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May 24.--Marched to Burnt Hickory.
May 25.--Advanced toward Dallas, crossed Pumpkin-vine creek, rested in reserve in rear of Major-General Hooker's corps, while he had heavy fighting in front, late in the evening.
May 26.--Moved into position on left of Twentieth corps, pressed close upon the enemy's lines and fortified, four miles north of Dallas.
May 27.--Changed position to the left, relieving General Wood's troops.
Close skirmishing all day.
May 28.--Advanced, drove in the enemy's outposts, and fortified.
May 29.--Advanced the battery to front line.
Heavy skirmishing.
During the night the enemy attacked, and was repulsed with severe loss.
We continued the varied scenes, some changes in position, with heavy skirmishing, until the night of the fourth of June, when the enemy withdrew from our front.
June 6.--Marched with the corps east ten miles, to within two and a half miles of Ackworth, on railroad, where we remained with comparative quiet until June tenth, when we moved three miles south-east, and found the enemy in strong position on Pine Mountain, in my front.
Skirmishing commenced and continued until the night of the thirteenth of June, when the enemy retired, and my brigade advanced upon the mountain early on the morning of June fourteenth.
On this mountain is where Bishop Polk, General of the rebel army, fell, by a shot from the Fifth Indiana battery, under Captain Simonson.
The battery was in position at the front and right of my lines.
We pursued the enemy two miles to his new position, and found him strongly fortified.
June 16.--Advanced my lines of trenches with hard skirmishing.
On this day we had the sad misfortune to lose the brave and gallant officer, Captain Simonson, our Chief of Artillery.
June 17.--The enemy again withdrew — we pursued — Wood's division in front — with heavy skirmishing.
June 19.--The enemy retired during the night; we pursued, my brigade in advance.
At two miles we came upon the enemy, upon the east side of a large farm; my lines were formed for an attack.
The Ninth and Thirty-sixth Indiana, Eightieth and Eighty-fourth Illinois, in the front line, advanced and drove the enemy from their position, and into their fortifications upon Kenesaw Mountain and the adjacent hills.
My loss was severe, particularly in officers; Lieutenant Bowman, Thirty-sixth Indiana, fell mortally wounded, bravely leading his men in the advance.
June 20.--Contest continued, the enemy trying to hold, and we to drive him from, a swamp between our main trenches, in which we succeeded, but were compelled to abandon a portion of the ground because of a destructive fire from the enemy's artillery, bearing thereon from their main works.
Upon the evening of this day, the Ninth Indiana, afterward relieved by the Fifty-ninth Illinois, were moved across the creek to the right, to assist the Second brigade (General Whitaker). I have learned by the newspapers that the enemy made seven unsuccessful assaults on the lines of this brigade at this point.
I will have to refer to the reports of Colonel Suman, Ninth Indiana, and Colonel Post, Fifty-ninth Illinois, for the facts in the premises, as they participated in whatever fighting took place.
In these two days the losses in my command were very heavy.
June 21.--On this day I was ordered to send my rear regiments to the right of the division, to support the First brigade in an attack and critical position, and accordingly moved with the Eighty-fourth and Eightieth Illinois, Thirtieth Indiana, and Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania, to the position indicated, and placed them in reserve.
June 22.--Moved with whole brigade during afternoon and night two miles to the right, to support and relieve a part of the Twentieth corps.
Took position in close proximity to the enemy and fortified.
June 23.--Was ordered and made an attack on the enemy's line, which was unsuccessful, and with fearful loss upon our skirmish lines, heavily formed.
Lieutenant Hendricks, Thirty-sixth Indiana, an accomplished young officer, fell dead in this attack pierced by a Minie ball.
June 24, 25, and 26.--Heavy firing at the intrenched position of the enemy, four hundred yards distant.
June 27.--Heavy assault made upon the enemy's lines at various points; my command was in one line, all in the trenches, and was not to advance, yet suffered considerable loss.
The assault failed, with heavy loss to our arms.
Heavy skirmishing and artillery firing kept up on both sides until the night of the second of July, when the enemy retreated under cover of the night, and lost their hold and position on Kenesaw Mountain, and vacated Marietta.
July 3.--Pursued the enemy early; my brigade in advance.
Fifty-ninth Illinois first to enter Marietta.
Found the enemy in the evening, five miles from Marietta, on Atlanta road, strongly intrenched.
July 4.--Celebrated the national anniversary by a charge over a large corn-farm, carried the enemy's outer works, taking many prisoners, with a loss of eighty-nine killed and wounded in my brigade.
Held the position until night, under the cover of which the enemy withdrew four miles to the Chattahoochee river. Captain Hale, brigade officer of the day, of the Seventy-fifth Illinois, one of the best officers in the army, fell here.
July 5.--Pursued the enemy, Wood's division in front, to the river.
Continued skirmishing until July tenth.
July 10.--Marched five miles up the river.
July 12.--Crossed the Chattahoochee, marched down the left bank, and encamped at Powers' Ferry, in front of Twenty-third corps, with our corps; Thirty-sixth Indiana commenced and
This text is part of:
Van Nostrand. New York, New York. 1868.
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