473 Series I Volume XXXVIII-I Serial 72 - The Atlanta Campaign Part I
Page 473 | Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. |
that enfiladed our position. On the afternoon of the 21st, near Kenesaw Mountain, my command participated in the advance made by our brigade when we captured the enemy's rifle-pits and were thus enabled to secure a good position some half a mile to the front. Two men mortally and 4 severely wounded were the casualties in my command in this movement. We remained before Marietta performing the usual duties, confronting a vigilant enemy, making occasional demonstrations upon his lines until the 27th, when a general advance was attempted, and my command with the rest of the brigade marched about a mile to the right at 7 a.m. to the support of Newton's division. I had 1 man wounded in this movement.
The morning of July 3 the enemy disappeared from our front; our troops occupied Marietta and we pushed forward toward the Chattahoochee River, reaching it at a point known as Pace's Ferry. About noon of the 5th instant the enemy offered a stubborn resistance there, and my battalion that night, under cover of the darkness, threw up a line of rifle-pits close to the margin of the river and occupied them. We remained in this locality until Sunday, the 10th, when we marched four or five miles to the left, preparatory to crossing the river, which we did unmolested on the afternoon of the 12th instant, and went into bivouac some mile and a half on the south side, where we remained until Sunday, 17th instant, when, with the balance of the brigade, we marched to the south side of Pace's Ferry to cover the crossing of the Fourteenth Army Corps. On Monday, 18th instant, advanced upon Atlanta by the Peach Tree road. On the 19th drove the enemy from his line of defenses on Peach Tree Creek and established our lines some half a mile on the other side. I had 3 men wounded in charging across the creek. From this time to that of settling down before Atlanta, on the 22nd instant, nothing of interest transpired. On that day we established our lines within two miles of the city, near what is known as Utoy Creek, and constructed a line of good works about 800 yards from the outer defenses of the city, the pickets confronting each other at some 300 yards distance in rifle-pits. From this time up to the evening of August 25, when we withdrew, nothing of especial interest transpired upon our immediate front. Every day and almost every night the artillery and musketry kept up a constant fusillade. We made several demonstrations upon the enemy's lines, and on the 24th of July carried their advanced rifle-pits, which enabled us to advance our picket-line some 200 yards. Three men wounded embrace all the casualties in my command during our stay before the city.
On Thursday night, August 25, my battalion held the picket-line during the withdrawal of the troops of our brigade. Our movements were now directed against the Montgomery railroad, which we struck at 7 a.m. 29th of August, twelve miles southwest of Atlanta, and participated in its destruction. On the afternoon of Wednesday, 31st, we reached the Macon railroad and formed our lines to protect the details engaged in its destruction. The next morning, September 1, we pushed forward four miles farther in the direction of Jonesborough and demolished the road at that point. At 4 p.m. marched toward Jonesborough, where some of our troops were engaged, and formed our lines in an open field about a mile north of the town, exposed to an artillery fire, but we were not engaged. The next morning, September 2, passed through Jonesborough, the enemy having fallen back toward Lovejoy's Station; we followed up, and at 3 p.m. formed our lines about a half a mile to the left of the
Page 473 | Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. |