
raining at 5 a.m. and continued at intervals all day. Progress very slow; marched thirteen miles
and made headquarters at Widow Childers', at intersection of the Saulsbury and Ripley and the
Ruckersville and Salem roads. Cavalry moved to Ruckersville. The advance guard of the infantry
encountered a small party of rebels about noon and chased them toward Ripley on La Grange
and Ripley road.
Tuesday, June 7.--Upon information received from General Grierson that there was no
enemy near Corinth, directed him to move toward Ellistown on direct road from Ripley, and
instruct Colonel Kargé to join him by way of Blackland or Carrollville. Infantry moved to
Ripley, and cavalry encamped on New Albany road, two miles south. Encountered a small party
of rebels near Widow Childers' and drove them toward Ripley. In Ripley met an advance of the
enemy and drove them on New Albany road. Cavalry encountered about a regiment of rebel
cavalry on that road and drove them south. Several showers during the afternoon and the roads
very bad.
Wednesday, June 8.--Received information at 4 a.m. that Colonel Kargé was on an island in
the Hatchie River, and sent him 500 men and two howitzers as re-enforcements. Winslow's
brigade of cavalry moved six miles on the Fulton road; infantry and train moved five miles on
same road. Colonel Waring's brigade remained in Ripley awaiting return of Colonel Kargé, who
joined him at 5 p.m., having swam the Hatchie River. Rained hard during the night.
Thursday, June 9.--Sent back to Memphis 400 sick and worn-out men and forty-one wagons.
Cavalry and infantry moved to Stubbs', fourteen miles from Ripley. Issued five days' rations (at
previous camp). Rained two hours in the evening.
Friday, June 10.--Encountered the enemy at Brice's Cross-Roads, twenty-three miles from
Ripley and six miles from Guntown.
At Ripley it became a serious question in my mind as to whether or not I should proceed any
farther. The rain still fell in torrents. The artillery and wagons were literally mired down, and the
starved and exhausted animals could with difficulty drag them along. Under these circumstances
I called together my division commanders and placed before them my views of our condition. At
this interview one brigade commander and two members of my staff were, incidentally, present
also. I called their attention to the great delay we had undergone on account of the continuous
rain and consequent bad condition of the roads; the exhausted condition of our animals; the great
probability that the enemy would avail himself of the time thus afforded him to concentrate an
overwhelming force against us in the vicinity of Tupelo, and the utter hopelessness of saving our
train or artillery in case of defeat, on account of the narrowness and general bad condition of the
roads and the impossibility of procuring supplies of forage for the animals. All agreed with me in
the probable consequences of defeat. Some thought our only safety lay in retracing our steps and
abandoning the expedition. It was urged, however (and with some propriety, too), that inasmuch
as I had abandoned a similar expedition only a few weeks before and given as my reasons for so
doing the "utter and entire destitution of the country," and that in the face of this we were again
sent through the same country, it would be ruinous on all sides to return again without first
meeting the enemy. Moreover, from a11 the information General Washburn had acquired, there
could be no considerable force in our front, and all my own information led to the same
conclusion. To be sure my information was exceedingly meager and unsatisfactory, and had I
returned I would have been totally unable to present any facts to justify my course, or to show
why the expedition might not have been successfully carried forward. All I could have presented
would have been my conjectures as to what the enemy would naturally do under the
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circumstances, and these would have availed but little against the idea that the enemy was
scattered and had no considerable force in our front. Under these circumstances, and with a sad
foreboding of the consequences, I determined to move forward, keeping my force as compact as
possible and ready for action at all times, hoping that we might succeed, and feeling that if we
did not yet our losses might at most be insignificant in comparison with the great benefits which
might accrue to General Sherman by the depletion of Johnston's army to so large an extent.
On the evening of the 8th, one day beyond Ripley, I assembled the commanders of infantry
brigades at the headquarters of Colonel McMillen, and cautioned them as to the necessity of
enforcing rigid discipline in their camps, keeping their troops always in hand and ready to act on
a moment's notice; that it was impossible to gain any accurate or reliable information of the
enemy, and that it behooved us to move and act constantly as though in his presence; that we
were now where we might encounter him at any moment, and that we must under no
circumstances allow ourselves to be surprised.
On the morning of the 10th the cavalry marched at 5.30 o'clock, and the infantry at 7, thus
allowing the infantry to follow immediately in rear of the cavalry, as it would take the cavalry a
full hour and a haft to clear their camp. The habitual order of march was as follows, viz: Cavalry,
with its artillery, in advance; infantry, with its artillery, next; and lastly the supply train, guarded
by the rear brigade, with one of its regiments at the head, one near the middle, and one with a
section of artillery in the rear. A company of pioneers preceded the infantry for the purpose of
repairing the roads, building bridges, &c. On this morning I had preceded the head of the
infantry column and arrived at a point some five miles from camp, where I found an unusually
bad place in the road, and one that would require considerable time and labor to render
practicable. While halted here to await the head of the column I received a message from
General Grierson that he had encountered a portion of the enemy's cavalry. In a few minutes
more I received another message from him, saying the enemy numbered some 600 and were on
the Baldwyn road; that he was himself at Brice's Cross-Roads, and that his position was a good
one, and he would hold it. He was then directed to leave 600 or 700 men at the cross-roads to
precede the infantry on its arrival, on its march toward Guntown, and with the remainder of his
force to drive the enemy toward Baldwyn, and then rejoin the main body by way of the line of
the railroad, as I did not intend being drawn from my main purpose. Colonel McMillen arrived at
this time, and I rode forward toward the cross-roads. Before proceeding far, however, I sent a
staff officer back directing Colonel McMillen to move up his advanced brigade as rapidly as
possible without distressing his troops. When I reached the crossroads I found nearly all the
cavalry engaged, and the battle growing warm, but no artillery had yet opened on either side. We
had four pieces of artillery at the cross-roads, but they had not been placed in position, owing to
the dense woods on all sides, and the apparent impossibility of using them to advantage. Finding,
however, that our troops were being hotly pressed, I ordered one section to open on the enemy's
reserves. The enemy's artillery soon replied, and with great accuracy, every shell bursting over
and in the immediate vicinity of our guns. Frequent calls were now made for re-enforcements,
but until the infantry should arrive I had, of course, none to give. Colonel Winslow, Fourth Iowa
Cavalry, commanding a brigade, and occupying a position on the Guntown road a little in
advance of the cross-roads, was especially clamorous to be relieved and permitted to carry his
brigade to the rear. Fearing that Colonel Winslow might abandon his position without authority,
and knowing the importance of the cross-roads to us, I directed him in case he should be
overpowered to fall back slowly toward the cross-roads, thus contracting his line and
strengthening his position. I was especially anxious on this point, because; through some
misunderstanding that I am yet unable to explain, the cavalry had been withdrawn without my
knowledge from the left, and I was compelled to occupy the line temporarily with my escort,
