Today in History:

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

Page 685 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.

of both. About this time Captain Ege was struck and severely hurt by a partially spent ball, but he refused to leave the field until the whole line was relieved. Learning that a force of cavalry was moving around the right of my line, Company D was sent out to watch the exposed flank, with Company C in reserve, while Company I was sent to the left to guard against a like danger. Having received orders from Colonel Mitchell, I directed the skirmish line to fall back, contesting the ground as they retreated, as soon as the enemy should appear in force, which they soon did, advancing upon my line rapidly, but receiving several damaging volleys as they came up. The skirmish line joined the reserve, and, acting upon the instructions spoken of, the whole line was ordered back slowly, when the Third Brigade filed in between my line and that of the enemy, taking the fight off our hands. My loss was 1 commissioned officer bruised, 3 men wounded, and 1 taken prisoners. From Rome the division marched to Dallas, Ga., rejoining the main army may 27. The next day, in obedience to orders from Colonel Mitchell, I started with my regiment to open communication between the left of General Davis and the right of General Butterfield's division, of the Twentieth Army Corps. The guard sent by General Davis to pilot me through being but little acquainted with the locality, led me near the enemy's line, and judging by the firing that we were going too far to the right, I sent out skirmishers, who soon developed the Fifty-seventh Alabama (rebel) Infantry in our front. A hurried movement to the left and rear was the only means of avoiding capture; as it was, 2 men, who fell out on the march, were captured by the enemy. We then moved around to near the hospital of the Twentieth Army Corps, from where I reported to General Hooker, who ordered me to go into cap for the night. On reporting to him in the morning for instructions he sent a staff officer to show me to the right of General Butterfield's line. Starting from this point I deployed the whole line, connecting the two forces by a sparse skirmish or picket-line, holding this position with a short intermission until the morning of June 1, when a regiment of General Dodge's command relieved mine. From this time until June 15 we did nothing beyond the ordinary duty of troops on a campaign, the whole line being gradually shifted toward the railroad. In the afternoon of June 15 a portion of my regiment, then on the picket-line, was sent forward as skirmishers at the time the whole line was advanced, the remainder of the regiment being held in reserve. The outposts of the enemy were driven about three-quarters of a mile in our front, the pickets established on the new line, those of my regiment relieved, and the whole returned to camp. The enemy having fallen back to Kenesaw on the 18th, the whole line was advanced, my regiment taking a position in range of a battery on the mountain; we threw up temporary fortifications in the afternoon of the 19th, as it was apparent that the enemy were preparing to shell out camp. The next day they opened on us, shelling our camp furiously nearly all the forenoon, but without damage to my command. Moved with the brigade to a position about three miles southwest of the camp mentioned above. June 27, four companies (A, F, I, and B) were deployed as skirmishers, with the balance of the regiment in reserve, under orders to drive in the rebel pickets, and to proceed as far as possible toward the rebels' main line to prepare the way for an assaulting column. Advancing on the double-quick, my skirmishers drove in the outposts of the enemy, capturing several


Page 685 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.