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

Page 353 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.

July 5, marched six miles; went into camp at dark. 6th and 7th, lay in camp all day; had 1 man killed by shell on 7th. July 8, and 1 man wounded by stray shot. 9th and 10th and 11th, lay in camp. July 12, moved at 5 p. m.; marched about seven miles toward Marietta, went into camp at 11 p. m. 13th, marched at 6 a. m.; passed through Marietta at 9 o'clock; marched about ten miles on Roswell road.

14th, moved at daylight; passed through Roswell; crossed Chattahoochee River. 15th, threw up works. 16th, lay in camp. 17th, marched at 6 o'clock, went into camp 3 o'clock. 18th, moved at 7 o'clock; camped three miles from railroad. 19th, moved at 6 o'clock; camped one mile from Decatur; moved at 6 o'clock; passed through Decatur; were ordered to support battery; were shelled by the enemy at short range; had 4 men killed, 1 wounded. 21st, worked at rifle-pits on left of Seventieth Ohio in rear of Forty-eight Illinois; had 3 men wounded on skirmish line. July 22, moved to the front on line evacuated by the enemy during the night previous; at 12 o'clock were ordered to the rear and left, on left of Second Brigade; formed in line as the enemy advanced to charge our works. A body of the enemy had taken position in our rifle-pits (which had been abandoned at the advance in the morning) in our immediate front, and could neither advance nor retire, but kept up a severe and close fire. A portion of the regiment, owing to the peculiar formation of the ground being without cover, I ordered them to lie down and await the attack. The enemy not being disposed to advance, and being evidently in waiting for re-enforcements, I ordered the four left companies to advance, which was promptly done; coming upon their flank compelled their surrender (17 officers and 165 men, with the colors of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Texas and Fifth Confederate, thus falling into our hands.) I immediately ordered Captain La Point, with his company (B), to conduct the prisoners to the rear and employed the remainder of the regiment in construction a cover of logs from an old house. At this time a company of pioneers, under command of Lieutenant-, reported to me and occupied the ground vacated by Company B, and did good and efficient service during the remainder of our stay at that point; by the time work was completed the enemy were seen advancing in line through the field to our right. I ordered the regiment to commence firing by "right oblique," which was done with good effect. Having good range directly upon their flank they soon fell back in confusion. At about 5 o'clock moved, by order of Colonel Oliver, to the works held in the morning by Ninety-ninth Indiana, on double-quick.

Upon arriving there were ordered by General Harrow to move on to works of Forty-eight Illinois. After remaining about half an hour were ordered to advance in line and occupy the works constructed in the morning. Finding them occupied were ordered to fall back under the brow of the hill, about 150 yards in rear of works. Our loss was 3 killed and 5 wounded. July 23, 24, 25, and 26, lay in camp.

July 27, moved early in the morning en route to extreme right; marched -miles. July 28, moved at 6 o'clock; marched about one mile by left flank; established our line at 11 o'clock, with Forty-eight Illinois on the right and Ninety-ninth Indiana on the left.

Our skirmishers had been quite briskly engaged for some time, and, upon our line being formed, I ordered Lieutenant Cady, with Company H, to occupy the crest of the hill immediately in our front, deploy his men as skirmishers, and hold the ground if possible. The enemy had in the mean time been shelling our line, and at the ad-

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Page 353 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.