Numbers 534.

Report of Major Thomas G. Morrison, Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry, of operations July 22.

LIEUTENANT: In compliance with Special Field Orders, Numbers 45, paragraph 5, I have the honor to submit the following report, craving your attention to the fact that inasmuch as I was on duty as field officer of the day, by your direction, and on the morning of July 22, by direction of Major-General Sherman, on the northwest side of Atlanta, where the grand guard of your brigade was advanced as skirmishers, and effected a lodgment on two ridges ranging from 200 to 400 yards from the enemy's main line of works, a position which I held with them until relieved by Captain Sry, of General Woods' division, Fifteenth Army Corps, and under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Bowen, commanding a reserve of five companies of the Fifty-second Illinois Infantry, marched to rejoin my regiment. I had five companies of his regiment and two of the Sixty-sixth Indiana as grand guards. The former I turned over to Major boyd as soon as they were relieved. We arrived upon the battle-field at 12.45 [p.] m., just as the Seventh Iowa Infantry relieved the Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry, when I at once reported to Colonel Martin, who was in command of the regiment, and had been to that time actively engaged with the enemy for twenty-five minutes. At the moment I arrived on the ground with Companies I and F, and before I understood the true position of affairs, viz, that the Seventh Iowa Infantry was relieving the Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry (I thought the latter were being driven from the field), and seeing Captain Welker and General Sweeny I reported first to the, and formed the two companies I had in charge (I and F) between the guns of Battery H, First Missouri Light Artillery, and the caissons. When Colonel Martin had withdrawn his regiment he had those companies moved farther to the left to make room for the others. After the enemy had been driven from the front of our brigade, Colonel Martin received orders from you, by which he withdrew his regiment across the low, open ground on a line at a right angle with the right of the brigade line of battle, where we soon threw up a line of breast-works, and lay upon our arms. On the morning of the 23rd Colonel Martin was taken sick and sent to the hospital. Hoping for his return I have waited from day to day, recognizing his superior fitness to make this report. In his absence, however, I must say that he expressed himself to me in the very highest terms of praise of the officers and men engaged under his command on the ever memorable 22nd of July.

Casualties, Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry Volunteers July 22, 1864, was 3 killed and 15 wounded, a descriptive list of which is herewith attached and respectfully submitted.*

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

THOS. G. MORRISON,

Major, Commanding Regiment.

Lieutenant D. T. BOWLER,

A. A. A. G., 1st Brigadier, 2nd Div., 16th Army Corps.

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*Nominal list omitted.

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