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

Page 728 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

the enemy's vedettes at the distance of two miles from Ringgold, and a desultory firing was kept up until within a mile of Tunnel Hill, when a brisk skirmish took place the enemy's force consisting of 50 to 100 cavalry or mounted infantry. Companies G and H were sent to effect a junction with the skirmish line moving in advance of a column that was following a road on our left. The junction was effected. I was directed by General Davis in person to move my skirmish line by the right flank one-half mile and skirmish the woods toward the point where the rebel battery had opened. The battery had been planted on the road leading through the gap to the right toward Buzzard Roost and near the gap. When the line reached the point I received an order from Colonel McCook to recall the skirmishers, and immediately received one from General Davis to skirmish over the ridge. Before reaching the crest a staff officer from General Palmer directed the line recalled. The result proved dangerous to General Davis and staff, as, riding a short distance beyond where the skirmish line had halted, they were fired upon by a squad of the enemy concealed near by. The regiment remained quartered near the church in Tunnel Hill until the evening of the 9th, when it joined the brigade in front of Buzzard Roost. At dark on the 10th seven companies, under command of Lieutenant Colonel C. W. Clancy, relieved the skirmishers of our First Brigade on Rocky Face; the three remaining lay with the brigade in reserve. From daylight until dark of the 11th the fire of the enemy was galling upon the skirmishers. At night of the 11th the line was relieved and encamped two miles in rear. Taking up the line of march with the brigade on the morning of the 12th, about daylight of the 13th the regiment reached the mouth of Snake Creek Gap. In the evening, after marching in a zigzag direction for a distance of four or five miles, as position about a mile from the defenses of Resaca was taken up. Early on the morning of the 14th the movement upon the works of the enemy began; during the day the regiment, with the brigade, was supporting the forces engaged in an assault upon the works; at night moved to a ridge a short distance to the right and fortified. The regiment occupied this position until the morning of the 16th, when it moved to the mouth of Snake Creek Gap, at which point knapsacks, had been left, and from thence to Rome, at which place it moved in support of the Eighty-sixth Illinois and Twenty-second Indiana during the brief engagement on the evening of the 17th. P.m. of the 18th crossed the Oostenaula and fortified in the suburbs of the city against an anticipated cavalry attack. Encamping in the suburbs the regiment rested until the morning of the 24th at 6 o'clock when it marched with the brigade toward Dallas, at which place position in line was taken the morning of the 27th. On the night of the 29th the regiment was ordered some distance to the rear and left of the line held by the brigade, to cover an opening between two brigades. Temporary fortifications were thrown up and at daylight the following morning the regiment returned to the line of the brigade. P.m. of the 30th dropped back a mile toward Dallas behind temporary works.

June 1, early in the forenoon, the regiment with the brigade marched to the left and reached its position between Dallas and Acworth in the night, relieving a regiment of the Twenty-third Corps upon the line. From this position constant skirmishing with the enemy from the main works was kept up until the morning of the 4th, when the command was moved two or three miles to the


Page 728 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.