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

Page 702 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

large amount of tobacco and cotton and extensive machine-shops for the manufacture of heavy ordnance. The One hundred and twenty-first rested on the north side of the river, where they were supplied with shoes and clothing and enabled to get plenty of vegetables to eat, until the 23rd of May. On the evening of the 23rd we moved to the south side of the Coosa River. On the morning of the 24th we took up the line of march for Dallas, Ga., arrived at Cave Springs and camped for the night; Private Samuel Henry, Company G, was wounded by the premature discharge of his gun. Moved on the 25th and bivouacked near Dallas, Ga. On the 27th moved into position and intrenched a line on the left of the Fifteenth Corps, on what is called the Dallas line. On the 28th and 29th occupied the trenches; no casualties, though the enemy shelled our line. On the 30th the regiment was deployed as skirmishers across a gap of over a mile between General Hooker's right and General Davis' left; was relieved on the morning of the 31st by the Thirty-fourth Illinois and returned to the trenches of the 27th. On the 31st Major John Yager, who was on duty in Ohio, returned and joined the command.

On the 1st of June the army abandoned the right of the Dallas line, our division moving to the left and relieving a division of the Twenty-third Corps, the One hundred and twenty-first Ohio occupying the front line of temporary works erected by the Twenty-third Corps. We occupied these works during the 2nd and 3rd of June. On the 2nd Private William S. Bergen, of Company A, was severely wounded while on the skirmish line. In our front the enemy's works were within seventy-five yards. On the 4th of June we moved to the left of the Fourth Corps. On the night of the 4th, while lying in camp, Corporal Preston V. Lepert, of Company D, was severely wounded by a stray ball in the left thigh. On the night of the 4th the enemy left his position in our front. We rested in our position during the 4th and 5th, and on the 6th moved to within one and a half miles of Acworth, went into camp, and rested until the 10th. On the 11th we moved forward and took up a position near the log house. On the 12th and 13th rested in trenches; all quiet. On the 14th moved and took up a position, with our left resting on the railroad, two miles south of Big Shanty. On the 15th built a strong line of works. On the 16th, we advanced one-quarter of a mile and built a new line of works. Casualties on the 16th were 3-Privates Jacob B. Brown, Company G, by minie, in the thigh, since dead; Charles Owen, Company E, by musket-ball in leg, slight; Under-cook Matthew Moore, colored, by musket-ball in leg, since dead. On the 17th the regiment occupied trenches; no casualties. On the evening of the 18th we advanced our line, driving in the enemy's skirmishers. Three companies of the One hundred and twenty-first Ohio, on the skirmish line, namely, A, D, and K, casualties, 1 killed-Private Chester Bartholomew, of Company D, and 2 wounded-Privates John W. Clifton, of Company D, and John Reid, of Company K. Our skirmishers pushed their skirmish line to within a few yards of the enemy's trenches. During the night the enemy retreated from his strong line of fortifications in our front, and took up his position on the Kenesaw Mountain. On the 19th we followed up the enemy and took up our position at the base of the Kenesaw. The enemy planted his batteries on the top of the Kenesaw, from which position be shelled the woods and camps back from the base of the mountain, doing much damage. I had pushed my line so


Page 702 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.