Today in History:

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

Page 433 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.

third Ohio Volunteers and it pushed forward promptly to fulfill the order of the division commander. In the mean time the enemy had planted a section of artillery on the crest of Rocky Face Mountain, and opened with grape and canister on the Fifty-fifth Ohio Volunteers. That regiment was promptly withdrawn out of range to the west side of the creek at the foot of the bluff. the enemy's guns, however, were very soon silenced by some artillery of the Fourteenth Corps. By direction of Major-General Butterfield, I ordered the Thirty-third Massachusetts, which up to this time had been held in reserve, to cross the creek, and, if possible, to gain the crest of Rocky Face Mountain. To cover the operations of the two regiments across the creek the Twenty-sixth Wisconsin and One hundred and thirty-sixth New York were moved to the right and deployed on the west side of the creek in the rear of Seventy-third Ohio and Thirty-third Massachusetts. While these last-named regiments were engaged in carrying out the order they had received, the skirmishers of the Seventy-third Ohio having gained the crest of the spur, so as to overlook the enemy's works in the gap, and the skirmishers of the Thirty-third Massachusetts having ascended more than half way to the crest of Rocky Face Mountain, I received an order that my brigade would be relieved by Carlin's brigade, of the Fourteenth Corps. After having returned, I marched my brigade to the Presbyterian Church on the road form Woods' Store to Buzzard Roost Gap and encamped. This ended the operations of my brigade in connection with the reconnaissance into Buzzard Roost Gap. On Wednesday, the 11th, at 4 a. m., the brigade marched from its position near Woods' Store, to which place it had returned after the reconnaissance to Snake Creek Gap and about half way through the gap, arriving at 12 m., a distance of fourteen miles. Here I was ordered to put the brigade into camp, and to widen and put in good condition that part of the road through the gap between where General Williams, of the First Division, was encamped and the camp of my brigade, to make the road of sufficient capacity to allow two wagon trains and a column of infantry to march abreast. I divided the works into as many sections as I had regiments, and as soon as the tools were provided put as many men on the road as could be advantageously employed. By night-fall I had that portion of the road apportioned to my, brigade completed as ordered. On the 12th, at 10 a. m., the brigade broke camp and marched through the gap, a distance of four miles, and took up position in a single deployed line in rear of the Fifteenth Army Corps.

On the 13th, at - a. m., pursuant to orders, the brigade marched with the army of which it formed a part upon the enemy at Resaca. The brigade formed its front line of battle about 2 p. m. at right angles to the line formed in the crest of a hill running east and west by the Second Brigade, and perpendicular to and crossing the road leading from Tilton to Rome. While in this position, the One hundred and thirty-sixth New York was, by an order delivered by Major-General Hooker in person, detached from the line and ordered to make a reconnaissance toward the enemy's lines and ascertain whether there was a road by which artillery could be placed in position on a hill in our front and near the enemy. The reconnaissance was made as directed, and on its return Lieutenant-Colonel Faulkner, the commanding officer of the regiment, reported that the hill in question was in the possession of the troops of the Fifteenth Army Corps

28 R R-VOL XXXVIII, PT II


Page 433 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.