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Having remained there until the twenty-fourth in the P. M. of that day, when the march was resumed, but more moderately, we struck the Savannah and Charleston Railroad on the eleventh December, and on the same day took up position in rear of Savannah, where, subject to some annoyance from the enemy's shells, we remained until the twenty-first, when, he enemy having evacuated the city, we marched in, and afterward camped on the north-west side of the city, where my command now remains.
With the exception of six and a half days hard bread, ten days coffee, eight days sugar, seven days bacon, and eight days salt, my command subsisted, during the march, upon provisions taken from the country.
I am, Captain, yours respectfully, etc.,
Lester B. Faulkner, Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding.
Lieutenant-Colonel Winkler's Report.
headquarters twenty-Sixth Wisconsin volunteer infantry, Savannah, Georgia, December 24, 1864.
Captain C. H. Young, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Brigade, Third Division, Twentieth Army Corps:
sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations required by circular of twenty-third instant:
Having pitched camp in Atlanta the fourth of September, my regiment remained there in peace and quiet till October eighth, when, pursuant to orders received the night before, I marched it to the Chattahoochee Railroad bridge, there reporting to Colonel F. C. Smith, commanding post.
Here we remained as part of the garrison until November fourteenth, when, having the day previous, contributed our one quarter-mile of destruction to the railroad between the bridge and that city, we marched to Atlanta with Colonel Smith, and were there ordered to join our own again, which we did. November fifteenth, we started from Atlanta about ten A. M., and that day and ensuing night, wended our way in rear of a laboring wagon-train to Stone Mountain. November sixteenth, marched to Rock Bridge, and crossed Yellow River about ten am. November eighteenth, arrived at Social Circle, and there commenced destroying railroad; we worked in different places; destroyed in all, about half a mile's length.
November nineteenth, arrived at Madison, and again destroyed a short piece of road immediately adjacent to the town, perhaps two hundred and fifty yards or three hundred yards. November twenty-second, we arrived at Milledgeville.
November twenty-sixth, at Sandersville.
November twenty-seventh, at Davisboro.
November twenty-ninth, crossed the Ogeechee and marched through Louisville.
December sixth, arrived at Springfield, and on the tenth, in front of Savannah, where we took position.
The next day the brigade was advanced and my regiment placed on the extreme left of the line.
December twelfth, I was ordered to take my regiment to the right of the brigade and there take position between the Savannah and Charleston and Orange Railroads, relieving the troops of the Fourteenth corps then there.
This I did, and there remained somewhat exposed to rebel shot and shell, but without sustaining a casualty, till December twenty-first, when we entered the city of Savannah, without opposition.
We captured on the march about one dozen mules and three horses.
As to the amount of provisions foraged, it is impossible to make an estimate; but I can safely say, that from the time that we left Rock Bridge until we arrived in the vicinity of Springfield, two men and a packmule from each company, sent out daily, brought in sufficient to subsist the command wholly.
The regiment enjoyed the best health throughout the campaign; the ambulance with the regiment was but little used; two men were with the division hospital ambulance a portion of the time, but there are none of those present with this army in hospital now.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Captain C. H. Young, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Brigade, Third Division, Twentieth Army Corps:
Fred. C. Winkler, Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding Twenty-sixth Wisconsin Volunteers.
Lieutenant-Colonel Powers's Report.
headquarters Fifty-Fifth regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, Savannah, Georgia, December 24, 1864.
Captain C. H. Young, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Brigade:
Captain: I have the honor to report that this regiment entered the city of Atlanta, Georgia, on the second day of September, 1864, and having been stationed behind the defences of that city on the south-east, remained there until the fifteenth day of November following.
While stationed at Atlanta, the regiment (at least such portion of it as was then bearing arms) went, with the brigade to which it belongs, on a foraging expedition to the east of Decatur, and returned on the fourth day thereafter.
During its absence from the city on the aforesaid expedition, the regiment subsisted upon the country, obtaining about one thousand four hundred pounds of meat of various kinds, and about twenty bushels of sweet potatoes, together with vegetables of other kinds, in amount which I am unable to estimate; of forage obtained by this regiment alone, it is impossible to say what was the amount.
On the second day of the expedition, this regiment, together with the Seventy-third Ohio volunteer infantry, in charge of which I was placed, went to the vicinity of Lithonia, where they filled about sixty wagons with corn, making about nine hundred bushels, averaging the loads at fifteen bushels each.
On the fifteenth day of November, 1864, this regiment started (with the brigade to which it is attached) on the campaign through Georgia.
Arrived at Social Circle on the eighteenth, where it destroyed about a quarter of a mile of railroad track.
On the following day arrived at Madison, where it destroyed about ten rods of track, and burned a building containing about fifty bales of cotton.
Arrived at Milledgeville, Georgia, Captain C. H. Young, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Brigade: