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121 Series I Volume XXXVIII-III Serial 74 - The Atlanta Campaign Part III

Page 121 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC. - ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.

ment indicating an evacuation, and reported the same to the generals; also assisted, with the aid of his glass, the firing of two batteries. June 18, the enemy had evacuated their works. Lieutenant Edge went to the front and received two contraband messages and handed them over to Major General W. T. Sherman, who was standing on the spot. Our batteries then drove the rebel signal officers off the mountain, and there has not been a rebel signal station seen by any officer in the department since. June 19, Lieutenant Edge, in company with the officers of the detachment, established two stations of observation from which the gave some information to the generals. June 20, Lieutenant Edge, in company with the officers of the detachment, established a flag station by order of Captain O. H. Howard, chief signal officer. June 21, worked some stations. June 22, established a flag station, by order of Captain O. H. Howard, to communicant with Generals Sherman and Thomas. June 23, established flag station on cotton-gin. June 24, 25, kept up same stations. June 26, abandoned station on cotton-gin, and established stations of observation. June 27, watched the enemy closely all day. A charge being ordered by Major-General Sherman, the officers of the detachment used every means in their power to give the commanding generals information promptly of all movements of the enemy as well as of our own army. June 38 at 30, our forces having been repulsed, there was but very little seen during those three days. July 1 and 2, the same.

July 3, finding that the enemy had evacuated, Lieutenant Edge proceeded with the advance of the army to Marietta, Ga., found the enemy still falling back, and informed the general commanding Fifteenth Army Corps of the same. The detachment encamped with the Fifteenth Army Corps in two that night. July 4, moved toward Edwards' Ferry, on the Chattahoochee River, arriving on the 5th of July. July 5, found the enemy strongly fortified on the north bank of the river, near the ferry, of which the generals were informed by Lieutenant Edge. July 6, Lieutenant Edge established a station of observation on top of a tree, from which could be seen the rebel lines, Atlanta, and most of our own works. From this station Lieutenant Edge, with the said of other officers, directed the firing of several batteries by signals. This station gave general satisfaction to all general and staff officers. Lieutenant Edge, with the assistance of Lieutenant Sample, of signal detachment, Seventeenth Army Corps, kept up his observations until the afternoon of the 12th of July. Lieutenants Worley and Allen reported to General Garrard at Roswell by order of Major-General Sherman, to open signal communication with headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi. Lieutenants Weirick and Fish established flag station in rear of Tenth Ohio Battery, by order of Lieutenant Edge, the rebel shells plowing the dirt all around them, one of which killed a horse. On the morning of the 10th the enemy had evacuated their works and fallen back across the river. Lieutenants Weirick and Fish moved to old rebel fort and opened communication with Lieutenant Edge in signal tree. These stations were kept opened until the 12th of July. The detachment then moved, by order of General Logan, toward Roswell, passing through Marietta, where it arrived on the evening of the 14th of July. Lieutenants Worley and Allen were relieved by General Garrard and report to the detachment. July 17, the detachment moved toward Stone Mountain, by order of General Logan, with the army. July 18, arrived at the Augusta railroad, one mile from


Page 121 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC. - ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.