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consisting of about 100 of the Nineteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry. This handful of troops, under
the gallant Lieutenant-Colonel Hess, behaved very handsomely, and held the line until the arrival
of the infantry. About 1.30 p.m. the infantry began to arrive. Colonel Hoge's brigade was first to
reach the field, and was placed in position by Colonel McMillen, when the enemy was driven a
little. General Grierson now requested authority to withdraw the entire cavalry, as it was
exhausted and well-nigh out of ammunition. This I authorized as soon as sufficient infantry was
in position to permit it, and he was directed to reorganize his command in the rear and hold it
ready to operate on the flanks. In the mean time I had ordered a section of artillery to be placed
in position on a knoll near the little bridge, some 300 or 400 yards in rear, for the purpose of
opposing any attempt of the enemy to turn our left, I now went to this point to see that my orders
had been executed, and also to give directions for the management and protection of the wagon
train. I found the section properly posted and supported by the Seventy-second Ohio Infantry,
with two companies thrown forward as skirmishers, and the whole under the superintendence of
that excellent officer, Colonel Wilkin, of the Ninth Minnesota. While here the head of the wagon
train, which had been reported still a mile and a half in rear, arrived. It was immediately ordered
into an open field near where the cavalry were reorganizing, there to be turned round and carried
farther toward the rear. The pressure on the right of the line was now becoming very great, and
General Grierson was directed to send a portion of his cavalry to that point. At this time I
received a message from Colonel Hoge that he was satisfied that the movement on the right was
a feint, and that the real attack was being made on the left. Another section of artillery was now
placed in position a little to the rear of Colonel Wilkin, but bearing on the left of our main line,
and a portion of the cavalry was thrown out as skirmishers. The cavalry which had been sent to
the extreme right began now to give way, and at the same time the enemy began to appear in
force in rear of the extreme left, while Colonel McMillen required re-enforcements in the center.
I now endeavored to get hold of the colored brigade, which formed the guard to the train. While
traversing the short distance to where the head of that brigade should be found, the main line
began to give way at various points. Order soon gave way to confusion and confusion to panic. I
sent an aide to Colonel McMillen, informing him that I was unable to render him any additional
assistance, and that he must do all in his power with what he had to hold his position until I could
form a line to protect his retreat. On reaching the head of the supply train Lieutenant-Colonel
Hess was directed to place in position in a wood the first regiment of colored troops I could find.
This was done, and it is due to those troops to say here that they stood their ground well and
rendered valuable aid to Colonel McMillen, who was soon after compelled to withdraw from his
original line and take up new position in rear. It was now 5 p.m. For seven hours these gallant
officers and men had held their ground against overwhelming numbers; but at last, overpowered
and exhausted, they were compelled to abandon not only the field, but many of their gallant
comrades who had fallen, to the mercy of the enemy. Everywhere the army now drifted toward
the rear, and was soon altogether beyond control. I requested General Grierson to accompany
me, and to aid in checking the fleeing column and establishing a new line. By dint of entreaty
and force, and the aid of several officers, whom I called to my assistance, with pistols h, their
hands, we at length succeeded in checking some 1,200 or 1,500, and establishing them in a line,
of which Colonel Wilkin, Ninth Minnesota, was placed in command. About this time it was
reported to me that Colonel McMillen was driving the enemy. I placed but little faith in this
report, yet disseminated it freely for the good effect it might produce upon the troops. In a few
minutes, however, the gallant Colonel McMillen, sad and disheartened, arrived himself and
reported his lines broken and in confusion. The new line, under Colonel Wilkin, also gave way
soon after, and it was now impossible to exercise any further control. The road became crowded
and jammed with troops, the wagons and artillery, sinking into the deep mud, became
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inextricable, and added to the general confusion that now prevailed. No power could now check
or control the panic-stricken mass as it swept toward the rear, led off by Colonel Winslow, at the
head of his brigade of cavalry, and who never halted until he had reached Stubbs', ten miles in
rear. This was the greater pity, as his brigade was nearly, if not entirely, intact, and might have
offered considerable resistance to the advancing foe. About 10 p.m. I reached Stubbs' in person,
where I found Colonel Winslow and his brigade. I then informed him that his was the only
organized body of men I had been able to find, and directed him to add to his own every possible
force he could rally as they passed, and take charge of the rear, remaining in position until all
should have passed. I also informed him that on account of the extreme darkness of the night and
the wretched condition of the road I had little hope of saving anything more than the troops, and
directed him, therefore, to destroy all wagons and artillery which he might find blocking up the
road and preventing the passage of the men. In this way about 200 wagons and 14 pieces of
artillery were lost, many of the wagons being burned, and the artillery spiked and otherwise
mutilated; the mules and horses were brought away.
By 7 a.m. of the 11th we had reorganized at Ripley, and the army presented quite a
respectable appearance, and would have been able to accomplish an orderly retreat from that
point but for the unfortunate circumstance that the cartridge-boxes were well nigh exhausted. At
7 o'clock the column was again put in motion on the Salem road, the cavalry in advance,
followed by the infantry. The enemy pressed heavily on the rear, and there was now nothing left
but to keep in motion, so as to prevent the banking up of the rear, and to pass all cross-roads
before the enemy could reach them, as the command was in no condition to offer determined
resistance, whether attacked in the front or the rear.
At 8 a.m. on the 12th the column reached Collierville worn and exhausted by the fatigues of
fighting and marching for two days and two nights without rest and without eating. About noon
of the same day a train arrived from Memphis bringing some 2,000 infantry, commanded by
Colonel Wolfe, and supplies for my suffering men, and I determined to remain here until next
day for the purpose of resting and affording protection to many who had dropped by the wayside,
through fatigue and other causes. Learning, however, toward evening that the commander at
White's Station had information of a large force of the enemy approaching that place from the
southeast, and knowing that my men were in no condition to offer serious resistance to an enemy
presenting himself across my line of march, I informed the general commanding the district by
telegraph that I deemed it prudent to continue my march to White's Station. Accordingly, at 9
p.m. the column marched again, and arrived at White's Station at daylight next morning.
This report having already become more circumstantial than was anticipated I have purposely
omitted the details of our march from Ripley to White's Station, as they would extend it to a
tiresome length, but would respectfully refer you for these to the sub-reports herewith inclosed.
It is difficult to furnish any accurate estimate of the losses of the enemy, but they are
supposed by the principal officers of my command to be fully as great as our own in killed and
wounded, and by many supposed to largely exceed ours. I need hardly add that it is with feelings
of the most profound pain and regret that I find myself called upon to record a defeat and the loss
and suffering incident to a reverse at a point so far distant from the base of supplies and reenforcements.
