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.

[336] deadly fire of artillery and musketry from their main line of works, but, nothing daunted, the column moved forward, charging the works of the enemy, unmindful of the terrific havoc in their ranks. After repeated efforts of both officers and men to get to the enemy's works, the same being defended by heavy lines of abatis, as well as by artillery and infantry, the command fell back for shelter to a ravine close to the enemy's works, and deployed into line. About this time I received an order to the effect that General Kimball's brigade would charge in conjunction with mine, and I directed the regiments in my brigade to move forward with those of his. The commands moved forward simultaneously, but met with such a terrific fire from the enemy that they were compelled to fall back. In falling back a heavy fire was poured into the right flank of my command, giving evidence that the troops on my right had failed to effect a lodgment in the enemy's works, and had fallen back to our main line of works, and that the enemy were coming out of their works and striking me on the flank. After my command was repulsed in the last charge they fell back to the main line, and I received orders to return to the camp I had left in the morning, relieving those of General Wood's troops who had relieved me. My losses in this assault were 4 commissioned officers and 35 enlisted men killed, and 11 commissioned officers and 165 enlisted men wounded. The Fortieth Indiana Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Learing commanding, suffered terribly, they being in advance. Captains Elliott and Kirkpatrick, Fortieth Indiana Volunteers, were two of the finest officers in the service. The last I saw of Captain Kirkpatrick he was in front of his command with drawn sword waving them forward. As he passed me he simply asked me “where shall I strike the enemy's lines?” Captain Elliott was not only fit to command a company or regiment, but was one of the most accomplished officers and gentlemen in the service. Lieutenant Sharp, Fortieth Indiana, and Captain Berkshire, Ninety-seventh Ohio Volunteers, were both killed while gallantly leading their companies in the charge. Nothing of importance occurred in my command until the night of the 2d of July, when the enemy evacuated their strong hold at Kenesaw, and retreated toward the Chattahoochee River.

On the morning of the 3d I was ordered to march to Marietta, and from thence in pursuit of the enemy, whom we found strongly intrenched some five miles distant, in a southerly direction. The 4th of July was spent in skirmishing with the enemy, who were driven into their main works, the same which they evacuated during the night, retreating in the direction of Atlanta. We followed to Vining's Station, near the Chattahoochee River, where we remained until the 9th instant. On the morning of July 9 the division marched to Roswell to take advantage of a lodgment that had been effected by our cavalry on the south side of the Chattahoochee River. The day was excessively warm, and the march very tedious, many of the men falling out of the ranks from sheer exhaustion. About 5 p. m. the brigade was massed about one-half mile northwest of Roswell, where the men prepared supper, and about dark resumed the line of march through the town, and to the river, which was crossed after dark by fording, and we immediately proceeded to relieve Miller's cavalry brigade, which had secured a position on the bluffs on the south side. Pickets were thrown out to