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.

[250] advance. On the night of the 26th instant (the Army of the Tennessee having marched from our left flank around to the right. thereby leaving our rear and left exposed) I was ordered to move my brigade to the rear about one and a half miles and take position in the rebel works, abandoned by them on the night of the 21st instant. These we strengthened and held until the 1st of August, when we were ordered to relieve a brigade of the Twenty-third Corps, directly on the left of the position we had previously occupied before Atlanta. Here the entire brigade, with the exception of the Fifty-first Ohio, which was kept in reserve, was put into the front line of trenches, and remained there until the night of the 25th instant. During this time I was frequently ordered to make demonstrations on the enemy's line, which I did with as much success as was possible, considering the ground on which I had to operate. On the 16th instant, pursuant to orders from the major-general commanding the Department of the Cumberland, the Eighty-fourth Indiana was transferred from this to the Third Brigade of the division. Universal regret was felt throughout my command on parting with the noble regiment which had so long and so honorably been associated wit i this brigade, and it carried with it the best wishes of all. The Fifty-ninth Illinois was assigned to this brigade in place of the Eighty-fourth Indiana. Its commanding officer, Colonel Post, although the ranking officer, declined taking command of the brigade, as he expected soon to be transferred to the Third Division of this corps. On the 18th orders for the transfer of the Fifty-ninth Illinois were received, and on the 19th instant it left the brigade, and was replaced by the Twenty-third Kentucky, Lieut. Col. G. W. Northup commanding. On the 25th instant orders were received to withdraw from our works quietly at night-fall and fall in with the column in rear of the First Brigade. At 8 o'clock we retired, and with so little noise that our own pickets were not aware when we left. All sick and convalescent men .and surplus wagons and horses having been sent off during the day the march was rapidly accomplished, and by 3 o'clock next morning we had crossed Proctor's Creek and made a temporary halt to allow the men a few hours' rest. Our pickets were withdrawn successfully at 12 o'clock that night by Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, Fifty-first Ohio, brigade officer of the day. In the morning the Twenty-third Kentucky was detailed for picket and did not afterward rejoin the brigade until the next day. On the 26th the brigade was detailed to guard the wagon train of the corps. We reached camp at 6 p. m. and bivouacked for the night in the vicinity of Sandtown. On the 27th we marched to Mount Gilead Church and went into position and builta line of works. Here we met for the first time since the movement commenced a body of the enemy, and skirmishing in lively style ensued between the opposing forces. At noon on the 28th we marched in the direction of the West Point railroad, and encamped at night near Red Oak Station. On the 29th I reported according to orders with my brigade to Brigadier-General Wood for the purpose of assisting in the destruction of the railroad. Under the direction of General Wood I moved about two miles toward East Point, where I threw the brigade into two lines on the left of the railroad, connecting with Carlin's brigade, of the Fourteenth Corps, which was formed on the right of the road. The Twenty-first Kentucky was deployed as skirmishers and the Fortieth Ohio as flankers. We moved rapidly