31 Series I Volume XXXVIII-II Serial 73 - The Atlanta Campaign Part II
Page 31 | Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.- ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. |
moved about a mile and a half to the left and connected with Stanley's division, of the Fourth Corps, looking toward Pine Mountain. On 13th and 14th Geary's Division relieved a portion of Fourteenth Corps and connected with my left. June 15, the enemy having evacuated Pine Mountain, my division was ordered to pursue to the right of Geary's division. At 4 p. m. I crossed a deep ravine on my left and, ascending a high hill, massed my whole division in rear of Geary's right reserve brigade. Soon after, hearing heavy firing, I deployed Knipe's and Ruger's brigades, and took the double-quick in that direction. I found Geary engaging the enemy in his works. Knipe's brigade was sent to form on Geary's right, and Ruger's brigade was moved to the left to cover Geary;s left flank. Robinson's Brigade was held behind Geary's left center. Subsequently it formed line in rear of Geary, and after dark made rifle-pits for his lines to withdraw to. On 16th Knipe's brigade was withdrawn from the right to the left of Ruger. It threw up breast-works connecting with Fourth Corps. Robinson's brigade was placed in reserve. The enemy on both days kept up a vigorous fire of shot and shell. On 17th followed closely the enemy, who again abandoned his works and fell back. I halted the division with left resting on Burnt Hickory and Marietta road near Kirk's house, connecting with Fourth Corps, Butterfield's division on my right, the line facing Mud Creek. On 19th the division was again put in pursuit of the retreating enemy, crossing Mud and Noyes' Creeks. I found the enemy in their works tow to three miles beyond. The enemy's skirmishers opposed us all day. The losses of the division from 15th to 19th of June, inclusive, in killed and wounded were between 90 and 100 officers and men. On 20th Of June the division, being relieved by Fourth Corps, was moved to the right of Butterfield's division, and in the afternoon moved to the right and front as far as Atkinson's plantation and made connection with Hascall's division, Twenty-third Corps. The other divisions afterward took position on my left. On 21st, after reconnoitering to my front, sent out two regiments, under Colonel Hawley, Third Wisconsin Volunteers, and took possession with small loss of an important hill in direction of Kolb's farm. The enemy made fruitless efforts to regain it. June 22, I advanced the division, preceded by a strong skirmish line, especially on the right and on to the left of the Powder Springs and Marietta road. The division was massed by brigades in the woods, the right near the powder Springs road at Kolb's house, Ruger's brigade on the right, Knipe's in the center, and Robinson's on the left. In front of Knipe was an open elevated plateau with a deep gully along its front, beyond which the ground rose gently to the woods occupied by the rebel picket reserves in strong rifle-pits 500 or 600 yards distant. Robinson occupied a hill about 200 yards to the rear and left of Knipe, placing his brigade in echelon to Knipe's. He had before him an open of at least 1,000 yards and extending to the low ground in front of Geary on my left, from whom I was separated by a swampy ravine. Ruger had thick woods in his front, except the ground for two regiments on Knipe's right. Soon after arriving on this ground I strengthened my skirmishers by an additional regiment, and drove back the enemy's pickets to the woods in our front, where his reserves were strongly intrenched, not far from his main works. I placed Winegar's battery (3-inch rifles) in front of Robinson's brigade, and Woodbury's (light 12-pounder) in front of Knipe's brigade, positions
Page 31 | Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.- ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. |