Today in History:

420 Series I Volume XXXVIII-I Serial 72 - The Atlanta Campaign Part I

Page 420 Chapter L. THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN.

on the knob. At 12 m. the Fifteenth Ohio, deployed as skirmishers, and the Forty-fifth [Forty-ninth] Ohio supporting, charged and drove the enemy from his position, capturing many prisoners. Our regiment was immediately ordered to relieve the Fifteenth Ohio on the skirmish line, which was effected under a heavy fire from the enemy. We immediately intrenched ourselves on this knob, which we held until the night of the 2nd of July, when we moved together with the brigade at 9 a. m., about one mile to the left, and relieved General Woods' brigade, of the Fifteenth Corps. Our regiment formed on the left of the brigade, in single line, occupying strong works built by the troops whom we relieved, about 200 yards from the enemy's works on Kenesaw Mountain. On the morning of the 3rd we found that the enemy had evacuated his position on and about Kenesaw Mountain, and retreated toward the Chattahoochee River. Our casualties were at this place, enlisted men, killed, 4; wounded, 8. On the 3d, at 8 a. m., we moved with the brigade, passing through the enemy's works, about two miles southwest of Kenesaw Mountain, thence in a southeasterly direction past the Military Academy at Marietta, and crossing the railroad one mile south of Marietta, marching on the left on a line with the railroad about six miles, where General Stanley's division found the enemy in force. At 1 p. m. on the 4th we moved one mile to the left, where the brigade was put into position on the extreme left of the army, our regiment fronting nearly east. On the 5th the enemy had again disappeared from our front, and we marched at 8 a. m., passing through the enemy's works, thence to the right till we reached the railroad, on which we marched to Vining's Station, where General Hazen's brigade discovered the rear guard of the enemy across the Chattahoochee River at Pace's Ferry. Our regiment was put in position 200 yards to the left of the road leading to Pace's Ferry, on a ridge about 200 yards from the river, our right joining the Thirty-fifth and our left on the Twenty-fifth Illinois. We remained in this position until the 10th, when we moved about seven miles up the river and bivouacked for the night. At 7 a. m. on the 12th we moved two miles down the river, where a pontoon brigade was constructed, on which we crossed at 1 p. m. On the 13th the division went down the river to Pace's Ferry and drove the enemy from that place to enable the Fourteenth Corps to cross. When General Davis' division had crossed, we were relieved and went back to our former position. On the morning of July 18 the regiment marched on a road leading through Buck Head to Atlanta. On the 19th we went on a reconnaissance and found the enemy strongly intrenched on the south bank of Peach Tree Creek. Colonel Knefler's brigade succeeded in driving the enemy from his first line of works on the right of the road, and the Twenty-fifth Illinois being deployed as skirmishers, crossed the creek simultaneously and occupied the works on the left. The brigade followed the skirmishers, crossing the creek on a hastily constructed foot bridge. At dark we were relieved by General Newton's division, when we marched back to our position of the previous night and rested until morning. At 7 a. m. we marched about two and a half miles when we were put into position on the left of General Newton's division on the north side of Peach Tree Creek, in single line, our right connecting with the Fifteenth Ohio, and our left with the Eighty-ninth Illinois. On the morning of the 21st the enemy had again disappeared, and we marched south-west,


Page 420 Chapter L. THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN.