Today in History:

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

Page 514 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

HEADQUARTERS FORTY-THIRD OHIO VOLUNTEERS, Near Jonesborough, Ga., September 6, 1864.

SIR: In compliance with recent orders, I have the honor to submit the following detailed report of the operations of this command since May 1, 1864:

On that day the regiment moved from Decatur, Ala., as part of the Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Sixteenth Corps, the Second and Fourth Divisions composing the Left Wing, General G. M. Dodge commanding. It still serves in the same organization. Crossing the Tennessee and turning east the regiment marched, via Huntsville,to Woodville May 4, and moving thence by rail, arrived next day at Chattanooga, Tenn. Marching south at once to Rossville, Ga.,and thence to Gordon's Mills, the command became part of the column designed to move upon Resaca, under Major-General McPherson. Turning east from the vicinity of La Fayette on the night of May 7, the regiment, having the advance, seized the pass known as Ship's Gap,and moving thence with the command next day into Snake Creek Gap, participated without casualty in the reconnaissance before Resaca May 9. When the demonstration on Resaca was resumed the regiment did duty in the front line May 13 and part of the 14th south of the town,and afterward until the evacuation north of the town in support of the Fifteenth Corps. This service was severe, the men remaining in line and relieving each other as skirmishers, almost without intermission for four days. In the performance of this duty Lieuts. Cornelius McCaffrey and John W. Thompson received severe flesh wounds, and of enlisted men 4 were killed and 18 wounded, whose names have been already presented in the reports of casualties. The skirmishers of this regiment were of the first who entered the village of Resaca. By the route of the main army the regiment reached Kingston May 19, at which place Company K, Captain J. H. Rhodes, was detailed to guard the ordnance train, on which duty it remained until the 21st of June. From Kingston, May 25, the regiment entered Dallas next day, and the following morning took position in the line, and maintained a detail of two companies of skirmishers until the withdrawal of the army from before that place on the morning of the 1st of June, suffering a loss meanwhile in the person of Lieutenant Milo Wilkinson, mortally wounded, and of 9 enlisted men wounded,whose names have been presented as before mentioned.

The Fourth Division being detailed to guard trains the regiment remained on the right flank of the army until the 6th of June, when

it marched to Acworth, and leaving Acworth, June 10, participated in the gradual advance upon Kenesaw Mountain, without severe loss, 10 enlisted men wounded being the aggregate of casualties after leaving Dallas until July 3, when the position was evacuated by the enemy. Leaving at the same time the front of Kenesaw, and moving with the command to the right flank of the army,on July 4 the regiment developed the enemy's skirmish line near Ruff's Mill and reached the Chattahoochee July 7, in the vicinity of Turner's Ferry.

The two following days were employed in marching, via Marietta, to Roswell, near which place,on the afternoon of the 10th, the command forded the Chattahoochee and fortified a tete-de-pont. July 17, the army moving on,the regiment was detached to remain at Roswell and hold the brigade and ford over the Chattahoochee, which


Page 514 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.