692 Series I Volume XXXVIII-I Serial 72 - The Atlanta Campaign Part I
Page 692 | THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L. |
their dead on the field, and the regiment, with the balance of the brigade, bivouacked for the night one mile north of the town. Next morning we intrenched and then went into camp near by, and there remained until the 23d, when we crossed the river, and, passing through Rome, encamped one mile south of it. Companies D and I were on the 19th detailed to guard wagon train to Resaca. May 24, marched sixteen miles toward Van Wert, and bivouacked for the night at Big Spring. May 25, marched fifteen miles toward Dallas, and, bivouacking for the night, resumed march at an early hour on following morning; reached Dallas at 3 p.m., where we were rejoined by Companies D and I. On the 27th the regiment was on the skirmish line, and, advancing the line one and a half miles, came up to the enemy strongly intrenched on a high hill. Our only loss in the advance was that of Thomas C. Case, Company C, who, it is supposed by many, accidentally shot himself dead. The regiment remained skirmishing constantly and heavily with the enemy until midnight of the 28th, when it was relieved; lost in killed on the 28th, James N. Finney, Company C. The regiment was in camp on the 29th, 30th, and 31st. On the last-mentioned day we were heavily shelled by the enemy, and Nathan R. Householder, Company D, was killed by a fragment of a shell, which struck him on the head.
From the 1st of June to the 27th the regiment did not other duty than occasional marched to the left to relieve other portions of the army along line of intrenchments, skirmish and picket duty on its regular turn, and building works whenever our brigade commander thought it proper and necessary to do so for our safety, &c. In the advance of our brigade toward Kenesaw Mountain on the 18th, Sergeant Hanna, Company D, was wounded. That night the enemy evacuated their line of works in our immediate front and fell back two miles to the mountain. We pursued them on the following morning, and finding them on the mountains we intrenched at their base. On the 20th, 21st, 22d, 23d, and 24th the enemy shelled us at intervals from the mountains, killing and wounding many in the other regiments of the brigade. Our loss during the entire time was not one. This was, in a very great measure, owing to the constant and untiring vigilance of the company officers, who kept their men on the guard at all times, and when the shelling commenced ordered them to their works and kept them there until the danger was passed. On many occasions while we lay here the roar of artillery and explosion of shell were most terrific. The danger to the regiment was increased from the fact that our line of intrenchments was in the rear only a few yards and to the right of our own batteries, whose guns those of the enemy sought on all occasions to dismount. On the 26th marched to the right about five miles, and on the morning of the 27th the regiment constituted the third line in the brigade column that was to charge the enemy's works. At 9 o'clock the charge was made on the double-quick. It was the full distance of three-fourths of a mile from the place where the column was formed to the enemy's works. The column advanced amid a perfect shower of canister and bullets to within a few yards of the enemy's lines, but so strong was their position that their front lines were compelled to give way and came back hurriedly through the two rear lines, carrying with them Companies G and B, of the regiment. Those two companies, however, were soon in position and intrenching, along with the balance of the regiment which held the
Page 692 | THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L. |