Today in History:

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

Page 330 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

the following morning, May 13, the command moved in the direction of Resaca, and arrived at the crossing of the Resaca road with the road leading to Dalton at about noon. At this point the enemy was reported in force on our front, and our skirmishers were already was reported in force on our front, and our skirmishers were already engaging the enemy's pickets. At 1 o'clock I was ordered by Colonel Walcutt, commanding Second Brigade, to report my regiment to General Harrow without delay. This order was immediately complied with, and I received a verbal order from General Harrow to move the Ninety-seventh Indiana to the left of the Resaca road and form it in a ravine in the rear of the center of the First Brigade (Colonel Williams commanding) in order to support that brigade in a forward movement which was about to take place. I was also notified by the general when the move commenced the left of the First Brigade would swing gradually forward, thus changing direction to the right, bringing the First and Second Brigades (which had formed on the right of the Resaca road) together about 800 yards to our front, at which point I was ordered to rejoin my brigade (the Second). The junction was formed just as our line was emerging from the woods into the open field to the front and west of Resaca, and I formed my regiment on the extreme left of the Second Brigade, as direction. From this point the Second Brigade changed direction to the left, my regiment moving on the extreme left of the brigade, until reaching a point on the high range of hills running north from Resaca, where the enemy was again found in force, my left resting on the right of General Butterfield's division, of the [Twentieth] Corps. To my front was an opened field with a deep ravine or creek running through it parallel to our line, beyond which was a hill occupied by the enemy. In this position we rested until the morning of the 14th. By direction of Colonel C. C. Walcutt I moved one company to the front at daylight as skirmishers, and deployed them along the creek to my front. Remained in this position until the morning of the 15th, when the division position until the morning of the 15th, when the division shifted about one mile to the right, the Ninety-seventh Regiment occupying a hill about 900 yards west of Resaca, supporting Battery H, First Illinois Artillery.

In the series of skirmishers up to the evacuation of Resaca the Ninety-seventh Indiana lost in killed, 2 enlisted men; wounded, 7 enlisted men.

During the engagements, I wound only add, that the conduct of both officers and men was all that could be desired.

ROBT. F. CATTERSON,

Colonel, Commanding Regiment.

Captain E. N. UPTON,

A. A. A. G., 2nd Brigadier, 4th Div., 15th Army Corps.


Numbers 511.

Report of Major Thomas J. Ennis, Sixth Iowa Infantry, of operations May 5-15.

HDQRS. SIXTH IOWA VETERAN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY, In the Field, near Acworth, Ga., June 6, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to orders from brigade headquarters I have the honor to make the following report:

The regiment left Davenport, Iowa, on April 28 on its return from veteran furlough, and reached Chattanooga, Tenn., May 5,


Page 330 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.