Yet there is some consolation in knowing that the army fought nobly while it did
fight, and only yielded to overwhelming numbers.
The strength of the enemy is variously estimated by my most intelligent officers at from
15,000 to 20,000 men. A very intelligent sergeant who was captured and remained five days in
the hands of the enemy reports the number of the enemy actually engaged to have been 12,000,
and that two divisions of infantry were held in reserve. It may appear strange that so large a force
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of the enemy could be in our vicinity and we be ignorant of the fact, but the surprise will exist
only in the minds of those who are not familiar with the difficulty (I may even say impossibility)
of acquiring reliable information in the heart of the enemy's country. Our movements and
numbers are always known to the enemy because every woman and child is one of them, but we,
as everybody knows who has had any experience in this war, can only learn the movements of
the enemy and his numbers by actually fighting for the information, and in that case the
knowledge often comes too late.
That our loss was great is true; yet, that it was not much greater is due in an eminent degree
to the personal exertions of that model soldier, Col. W. L. McMillen, of the Ninety-fifth Ohio
Infantry, who commanded the infantry, and to the able commanders under him.
While I will not prolong this already extended report by recording individual acts of good
conduct and the names of many brave officers and men who deserve mention, but will
respectfully refer you for these to the reports of division and brigade commanders, yet I cannot
refrain from expressing my high appreciation of the valuable services rendered by that excellent
and dashing officer, Col. Joseph Kargé, of the Second New Jersey Volunteers, in his
reconnaissance to Corinth, and his subsequent management of the rear guard, during a part of the
retreat, fighting and defending the rear during one whole afternoon and throughout the entire
night following.
To the officers of my staff--Lieut. Col. J. C. Hess, Nineteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry,
commanding escort; Capt. W. C. Rawolle, aide-de-camp and acting assistant adjutant-general;
Capt. W. S. Belden, Second Iowa Cavalry, aide-de-camp; Lieut. E. Calkins, Seventh Indiana
Cavalry, aide-de-camp; Lieut. Samuel Oakford, Nineteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, aide-de-camp;
Lieutenant Dement, acting assistant quartermaster; Lieut. W. H. Stratton, Seventh Illinois
Cavalry, acting commissary of subsistence, whose names appear in no other report---I am
especially grateful for the promptness and zeal with which my orders were executed at all times,
and often under trying and hazardous circumstances.
I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. D. STURGIS,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Maj. W. H. MORGAN,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Hdqrs. Dist. of West Tennessee, Memphis, Tenn
SIR: I have the honor to report, for the information of the colonel commanding, the part
taken by the First Brigade, Infantry Division, commanded by myself in the recent engagement at
Brice's Cross-Roads, near Guntown, Miss., on the 10th instant:
My brigade on that day marched in the rear of the Second Brigade, commanded by Colonel
Hoge, the Third (colored) Brigade, commanded by Colonel Bouton, being in the rear of the First.
About 11 o'clock on the morning of the 10th firing was heard in front, and I was shortly after
informed that our cavalry had engaged that of the enemy and been driven back from Brice's
Cross-Roads about six miles in advance. Soon after the Second Brigade was ordered to advance
at double-quick, and I received orders to march my command as rapidly as I could do without
leaving the supply train. Soon after, hearing that the Second Brigade was being severely pressed,
I sent for permission to advance more rapidly, leaving the train to be protected by the Third
Brigade. Permission having been obtained I moved on the double-quick for about one mile, and
reached Brice's house about 1.30 o'clock, when the brigade was halted. Colonel McMillen then
led the Ninety-fifth Ohio, Lieuten-ant-Colonel Brumback commanding, down the road leading
past Brice's house, toward Baldwyn, and posted it on the left of the road and on the left of the
[One hundred and thirteenth?] Illinois, about one-quarter of a mile beyond Brice's house. I then
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returned with him to the brigade, and was directed to repair, with the Seventy-second Ohio and
the section of Captain Mueller's Sixth Indiana Battery, to the knoll, on which stood a log-house,
about 800 yards in rear of Brice's house and on the right as you go to Ripley. After the guns had
been placed in position and Captain ------'s company of the Seventy-second Ohio had been
thrown forward toward the woods in front, the balance of the regiment having formed in line on
its left for support, understanding that the enemy were endeavoring to get around our left in order
to reach the train on the Ripley road, I directed Captain Mueller to throw a few shells into the
timber, which was done with great precision and effect, and which evidently checked their
progress. Soon after I was joined by about seventy-five dismounted cavalry, under command of
an officer whose name I have not been able to learn, who formed line and kept up a spirited fire
upon the enemy advancing from the direction of the crossroads. Shortly after this a small body of
the enemy, evidently skirmishers, were seen crossing the open field in our rear and toward the
Ripley road. Lieutenant-Colonel Eaton, commanding the Seventy-second Ohio, in connection
with the dismounted cavalry, opened fire upon them and drove them back in confusion to the
woods.
About this time I was directed by a staff officer of the colonel commanding to advance with
the Seventy-second Ohio across the open fields in our front and to the right of the road, and take
a position in the edge of the woods. After proceeding a short distance, orders were given to
return to the first position, which was done. Upon my return I found Captain Mueller had left
with his guns, as I presume with orders given during my absence, his support having been
removed. About this time Captain [Ewing] of the [Fifty-fifth U.S. Colored] Regiment, African
descent, reported to me with his company, and although wounded in the leg and the only officer
with the company, expressed his readiness to be of service. I directed him to send a few
skirmishers in front of the log-house into the ravine, and to form the remainder of his command
behind the fences and log buildings near by, which was done. Soon after the enemy's shell and
canister were falling thick and fast around us. The remainder of our forces had passed us and we
were left alone. Turning, I observed my command moving by the flank to the rear across the
creek and bottom, having, as I understood, been ordered to fall back in order to form a new line.
Having proceeded about half a mile, Brigadier-General Grierson rode up and directed
Lieutenant-Colonel Eaton to form his regiment behind the fences on the right of the road, in rear
of open fields, and resist the advance of the enemy as long as practicable. I then rode on to
overtake the balance of the brigade. At the White house, about a mile in the rear and in the road,
I found the Ninety-fifth Ohio, Ninety-third Indiana, One hundred and fourteenth Illinois, and
Ninth Minnesota. I was then directed by the colonel commanding division to form my brigade in
line on the right of the road (as you go toward Ripley), and to contest the ground if possible until
night set in. I was informed that the Second Brigade, Colonel Hoge commanding, and the Third
(colored) Brigade, Colonel Bouton commanding, were on our right, and that Colonel McMillen
had himself placed the Ninety-third Indiana and Ninety-fifth Ohio on the left of the Second
Brigade. I was instructed that when they should be obliged to retire through my line my
command should remain, the brigades relieving each other as they retired. I formed the Ninth
Minnesota and One hundred and fourteenth Illinois respectively on the right of the road, as you
go toward Ripley, and sent out skirmishers, who soon found the enemy in front. Lieutenant-
Colonel King having informed me that his ammunition was almost exhausted, I directed
Lieutenant Couse, Ninth Minnesota Volunteers, acting assistant adjutant-general, to proceed to
the rear to procure a supply, but finding no means of transportation he brought back one box on
his horse.
