Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 9.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[70] reached Buckshin at sundown, and pushed forward, following the remainder of the expedition, which had already preceded us on its return march. Reached Stone Mountain at half-past 10 P. M., and encamped three miles beyond Stone Mountain Station at about midnight. On the following day my brigade formed the van-guard of the expedition, and returned without accident to its encampment at Atlanta.

During this expedition my brigade secured about (6000) six thousand bushels of corn, besides the usual amount of provisions, and other promiscuous articles.

On the thirtieth, orders were issued to send all surplus baggage to the rear, and such preparations began to be made as clearly indicated the approach of a great movement. No farther work was done on the fortifications, and all attention was given to putting the command in the best possible condition to march. On the fifth of November, at one P. M., I received an unexpected order to move my brigade immediately. In a very short space of time the column was moving out the McDonough road, every one supposing this to be the initial step of the campaign, but the sequel proved otherwise. Proceeding about three miles, the troops bivouacked for the night, and on the following day marched back to their camps near the city. The payment of my command, which had been but partially completed, was now continued.

On the eighth, the Presidential election was held in those regiments entitled by law to vote.

On the ninth, at daybreak, a violent cannonade broke suddenly out on the south-eastern side of the city. The cause of this was hardly comprehended, but it soon became apparent, that a hostile force, either great or small, had appeared in front of our works. The firing soon shifted to our right, in front of General Geary's division, and began to be mingled with musketry. My brigade was soon afterward ordered to move to the support of General Geary, whose lines were reported as being dangerously threatened. In a few minutes my column was in motion down Whitehall street, the troops keeping step to their martial bands, and the colors floating in the breeze. I had hardly reached the suburbs of the town, however, when I was informed by Major-General Slocum, that the enemy, about in number, under the rebel General Iverson, had been driven off, and that my brigade would not be needed, and might return to its camps. I thereupon countermarched my column and moved it back to its old position.

Excepting the changes incident to the reorganization of the army, no further event of importance transpired until the fourteenth, when the final marching orders were received. On the fifteenth, at seven A. M., my brigade filed out of its encampments and made its final exit from the city of Atlanta. Behind us all means of communication and supply had been utterly destroyed, and the town itself was a blazing ruin, abandoned alike by citizens and soldiers to the harsh fortunes of war. Before us lay a vast stretch of country, containing no organized army, yet thoroughly infested with enemies, clear to its natural boundaries, the ocean. There was nothing left for us to rely upon but ourselves, our leader, and the God of battles.

Moving out on the Decatur road, my brigade passed the village of Decatur at two P. M. Our first day's march terminated near Stone Mountain, about fifteen miles from Atlanta.

Early on the morning of the sixteenth, I was directed by General Jackson, commanding division, to take my brigade and commence destroying the Georgia Railroad at a point about half a mile beyond my encampment. Extending my brigade along the track, I succeeded in thoroughly destroying about two miles of it by ten A. M. After this was accomplished, having been assigned as rear-guard of the corps, my command awaited the passage of the troops and trains. This was not completed until five P. M., at which hour my brigade marched from Stone Mountain. My column crossed Stone Mountain Creek at ten, and Yellow River at half-past 11 P. M. It encamped on the left bank of Yellow River, near Rock Bridge Post-Office about midnight, having marched about seven miles.

My brigade, still the rear-guard of the corps, marched from its camp near Rock Bridge at noon on the seventeenth. It crossed No Business Creek at one, Big Haynes Creek at five, and Little Haynes Creek, at Summer's Mills, at seven P. M. My column was greatly detained by the trains, which moved very slowly, owing to the heavy loads carried in the wagons, and the difficult places in the road. My command did not get into camp until one hour after midnight, when it reached a point near Flat Creek. The distance marched on this day was about thirteen miles.

My brigade marched, following the Second brigade of the First division, and charged with the protection of about one hundred wagons, at eight A. M., on the eighteenth. It passed Alcooy Mountain at eleven, and crossed Alcooy or Alcofauhatchie River at half-past 11 A. M. At half-past 1 P. M., it reached Social Circle, on the Georgia Railroad. Here it emerged into a fine, level, open country with a good road, which enabled us to move along briskly. At eight P. M., my command passed through Rutledge Station, and at ten P. M. encamped five miles west of Madison.

My brigade marched at forty-five minutes past seven A. M., on the ensuing morning, November nineteenth, leading the division and corps, and unencumbered with wagons. At ten A. M., it passed through the village of Madison, and marched in a southward course on the Eatonton road. At twelve M., it encamped three miles south of Madison. The aggregate distance marched on this and the preceding day was about twenty-five miles.

On the twentieth, my command resumed its march at a quarter past seven A. M. It moved in rear of the division, and was charged with the protection of about three hundred wagons, including