Today in History:

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

Page 713 Chapter LI. NORTH Georgia AND NORTH ALABAMA.

my command forthwith to the south side of the river, and take position within the works at the left of Fort Numbers 2, the left resting on the river. The rapid and continued firing of the enemy, who had opened a battery on the east side of the town, and were making every effort to silence the two guns we had in position [sic], I was directed to send forward 300 men to their support, which I did, in command of Lieutenant-Colonel Eddy, who succeeded in placing them in the rifle-pits without loss, under a hot fire from the rebel battery directly in our front. At the same time the commanding officer ordered me to send 100 men, under command of Major Beebe, to take up position in Fort Numbers 1. Soon after I received instructions to move out the remainder of the regiment and take position in the rifle-pits on the left as an additional support to our guns, as the enemy were showing a serious disposition to advance. We remained in this position until late in the evening, when, the enemy having ceased firing, I was ordered to retire within the works, and take up the original position, leaving 100 men in the rifle-pits on guard through the night, and send an additional 100 men to Fort Numbers 1, being directed to keep one-half of the men on the alert and on fatigue duty, strengthening the works, &c., where we remained until the afternoon of the 28th, when I was ordered to take position in the center of the works with two companies in Fort No. 1, the remainder immediately on the left of the same. On the night of the 29th, in compliance with orders received, 200 men were detailed to report to Colonel Hall, of the Fourth Michigan Infantry, for the purpose of making a reconnaissance on the Courtland road, details of which I have not received. We still occupied the position assigned us on the 28th until we moved by order to our present location.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOMAS SAYLOR,

Colonel, Commanding Twenty-ninth Michigan Infantry.

Lieutenant CHARLES T. HEWITT,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


Numbers 68. Report of Colonel William Given, One hundred and second Ohio Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS 102nd Ohio VOLUNTEER INFANTRY, Decatur, Ala., November 4, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report:

In obedience to orders from post headquarters, I moved out on the Courtland road, with my command, at 4 o'clock this morning, and at two miles and a half was informed by a negro that the rebels had been moving on the road during the night, and that he had heard there we came upon the enemy's pickets, and our cavalry, under Lieutenant Prosser, Second Tennessee Cavalry, drove them one miles and a half, when they joined an outpost (making their force in sight about forty mounted men) and made a stand. I deployed skirmishers, opened fire, and the enemy fled. I send Lieutenant Prosser to ascertain what facts concerning the enemy could be learned from Bowling, who stated to the lieutenant that on last evening he was in the enemy's camp at Fox Creek, on the Courtland road, two miles from where we then were; that the force consisted of the Texas Legion and the THIRD and Ninth Texas Cavalry. Having


Page 713 Chapter LI. NORTH Georgia AND NORTH ALABAMA.