The fighting at this time was severe, continuing for over half an hour and until sundown, with
considerable loss, when, being informed that we had no support on right or left, and that the
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enemy were about to move around our flank, I ordered the command to fall back, which they did
in good order, frequent facing to the rear and firing upon the enemy. We shortly after received an
enfilading fire as we moved down the road, when I placed the command among the trees on one
side. We soon arrived at the slope where part of the train had been abandoned and a portion
being burned. Shortly after passing the creek I observed the skirmishers of the Third Brigade in
the open fields on our left. Perceiving an officer with them, I directed him to have the men form
on the right of the Ninth Minnesota in a thicket in front of which were large open fields, over
which the enemy must pass. He informed me that he was not in command, but pointed out to me
Lieutenant-Colonel Cowden, who was severely wounded. The Ninth Minnesota formed, the One
hundred and fourteenth Illinois being on the right, as I am informed by Lieutenant-Colonel King.
The enemy soon appeared in large numbers but not in line, when a heavy fire was opened upon
them from the thicket, which was kept up for about twenty minutes, and large numbers fell. They
retired in confusion. This was between sundown and dark, and the enemy did not again appear in
force. About 8 o'clock in the evening I halted the command in order to give them rest. At this
point an officer in command of a squadron of cavalry reported to me that the camp-fires in front
were built by him under orders from the general commanding, in order to deceive the enemy, and
that he was directed to remain until we had passed, and then proceed to the front. I then moved
forward the command until I joined the colored brigade. The progress was slow, and I was
informed that we were delayed by the train which was slowly passing the bottom land and creek
some distance ahead. About midnight I was informed that the portion of the train in front had
been abandoned, its farther progress being impossible. Finding this to be the case, I directed the
animals remaining with the rear of the train to be taken out and the wagons abandoned. The train
was not burned, as I thought it probable that our line of battle had been reformed beyond, and
that it might yet be saved. Moreover, I feared the conflagration might lead the enemy to believe
that we were in full retreat and lead to their immediate advance in force.
About daylight the Fourth Iowa Cavalry passed us going to the front. Shortly after our rear
was fired upon by small parties of guerrillas. At the Llewellen Church we found Colonel
Winslow's brigade of cavalry formed in echelon by squadrons, who were skirmishing sharply
with the enemy on the opposite side of the stream. Arriving at Ripley at 7.30 a.m., I waited for
orders, but receiving none, and perceiving other troops continue to pass on the road to the front,
the cavalry remaining to protect our rear, I again took up the line of march. Hearing at the crossroads,
where I halted for an hour, that the enemy in force were falling upon a large detachment of
our rear on the Salem road, and that a large cavalry force was about three miles in our rear, and
being almost out of ammunition, I concluded to follow the Saulsbury road, and toward evening
was joined by Captain Foster, Fifty-ninth Regiment, African descent, with about 600 of his own
and the Fifty-fifth Regiment, African descent, he having crossed over from the Salem road,
which he considered unsafe. That night we bivouacked near Brooks', about five miles from
Saulsbury.
The next morning at daylight we resumed the march, and after proceeding about three miles
turned to the left, taking a settlement road leading to Davis' Mills. Upon arriving at Davis' I
found the bridge partially destroyed, and upon halting to repair it we were fired upon by a
considerable number of the enemy, who were soon driven back, after wounding two of our men
on the hill and one of the flankers of the One hundred and fourteenth Illinois, and hitting the
horse of Lieutenant Colonel King while passing the swamp beyond the bridge. Soon after we
were again attacked in front, but owing to the vigilance of the half-breed scouts of Company H,
Ninth Minnesota, and the handsome conduct of the advanced guard of the Ninety-fifth Ohio,
under command of Captain ------, they were unable to do much execution. At one time our rear
was charged upon by about 150 of Buford's cavalry, but they were repulsed by the negro troops
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and a few of the half-breeds. Our rear was, however, occasionally fired upon until long after
dark, but the imperturbable coolness and steadiness of the colored troops, under command of
Captain Foster, kept them in check and prevented confusion.
At 12 o'clock on the night of the 12th the command bivouacked four miles east of
Collierville, which place was reached about 9 a.m. next day. We found here neither cars, rations,
nor re-enforcements. The command rested until noon. In the :heart time, Lieutenant Hesmer, of
the One hundred and thirteenth Illinois, brigade inspector, volunteered to proceed to some point
on the railroad from which information could be communicated of our approach. He was joined
by Captain ------, of the One hundred and eighth Illinois, Sergeant ------, and two privates.
Within three miles of Collierville they were attacked by a party numbering about fifteen, who
ordered them to halt. Their horses, already jaded, were put to their speed. Although frequently
fired upon and closely followed, no one of the party was killed or wounded. I regret to say,
however, that the gallant captain and the sergeant were captured. The lieutenant and the two
privates arrived in safety at White's Station at 10 a.m. As the command approached the vicinity
where the party referred to was attacked, the column was halted and the scouts sent in advance,
who soon discovered a party of the enemy. Skirmishing continued until the whistle of the train
which brought re-enforcements was heard. Hard bread was here issued to the men, while the
infantry re-enforcements, and the cavalry command under Major Malone, formed line of battle in
front of the train in time to meet the attack of a regiment of the enemy's cavalry. The command,
numbering about 1,600 of the different brigades, arrived in Memphis on the same evening, 13th
instant, in a pitiable condition. Nearly all were barefooted, their feet badly blistered and swollen,
and in some cases poisoned. Most of them had eaten nothing for three days and all had suffered
for want of food.
Colonel Thomas, commanding the Ninety-third Indiana; Lieutenant-Colonel King,
commanding One hundred and fourteenth Illinois; Lieutenant-Colonel Brumback, commanding
Ninety-fifth Ohio; Lieutenant-Colonel Eaton, commanding Seventy-second Ohio; Lieutenant-
Colonel Marsh, commanding Ninth Minnesota; Captain Fitch, commanding Light Battery E,
[First Illinois,] and Captain Mueller, commanding section of Sixth Indiana Battery, deserve
special mention for the judicious and gallant manner in which they handled their respective
commands. I am much indebted to Lieutenant-Colonels King, Bruinback, and Eaton, and
Lieutenant-Colonel Floyd, of the One hundred and twentieth Illinois, and other officers, for
information in regard to the roads over which we passed in the retreat.
