Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 11.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[234] severely wounded; Colonel Spooner, Eighty-third Indiana, severely wounded; Colonel Walcutt, slightly wounded; Lieutenant-Colonel Wright, One Hundred and Third Illinois, severely wounded; Colonel Barnhill, Fortieth Illinois, killed; Captain George, Fortieth Illinois, severely wounded; Captain Augustine, commanding Fifty-fifth Illinois, killed.

One regiment of the corps emerged from this ordeal with but five field and line officers for duty. The Eighty-third Indiana lost two colorbearers while ascending the mountain. Both were shot by sharpshooters, and instantly killed.

Among the mangled and lacerated sufferers that drifted from this terrible maelstrom to the rear, bearing themselves as only heroes do, was a young boy about seventeen years of age, who, while nearing the cliffs, was shot through both arms by a Minie ball that fractured the bones of both. Men with stretchers saw him clambering slowly down the rocks with his mangled arms dangling at his side, and asked permission to carry him. He was not walking because no aid was near. He, a sufferer, was sacrificing his interests to those of his fellows. With a look of mingled pain and firmness, he replied--“Go on up the mountain and bring down the boys that can't walk. Don't mind me;” and he staggered on alone and unsupported down the mountain through the hail of shells and bullets to the hospital.

Simultaneously with Logan's advance, Dodge moved from his works with three regiments--Sixty-sixth and Ninth Illinois, of Sweeny's division, and the Sixty-fourth Illinois, of Veatch's — and encountered the enemy's skirmishers directly after quitting the defences. The Fifth Illinois supported the Sixty-sixth. The Sixty-fourth was formed in two lines, one supporting the other. Colonel Murrill, of the Sixty-fourth Illinois, encountered such resistance from the enemy's skirmishers that he was compelled to bring up his reserves at the very outset.

The same obstacles that Logan met with opposed the advance of Dodge. The thickets were almost impenetrable, and it was found impracticable to attempt the ascent in column of assault. It was determined therefore to deploy in line of battle, and the men, crawling cautiously and stealthily forward as skirmishers, through brush and over rocks, sheltering themselves as best they could, pushed up the mountain.

The fighting at times was stubborn, and the losses severe for the numbers engaged. Gresham's, one of Blair's brigades, assisted and supported Dodge to-day in his assault, and won signal praise for his splendid conduct.

Well advanced toward the enemy's line, and believing that an open assault would carry the works, these two regiments boldly charged over the defenses and into the enemy's rifle-pits. The admiration their gallant conduct elicited was equalled only by the poignant sorrow all felt at the luckless denouement.

So hotly engaged was the Fifty-third Indiana, that a portion of the regiment having entered the enemy's works were environed at once and compelled to surrender or make an effort to cut its way out. The odds were too fearful, and a portion of the party was captured. The brave and devoted Captain White died in the act of planting his foot on the rebel parapet. His First Lieutenant was wounded three times, and cannot recover. Thus crippled and depleted, the regiment was unprepared to renew, alone, the fight. In the mean time the rebels seized an opportune moment to make a counter-charge, and drove the remnant of the regiment back to line from which it started. General Dodge immediately despatched three additional regiments to protect the flanks of his line, and having pushed it to within forty yards of the enemey's main works, threw up rude defences, and still holds the ground.

General Dodge's losses will not much exceed one hundred and fifty in killed, wounded, and missing, at least a third of which loss was suffered by the meritorious old Sixty-fourth Illinois. Among those lost whose places will never appear to the regiment so well filled as when he was there, is the Adjutant of the Sixty-fourth. Few can have it said of them, as it may be truth-fully of him; “All who knew him loved and admired while living, and are ready to do honor to his memory when dead.”

Blair's orders were to move out on the left, and make such demonstrations as would lead the enemy to believe his purpose to be to pass entirely around their right flank to the rear of Kenesaw. He moved at six A. M., and found the enemy in such force but a short distance out as to prevent a further advance, unless he assaulted a strong line of works, which, with a full knowledge of the plan of operations for the day, he did not deem prudent or consistent with his instructions. The situation was promptly reported to the Commanding General, and, from the absence of further orders to that corps, I presume the judgment of General Blair was fully approved.

The part of the Seventeenth corps for the remainder of the day seems to have been to maintain a threatening attitude, and employ the enemy's attention, for nothing but skirmishing transpired. The losses I have not heard estimated, but presume they will not exceed one hundred. General Liggett's division and the left of Gresham's line appear to have suffered these.

As I have chronicled operations thus far, with reference to corps, I shall describe the action on the centre in the same manner, though Newton's division, of Howard's, and Davis', of Palmer's corps, constituted to all intents and purposes, the same assaulting column. Following the Dallas and Marietta road through the forest to the south-east, at a point where the works barely cover the road, lay Newton's division of Howard's (Fourth corps). Davis passed to the rear of this division early in the morning, and formed in column of assault on the right, under