Numbers 683.

Report of Lieutenant General Leonidas Polk, C. S. Army, commanding Army of Mississippi, of operations May 13-31.

IN THE FIELD, June 1, 1864.

GENERAL: In obedience to the request of General Johnston I have the honor to forward the inclosed memoranda* of each engagement in which any portion of the troops of my command have been engaged since the enemy moved on Dalton up to the 31st ultimo, furnished by my division commanders. I regret that the constant occupation of the troops in the trenches (my whole line being very much exposed to the enemy's sharpshooters), the distance of the field hospitals and infirmaries from the brigade and division commandoes, and the absence of staff officers from some of the commands, conspire to revert my furnishing, at this time, to the general commanding, a more complete and satisfactory statement of the different affairs in which my troops have been engaged. I especially regret that I am unable to furnish a detailed list of the killed, wounded, and missing, but append a summary showing the total casualties to be 1,174.

General summary: Cantey's division, 652; French's division, 181; Loring's division, 341; total, 1,174 killed, wounded, and missing.

I am general, &c.,

L. POLK,

Lieutenant-General.

Brigadier General W. W. MACKALL,

Chief of Staff.

Numbers 684.

Report of Major General William W. Loring, C. S. Army, commanding Army of Mississippi, of operations June 27.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF MISSISSIPPI,
July 30, 1864.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Army of Mississippi in the engagement at Kenesaw Mountain on the 27th of June, 1864, while under my command:

The line of this command ran along the summit and down the eastern slope of the mountain two miles, and extended a mile farther to the right on a ridge running due east. About 10 a. m. it was discovered that the enemy was moving in heavy columns toward our position, evidently contemplating a combined attack along our whole line. Three corps moved rapidly toward my position, and for same time were exposed to a heavy and destructive fire from all our artillery posted on the mountain. They soon came within range of our musketry, Logan's corps attacking the position held by French's division, Dodge that held by Walthall, and Blair that held by Loring's division, commanded by General Featherston. The attack upon the tow slopes of the mountain was made with great vigor and was met with determined and deadly resistance. The batteries of Feath-

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*See Loring and French's reports, pp. 874, 899.

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