HDQRS. 118TH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,
Before Atlanta, Ga., August 22,1 864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of the One hundred and eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry from July 18 (the time I took command) to August 12, 1864:

It may be proper for me to remark that I had command of the regiment a few days in June, and that from July 14 (when Captain kennedy left) to July 17, Captain reul commanded. On the morning of July 17 the regiment with the brigade and division broke camp on the banks of the Chattahoochee and marched upon Decatur, Ga., camping on the night of the 18th seven miles from that place, and approaching on the 19th to within one mile of the town, the skirmishers only engaging the enemy. The regiment and brigade were, however, placed in line of battle on the right of the road, and moved up till the advance brigade of the Second Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, obtained full possession of the town, the skirmishers only engaging the enemy. The regiment and brigade were, however, placed in line of battle on the right of the road, and moved up till the advance brigade of the Second Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, obtained full possession of the town. At 5 a. m. of the 20th the command marched toward Atlanta, meeting with no resistance till near Peach Tree Creek, when the rebel pickets were met and driven after a sharp skirmish into their main lines beyond the creek. In the skirmish Company G lost 2 men wounded, 1 seriously. After dark on the evening of 20th the regiment moved over the creek, and by midnight had built on ground covered by a dense thicket of timber of formidable breast-work, and on the morning of the 21st strengthened the line still more by an abatis. Constant skirmishing was kept up during the night of the 20th and on the 21st . Here Sergeant Herrod, of Company C, was killed. As the rebel picket firing ceased about midnight of the 21st, it was inferred that the position in our front had been abandoned, and an advance of the pickets early on the morning of the 22nd proved this to be the case. On the 22nd the regiment with the command approached Atlanta, the brigade being in reserve, but was put at 4 p. m. into position on the left of the division and in support of the batteries playing upon the left of the division and in support of the batteries playing upon the left of the rebel army, which was then fighting the Army of the Tennessee. Here breast-works were constructed during the night, the One hundred and eighteenth laying in reserve. The 23d, 24th, and 25th were passed without anything worthy of special note occurring. As the works on our left were to be vacated, it became necessary to change our own lines, and the 26th and 27th were employed day and night in the labor of constructing works of considerable strength.

Nothing of special interest occurred from the 27th till the evening of August 1, when orders were received to be ready to move at dark, at which time the regiment and brigade withdrew from the works and moved to the left [right], halting till morning about a mile from the position lat occupied. On the 2nd the march was resumed, and at sunset a position was taken on the extreme left [right]. On the 3rd of August the one hundred and eighteenth, with the brigade, took position on a commanding ridge near the Utoy Creek, and constructed works, near which the 4th and 5th were passed without events of special note. On Saturday, August 6, the regiment moved to the right, and from 10 a. m. till 4 p. m. supported portions of Battery D, First Ohio Artillery, and was shelled during the day, losing 1 killed and 8 wounded, including 1 commissioned officer, Captain Reul, Company F. On the 7th August the regiment was deployed as skirmishers in front of the position held by the Second Brigade for the purpose of feeling of the enemy's lines, so as to develop his situation and strength.