Today in History:

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

Page 482 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

on the morning of the 3d, and toward night were placed in position on a hill south of Noonday Creek, in which position we remained without firing until the morning of the 5th, when, the enemy having been discovered to have evacuated his works, the battery again advanced with the division, and toward evening was sent forward to an advance position within range of a stockade forming a part of the enemy's line of works, but was subsequently withdrawn on the same evening without opening fire. On the following day we moved with the division without opening fire. On the following day we moved with the division still farther toward the left of our line, and on the day succeeding that were ordered in camp, where we remained until the evening of the 17th, when our corps crossed the Chattahoochee River. On the 19th, when the Second Division was brought into position on a ridge of hills overlooking Peach Tree Creek, the battery was placed in position, each section at different points most favorable for the purpose of shelling a wooded ridge on the opposite side of the creek held by the enemy, and late in the afternoon we opened a concentrated fire on this ridge, lasting about five minutes, under cover of which the infantry advanced and took it. On the morning of the 20th the battery advanced with the division across the creek, and about 2 o'clock on the afternoon of that day was placed in position with the division on a ridge about half a mile in advance of the creek. We had been but a very sort time in position when the enemy was observed advancing upon the Third Division of the corps, which was posted on the left of the Second, and having an enfilading fire upon the enemy's columns as they advanced against the Third Division, I directed the battery to open upon them. Our fire against the enemy at this point was becoming very destructive, when suddenly another portion of their line appeared advancing against our immediate front and on the right flank of the battery. The fire of the battery was immediately directed against them, but the infantry supporting us gave way, and our right being quite exposed, and subject to a most destructive enfilading fire from the enemy's infantry, one section of the battery, under Lieutenant Muller, on the extreme right, had its gunners disabled in a few minutes, and was necessarily temporarily abandoned. I then directed the other two sections of the battery to change front to the right in order to prevent the enemy from removing the section which had been abandoned and to cover the now exposed flank of the division. The fire of our guns in this direction was effective and altogether successful; the enemy were repulsed, and in a few minutes more I was enabled, through the exertions of Major Reynolds, who rallied the infantry to my support and with his own hands uncoiled the prolongs of the guns, to have the other section withdrawn inside our lines. We continued to sweep the dense woods in our front with canister and case-shot until satisfied that the enemy had withdrawn, and subsequently continued to enfilade the enemy's lines as they fell back from the front of the First Division. In this engagement the battery lost 3 men killed on the field, and 8 wounded, 6 of whom belonged to the section of the battery which had been temporarily abandoned. Of these 11, 5 were non-commissioned officers, 2 of whom were killed, 1 receiving nine bullets and the other seven, and 3 wounded, all of them brave, reliable, and experienced artillerists. In this position we remained until the morning of the 22nd without again using our guns. On the morning of the 22d, the enemy having evacuated their works in our front of battery again advanced with the division, and in the afternoon of that day was placed in position in line with the Second


Page 482 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.