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

Page 466 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

they were commanded by the main line of the enemy's works. The portion held by our regiment was particularly exposed, but it had to be held, and we managed to throw up some breast-works, which, when finished, afforded us some protection. Our loss was very heavy, 9 men killed and 30 wounded. At night we were relieved and marched some distance to the right. June 23, marched to the right as far as the Powder Springs road, in rear of the line, then marched along that road as close as we could up to the rebel position, there took position and intrenched. Here we remained, with constant skirmishing between the pickets, till July 3; had 2 men wounded. We were so close to the rebel skirmishers that they fired into our lines with ease, and there was no place of safety except close to the breast-works.

July 3, the enemy being on the retreat again, we followed; found the enemy again strongly intrenched, and halted. July 4, made a short reconnaissance to find the position of Twenty-third Army Corps in the forenoon; moved some distance to the right in the afternoon to connect with that corps. July 5, the enemy having abandoned his works on the Nickajack Creek, we advanced again to within a few miles of the Chattahoochee. July 6, marched toward the left a couple of miles, and went into camp in a pleasant wood about two miles from the river and within eyesight of the domes of Atlanta. Here we enjoyed a brief period of rest. At 1 p. m. July 17 we broke camp, and toward evening crossed the river a little above the railroad crossing. July 18, marched to Buck Head and remained there 19th. July 20, we marched south from Buck Head, and shortly before noon crossed Peach Tree Creek; then formed in line and halted for a rest at the foot of a hill which ran along our front nearly parallel to our line. The Twenty-second Wisconsin, deployed as skirmishers in front of our division, had driven the rebel skirmishers from this hill, and also another similar hill beyond it, and now held the latter. We had been in this position several hours, when it was reported that the enemy was advancing in lines of battle, and the increased rapidity of fire on the skirmish line carbureted the report. Our brigade was at this time formed in two lines, the Twenty-sixth Wisconsin Regiment in front line, on the right, the Twentieth Connecticut on the left, two regiments, Seventy-third and Fifty-fifth Ohio, in second line. We took arms at once and waited impatiently for the order to advance. The order came, and we moved forward simultaneously with the brigade on our right. We gained the first hill just as our skirmishers were falling back from the second. We moved forward still, and had just gained a shallow ravine covered with bushes between the two hills when the enemy appeared in strong line of battle at a fence running along the brow of the hill in our front. As the two lines were within easy musket-range of each other, the battle commenced at once with great fierceness. The Twentieth Connecticut had not advanced with us. The Fourth Corps, still pushed to the left, which did occupy an advanced position at the time of the approach of the enemy, had fallen back to its breast-works, so that we were now on the extreme left of the line. In our front the field was open, but some sixty availed themselves, and came upon our flank in strong force, opening an enfilading fire upon us, while at the same time the line in front came nearer and nearer, until the two lines were in many places less than a rod apart. For a time the conflict was desperate. I took


Page 466 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.