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

Page 734 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

point it had a pretty severe skirmish with the enemy, driving in his pickets, taking 1 prisoner, 1 horse, 2 guns, and 1 pistol. On the 22nd day of June General Cox ordered my command to move forward and form on Colonel Barter's right, on the Sandtown road leading to Marietta, and there fortify, which we did. On the 24th of June the Twelfth Kentucky rejoined the brigade. On the 25th we policed camp, and had more or less skirmishing with the enemy. On the 26th the same. On the 27th General Cox ordered my brigade, with the exception of the Twelfth Kentucky, which was ordered to support Battery D, First Ohio Artillery, then posted on a hill on the said Sandtown road, to a point of thick woods, and charge the enemy across the field and take a strong position on the opposite hill, which I proceeded to do, moving the Eleventh Kentucky on the right, Fifth Tennessee on the left, and First Tennessee as the reserve, and when I ordered the charge the Eleventh Kentucky and Fifth Tennessee moved on the double-quick, driving the enemy before them, the enemy pouring in upon them a heavy fire of rifle-shot from the hill; but they drove the enemy and took the hill and some 3 or 4 prisoners, and there fortified, the First Tennessee being ordered to relieve the Fifth Tennessee and the Fifth to act as a reserve; the First moved forward and assisted in making the fortifications. On the morning of the 28th of June the First Tennessee, Eleventh Kentucky, and Fifth Tennessee were ordered by General Cox to move forward and take position on a hill in front of us about one mile and a half distant, which we did, having nothing on our right and left nearer than one mile as a support, where we again fortified in the form of a triangle, having more or less skirmishing with the enemy. Remained on this high hill from the 28th of June until the 3rd day of July, at which time the Twelfth Kentucky rejoined the brigade again.

On the 3rd of July the Eleventh Kentucky was ordered to make a reconnaissance in our front about two miles, which was done; finding that the enemy had left their works in our front, they were ordered to go into camp near the Marietta and Sandtown road. On the 5th of July I was ordered to move up my whole command into the Sandtown road at a point near our works, and to proceed down said road to the crossing of the Ruff's Station and Powder Springs roads, which was done, at which point we encamped for the night. On the morning of the 6th of July we were ordered by General Cox to follow in the rear of Second Brigade to Ruff's Station, on the railroad, which we did, at which point we were ordered to go into camp. On the morning of the 7th of July I received orders to move in rear of Colonel Barter's brigade, but owing to the difficulty of finding the proper road we moved in front of Barter's and Reilly's brigades to Rottenwood Creek. On the 8th of July I received orders to move in rear of Colonels Barter's and Crittenden's brigades to the river (Chattahoochee) at Isham's Ferry, at which point General Cox ordered the Third Brigade to make ready to cross the river precisely at 4 p.m. and take the heights on the opposite side. At the appointed hour I moved my whole brigade to the river, the officers and men being eager for the contest. The Twelfth Kentucky, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Rousseau, was ordered, when the pontoons were launched, to proceed across in said boats and take the heights on the opposite shore at all hazards. The First Tennessee, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Ellis, was ordered to charge across the river bottom as a support to the Twelfth


Page 734 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.