I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of each member of my staff. The duties imposed
upon them were onerous in the extreme, owing to their limited number. Lieutenant Couse,
adjutant of the Ninth Minnesota, acting assistant adjutant-general, although under fire for the
first time, conducted himself with all the coolness of a veteran. Lieutenant Hosmer, One hundred
and thirteenth Illinois, inspector of the brigade, rendered me great service as an aide. His gallant
conduct deserves great praise. I am also greatly indebted to Lieutenant Bailey, of the Nineteenth
Pennsylvania Cavalry, who volunteered his services as an aide early in the action, and remained
with me, rendering valuable service, until obliged to rejoin his regiment. Acting Brigade Surgeon
R. H. Bingham, and acting brigade quartermaster, Lieutenant Mourer, of One hundred and
fourteenth Illinois Infantry, performed with credit their respective duties.
I transmit herewith the reports of the regimental and battery commanders, with the list of
casualties accompanying the same. I would here remark that I had no opportunity of seeing the
Ninety-fifth Ohio while engaged with the enemy. Its severe loss attests its gallant conduct and
great exposure.
I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,
ALEX. WILKIN,
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Colonel Ninth Minnesota Infty. Vols., late Comdg. First Brig., &c.
Lieut. O. H. ABEL,
Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Infantry Division, U.S. Forces, &c.
HEADQUARTERS NINETY-THIRD INDIANA INFANTRY,
June 16, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by my regiment at the
battle of Brice's Cross Roads:
On the morning of the 1st of June I left Memphis with the brigade, composed of the Seventysecond
Ohio, Ninety-fifth Ohio, One hundred and fourteenth Illinois, Ninety-third Indiana (my
regiment), and at the depot we were joined by the Ninth Minnesota, who were temporarily
attached to the brigade.
There was nothing worthy of note occurred except the incessant rain and the almost utter
impossibility of moving through the road, until the 10th of the month. About 11 o'clock word
came to me that it was necessary for me to move up at quick time; that the cavalry had been
engaged and the enemy had turned their left flank. This was about three miles from the field of
battle. As soon as I received the word I ordered my men to close up and prepare their guns for
action, supposing, of course, the cavalry had met a superior force and had been driven back; and
I also heard that the One hundred and thirteenth Illinois had been moved forward on the doublequick,
taking position which checked the enemy somewhat. When I got within one mile and a
half of the battleground I found the cavalry in considerable confusion at a bridge, trying to
reorganize. Passing on to the battle-field, I found Colonel McMillen taking charge of the infantry
as it came in, and placing it in position. He told me to take the position on the right of the road
leading to Guntown, which I did, he staying until I was in position. He also told me to hold the
position at all hazards, which I attempted to do. When in position I threw out Company E as
skirmishers in front of the line. In a few minutes we received a fire, and upon looking up I saw
men advancing upon my line, dressed in our uniform and carrying the Union flag, but firing upon
us as they advanced. Some of my men, upon receiving the fire, commenced firing upon them.
Myself and Lieutenant-Colonel Poole, stopped the firing, supposing, of course, it was our own
men, when they (the rebels) pound into my ranks a murderous fire, thinning my ranks at a fearful
rate. I then gave the command to my men "to fire." Then commenced one of the hardest
contested battles I have ever witnessed; the enemy flanking me every few moments and my men
changing their front, contesting for every foot of ground. At this time I threw Companies A and
F to the right as skirmishers to protect my flank, and also threw back the right wing to change my
front; Companies A and F fell back to the line, losing fearfully. Here Lieutenant-Colonel Poole,
Adjutant Moody, and Lieutenant Reeves fell mortally wounded and have since died; Lieutenant
Mooney and Captain Courvoisier were also badly wounded.
After my line was formed I pressed forward again upon the enemy, drove them some
considerable distance, and was again outflanked and had to again give back, which I did by
retreating and firing, changing my front as often as it was necessary to prevent my men from
being surrounded. I kept retreating and fighting until I got back to the frame house in the forks of
the road. Finding the enemy were following us up very close, and the battery being in danger, I
moved my men forward again, and with the assistance of the Ninth Minnesota Regiment was
enabled to gain the ground first occupied by me in the beginning of the engagement, and the
enemy giving way, left us in comparative quiet for a short time. Getting an order to move back to
the left rear, I started with my men by the right flank and met Captain Fernald, who said I was
ordered to follow him, which I did. We moved by the rear of the batteries to the left, and I think
in the rear of the Third Brigade, on a ridge running parallel with the line of the Third Brigade.
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We had not been here but a short time until we were again flanked and ordered to fall back in the
rear of a fence a little under the crest of the hill. At this point we received a very heavy fire from
the enemy, which we returned, killing and wounding a great many of the enemy. In this line I
found a detachment of the Tenth Missouri Cavalry on my right and the Ninety-fifth Ohio on my
left. Finding the enemy were coming in on our flank and rear, we were ordered by Adjutant
Abel, of Colonel McMillen's staff, to fall back. We moved back in good order until we arrived at
the large white house on the hill. Here I found Colonel Wilkin and the rest of the brigade,
forming a line of battle on the left of the road facing the first battle-ground. Colonel McMillen
rode by and requested me to ride with him a short distance. I left the command of the regiment to
Captain Swift, and when I returned to where I had left him he had moved off to the right, and left
some ten or twenty men whom I got together, and with some of them I burned a portion of the
wagon train. I then moved forward and in a short time I caught up with the regiment, which, I
think, was composed of about 190 men. About this time the retreat had commenced in good
earnest, the wagon train, artillery, and cavalry blocking up the road so effectually it was
impossible to get infantry along it. I gave the command of the regiment to Captain Swift and
went forward on the road.
I arrived at Ripley about 6 o'clock on the morning of the 11th, where I found the regiment. At
7 o'clock orders came for us to take up line of march for Salem. When I got my regiment in line I
was informed that you had not arrived, and we were fearful that you had been captured. I was
ordered to take command of the brigade, which I proceeded to do to the best of my ability. The
cavalry were moving at a very rapid pace, and my orders were to keep my command well closed
up upon the cavalry. In moving out of Ripley our rear guard of cavalry was driven in, and the
enemy came dashing up to within 150 yards of my line and commenced pouring into it a very
severe fire, but we kept moving off rapidly to give way for the Second and Third Brigades,
which were in the rear. At this place the Second and Third Brigades were cut off, which left the
First Brigade in the rear. After marching at an unusual pace for infantry, to keep closed up upon
the cavalry for some six or seven miles, we came to a very bad slough for cavalry or infantry to
cross. The Seventy-second Ohio being across, the Fourth Missouri, being the rear guard and
being hard pressed, came dashing through my rear regiments of infantry, which let the rebels into
them. They, being out of ammunition, were compelled to break to the brush. But very few of
them were captured, but made their way to Collierville, but were compelled to throw away their
guns and accouterments, after destroying them so they would not be any benefit to the enemy.
