July 5, again advanced, the enemy having evacuated his strong line in the night; crossed Nickajack Creek, and came in sight of the spires of Atlanta. July 6, marched toward the river near the railroad bridge and threw up a line of breast-works; remained in this position ten days. July 17, crossed the river at Turner's Ferry. July 18, crossed Nancy's Creek. July 20, crossed Peach Tree Creek and advanced about one mile. Here the regiment lay with the rest of the division, massed in the woods, until 3 p. m., when our pickets were driven in, the rebels following in line of battle close behind them. The division being at once deployed, the regiment occupied the left of the First Brigade. Here it repulsed three determined charges, the rebel line at one time being but twenty yards distant, while at the same time it was exposed to a constant enfilading fire from its right. After the first assault was repulsed and the firing slackened I ordered the rear rank to tear down an old house just behind the regiment and pile up the timber for breast-works. It did so, and this light fortification in the succeeding charges saved many valuable lives. In this battle Captain H. O. Wiley and First Lieutenant John H. Daicy were killed, and Adjt. Seth C. carey severely wounded. Besides these gallant officers the regiment lost 9 enlisted men killed and 35 wounded, 2 of whom have since died. July 21, was spent in attending to our dead and wounded, and burying the dead rebels who lay in our front. July 22, marched through the works which the enemy had abandoned in the night and took up a position on a ridge a little to the left of the Marietta railroad, and close under the enemy's guns. Here the regiment threw up heavy breast-works, protected by abatis and chevaux-de-frise, which it occupied for over a month. While in this position it had 1 officer wounded, 3 men killed, and 3 wounded.

On the 25th of August at daylight the regiment marched, in obedience to orders, back to the railroad bridge over the Chattahoochee and threw up a line of breast-works. The rest of the brigade and division joined it the next morning before light. It lay in camp at this place until September 2, when, in connection with a regiment of both the other brigades of the division, it made a reconnaissance in the direction of Atlanta, which resulted in the occupation of the city, the rebel force having evacuated that morning. It is now encamped in rear of the works on the east side of the town. The above is a brief epitome of the part this regiment has played in the terrible tragedy of this campaign. The limits assigned me prevent a more elaborate and just report, for were I to enumerate the individual exploits of cool and brilliant valor which have fallen under my own observation, a volume would scarcely suffice. In the patient endurance of the fatigues of long and weary marches, in intelligent and uncomplaining submission to all necessary hardships and privations, in the calm but resistless valor displayed in the shock of fiercely contested battle, it officers and men have been tried by the severest tests known to the soldier, and they have never once been found wanting. Engaged for months in constant picket fighting, and in almost daily skirmishers, they have also taken an active and a gallant part in every battle of the campaign in which the Twentieth Corps has met the enemy. Though few in numbers I feel proud to have commanded such men. The regiments started on the campaign with 523 effective men. It has in action 10 officers and 144 enlisted men, and 84 men have been sent to the hospital on account of disease contracted from hardship and exposure. It has received 1 recruits,