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180 Series I Volume XXXVIII-II Serial 73 - The Atlanta Campaign Part II

Page 180 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

weeds, which were very wet with rain, the advance of the skirmishers was very slow and toilsome. At about three miles from the previous night's camp, and when approaching Pumpkin Vine Creek, our advance was fired upon by the enemy's pickets, who were stationed at the bridge; the extreme right of my skirmishers was also fired upon by cavalry pickets from the opposite bank of the creek. The enemy had made an attempt to destroy the bridge by tearing up the planking and setting it on fire in several places. With some delay my command crossed and advanced to the hill on the opposite bank. After resting half an hour the y again moved forward. Generals Hooker and Geary, with their staffs and body guard, were well up with, and at times in advance of, the skirmish line. At about 10 a. m. when about two miles beyond the creek, some of General Hooker's body guard, then in advance, were fired upon by the enemy. General Geary immediately ordered me to deploy my reserve to the right and left of the road and move forward on the enemy to relieve General Hooker's body guard, then being driven back. I did so, deploying my three remaining companies, consisting of about sixty-five men who immediately engaged the enemy and held them at bay until the other regiments of the brigade were advanced in line of battle, pushing the enemy before them something like a mile. During this skirmish I had 1 man killed and 8 wounded. Here we were ordered to remain and throw up breast- works, which was done very hastily. At about 6 p. m. my command was ordered into line,the Fifth Ohio Volunteers on my right and Twenty- ninth Ohio Volunteers on my left, and advanced to the support of the Second and Third Brigades. On getting within range of the enemy's fire while advancing, 3 men were killed and 15 were wounded. One shell from the enemy's guns exploded in the ranks, killing 2 men and wounding 6 others. My command lay in position in the front line until 11 o'clock on the 26th instant, when it was relieved by a regiment from the Fourth Corps, and retired to a ravine a hundred yards in the rear, where it remained until the evening of the 27th instant, when it was ordered to relieve the Sixty- sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the first line of intrenchments. During the night and following day our skirmishers, stationed about fifty yards in advance of the breast- works, were constantly skirmishing with the enemy. At about 8 a. m. on the 28th instant the enemy opened upon us three pieces of artillery, but with no effect. The pieces were soon silenced by the Thirteenth New York Battery and our skirmishers in front. The regiment was relieved by the Fifth Ohio Volunteers, and retired to the ravine in the rear, where it remained until the evening of the 30th instant, when it was ordered to relieve the Sixty- sixth Ohio Volunteer infantry in the first line of intrenchments. During the succeeding twenty- four hours our skirmishers were constantly firing, but nothing unusual occurred. One man of my command was severely wounded in the face by a musket- ball. May 31, at sunset, the regiment was relieved by the fifth Ohio Volunteers, and retired to the second line of intrenchments.

June 1 at 12 m. my command was relieved by troops from the Fifteenth Army Corps, and was removed to the extreme left of our line of battle, where it bivouacked for the night. June 2, at 11 a. m. I received orders to move, and, with the division, moved forward toward the advanced line an halted at about a thousand yards in its rear. By orders formed in column by divisions, and here remained


Page 180 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.