669 Series I Volume XXXVIII-I Serial 72 - The Atlanta Campaign Part I
Page 669 | Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. |
June 14, left camp at 9.10 a.m. and moved out in light order toward the front. Halted and got dinner about noon, and soon after skirmishers were detailed from our regiment to advance our lines, as this was the object of this movement. The skirmishers fought their way steadily forward, pressing back the rebel lines a long distance, and doing everything asked of them. In this operation we lost lightly, considering the ground taken, the whole loss being 1 killed and 3 wounded. Just before night send back and brought up knapsacks and camp equipage, and pitched camp in a piece of woods in rear of front line, near Big Shanty Station. Lay here until the 18th. June 18, at 4 p.m. moved a half mile to the front toward Kenesaw Mountain and threw up earth-works. June 19, left our works at 7.50 a.m. and marched toward Kenesaw; halted at 9.30 a.m. and formed line of battle in front of rebel earth-works, where we remained until 11 a.m., when we moved on in a heavy rain-storm and formed in close column by division on a ridge three-quarters of a mile from Kenesaw. Just before night we moved slowly forward and formed in line of battle about forty rods from the foot of the mountain, and then at dark went on picket on the side of the mountain. The picket-firing here was very brisk and fatal, as the enemy were so much elevated above us. Distance marched, four miles. June 20, relieved from picket at dusk and camped at the foot of the mountain with the brigade. Here we remained until June 26. June 23, the enemy shelled our camp vigorously, wounding a very few of our men. June 25, the regiment is again on picket on the side of the mountain in the same position of June 20. June 26, at midnight of the 25th, we were relieved by Twelfth Indiana Infantry, Fifteenth Army Corps, and we moved one mile and three-quarters to the rear, and then to the right some three miles, and took position a half mile in rear of lines in column by division, and pitched tents and remained all day. This was a very hard march for us, for we had been on picket for thirty hours, and the march was so slow and torturing that many were exhausted with the fatigue of wearing knapsacks so many hours. Distance marched, five miles. June 27, at 6 a.m. the regiment moved to the front and took position in the works. While moving over an open field to reach the works we were much exposed to the fire of the enemy, whose works were in plain sight, and Captain Cook, of Company E, was mortally wounded. It was to-day that the charge was made by the Second and Third Brigades, and many of our men had to be restrained by their officers to keep them from joining the charging force. We remained here until July 3. Nothing of note occurred after the charge of the 27th until the 29th, when the truce was given the rebels to bury the dead, and a few miles the enemy shelled our camp, compelling us to keep close to our works. We lost a few men by sharpshooting of the rebels.
July 3, left camp at 7 a.m. and started in pursuit of the enemy, who had evacuated their works the night previous; advanced seven miles, and threw up breast-works. July 4, completed the works which we had hardly completed the evening before and remained until 5 p.m., when we advanced one-half mile and threw up another line of works, and sent out a detail of men to work as pioneers, who built five bridges, three across one creek on as many roads, and two more on another stream in front of the picket-line. July 5, moved at daylight in pursuit of the enemy. Our regiment was in advance and consequently had to keep a skirmish line in advance. We captured
Page 669 | Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. |