Today in History:

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

Page 543 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.

shot, shell, and grape were soon poured into us from a battery only a little distance off. The rebels evidently thought they had reached the right flank of our lines when they struck the left of our brigade, and were right tin our midst before they found or their mistake. This charge reached as far as the left of my command, who gave them so warm a reception that they soon turned and fled, leaving some dead for us to bury. I had 2 officers wounded, 1 man killed, and 1 wounded. July 21, strengthened our works; toward evening we advanced our skirmish line, with some light opposition, which we overcame; casualties, 1 officer wounded and 1 man killed. July 22, advanced by the flank, passing a strong line of earth-works; threw forward two companies as skirmishers. After advancing about 1,200 yards they were charged on, and the left of the Twentieth Army Corps' skirmish line falling back before the advancing enemy, left our left exposed; but allowing it to refuse itself until the Twentieth Corps' line again advanced, we regained our former position, until relieved at evening by a brigade of the Twentieth Corps, when we fell back in reserve of our division, on the right of the railroad; our loss, 1 man wounded. July 26, relieved the Third Brigade on the front line. Nothing of importance until July 29; report being that the rebels had left our front, our skirmishers advanced and found them in force, with plenty of artillery; fortified and held our advanced position; had a fatigue detail on skirmish line building works.

August 1, attempted to advance our skirmish line this morning, but found too much opposition; the right wing of brigade move into works in advance of our line. August 3, relieved by Third Brigade and lay in reserve; I lost while on front line 1 man killed and 7 wounded; moved some six miles to the right. August 5, formed part of a reconnaissance to discover the left flank of the enemy; found strong works and evidently masked artillery. August 6, returned and relieved Second Brigade, Second Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, early in the morning, but built new works in advance of their and just got them finished, August 7, when we were ordered forward and advanced, driving the rebel from their works, and, under a galling fire, we established our lines on a height some 600 or 700 yard in advance of our former position; the enemy had a cross-fire on us, but the right advancing drove them from their position; our loss was 2 men killed, 2 officers and 8 men wounded; our pickets and those of the rebels on very amicable terms with one another while encamped on Utoy Creek, which resulted in nearly the whole skirmish line being taken prisoners. August 13, owing to our position on line the prisoners were taken either on our right or left, none on our immediate front. August 14, to avoid a repetition of this the rebels made several demonstrations on our picket-line, but accomplished nothing, their object evidently being to keep their won men from deserting. August 18, right wing of regiment move to the right and occupy the line held by the regulars of Second Brigade, left wing holding the line vacated by right wing; Twenty-first Wisconsin and One hundred and fourth Illinois kept maneuvering to deceive the enemy as to our force; occasional demonstrations made by the enemy, but of little moment. August 22, right wing relieved and return to former position; casualties while on Utoy Creek, 1 man killed and 5 wounded. August 26, moved from our position after dark to where the Twenty-third Corps had thrown up works some five miles to our right, halting for


Page 543 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.