When the Fourth Missouri broke they came running through my ranks, crying "the enemy is
coming," which caused considerable confusion. I sent forward to the colonel of the Third Iowa
(Colonel Noble), and told him our condition. He immediately threw out two companies of his
regiment, which checked the rebel advance. In a few moments after, Lieutenant-Colonel Eaton,
of the Seventy-second Ohio, came to me and told me that the most of his regiment was captured,
which left me without a command, except a few stragglers whom I told to make the best of their
way to the railroad and follow that down to La Fayette. After this there was nothing of
importance occurred until our arrival at Collierville, where we were relieved by re-enforcements.
The enemy followed us until 4 o'clock Sunday morning, firing into us at every opportunity.
I have in camp about the number of men that I brought off the battle-field proper.
My killed, as far as I am able to ascertain, are 3 officers and 21 enlisted men; and wounded, 3
officers and 58 enlisted men; officers missing, 8; enlisted men missing. 165.
I would beg leave to mention in connection with my report that Col. W. L. McMillen, in
command of the infantry force, was always present in time of need to encourage my men and
give me the assistance necessary, and to his most efficient staff, Captain Fernald, Lieutenant and
Adjutant Abel, Lieutenant Barber, and others, I shall always remain under obligations for their
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valuable assistance. I would also beg leave to mention in connection with my report Captain
McGrayel, Captain Elliott, and Captain Swift, who rendered me most efficient service after the
death of my lieutenant-colonel and adjutant in changing my lines and keeping the men in lines
during the engagements and the retreat. I am also under obligations to Doctors Ford and Sackett,
of my regiment, for services rendered upon the battle-field and after, in caring for the wounded,
&c. Lieutenant and Acting Quartermaster Quail also has my kindest regards for his efficient
services as forage master for regiment and brigade. In fact, the officers and men behaved nobly,
as they have always been in the habit of doing heretofore.
Yours, respectfully,
D. C. THOMAS,
Colonel, Comdg. Ninety-third Regiment Indiana Vols.
Col. ALEXANDER WILKIN,
Commanding First Brigade U.S. Forces in the Field.
HDQRS. SEVENTH INDIANA VOLUNTEER CAVALRY,
Camp at White's Station, June 16, 1864.
I herewith respectfully submit the following report of the Seventh Indiana Volunteer Cavalry
as to the part taken by it in the late expedition of General Sturgis to Brice's Cross-Roads, Miss.,
and the engagement that ensued at that place:
The regiment, 350 strong, in command of Maj. S. E. W. Simonson, joined the expedition at
this camp on the morning of the 1st instant. It proceeded without serious interruption to Salem,
Miss., at which place I overtook the command on the afternoon of the 4th instant. Nothing
occurred of particular interest beyond the usual incidents of scouting and foraging until our
arrival at Ripley on the evening of the 7th instant, at which place the advance of General Sturgis
was fired upon by a small party of rebels, but they, being charged, fled precipitately through the
town and some two miles to the south of it, where, securing an advantageous position on the
crest of a hill, which could only be approached by passing over a narrow causeway, they made a
stand and for a short time obstinately contested a farther advance. A portion of the Fourth Iowa
Cavalry having engaged them in a spirited skirmish of an hour's duration, and having failed to
drive the enemy, this regiment was forwarded from the rear of the Cavalry Division to the front.
We moved forward at once, but met the dismounted horses of the Iowa regiment on the bridge
coming to the rear, which fact delayed for a few moments our advance. Arriving on the ground
we were ordered to take a position on the left of the road and to move from thence forward and
carry the hill. The ground upon the left was of such a character, from washes and ditches, that it
was impossible to maneuver the regiment mounted. The regiment was at once formed in line, the
men dismounted and moved forward to the hill, occupying it, the enemy retiring at our approach
without firing upon us. It was now dark; I sent General Grierson information of the situation of
affairs, and by his order retired.
On the 8th instant we proceeded, with the Fourth Missouri Cavalry, to Ruckersville to the
relief of Colonel Kargé. Meeting the colonel with his command a short distance beyond that
place we returned, rejoining our forces on the same day at Ripley, where we camped for the
night.
On the 10th instant, at Brice's Cross-Roads, Captains Branham and Shoemaker were sent
forward by Colonel Waring's order, with fifty men, on the Tupelo road to ascertain, if possible,
the whereabouts of the enemy. While they were absent the enemy was discovered in force and in
position but a short distance from us on the left-hand road. The cavalry forces were moved into
position. This regiment was placed, by direction of Colonel Waring, on the right of the road,
supporting the battery of the Fourth Missouri Cavalry, which was upon our immediate left. The
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position was well selected, being in the edge of a grove, on elevated ground, in the rear of a
fence, and having a large open field between us and the enemy. Over this open space the enemy
would have to pass to attack us. The regiment was dismounted and placed in the rear of the
fence, and skirmishers thrown out into the open field in front. The enemy occupied a very strong
position on a wooded hill, immediately in front of which was a swamp, so that to have attacked
them with a cavalry force only would have been disastrous. We awaited them in our position, our
skirmishers and the battery in the mean time keeping up a very lively fire. Colonel Waring
instructed me to hold the position occupied by us to the last extremity. The men were directed to
lay close to the fence and to reserve their fire until the enemy should be at short range. While this
was taking place quite a demonstration was made by the enemy upon the extreme left, and by
order of the colonel commanding, Capt. John M. Moore, with Company H of this regiment, was
ordered to that point. Soon after the Second New Jersey Cavalry, which was upon our right, was
moved to another position, leaving this command on the extreme right of the First Cavalry
Brigade. At 1.30 p.m., and after we had held this position some two hours and a half, the enemy
approached our front and right in heavy force. They had two lines of skirmishers and a line of
infantry supporting them. In a moment I discovered that the position could not be long held by us
without re-enforcements, as they would overwhelm us with numbers. At this time my command
only numbered about 280, one-fourth of whom were holding horses. I dispatched an orderly to
the colonel commanding asking that a force be sent to my right, but was informed in reply that
he had already disposed of every available man in the brigade, and that to give me assistance was
impossible. By this time the enemy were advancing rapidly and attempting to turn our right. The
regiment was rallied to the right and soon the conflict became desperate. But a few yards
intervened between their line and ours, and, indeed, so close did they approach us that our men in
a few instances employed the butts of their carbines in resisting their advance. At this point the
enemy suffered severely, as we could see many of them fall before our fire. It soon became
evident that we were being flanked on our right, and that to hold our position much longer would
be impossible. We had maintained our ground for near three hours, and the enemy's fire at such
short range had become murderous. As our infantry were coming up and going into position we
were ordered to fall back, which we did in tolerable order. While this was transpiring on the right
the force of Captain Moore was by no means idle. He was constantly engaged skirmishing with
the enemy until he rejoined the regiment near the wagon train in the rear of the cross-roads.
