Today in History:

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

Page 221 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.

brigade, and on my right by Colonel Oliver's brigade, of the Fourth Division, my skirmishers being warmly engaged during the day. On the 28th skirmishing commenced at daybreak, and was briskly kept up during the day until 5 p. m., when the enemy made an assault upon my command, which was repulsed with heavy loss on the part of the enemy, the assault lasting but twenty-five minutes. During the 29th, 30th, and 31st remained in the same position, with nothing occurring except brisk firing by skirmishers and sharpshooters.

June 1, withdrew from my position and moved in the direction of New Hope Creek, and relieved a brigade of General Butterfield's division, of the Twentieth Army Corps, near said church, where I remained during the 2d, 3d, and 4th, with nothing occurring except skirmishing. The enemy having evacuated his position in our front on the night of the 4th, on the 5th I moved in the direction of and encamped near Burnt Church. On the morning of the 6th moved to Acworth Station, where I remained in camp, all quiet, until the morning of the 10th, when I moved in the direction of Big Shanty, formed line of battle, and constructed a rifle-pit in my front. Remained in line until the morning of the 12th, when I moved in rear of the left of the Seventeenth Army Corps, in reserve. Remained in reserve until the night of the 16th, when I moved to the right and relieved Colonel Hall's brigade, of the Seventeenth Army Corps, in which position I remained, briskly skirmishing with the enemy, until the morning of the 19th, when, it being ascertained that the enemy had evacuated his works in our front, I moved forward and took my present position immediately in front of Kenesaw Mountain, in which position I remained up to date (June 23), having almost constant skirmishing with the enemy since taking my present position.

during the entire time embraced in this report my officers and men (with one exception) have evinced the highest character of soldierly bearing. Under fire, on the march, and in camp, during the hot weather and almost incessant rains, I have not heard a murmur or complaint. The exception referred to above is the case of Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin H. Myers, Eighty-third Indiana Infantry Volunteers, who, during a crazy fit of drunkenness, threw himself, in violation of orders, beyond the skirmish line and was killed.

My casualties are as follows: Commissioned officers - killed, 1; wounded, 2. Enlisted men - killed, 7; wounded, 89.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. A. J. LIGHTBURN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Captain GORDON LOFLAND,

Asst. Adjt. General, Second Division, 15th Army Corps.


HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, SECOND DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS,
Nea Big Shanty, Ga., June 28, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by [my] command in the assault upon the enemy's works on the 27th instant:

Pursuant to orders, I marched from my bivouac at 7.30 a. m., formed in two lines in rear of a battery in Brigadier-General Os-


Page 221 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.