my thanks to George F. Kilin, the senior captain, for his untiring zeal in all the operations of the campaign, and his conspicuous bravery in battle.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

I. T. MOORE,

Major, Commanding.

Captain A. C. FISK,

Asst. Adjt. General, 2nd Brigadier, 2nd Div., 15th Army Corps.

Numbers 485.

Report of Lieutenant George Echte, Second Missouri Light Artillery, commanding Battery A, First Illinois Light Artillery.

HDQRS. COMPANY A, FIRST ILLINOIS LIGHT ARTILLERY,
In the Field, Ga., September 6, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report to your the part taken by this battery in this campaign, commencing May 1, 1864, but it is impossible for me to give a minute detail of the part taken from May 1, 1864, to July 24, 1864, as I was not in command of the battery at that time, and no books or papers were found on my taking command.

The battery marched from Larkinsville, Ala., under command of Captain P. P. Wood, with the division commanded by Brigadier General M. L. Smith, to Chattanooga, Tenn., and took an active part in the battles of Resaca May 13; near Dallas from May 26 to 31; Big Shanty, June 10; Kenesaw Mountain, June 20, and fought more or less until July 2, 1864. When the enemy evacuated Kenesaw Mountain the battery moved, with the division, through Marietta, Ga. July 12, Batteries A and B were consolidated, and First Lieutenant Samuel S. Smyth assigned to command. The cause of this consolidation was the expiration of the term of service of most of the men of the two batteries, and they, with all the officers, were sent to Springfield, Ill., to be mustered out of the service of the United States. July 22, the battery was engaged in the battle near Atlanta, Ga. The enemy made a successful assault on our left, which was held by the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps, succeeded in taking our line of works and with it be consolidated battery of Company A, First Illinois Light Artillery. This was a dear-bought victory for the enemy. Battery A lost heavy in men and horses. The casualties of the company were 32 men killed, wounded, and missing; 55 horses were killed and captured, mostly killed; Second Lieutenant Raub was killed; First Lieutenant Samuel S. Smyth was taken prisoner and reported killed, while being taken to the rear, by one of our own bullets.* Shortly afterward our line advanced and drove the enemy from the works they had taken, and recaptured 2 of the six guns of the battery. The enemy succeeded in drawing away four of them.

It was at this time July 23, that I was assigned to the command of the battery by general orders from Fifteenth Army Corps headquarters, dated July 23, 1864. After having received, from the First Iowa Battery, two more guns,with horses and equipments, and from

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*A mistake. Lieutenant Smyth was mustered out of service March 20, 1865.

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