Today in History:

668 Series I Volume XXXIX-I Serial 77 - Allatoona Part I

Page 668 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LI.

regiments, the One hundred and eleventh Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers and the Sixty-sixth Ohio Veteran Volunteers, were assigned to special duty in Atlanta, the former as provost guard, and the latter reporting to Colonel Beckwith, chief commissary. During the month of September nothing occurred to disturb the routine of camp life. About the 1st of October a general movement of all the corps, excepting the Twentieth, was made to the rear, to meet certain movements of the enemy. Our corps, being left to hold Atlanta, we commenced the construction of an inner line of forts and rifle-pits, our camp still remaining near the old outer line, which we had strengthened and improved by slashing and abatis. From the 3rd until the 20th of October, with the exception of a few days, 1,000 men from this DIVISION worked daily upon the inner line, which was formidably strong. The interruption of our communications by Hood's army had by the 10th of October caused a great scarcity of forage in Atlanta, and to prevent the total sacrifice of our horses and mules, it became necessary to draw entirely upon the surrounding country. The first foraging expedition for this purpose was sent out under my command on the 11th of October. October 11, at 7 a. m., I left Atlanta in command of a foraging expedition composed as follows: Detachments from my DIVISION under Colonel H. A. Barnum, 1,050 men; Second Brigade, First DIVISION, under Colonel Carman, 1,080 men; cavalry under Colonel I. Garrard, 700 men; one battery under Lieutenant Sawdy, four 3-inch rifled guns; 420 wagons from the different commands at this post. Reached Flat Rock at 6 p. m., small detachments of the enemy's cavalry retiring before my advance. Here I encamped and parked my trains in a position strengthened by rail defenses, and from this place as a depot my foraging operations were conducted. October 12, crossed South River at Flat Rock and during the day loaded about 300 wagons within a distance of three miles along the Fayetteville road. These were sent to the temporary depot. About noon one of my cavalry outposts was attacked by a party of the enemy, who were driven off, 2 men of Colonel Garrard's command being wounded in the affair. Shortly before dark the enemy attacked another outpost, and were charged by a detachment of my cavalry, who drove them one mile and a half, with a loss of 2 rebels killed. I subsequently ascertained that the enemy's main body near me was 700 strong, with two pieces of artillery. October 13, at daybreak, leaving the laden trains under guard at the depot, I recrossed the river, loaded the balance of my wagons, and at 8 p. m. commenced my return to Atlanta. October 14, by 1 a. m. I reached a point within six miles of Atlanta, where I halted and rested my command until 6. 30 a. m., then resumed the march and entered the city. The distance marched during the expedition was forty-six miles. Amount of corn brought to Atlanta upward of 10,000 bushels, besides which about 3,500 animals, used with my trains, and all my men, were amply subsisted on the country; twenty-one bales of cotton were also brought in. October 16, another foraging expedition was sent out under command of Colonel Robinson, of the First DIVISION. Seven hundred men from my Second Brigade were detailed and formed part of this force. After four days' absence they returned with their trains well loaded with corn. October 20 to 24, detachments from my command were engaged taking up the iron and destroying the track on the WEST Point railroad, during which considerable skirmishing took place with the rebel cavalry near East Point. October 26, at 7 a. m., I left Atlanta in command of a foraging expedition composed as follows: The THIRD Brigade of my DIVISION under Lieu-


Page 668 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LI.