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

Page 302 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

of June 20 moved to the right and bivouacked in rear of Third Division, Twentieth Army Corps. June 21, moved to right of First Brigade and threw up strong works. June 22, moved to front about one mile and occupied a ridge gained by skirmishers, and threw up strong works. Occupied them till June 27; division moved forward, drove enemy's skirmishers about half a mole; took position in support of Fourth Corps, which attacked the enemy on our immediate left. Threw up works and remained till June 30; relived after dark by Fourteenth Corps, and moved to right and occupied works on Powder Springs road till July 2. Early in morning moved back about 100 yards and occupied a second line of works. July 3, moved early in morning in pursuit of retreating enemy, and found him strongly intrenched near Nickajack. Bivouacked till July 5; enemy had evacuated during the night, and we moved forward in pursuit and found him again strongly intrenched near mouth of Nickajack Creek; regiment advanced in support of Thirteenth New York Battery. July 6, relived by Twenty-third Corps and marched to rear and left; crossed Nickajack Creek and bivouacked. July 7, moved to position on general line between Fourteenth and Fifteenth Army Corps, regiment in second line, near Carter's Ferry. Remained here till July 17; enemy having again evacuated, broke camp, and marched to the left and crossed the Chattahoochee River at Pace's Ferry; bivouacked near Nancy's Creek. July 18, left bivouac at about 2 p. m., crossed Nancy's Creek, and bivouacked on Decatur road near Howell's Mille. July 19, marched at about 7 a. m. and approached Peach Tree Creek, and found enemy's skirmish line on left bank; regiment selected to lead the corps in crossing; Companies A, B, and F, commanded respectively by Captain May, Grumbach, and Burhans, detailed as skirmishers; skirmishers and regiment advanced by the flank and double-quick; deployed into line as soon as across and charged the enemy's rifle-pits, and drove back his skirmish line on his main line about half a mile; division and crops followed, and took up position and threw up works. July 20, early in the morning the First and Second Brigades of division and Thirteenth New York Battery advanced about 350 yards and took position; Third (our) Brigade took up position in woods about 100 yards in rear at about 3 p. m., massed in column of regiments. At about 4 p. m. the enemy assaulted the Third Division in great force, and almost immediately thereafter he hurled his heavy columns upon the brigades in our front, striking them partially on right flank. These brigades were very quickly broken and driven back in disorder. At this time Captain Nolan, acting assistant inspector-general of brigade, deployed our brigade and ordered it forward in echelon, the first regiment advancing immediately, and the others successively as they uncovered, except the Sixtieth New York Volunteers and Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, which were moved to the left. A deep ravine, thickly grown with brush and trees, lay in our immediate front, down from right the fire of the enemy came like a torrent, and in common with the other regiments my command broke as soon as it came into the line of the enemy's fire. So steep and difficult was the ascent in front that it was almost impossible to scale it, and to remain would have been suicidal; besides, the command was not in a position to inflict much damage upon the enemy. As it was, 15 men were killed and about 20 wounded almost in an instant. On the ground occupied by the brigade before the


Page 302 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.