The Atlanta (Georgia) Campaign: May 1 - September 8, 1864., Part I: General Report.
Maj. George B. Davis, Mr. Leslie J. Perry, Mr. Joseph W. Kirkley, Ed.

[237] when we moved to the rear and occupied the line of works left by the enemy on the night of the 21st. On the 1st of August we moved to the front and occupied part of the works vacated by the Twentythird Army Corps. While here I had 3 men slightly wounded by the enemy's shells. We also were employed while here in picket duty. At night-fall on the 25th we moved to the rear and right, halting at 11 p. m. On the 26th marched at 10 a. m., halting at 9 p. m. On the 27th marched rapidly six miles and halted at Mount Gilead Church and threw up light works. On the 28th we marched to the Montgomery railroad and halted in a large open field, throwing up light works and remaining until the morning of the 30th, when we marched at 10 a. m. At night we halted and threw up light works in sight of the enemy. On the 31st we advanced about one mile and found the enemy strongly fortified in a strong position, but without artillery, and but few men. The works were occupied by our skirmishers. We halted for the night near the Macon railroad, which we reached on the morning of the 1st of September. Moving on the road south we continued to skirmish with the enemy and destroy the road until about 4 p. m. When near Jonesborough I was ordered to form my command on the left of the Eighty-first Indiana and advance, guiding by the right. After advancing some distance I found the underbrush so thick as to greatly retard my progress. I then ordered them to advance by right of companies, which was done very successfully until we came to an old road running almost parallel to my line. Here I halted and again formed my line and advanced about 100 yards, when the Eighty-first Indiana, which was on my right, fell back from some cause unknown to me, and I, having orders to be guided by them, deemed it prudent to fall back to the road we had just left. The movement was accomplished in good order and without any disorganization on the part of this regiment. After a few minutes' halt the Eighty-first Indiana advanced and I closed up to their left and the line halted. I then had some old logs and light wood formed into a barricade in order to save my men and hold the ground should the front line give way, which it gave symptoms of doing, the firing on our front and right flank being very heavy. After remaining here a few minutes we advanced to the crest of a small ridge in our front. While lying here I was ordered by Lieutenant Stevens to advance the Twenty-first Illinois. I immediately did so, and when almost on the front line I was ordered to retire by Colonel Kirby, commanding First Brigade, First Division, Fourth Army Corps. This movement was executed without disorder or trouble. We remained in the second line until morning, throwing up light works during the night, the enemy in the latter part of the engagement pouring a very heavy fire of artillery and musketry into the thicket where we lay, but their shots were mostly too high. The enemy having retired during the night of the 1st, we advanced on the morning of the 2d and followed him until 4 p. m., when he was found strongly intrenched. This regiment was then deployed as skirmishers and placed on the left flank. We remained in this position until early day on the morning of the 3d, when we joined the brigade and remained until the 4th, when we moved to the rear about one-fourth mile. On the 5th at night-fall we moved to the rear and arrived at Jonesborough at 1 a. m. of the 6th, where we remained until the 7th, when we marched toward Atlanta, halting for the night within seven miles of the city. On the 8th we marched toward Atlanta, which we passed through at 11