Today in History:

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

Page 838 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

the bridge over the Etowah, crossing and burning it, resting, and recruiting two days, moving thence to the railroad; thence toward New Hope Church, where we went into line of battle from the march on the 25th of May, at 11 o'clock. Stacking arms, hastily threw up log breast-works; were charged by heavy lines of the enemy at 3 o'clock, and were hotly engaged until after dark, repulsing three heavy lines in as many assault with heavy loss to the enemy. At night strengthened our works under a desultory fire of the enemy; our works were closely watched, our vedettes in front thirty to fifty paces, capturing prisoners and horses.

At daylight on the 26th of May our whole front swarmed with the enemy's sharpshooters, and confronted by a heavy line of skirmishers, whose fire was a great annoyance, preventing our regiment from being relieved; too much danger, consequently eighty men were kept with the Sixteenth Louisiana Regiment, who came to relieve us to defend the works, thus doing ten hours constant duty.

Our casualties were important. Our colonel (L. T. Woodruff) was seriously wounded on the 25th of May, at 4 o'clock, the ball entering his thigh near the leading artery. He was carried from the field, believed to be mortally wounded.

Officers-killed, 1; wounded seriously (Colonel L. T. Woodruff), field 1, line 1; total, 2. Enlisted men-killed, 4; wounded mortally, 3; severely, 11; slightly, 13; total, 31.

Was relieved from this line and position May 28, at 3 a.m.

Casualties-aggregate: Field officer, 1; line officers, 10; enlisted men, 122.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

Your obedient servant,

J. A. WEMYSS,

Captain, Commanding 36th Regiment Alabama Infty., Clayton's Brigadier

[General H. D. CLAYTON.]


Numbers 667.

Report of Captain George W. Welch, Thirty-eighth Alabama Infantry, of operations May 7-27.

LINE OF BATTLE 38TH Regiment ALABAMA VOL. INFTY.,

Near New Hope Church, May 29, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the action taken by the Thirty-eighth Regiment Alabama Volunteer Infantry in the engagement at Rocky Face, Resaca, and New Hope Church:

The Thirty-eighth Alabama Regiment, Colonel A. R. Lankford commanding, left its winter quarters and was formed into line of battle on Saturday, the 7th of May, and, with the brigade, was marched through Mill Creek Gap, in front of Rocky Face Mountain, to a point near and fronting toward Tunnel Hill, where the enemy had made his appearance in heavy force, and there received the first fire from the enemy. The regiment and brigade were then moved to the right and formed in line on the side of Rocky Face, fronting Tunnel Hill. Two companies from the Thirty-eighth Alabama (Companies B and I) were thrown forward as skirmishers, covering the front of the brigade. The Thirty-eighth Alabama, with the brigade, re-


Page 838 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.