417 Series I Volume XXXVIII-I Serial 72 - The Atlanta Campaign Part I
Page 417 | Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. |
at 12 m. The Fifteenth Wisconsin being deployed as skirmishers, advanced to the foot of Rocky Face Ridge, where it remained during the night. On the morning of the 8th regiment was ordered to advance and take the ridge, if possible. At 8 a. m. four companies being deployed as skirmishers our right, connecting with the skirmishers of General Hazen's brigade, advanced under a heavy fire from the enemy strongly posted on the crest of the ridge. After a severe skirmish our left succeeded in carrying the crest, where we took up a strong position, which we held until relieved, under proper orders, by troops from General Harker's brigade. Finding it impossible to carry the ridge in front of our right by assault, the troops on this part of the line remained in position on the northern slope of the ridge, constantly skirmishing with the enemy until the afternoon of the 12th, when we moved with the brigade to the left about one and a half miles to meet a reported movement of the enemy in force in that direction. At 6 p. m. we relieved a part of the Thirty-second Indiana and Eighty-ninth Illinois regiments on the skirmish line, where we remained during the night, and on the morning of the 13th found the enemy had evacuated his position in and about Rocky Face Ridge and Dalton. Our loss up to this time was as follows: Killed, 1; wounded, 1. The regiment moved immediately with the brigade in pursuit of the enemy, passing trough Dalton about 11 a. m., thence south on the left and on a line with the railroad. On the 14th a 12 m. heavy firing was heard in front; the brigade was formed in three lines, this regiment in the left of the third line, and moved forward about 600 yards over broken country and found the enemy strongly intrenched around Resaca. About 4 p. m. our regiment and the Thirty-fifth Illinois were ordered to relieve a portion of Colonel Sherman's brigade, of General Newton's division, about 200 yards to the right. This position was greatly exposed to an enfilading fire from the enemy's artillery, and would have been untenable had we not been partly covered by the first line of the enemy's works, which had been previously carried by the Twenty-third Corps. Here the regiment was engaged about two hours, when our ammunition was exhausted, and, being relieved by a regiment from Colonel Sherman's brigade, we moved back about 200 yards, where we rested over night. At 6 a. m. on the 15th the regiment relieved the Forty-ninth Ohio on the front line. Hastily constructed barricades having been constructed during the night, we were party covered from the fire, and from this position we kept a battery of two guns in our immediate front completely silent. We commanded the enemy's works with our musketry, so he could not show his head above the parapets. At 6 p. m. we were relieved by the Fifteenth Ohio, and formed in double column in the second line. At 11 p. m. the enemy made a desperate charge on our line, but was handsomely repulsed and severely punished. On the morning of the 16th the enemy had disappeared from our front, and our skirmishers entered his main line of works, when it was found that he had crossed the Oostenaula River at Resaca Station, and burned the railroad bridge behind him. Our casualties here were as follows, viz: Killed, 4; wounded, 14. About 2 p. m. we crossed the Oostenaula River on the wagon bridge. Moving in a southerly direction, in line with the railroad, we passed through Calhoun toward Adairsville. On the afternoon of the 17th General Newton's division met the enemy in considerable force near Adairsville. We were
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Page 417 | Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. |