Upon leaving the field at the crossroads, feeling too weak to continue longer in command, I
turned it over to Major Simonson, to whose judgment, coolness, and bravery, both on the field
and in the subsequent retreat, I am greatly indebted. Upon falling back upon the Ripley road
Major Simonson was directed to take the regiment and rejoin the brigade at the rear. Arriving at
the brigade, by Colonel Waring's order two battalions, under the command of Captains Wright
and Hubbard, were dismounted and thrown forward in line on the crest of a hill to the left of the
road. The remaining battalion, in command of Captain Ryan, was ordered to the left to hold the
enemy in check and prevent his passing our left flank to our rear. In this position the command
was constantly skirmishing for about an hour, when it was ordered "to horse," under a heavy fire.
From this position it marched about one mile to the rear and again formed, by General Grierson's
order, on the left. It remained in this position until the infantry came up, when it was ordered to
fall back. It then took up the march in the rear of the brigade and arrived at Ripley at daylight the
next morning. Halting there a short time to rest, it was placed in the advance and moved for
Memphis. With the residue of our forces it marched all that day and night, the rear being
constantly harassed by the enemy, and arrived safely at Collierville on the morning of the 12th
instant.
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I can not speak in terms of too high commendation of the conduct of the officers and men of
this command in this engagement. To name some, when all did their duty so well, would be
unjust.
Of the line officers Capt. J. H. Elliott, of Company M, and First Lieut. James Sloan, of
Company E, were seriously wounded while gallantly engaging the enemy. I regret deeply that we
were unable to bring Captain Elliott back to camp, but hope that he may yet be brought safely to
the command.
Our loss is as follows: Killed, 8; wounded, 16; missing, 17; a list of whom I have heretofore
forwarded.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
THOS. M. BROWNE,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.
Lieut. A. VEZIN,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., CAVALRY DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,
Memphis, June 15, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following account of operations of my command
during the late expedition under Brigadier-General Sturgis:
This brigade went out on the 1st of June instant with 1,489 officers and men, distributed as
follows, viz: Third Iowa Cavalry, 535; Fourth Iowa Cavalry, 706; Tenth Missouri Cavalry, 146,
and Seventh Illinois Cavalry, 102. Two 6-pounder rifled guns were attached to the Tenth
Missouri, besides which Captain Lee, with two guns of the Seventh Wisconsin Battery, reported
to me at Collierville. The command guarded the supply train and artillery as far as La Fayette
Station, thirty-three miles from this city, arriving at 9 a.m. on the 2d instant, having bivouacked
at Collierville the previous night. In company with the First Brigade we moved by easy marches
to Salem, where the Seventh Illinois and 100 men of the Tenth Missouri were directed to report
to Colonel Kargé, Second New Jersey Cavalry, for a reconnaissance toward Corinth. These
detachments rejoined the command three days thereafter just beyond Ripley, having made very
severe marches with little rest or feed.
At Ripley, on the evening of the 7th instant, the advance, one company of the Third and two
companies of the Fourth Iowa, had a slight skirmish with a portion of Bell's (rebel) brigade, in
which we lost 1 man killed and 3 wounded, 2 of whom were captured by the enemy. The enemy
left 6 men dead on the ground.
On the morning of the 10th instant the enemy was met in force at Brice's Cross-Roads,
twenty-three miles from Ripley and about six miles from the railroad. My command, by order of
Brigadier-General Grierson, was placed in position to defend the Fulton and Pontotoc roads,
which occasioned the following disposition of forces at 12.30 p.m., viz: Third Iowa, Lieutenant-
Colonel Noble commanding, and eight companies of the Fourth Iowa, Major Pierce
commanding, on the Fulton road, dismounted and in line half a mile from the intersection of the
roads. Our left joined the right of the First Brigade, the two commands forming a quarter of a
circle and covering the Baldwyn and Fulton roads. Skirmishers were deployed well to the front
of my command. The Tenth Missouri and Seventh Illinois, in all 200 men, were thrown forward
to protect our extreme right via the Pontotoc road, while the four rifled guns were held in
position at the cross-roads to defend each approach. At the same time four companies of the
Fourth Iowa, Captain Dee commanding, were sent back to the rear to communicate with the
train, and took position with it for the purpose of defense. Requesting the general commanding
the division to take charge of my artillery and communicate any commands to me at the front, I
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proceeded to the line on the Fulton road, and remained with my troops in position until twice
ordered back by Brigadier-General Sturgis. At the moment of receiving the first order to fall
back the enemy had fiercely attacked the infantry which had been sent to my relief under Colonel
McMillen, and I deemed it best to hold my troopers in support. I immediately informed the
general commanding of my action and asked further instructions. Being again ordered to the rear
I withdrew my command and directed the regimental commanders to mount and move to the
west side of the creek, which was three-quarters of a mile in the rear of our line of battle. Though
fiercely assailed by the enemy, who advanced steadily, I could have held our original position
had not the retirement of Colonel Waring's command obliged me to fall back in order to keep up
communication to the left. At the time we were relieved by the infantry the line had retired about
400 yards. At the request of the general commanding expedition I directed the detachments of
the Seventh Illinois and Tenth Missouri, who had been forced to retire from their position on the
Pontotoc road, to dismount, send their horses west of the creek, and assist in repelling the attacks
of the enemy on our extreme right. The Third Iowa having mounted and proceeded over the
bridge, which I had directed to be repaired at the commencement of the engagement, I left orders
for my guns and the Fourth Iowa to follow, and proceeded with the general commanding the
division toward the rear. I halted the Third Iowa about one-third of a mile west of the creek, and
formed in column of squadrons, with intent to protect the train, which in the mean time had
commenced crossing to the east of the creek. A shell bursting near where General Grierson and
myself were standing gave me the first intimation of defeat, and I immediately galloped to the
front to look after the Seventh Illinois, Tenth Missouri, and Fourth Iowa Regiments, finding all
the way to the bridge one indiscriminate mass of wagons, artillery, caissons, ambulances, and
broken, disordered troops. The Fourth Iowa was forced to dismount at the bridge and take
position on a small hill at the front to check the enemy while their horses passed the creek. Two
infantry regiments which were retreating in disorder were by this maneuver saved from
destruction or capture. The enemy now vigor shelled with our own guns the dismounted men
and the bridge. The infantry had relieved my command at the front and original ground at 3 p.m.,
and in less than half an hour it became necessary to dismount the Fourth Iowa and hold in check
the enemy while the horses of that regiment, the Seventh Illinois, and Tenth Missouri crossed the
