Today in History:

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

Page 440 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

thirty-sixth New York and Fifty-fifth Ohio Volunteers, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Faulkner, to make the reconnaissance as ordered. I subsequently re-enforced him with the Seventy-third Ohio. The troops left camp at 11 a. m. and returned at 6 p. m., having accomplished the object of the reconnaissance. The enemy occupied the position on the crest of a hill about 500 yards in our front. I was ordered with my brigade to drive off the enemy and occupy this hill. Accordingly, on t he 22nd of June I moved my brigade forward and formed a line of battle of the edge of a piece of woods near some open ground which lay between the foot of the hill and the woods, in which the brigade was formed and about 100 yards distant from the hill. This open ground was swept by the enemy's skirmishers. I threw pout a strong line of skirmishers, and ordered forward the Thirty-third Massachusetts Volunteers to support the skirmish line. In this formation the brigade advanced across the open ground in double-quick, pushed up the hill, which was occupied by the enemy's skirmish line, intrenched, drove the enemy from the hill, and occupied it, as ordered. The enemy occupied a strong position of another hill still in our front, in which position he had intrenched himself, and from which he kept up a galling and destructive fire on my line. With a great promptitude and dispatch the men in the face of this fire constructed a line of breast-works which covered them from the enemy's fire. The enemy made and ineffectual attempt to drive us from the hill; drove in our pickets, but was quickly repulsed by the line and retreated. At about 5 p. m. this brigade was relieved by a brigade marched to the right about two miles and took up a position in the rear and support of the First Division. On the 23rd of June the division moved still farther to the right, to the Powder Springs road, and took up a position in a line of battle deployed, with its right resting on that road, this brigade forming a second line, of which the Second Brigade of this division formed the first. The brigade occupied this position till the 27th day of June. Before daylight on that day the brigade took the position in rear of its then position on the right of Knipe's brigade, of the First Division, with the right resting on the Powder Springs road. I should have said that the brigade constructed a line of breast-works covering its entire front while occupying the position which it took on the 23d. The brigade occupied this last position until evening of the 29th of June, when it relieved the front line, at first occupied by Second Brigade, and at that time by the First Brigade of this division. The brigade occupied this position until the 2nd of July. On the night of the 1st of July the enemy retreated form Kenesaw Mountain and Marietta toward the Chattahoochee River. On the morning of the 2nd this brigade marched in pursuit of the enemy on the Marietta toward the Chattahoochee River. On the morning of the 2nd this brigade marched in pursuit of the enemy on the Marietta road an toward that place. After marching about two miles I was ordered to change direction to the right, and to march south toward the Sandtown road. We came upon the enemy's skirmishers and found that he was occupying new line of strongly intrenched works. After marching about two miles in the new direction we encamped on the right of the Second Division, on the west bank of Nickajack Creek, and occupied this position until the 4th day of July. On that day the brigade changed position to a new one about one mile and a half south. On going into this position the enemy was supposed to be seen in our front occupying a threatening position. In consequence thereof the


Page 440 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.