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

Page 673 Chapter LI. NORTH Georgia AND NORTH ALABAMA.


Numbers 38. Report of Colonel Henry A. Barnum, One hundred and forty-ninth New York Infantry, commanding THIRD Brigade.


HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, SECOND DIV., 20TH ARMY CORPS,
Savannah, Ga., December 26, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my command, consisting of the Sixtieth and One hundred and second New York Veteran Volunteers, and the One hundred and thirty-seventh and One hundred and forty-ninth New York Volunteer Regiments, and the Twenty-ninth and One hundred and eleventh Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Regiments, from the occupation of Atlanta, September 2, 1864, to the occupation of Savannah, December 21, 1864:

On September 3 the command encamped along the line of the enemy's works southwest of the city of Atlanta and between the Sandtown and McDonough roads, the right resting on the Sandtown road and the left at the large fort about half a mile from the McDonough road, and covered this front during the entire occupation of the city by our forces. September 5, the One hundred and eleventh Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers was detached from the brigade by order of Major- General Slocum and reported to Colonel Cogswell, Second Massachusetts Volunteers, commanding the post, for provost duty, an remained on such duty during the occupation of the city. September 10, Colonel David Ireland, who had commanded the brigade during the greater part of the Atlanta campaign, died of disease, and the undersigned took command by order of Brigadier-General Geary, commanding DIVISION. September 12, the brigade was placed in a new camp, regularly laid out near the left of our front and about 200 yards in rear of the works, where comfortable huts were erected, and drill and parade grounds prepared. Regular hours of service were established, and when not otherwise engaged as herein reported, squad, company, regimental, and brigade drills, dress parades, and reviews were regularly held by the entire command. September 14, the Sixtieth New York Veteran Volunteers were detailed, by order of the general commanding DIVISION, to proceed to Chattahoochee to escort paymasters to Atlanta, which duty was performed without particular incident, and the regiment reported back on September 22.

October 11, the brigade, except the Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers, constituted a part of a foraging force of about 2,000 infantry, with artillery and cavalry, under command of Brigadier-General Geary, which proceeded to the vicinity of Flat Rock Shoals, about twenty miles from Atlanta, and returned on the 14th of October without loss, though considerably annoyed by the enemy, bringing in a number of animals and about 450 wagon loads of excellent corn, besides cattle and other supplies then greatly; needed by the garrison. October 16, the Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers reported to Colonel Dustin, commanding a second foraging expedition, which proceeded to the same vicinity as the first and returned with like success on the 19th. October 19, 21, and 22, the brigade was detailed as guard to trains of cars workmen sent to take up the rails on the Macon and on the WEST Point railroads, and the first day went to a point about one mile WEST of East Point on the WEST Point road, where the track was being destroyed by the enemy, who were driven from their work after a slight skirmish and their tools captured and the rails taken from their fires. The track on the Macon road was taken up to a point about

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Page 673 Chapter LI. NORTH Georgia AND NORTH ALABAMA.