Today in History:

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

Page 286 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

fled without doing any damage; took 1 prisoner that day from same squad. The train was corralled on Pumpkin Vine Creek,and my command was ordered to remain with it, together with an Ohio battery, which was ordered to report to me. There was some alarm created here, occasioned by cavalry scouts reporting that a rebel force had been detached to cut off our train. I was very vigilant at this place, but nothing transpired to confirm the report brought in by the scouts. On May 27 was ordered forward, and moved up and took position on the extreme right of the army with two of my regiments (Twenty-sixth Illinois and One hundredth Indiana), leaving the other two (Ninetieth Illinois and Twelfth Indiana) with the train about a mile and a half in the rear. Here we constructed fortifications and threw out skirmishers, who immediately became engaged with the enemy, and the firing was very brisk. One of the regiments left behind (the Twelfth Indiana) was ordered up and took position on the right, leaving the Ninetieth Illinois with the train. On May 28 the enemy drove in our skirmishers, following it up with a charge along our whole front in two lines of battle. They were repulsed with great slaughter, and retired in disorder to their intrenchments, leaving many of their dead and wounded in our hands, together with a number of prisoners who were unhurt. On the evening of this day, by your order, I commenced withdrawing from the position on the right, and the Ninetieth Illinois Infantry, which had been brought up during the charge of the enemy, was ordered to commence the movement as soon as it became dark. I had successfully withdrawn my command, with the exception of my skirmish line, under the command of Major Johnson, when a fierce attack commenced on the Sixteenth Corps, and by your order I hastened back with my command, with the exception of the Ninetieth Illinois Infantry, and resumed my place in the line. I arrived just in time, as our skirmishers had already fallen back into the trenches so recently occupied by our main line. I pushed forward the skirmish line, and affair assumed about the same aspect as before the withdrawal.

On June 1 I withdrew from the position held on the right at early dawn, moved through Dallas, and relieved a brigade of the Twentieth Corps at New Hope Church. Here the skirmishing was very severe, the enemy firing in many places from their main line of works. On the night of June 3 advanced my main line of works so that the left of my brigade was not more than eighty rods from that of the enemy. The enemy evacuated their position the night of June 4. My command here captured 68 prisoners and 175 Enfield rifles. On the morning of June 5 egan the march toward Acworth and on the 6th marched into the village and encamped in the vicinity; here we rested for a few days. On the 10th the command resumed the march, and took up a position near Big Shanty, where we again constructed fortifications. Nothing transpired here worthy of record until the 15th, when my brigade participated in the action on the left. My command retired with the division, in reserve, until the night of the 26th, when I was ordered to relieved General Morgan's brigade, of the Fourteenth Corps, in front of Kenesaw Mountain. Nothing of particular interest occurred here, save constant and unremitting skirmishing with the enemy, until July 3, when the enemy evacuated. My command here captured 79 prisoners. On same day marched into Marietta and bivouacked in the suburbs of the village.


Page 286 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.