it did without incident until the 22d. At this place Company G, temporarily commanded by Lieutenant Robert McNary, was detached for the protection of the division supply train, with which it has since remained. Escorting the supply train of the Army of the Tennessee it moved to the vicinity of Decatur, arriving just after the brilliant defense of that village by the rest of the brigade, under General John W. Sprague, to which alone it is indebted for the safe delivery of its charge. Re-entering Decatur and afterward assisting to destroy the Augusta railroad,on the night of the 26th of July the regiment moved with the command to the right of the main army, and next day took its place in the main line, and remained there, doing frequent skirmish and pioneer duty, for four weeks, suffering an aggregate of casualties of 2 men killed, 16 wounded, and 7 missing,the latter on the occasion of an advance of the whole line on the 4th of August.

On the afternoon of the 24th of August the regiment was withdrawn and employed that night and the next day in constructing earth-works to serve as a flank line during the withdrawal of the army. Taking its place in the movement,and marching via Campbellton, the regiment helped to destroy the Atlanta and Montgomery Railroad, near Fairburn, August 29, and the next evening reached the vicinity of Jonesborough, where it was present, but not engaged, during the operations of the 30th ultimo and of the 1st of September. Moving the next day through Jonesborough, the regiment assisted in the destruction of the Atlanta and Macon Railroad, and went into camp near Lovejoy's. There, on the day following, after four months of labor, dangers, and exposure, which,without impairing its patriotism, had exhausted its strength, it welcomed an order officially announcing the close of a campaign that had already yielded the fruition of its hopes.

I cannot close an account of the campaign without referring to the faithfulness of Lieutenant Colonel W. F. Herrick, Captain John S. Hamilton, and Lieutenant John P. Kinney, adjutant, all continuing on duty when often suffering from actual disease. Captain John H. Rhodes, when there was but one field officer with the regiment, relieved me with cordial and efficient service.

Captain Peter Hewetson, when both the medical officers of the regiment had been removed for duty elsewhere, gave, to my great relief, his efficient aid as acting assistant adjutant surgeon through several weeks of laborious campaign. Rev. R. L. Chittenden, chaplain, has been unwearied in all the kindly usefulness of his calling; and only necessity that mention here be special, prevents a list of others who met the trying requirements of the campaign with a full measure of performance.

A higher tribute is due to the suffering and the dead. The last sacrifice to freedom has been freely made,and wounds just less than death have been borne as brave men can. Last winter all but a fraction of the enlisted men renewed their pledge of service, knowing all its meaning. In carrying out that pledge the hard trials of war have been met freely, but these only have been called to show the full honor and devotion of that act; they have shown it with their bodies and their lives. More than this cannot be written. Lieutenant Wilkinson, rising regularly form the rank, uniformly meritorious, and a Christian gentleman, had hardly received his first commission when the seal of death was set to it.