creek. I put my command in the saddle in pursuance to orders from the general commanding
division, and finding no order, no attempted efforts to reorganize the retreating troops, I took up
a line of march for the new front, moving through the woods parallel to the road, now full of the
debris of a routed army. About three miles from the battle-field I formed my command in close
column with the intention of making a defense, but finding from the nature of the country and the
disorder of our army that it could not be done without losing my horses, and receiving at this
time an order from the general commanding division to act as I thought best, I resumed my
march toward Stubbs' plantation. Very shortly afterward I overtook the general commanding
expedition, who requested me to proceed at once toward Ripley and endeavor to check the retreat
of the army. I asked him if Stubbs' would do; he said "admirably," when I at once gained the
front of everything, except the First Brigade of cavalry, which had gone on in advance, and
formed my command in such manner as to prevent any farther movement toward Ripley. I
reported to General Sturgis, on the ground and in person, my dispositions, and that my command
was intact, and had been. He directed me to open the road, allow all to go by, and to see that no
impediment to the retreat existed: and asked me to take the rear of the command with my
brigade, as I had "the only organized force in the army." He said he would try to reorganize his
troops just beyond Ripley, if possible; that his artillery and train had gone to hell, and if got
through the swamp two miles east, it could not be eventually saved for want of forage. He also
told me to direct the abandonment of all things which could not be got along, and ordered
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Colonel McMillen to leave a staff officer to help me organize for the defense of the rear any
command with their officers which should come along; at the same time telling me that it would
be useless to attempt to use small squads or commands not properly officered. I accordingly
remained in position at that point from 9 p.m. until 2.30 o'clock next morning. During this
interval Colonel Thomas, of [Ninety-third Indiana] Infantry, Captain Lee, of the Seventh
Wisconsin Battery, and many other officers coming from the swamp, had reported to me that the
swamp at the headwaters of the Hatchie was completely choked and clogged with abandoned
guns, caissons, wagons, ambulances, and dead animals, so much so that it would be impossible
for any such property to be got through; hence I had, in obedience to instructions from General
Sturgis, directed the saving of animals and men, and the destruction of all property abandoned,
so far as possible. From here I sent an officer of the Third Iowa back to the swamp to report on
the condition of matters, and inform me when all the troops had got by. His report confirmed that
of all the other officers. He had failed to discover the remnant of the infantry brigade which was
in the rear of the train. This command is entitled to much praise, and I learn that it has returned
somewhat in unity to Memphis, having taken the Ruckersville road from Ripley, in company
with six companies of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry, which, under command of Captain Woods,
Company L, was cut off from the main command at Ripley and came through safely to
Collierville, arriving about 11 a.m. on the 12th instant. Believing all the troops had passed, I
moved toward Ripley at 2.30 a.m. on the 11th, having directed a portion of the One hundred and
twentieth Illinois Infantry, which was the only organized force I saw, to move in front of my
cavalry. Having proceeded about seven miles, I learned that the remnant of an infantry brigade
was in my rear. I halted and allowed it to pass. Shortly thereafter the enemy, coming up, assailed
my rear guard, and on our arrival at Ripley attacked us in rear and on both flanks in considerable
force. The general commanding division, being with me from Stubbs', is conversant with all our
movements thereafter, and can fully appreciate the character of the severe engagement at Ripley,
and for five miles on this side. At one time (this side of Ripley, Third Iowa in the rear) some
confusion was for fifteen minutes created in my column by the enemy charging my rear guard,
when we were nearly out of ammunition. Two companies of the Fourth Iowa, under Captain
Abraham, of that regiment, aided by a portion of the Third Iowa, succeeded in checking the
enemy. The enemy followed in force to a creek five miles from Ripley. Henceforward there was
little difficulty in the rear, though my entire command was out of ammunition. The Second New
Jersey Cavalry, Colonel Kargé commanding, was now drawn from the First Brigade (which was
in front)and assigned the rear, our animals and men being nearly exhausted. Marching
continually without rest or forage until 9 a.m. on the 12th instant, Collierville was reached. Here
the command was rested until about dark, when on some rumor that the enemy were coming the
men and animals, exhausted by forty-eight hours' fighting and marching, were again hurried
forward to White's Station, seventeen miles, notwithstanding 2,000 fresh infantry had joined us
at Collierville. Captain Neet, commanding detachment of Tenth Missouri, had been directed by
me while at Stubbs' to proceed to Ripley, together with Captain Joyce, of the same regiment,
commanding the battery of two guns. On their arrival at Ripley they were ordered by General
Sturgis to push through to Memphis. This command had been nearly dismounted by the severe
marching, under Colonel Kargé, toward Corinth.
Captain Neet is a brave officer of energy and perseverance.
Captain Joyce saved his guns, though they were the first and last in position on the field of
battle, and deserves the highest meed of praise for gallantry, energy, and determination.
Captain Lee, of the Seventh Wisconsin Battery, took into Ripley the only other gun brought
through the swamp, but his horses giving out he was forced to abandon it at that point.
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Maj. M. H. Williams, Tenth Missouri Cavalry, rendered very valuable services, and on every
occasion was cool, brave, and possessed of admirable judgment. I request the general
commanding division to give him special mention for his good conduct and gallantry, and
especially for services of the highest character on the field of battle and on the retreat through
Ripley.
Forage was very scarce, and only secured by searching the country for miles along the line of
march After the 6th instant the animals were not supplied with more than half rations grain, and
during the last two days none was secured, though the labor of the horses was exceedingly
severe. Our animals are much reduced, badly jaded, and many of them troubled with sore backs,
rendering them temporarily unserviceable. The continuous rain added to this evil.
The conduct of the entire command was creditable in the highest degree. That portion
dismounted at Brice's repulsed the enemy three times, with severe loss. The men were at no time
defeated or driven from ground which they were ordered to hold.
The gallant conduct of Lieutenant-Colonel Noble and Major Pierce, commanding regiments,
is especially worthy of mention. To their efforts I am indebted for the good order and conduct of
their respective commands.
Major Jones, Captain Curkendall, Third Iowa, Captains Dee, Woods, and Abraham, Fourth
Iowa, commanding battalions, I recommend for bravery, coolness, and attention to orders.
I have received no report from Seventh Illinois Cavalry.
Respectfully submitted by your obedient servant,
E. F. WINSLOW,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
Capt. S. L. WOODWARD,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Cavalry Division, 16th Army Corps.