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

Page 212 Chapter L. THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN.

line, and they were slight, the skirmishers being well protected by the buildings and fences of the plantation. In this position the brigade remained until the 27th. On the night of the 26th I was informed by the general commanding division that on the following morning the Fourth Corps would assault the position of the enemy on Kenesaw Mountain, and that the Second Division was to participate by moving simultaneously upon the enemy in its own front, and to the right of the position of the Fourth Corps, and I was fold I must hold the command in readiness to advance from the position occupied by the Third Brigade at 8 o'clock of the following morning, that being the time designated for the combined movement. Accordingly, at 8 a. m. of the 27th I reported with the brigade to Brigadier-General Geary at the place indicated. The division was formed in three lines, the Second Brigade comprising the first, the One hundred and thirty-fourth and One hundred and fifty-fourth New York Volunteers on the left and right flanks, respectively. The order was given to advance and dislodge the enemy from the woods in front, and continue to advance through that belt of timber, and nearly to the open field beyond, and there await further orders. The brigade advanced as ordered, clearing the woods of the enemy. So rapid and well executed was the movement many of the enemy were captured in their pits, and we reached the open plain beyond with trifling loss to ourselves, the enemy suffering severely, particularly in prisoners. The command was now halted here and intrenched. The First Brigade moved up to our left, the Third Brigade to our right, forming a sort of semi-circle convex toward the enemy. This formation was necessitated by the repulse of the Fourth Army Corps, the command being much in advance of it on the left, while the First Division did not move forward from its position on our right. We remained in this position until the 30th, when we were relieved by a brigade of the Fourteenth Army Corps and moved about four miles to the right and across the Sandtown road, where we relieved a brigade of Cox's division, of the Twenty-third Army Corps, taking up their line of works for the night and throwing out a regiment, the One hundred and nineteenth New York Volunteers, Colonel J. T. Lockman, to a post of observation, also intrenched, and nearly a mile in front of main line of works. Here we remained, strengthening and extending our works, until the morning of the 3rd of July, when the enemy evacuated his position in our front and we were again started in pursuit, halting that night near Brown's Mill, on-Creek. Line was here formed, but the force in our front was deemed so insignificant that no intrenchments were thrown up. We again moved on the 5th of July, taking position eventually about three miles north of the Chattahoochee River and near Pace's Ferry, where we remained until the 17th of July. On the 17th July the brigade was ordered to march at 4 p. m., and moving to the left crossed the Chattahoochee River at Place's Ferry, and moving to the south of the ferry about two miles encamped for the night. On the 18th crossed Nancy's Creek, and on the 19th Peach Tree Creek, and, following the Third Brigade, moved up to the crest of a ridge on the south bank of the creek, intrenched the position, and remained there until the following morning. On the morning of the 20th the brigade was ordered to move about a mile farther in the direction of Atlanta and make position in rear of the First Brigade, already posted on a ridge or elevation of ground

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* In Colonel Mindil's report this appears as Turner's.

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Page 212 Chapter L. THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN.