Numbers 105.

Reports of Captain Robert P. Barry, Sixteenth U. S. Infantry.

CAMP SIXTEENTH U. S. INFANTRY,

Atlanta, Ga., September 18, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Sixteenth U. S. Infantry during the Atlanta campaign, 1864:

The command-consisting of the First Battalion, commanded by Captain Stanton, and the Second, Captain Barry-left Graysville, Ga., May 3, about 500 strong, all under command of Captain Stanton, and proceeded to Ringgold, Ga., leaving that place the 7th and marching to Buzzard Roost, Ga., where forty-five recruits and four officers joined us. Took part in the action of that place, losing only a few men.

On the 12th May we moved through Snake Creek Gap, and on the advance from there left the knapsacks of the men, an unfortunate act, as it was the cause of much future suffering from exposure by the men. Took part in the movements on Resaca May 14, 15, and 16, and on its evacuation marched to Kingston and thence to near Cassville, where we lay in camp three days. Here our wagons carrying the officers' baggage were taken away, reducing them for the rest of the campaign to the same condition as the men and entailing great misery. Here also three more officers joined us, among them Captain E. Gay, who assumed command of the detachment; one officer also left us on detached service. On the 24th we crossed the Etowah River and moved through the Allatoona Mountain, meeting the enemy on the 27th at New Hope Church, where we acted as support to Wood's division. Evening prevented our being called into action, so we merely, with the rest of the brigade, covered the withdrawal of his troops and threw up works on the ground we held. The following day we lost heavily skirmishing with the enemy, and during the ten days' operations at that point, in addition to much suffering from wet and exposure, lost many men in killed and wounded. On the night of the 29th May two companies, A (First) and C(Second), gallantly charged and took a hill in our front, which was then fortified by the Second, Eighteenth U. S. Infantry, Captain Fetterman. The rebels charged this position the 31st, and we aided the Second, Eighteenth, in repulsing them. The rebels having evacuated New Hope the 4th June, we lay in camp till the 9th, when we moved against them in their position at Lost Mountain, and on its evacuation took part in the operations against Kenesaw Mountain. On the 4th of July we endured for several hours a severe cannonade, losing a number of men killed and wounded. On the 6th we reached the banks of the Chattahoochee and lay in camp till the 17th, here partially refitting and reclothing the command. Crossed the Chattahoochee the 17th. On the 22d, in conjunction with the brigade acted as support for the division, suffering a demoralizing artillery fire and losing a number of men. On the 23rd threw up works two and a half miles from Atlanta, where we lay till August 3, when we moved to the right and took position on Utoy Creek, August 6. Abandoned our works the night of the 26th of August, leaving out a skirmish line, and took part in the movement to Jonesborough, halting a day at Red Oak