Today in History:

236 Series I Volume XXXVIII-I Serial 72 - The Atlanta Campaign Part I

Page 236 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

up a continued fire with the enemy at this point. One man of this regiment was wounded. On the 20th we moved to the left and front. Our skirmishers soon became hotly engaged with the enemy, charging their skirmishers, but not being properly protected on their flank were obliged to fall back, the Twenty-first losing 1 man mortally wounded. At this point Major Calloway, with the non-veterans of this regiment and eight officers, left us to go to Chattanooga, Tenn., to be mustered out of service, their term having [expired[, or was about to expire, leaving the regiment, now numbering 145 officers and men for duty, under my command. On the 21st we advanced and took a position on the left of the Ninetieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who had take a position on the left of the Ninetieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who had taken a position on a high knoll in front of our position. In doing so this command lost 3 enlisted men, 1 mortally and 2 slightly wounded with shell. On the 22nd I had 1 man slightly wounded by a musket-shot. At 3 a. m. on the 23rd we moved to the right and relieved the Seventy-third Illinois Volunteers, belonging to the First Brigade, Second Division, Fourth Army Corps. At 4 p. m. we advanced our lines, under a heavy fire, and threw up works, getting 1 man mortally wounded, who died the next day. From this date until the 27th nothing was done by us except slight skirmishing. On the 27th we formed in line in rear of the brigade at 9 a.m., the First Brigade, First Division, Fourth Army Corps, while making a charge on the enemy's works.

Nothing of importance beside picket duty was done by us until the 3rd day of July, 1864, when the enemy having left his strong position under cover of night, we moved out at 6 a. m., halting at Marietta College for a short time,then marched until 4 p. m., when we halted for the night five miles south Marietta. On the morning of the 4th my command was ordered to support the skirmishers. We advanced in easy supporting distance until we came into a large open field, which had two ravines running parallel with my line. Here the enemy greeted me with a heavy fire of shell and canister from their artillery. I deemed it prudent to move my command to the front and cause the men to lie down in the first ravine, where they remained in comparative safety until abut 3 p. m., when I was ordered by Lieutenant Felton, aide-de-camp, to relieve the skirmish line, which I did, and remained there until after dark, when I was relieved by a detachment form the Eighty-first Indiana, having 1 enlisted man killed. On the 5th, the enemy having left our front during the night, we moved along the railroad to Vining's Station, going into camp on the left of the road fronting the river. At this place 1 man of this command was wounded while on picket duty. We remained in this camp until the 10th, when we moved to the left up the river about seven miles, and halted, and remained there until the 12th, when we crossed the Chattahoochee River, moving down the south bank and halting, and throwing up light works on a high ridge running nearly at right angles with the river, and directly in front of the Twenty-third Army Corps. We remained here until the 18th, when we marched at 6 a. m., and halted two miles from Peach Tree Creek. On the 19th moved at 3 p. m., crossed the creek, and halted for the night and threw up light works. On the 20th marched at 6 a. m., marching slowly until 4 p. m., when we marched at 6 a. m., marching slowly until 4 p. m., when we marched toward Atlanta, relieving the skirmishers of the Twenty-third Army Corps by details, one of which was from my command, also throwing up heavy works. We remain here until the 26th,


Page 236 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.