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

Page 211 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.

wounded. During this time four determined assaults were made upon us, all of which were repulsed, with great loss to the enemy. At the first one, the Eighty-third Indiana, on our right, gave way, and we swung the right wing to the rear, giving the enemy a flank fire, which compelled him to withdraw rapidly. The line was then changed to allow the Eighty-third Indiana to give a flank instead of a direct fire, and the line was not again broken during the day. At 4.30 we were relieved by Twelfth Illinois, and took position in reserve; erected rifle-pits during the night. July 29, in trenches. July 30, moved to the front and relieved the Fifty-second Ohio on skirmish duty in front of Davis' division, Fourteenth Army Corps. July 31, relieved at 8 a. m., and moved inside the works.

August 1, dug rifle-pits along the skirmish line, concluding at 9 p. m., and returned to camp. August 2, moved into rifle-pits at daylight. August 3, advanced skirmishers and occupied rebel rifle-pits in our front at 10 a. m., but were driven out at 11; advanced again at 4 p. m.; held them, and commenced intrenching. August 4, a strong work erected during the night; assigned yesterday to First Brigade, Colonel Theodore Jones commanding; moved to-day into trenches occupied by One hundred and eleventh Illinois, in First Brigade. August 5, in trenches. August 6, moved to extreme right of brigade, relieving Twenty-fifth Iowa, of First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps. August 7, moved out to skirmish line to dig rifle-pits at 1 p. m.; dark, and brush very thick; were relieved at darn by Fifty-fifth Illinois, and returned to camp. August 8, in camp. August 9, commenced work on a new line of pits still farther advanced. The position a poor one; can be enfilade. August 10, moved out and occupied the pits in force, and were enfilade by the enemy's batteries, but protected ourselves by digging traverses and erecting stockades. Sergeant Engle and a private lost of Company E; were killed instantly by shell striking in the ditch. August 11, in trenches; an alarm on the left at 11 p. m. August 12, in trenches. August 13, skirmishers moved forward, in connection with Osterhaus, on our right, and carried the rebel pits. The Twenty-eighth Alabama deserted to our lines. August 14, 15, 16 and 17, in trenches. August 18, made a demonstration, with rapid picket-firing and cheering, from the main works in the morning and another at 4 p. m. August 19, an alarm just after dark, caused by rebel pickets attacking the pioneers at work in front. August 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, in trenches. August 26, marched at 8 p. m., and halted at 5 a. m. for breakfast, having marched all night in direction of Macon railroad. August 27, after breakfast moved on slowly until 3 p. m.; went into camp in position and threw up works. August 28, marched at 7 a. m., and at 4 p. m. struck the West Point railroad fifteen miles from Atlanta; camped in position. August 29, in camp; non-veterans mustered out. August 30, marched this morning toward the Macon railroad; commenced skirmishing a short distance from camp. We were in rear of De Gress' battery (H), with One hundred and twenty-seventh Illinois, until 8 p. m., when we were ordered on picket duty in front of division. August 31, rebel pickets firing rapidly this morning. At 12 m. a rebel column of infantry was seen moving to our right directly in our front and within range. The pickets commenced firing into them and continued for three hours, when they formed line of battle and attacked us, beginning on our right, but in a few minutes became general along the line. We fell back to the main line of works, and occupied a vacant place


Page 211 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.