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138 Series I Volume XLIV- Serial 92 - Savannah

Page 138 OPERATIONS IN S. C., GA., AND FLA. Chapter LVI.


No. 37. Report of Colonel Robert N. Adams, Eighty-first Ohio Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations October 5 - December 21. HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, FOURTH DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS, Savannah, Ga., January 3, 1865.

CAPTAIN: In compliance with orders from headquarters Fourth Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, requiring a report of the operations of this command during the recent campaign, I respectfully submit the following:

From the 5th of October to the 11th of November, 1864, this brigade formed a part of the garrison of Rome, ga. During this time three reconnaissance were made, in all of which this brigade participated, but without sustaining any loss. On the 29th of October orders were received to make preparation for a "long, arduous, and successful campaign," which was accordingly done, and on the morning of the 11th of November the brigade, with its division, took up the line of march of Atlanta. On the evening of the 14th, after four days' march, reached the Chattahoochee River at Turner's Ferry; crossed to the south side and encamped. 15th, the brigade was ordered as escort to division supply train to Atlanta after clothing and supplies, which being obtained it moved out of the city four miles in the direction of East Point, where it joined and went into camp. Leaving the camp near Atlanta on the morning of the 16th, the march was unimpeded until it reached the Ocmulgee River, with the exception of being deployed one day on account of General Kilpatrick's supply train occupying the road, which delay caused us to make a night march of six miles. After crossing the Ocmulgee River our march was very much impeded for four days with the pontoon train partly on account of the weakness of the teams and partly owing to the bad condition of the roads. On the 24th the brigade, with its division, arrived at Gordon, and, passing two miles southeast of that place, was ordered to occupy the works just evacuated by the First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps. 25th, the brigade, with its division, again took the line of march, and on the 26th crossed the Oconee River; marched seven miles and encamped ss-Roads.

December 3, the brigade was ordered to cross the Big Ogeechee River as support to General Rice's brigade while engaged in destroying a portion of the Central Georgia Railroad; recrossed the river the same evening, and on the morning of the 4th again took up the line of march on the west side of the river. On the 8th the brigade with its division was again ordered to cross tee Ogeechee River, and moved without transportation down on the east side of the river to the Ogeechee Canal, a distance of fifteen miles. Here it was ascertained that two miles and a half in our front the enemy were in some force, and a farther advance was postponed until the following morning. On the morning of the 9th the brigade, with one section of Battery H, First Missouri Light Artillery, Lieutenant Brunner commanding, and two companies of the Seventh Illinois Mounted Infantry, was ordered to cross the Ogeechee Canal and dislodge the enemy from his fortified position at the junction of the old River road and the King's Bridge road, three miles from the canal. The brigade moved out, Seventh Illinois Mounted Infantry in advance. They soon encountered the enemy's pickets, and a brisk skirmish ensued. One company of the Sixty-sixth Illinois Infantry was then deployed as skirmishers. The Seventh Illinois Mounted Infantry were placed on


Page 138 OPERATIONS IN S. C., GA., AND FLA. Chapter LVI.