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

Page 463 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.

ment, under command of Major Parker, Seventy-ninth Indiana. The brigade corps of prisoners, under command of Major Gemmer, succeeded in throwing a bridge across the creek at two points, about 100 yards apart. The crossing of the creek was effected under fire of the enemy's skirmishers, with but little loss. The space between the creek and the enemy was a corn-field, about 300 yards across. I has just made the disposition to advance when Major Parker, Seventy-ninth Indiana, commanding the skirmishers, was, unfortunately, wounded by a sharpshooter, thus delaying the advance some minutes. I placed Captain Dunbar, Seventy-ninth Indiana, in command of the skirmishers, and ordered him forward, I following with the regiments some 150 yards to the rear. The enemy was surprised. We drove him from his position with some loss, capturing Lieutenant-Colonel Hale, Second (rebel) Tennessee, and 40 or his men and officers, with but slight loss to ourselves. We advanced to the road, fired a few volleys at the enemy, who retreated, leaving his position in our possession. I placed the Seventy-ninth Indiana in position, its left on the road and its right extended toward the river; the Ninth Kentucky along the road. Colonel Manderson, with the Nineteenth Ohio Infantry, reported to me and was placed in reserve, ready to act on either flank, three companies of his regiment being thrown to the right and front of the Seventy-ninth Indiana, where the enemy threatened. The enemy got a battery of artillery in position bearing on us, without, however, doing much injury, it soon being silenced by a section of Bradley's battery, which enfiladed it from the opposite side of the river. The enemy, recovering from his surprise, got into position in front of the Seventy-ninth Indiana and we hastily threw up works. The skirmishers attacked furiously, and I became apprehensive that he would attack in force, when the balance of the brigade arrived and formed on the right of the Seventy-ninth Indiana, making our position secure. We remained here until about 7 o'clock, when we were relieved by Hazen's brigade and ordered back to our camp at Buck Head where we arrived at 10 p.m.

On the morning of the 20th I received marching orders, and moved with the brigade to the left, taking the Decatur road about three miles, turned to the right toward and went into position facing Atlanta, on the right of Stanley's division. On the morning of the 21st received orders to march, and moved to the right and into line, when we threw up a line of works on a ridge completely commanded by the enemy's skirmishers, the Seventeenth Kentucky on our left and Seventy-ninth Indiana on our right. In putting up the works the regiment had 1 man killed and 6 wounded. About 6 o'clock I received orders from Colonel Knefler to take the Seventy-ninth Indiana and my own regiment and move to the right, in rear of the first Brigade of this division, covering a gap. Received orders next morning (July 22) to rejoin the brigade, which I found in line ready to march. We marched toward Atlanta about one mile and a half on the main road; found the enemy in position behind heavy works, and was placed in position on a ridge about one mile from Atlanta, where we threw up heavy works, the Seventy-ninth Indiana on the right and Seventeenth Kentucky on the left. On the morning of July 23 the enemy opened on us furiously with artillery, and finding that our position was almost enfiladed by the fire from the enemy's batteries, we were compelled to throw up heavy traverses at the right of each company. We remained in-


Page 463 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.