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

Page 481 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.

dozen rounds. In this position the battery lost 4 men wounded. On the morning of the 19th the battery moved with the Second Division from our position at Mud Creek, and after having advanced about two miles and again finding the enemy in position, one gun, under my command, was ordered by General Geary to the right of the road, in an open field, and shelled the enemy's position. On the same evening we were moved and placed in position in our works on the left of the road, but did not use our guns; and on the evening following, being relieved from this position by the Fourth Corps, we moved with the division toward the right of our line, where were placed in position and intrenched. On the 22nd one section of the battery, under command of Lieutenant Muller, was ordered forward to a position on Kolb's farm, on the left of the First Division. From this position this section opened a rapid and effective fire upon the enemy's columns as they advanced to retake a position just occupied by the First Division. Here, while directing the fire of this section, Captain William Wheeler, then commander of the battery and chief of artillery of the Second Division, was instantly killed by one of the enemy's sharpshooters. The remainder of the battery joined this section while the enemy was being repulsed, and aided in throwing a few shells into their retreating and disorder columns. Works were thrown up here and we occupied them until the morning of the 27th. On the 27th the battery was ordered at daybreak to position on a hill toward the left of our division line, where a large portion of the batteries of the corps were massed. At about 9 a. m., as our infantry lines were about to advance in a general attack, one section, under command of Lieutenant Carlisle, was advanced to a corn-field in front of our lines, and opened fire with canister and bags of musket-balls on a position held by the enemy's skirmishers in and around a house in front of our lines, and from which our infantry skirmishers had failed to dislodge them. After one or two rounds the enemy broke and scattered to the rear, and I directed a few shells to be thrown into the woods on the left of the house, where some of the enemy's skirmishers were supposed still to remain. Our infantry skirmishers then advanced, and I was at the same moment directed by General Geary to advance my whole battery to the position at the house from which the enemy's skirmishers had been dislodged. We had just gained this position, and found ourselves subjected to a cross-fire of artillery on both flanks and an infantry fire from the direction of our front, and which made it necessary to provide some cover for our guns before opening fire. While engaged in sinking our guns in the ridge we were ordered to retire and take position again in the corn-field from which we first opened fire. In this position we remained until dark, when we were ordered back to our former position in the works, from which we had advanced in the morning. In this engagement the battery had 2 men wounded. on the afternoon of the 30th the battery moved toward the right of our line with the Second Division, which relieved a division of the Twenty-third Corps. On the same evening I placed three pieces in position, under the charge of Lieutenants Freeman and Muller, the other three guns being in reserve.

On the morning of the 1st of July the three guns in position simultaneously with the other batteries along our line, opened fire on the enemy's position, which was continued rapidly for about fifteen minutes, the enemy not replying. The enemy having evacuated their works on the night of the 2d, we advanced with the division

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Page 481 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.