699 Series I Volume XXXVIII-I Serial 72 - The Atlanta Campaign Part I
Page 699 | Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. |
August 1,2, and 3, position unchanged. Major Sullivant being unwell went to the division hospital, and the command of the regiment devolved upon myself. 5th, advanced toward the east, took position under heavy artillery fire, and intrenched. 6th, no change. 7th, advanced and captured line of skirmish pits; took some prisoners and several stand of arms; lost 1 killed and several wounded. 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th, remained in trenches under constant fire, losing men every day. 12th, moved to the right, relieving a portion of the Twenty-third Army Corps. 13th to 19th, no change. 20th to 27th, constant skirmishing but no change of position. 27th, moved to the right across Utoy Creek. 28th, marched across Montgomery railroad, one mile to the southeast. 29th, lay in camp. 30th, marched at 6 a.m. and went into camp half way between Rough and Ready and Jonesborough. 31st, marched to one and a half miles distant from Macon railroad.
September 1, moved on Jonesborough road until opposite the enemy's intrenched position, and then filed to the left across an open field within plain view of his works. The march of the column was impeded by deep ditches, which it was necessary to bridge, during which time we were exposed to a raking fire from the enemy's batteries less than three-quarters of a mile distant. One shell exploding in our midst killed 2 and wounded 4 men. We moved forward and took position under cover of a skirt of woods within less than a half mile from the enemy, where we remained until 2 p.m. We then formed in line of battle, the Ninety-eighth Ohio deploying as skirmishers, and the One hundred and thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry being in the front line, with the Seventy-eighth Illinois on the right, and the balance of the brigade in the rear as support. Orders were then received to storm the rebel works in our front. The line crossed a corn-field into a deep ravine, where our progress was impeded by deep ditches and a thick canebrake. These obstacles being overcome, the line was well dressed up and again ordered forward. The men pressed on rapidly, and as we neared the enemy I ordered them forward on the double-quick. In an instant we were over to the works, and our lines were thrown into considerable confusion by the rush of prisoners to the rear. There must have been from 100 to 150 prisoners passed through my command. We continued to move straight to the front until we captured 2 Parrott guns, limbers, ammunition, and ammunition-wagon and 4 fine mules, which the enemy could not take away in his flight. We advanced until we were enfiladed by the enemy's fire and our own, the enemy still firing from the front. I halted the line and directed the men to lie down until I could get further orders. We then were ordered to fall back to the works just passed over, where we remained until nearly dark, when an order came to relieve the One hundred and twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, their ammunition being nearly exhausted. We moved to the right across a deep ravine up to the crest of a hill under a sharp fire from the enemy. A constant fire was kept up until about 9 p.m., when the firing ceased. Here we captured the battle-flag of the Third Confederate Regiment, inscribed with the names of seven different battles. The next morning I fired a salute with canister from the guns captured by the Seventy-eighth Illinois, but received no response from the enemy. They had left during the night. None but the dead and a few wounded were found on the field. September 2, we moved into
Page 699 | Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. |