Today in History:

168 Series I Volume XXXVIII-II Serial 73 - The Atlanta Campaign Part II

Page 168 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

tle, about three miles; went into camp for the night in the woods. At 12 m. of the 2nd we moved out and advanced about three miles through a terrible thunder- storm to the support of the Twenty- third Army Corps, who were skirmishing with the enemy. We remained quietly in camp until the morning of the 6th, when we moved about for miles farther to the left and front, halting in edge of woods, where we have remained until the present time. The Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry sustained a loss in the eight days; fighting, from the 25th of May, in killed and wounded, as follows; 1 officer killed and 2 wounded, 11 enlisted men killed and 64 wounded.

Respectfully submitted.

R. L. KILPATRICK,

Lieutenant- Colonel, Commanding Fifth Ohio Vols.

Lieutenant A. H. W. CREIGH,

A. A. A. G., 1st Brigadier, 2nd Div., 20th Army Corps.


Numbers 210.

Report of Captain Robert Kirkup, Fifth Ohio Infantry, of operations May 11- September 8.


HEADQUARTERS FIFTH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,
Camp at Atlanta, Ga., September 9, 1864.

SIR: In compliance with Circular Orders, Numbers 98, from Second Division, Twentieth Army Corps headquarters, I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in the late campaign, commencing May 11, 1864, and ending September 7, 1864:

May 11, on arriving at Mill Creek, Ga., the Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry was ordered to support a piece of artillery of McGill's battery on the road running east, remaining perhaps one hour, when ordered,in conjunction with Sixty- sixth Ohio Volunteer infantry and One hundred and forty- seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, to support two batteries at the base of Rocky Face Ridge. At 4.30 p. m. the regiment was ordered to proceed up the mountain and relieve the Sixty- sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. By order of Colonel Candy the knapsacks of the men were left under guard at the base of the mountain,and the regiment ascended the mountain. On our way up an order was received from Colonel Candy, through Lieutenant Hedges, of the pioneer corps, that the Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry would relieve the Twenty- ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who were engaged with the enemy near the crest of the mountain. General Geary gave orders to the commanding officer of the regiment to instruct Colonel Candy that the Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry should be placed in position to cover the retreat down the mountain, which would take place after dark. Orders were then received from Colonel Candy to place the regiment in position in line of a ridge on the right of the road, with Company A deployed as skirmishers, with its right thrown back, the left resting on the road. This being done, Companies I and K were thrown forward fifty yards on the left of the road. We remained in this position until all the troops on the mountain had fallen back, when the Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry was ordered to retire, leaving a line of skirmishers in charge of Lieutenant Plaisted, instructed to fight our way down the


Page 168 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.