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

Page 255 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC. - ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.

ingly, to move farther to the right and to take larger intervals between each file. May 15, at about 12 o'clock in the night the regiment received orders to march forthwith on the road toward Dalton, a distance of eight miles, where we met, at about 3 a.m., the other two brigades of the division, drawn up in line of battle, front toward Dalton. Here we remained during the morning. At about noon the regiment received orders to prepare either to move or to fight, when at once the division marched along the road toward Resaca, where we were formed in several lines the regiment in the rear of the Thirty-third New Jersey Volunteers, under heavy fire from the enemy. Several hills were taken possession of. The regiment was stationed in reserve on the hill next to the captured rebel battery during the evening till 12 o'clock. May 16, at about 1 o'clock in the morning the regiment received orders to march with the One hundred and fifty-fourth New York Volunteers and Seventy-third Pennsylvania Volunteers to the hill in front to relieve the other troops there. This was done, and a strong working party forthwith detailed to build, under the protection of skirmishers, rifle-pits. The enemy was then not twenty rods from us. The three regiments were formed in three lines with only a few paces intervals, one after the other. The regiment had to detail about fifty men to build rifle-pits not five paces from the rebel guns. The men were ordered to leave their arms and knapsacks behind and to carry fence rails up to the summit. When busied about a quarter of an hour with this, the enemy outflanked at once and fired volley after volley into us. The skirmishers in front jumped forthwith over the rifle-pits, the working parties, without any arms, fell back on the One hundred and fifty-fourth New York and Seventy-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, and brought them in confusion so that they were compelled to fall back and the Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers also. Arrived at the foot of the hill it was tried to rally the men again, but without success, as shot after shot fell upon us from our right, and we were ordered to form again on the top of the next hill and to await daybreak. The men of the working party went back before daylight and took their arms and knapsacks along, it having been made known that the enemy had withdrawn. At about 8 a.m. the regiment marched with the brigade and division in pursuit of the enemy, during which march two creeks were to be crossed and for the night the regiment encamped on the other side of the last creek, where the regiment had to furnish the pickets for the night. May 17, the regiment, being in the rear of the brigade, marched to Peters', plantation, a distance of eight miles, where it encamped. May 18, the regiment was ordered to march in the rear of the division train a distance of eight miles; the train parked for the night (place unknown). May 19, the regiment followed in rear of the division train and marched nine miles, where the train parked; distance, nine miles May 20, the train and, therefore, the regiment, remained on the same place. May 21, the regiment followed the division train toward Cassville, where the train parked; distance, eight miles.

All of which is to the present date.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

AUGUST RIEDT,

Lieutenant Colonel Commanding Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania Vols.

Captain C. C. BROWN

A. A. A. G., 2nd Brigadier 2nd Div., 20th Army Corps.


Page 255 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC. - ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.