Today in History:

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

Page 631 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.

pushed into the town. The whole division followed and formed line of battle on the East Marietta road. The head of General McPherson's column arrived at this time and went into position, his lines running across the Villa Rica road. Skirmishers ordered out soon four Hardee's corps intrenched in a strong position, covering the Marietta and Villa Rica roads, his right resting on the west end of Ellisberry Mountain.

During the night the troops erected temporary breast-works, and early on the morning of the 27th I ordered McCook's brigade to advance about a mile into a gorge in the mountain, through which a road passes connecting the two roads leading from Dallas to Marietta. A regiment deployed as skirmishers, after some hard fighting, discovered a brigade of the enemy's infantry strongly posted in this defile. McCook's whole brigade was during the day posted and intrenched so as to completely control this pass. A regiment from Mitchell's brigade was sent to open communication with the right of General Hooker's corps, then operating near the northeast end of Ellisberry Mountain. This communication was preserved by a line of sentinels from my command during the remainder of our operations on this flank. During the day the Twenty-second Indiana Regiment, after considerable fighting, reached the enemy's lines on top of the mountain and held its position until night; but, while attempting to withdraw, the enemy sallied ut in pursuit in considerable force. The One hundred and twenty-fifth Illinois Regiment was at this time moving out to take position as a picket, and very opportunely arrived at the point of the conflict. A general melee ensued, in which a number were killed and wounded on both sides. The night was intensely dark and, where friend could not be distinguished from foe, the conflict became exceedingly exciting. It resulted, however, favorably to us. The position was held and a number of prisoners fell into our hands. On the morning of the 28th, in order to render the position between my left and General Hooker's right more secure, I selected a strong position about midway between the two points, the distance being three miles, and ordered Mitchell to intrench his brigade there and to cut roads to his rear connecting with the main command Colonel Mitchell and command, and much facilitated the subsequent movements of our troops in that direction. As now posted my command remained without change of position until early on the morning of the 1st of June, when, in concert with the Army of the Tennessee, I withdrew and joined the corps, then occupying a position near the left of the whole army, in the vicinity of Good [New] Hope Church. Relieving a part of the Army of the Ohio, Hovey's command, it took position in the front line during the night, where i remained engaged in constant skirmishing with the enemy until the 4th, when it withdrew and took and commanding position on Stoneman's Hill, filling, with two brigades, a gap between General Hooker's command, on the right, and the Fourteenth Army Corps, on the left. During the night of the 5th the enemy evacuated his works, and early on the morning of the 6th, taking the right of the corps in the pursuit, the division went into camp in the afternoon on Proctor's Creek, covering the road leading from Acworth to Big Shanty, two miles from the former place, where it remained in comparative quiet until the 17th, when it moved in concert with the other divisions of the corps to a position in front of Pine Mountain and formed on the right of Baird's division, connecting with the left of the Fourth Corps in the afternoon.


Page 631 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.