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

I regret to be called upon to notice one case of inefficiency, on the part of the wagon-master in charge of Captain Hade's wagons. A portion of the teams in his charge were so late in reaching the corn-fields to which they were directed, that the wagons could not be filled in time to reach camp before the train was ordered to move on its return home.

An actual and careful count of the wagons, ambulances, and other vehicles, made by my order, between Decatur and Atlanta, on the return of the train, shows the following result:

Army wagons, eight hundred and twenty-five; ambulances, fifty-one; other vehicles, (one-horse wagons, carriages, etc.,) forty-eight; ox-teams, four; total, nine hundred and twenty-eight.

Nearly all the army wagons and ambulances were well filled with corn, averaging to the wagon about fifteen bushels (shelled) to the load, and about five (5) bushels to each ambulance; six hundred and seven thousand three hundred and eighty (607,380) pounds of corn!

Of course it will be apparent to the comprehension of every person, that such an immense train, with a large portion of it extremely disorganized, formed a most unwieldy machine to manage, and no one can be more conscious than myself, that many glaring imperfections could be pointed out. I respectfully recommend that hereafter no trains of such size be permitted to start on foraging expeditions.

I desire to express my grateful feelings for the kindness and attention of Colonel Dustin, commanding the expedition. His assistance enabled me, partially at least, to organize the chaotic mass of animals, wagons, and men attached to the train. His prompt and energetic action in the furnishing of details to guard and load the wagons, enabled the officers to fill their trains with despatch and his conduct was that of a careful, prudent, and energetic commander, as well as a courteous and agreeable officer and gentleman.

Hoping this report will convey all the information you require, I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

The brigade was then encamped south-east of the city of Atlanta, Georgia, and furnished daily large details for working-parties on the fortifications. The Thirty-third Massachusetts volunteers formed part of the provost-guard of the city, and rejoined the brigade at Milledgeville, on the twenty-third of November. On the eighth of October, the Twenty-sixth Wisconsin volunteers was detached from the brigade to Colonel F. C. Smith, One Hundred and Second Illinois volunteers, commanding First brigade at the railroad bridge, across the Chattahoochee River, and rejoined the brigade at Atlanta on the fourteenth November. On the twenty-first October, the brigade formed part of a foraging expedition, under command of Colonel David Dustin, One Hundred and Fifth Illinois volunteers, commanding Third division, which penetrated the country south-east fifteen miles to near Lithonia. Nine hundred wagon-loads of corn were captured by the troops, and a quantity of provisions sufficient to subsist the men during the four days they were absent from Atlanta. On the fifth of November, 1864, this brigade moved with the balance of the corps, two miles on the McDonough road, where it remained until noon of the next day, and returned to its former encampment.

On the morning of the ninth of November, the enemy advanced toward our lines with cavalry and artillery, evidently supposing that the army had left Atlanta. A field-battery opened fire; some small-arms were used. The affair was simply a demonstration on the part of the enemy, and no casualties were reported in this command. In the afternoon of the same day, Colonel Ross, Twentieth Connecticut volunteers, rejoined the brigade and assumed command, relieving Lieutenant-Colonel Buckingham, Twentieth Connecticut volunteers, who had been in command since the departure of Colonel Wood, One Hundred and Thirty-sixth New-York volunteers, on leave of absence, September twenty-third, 1864.

On the fifteenth November, this brigade, with the division and corps, left Atlanta on the campaign which terminated on the twenty-first December, in the capture of Savannah. We marched east through Decatur, passed Stone Mountain, crossed the Yellow River; through Rockbridge to Social Circle; from Social Circle to Rutledge, a distance of seven miles. This command destroyed the Georgia State Railroad, with short intervals; the destruction was thorough and complete; the ties were taken up and burned in piles, the rails laid on the piles and bent so as to make them useless. The railroad buildings at Rutledge and Social Circle were also destroyed. The next day we destroyed about a mile of railroad, with side-track, at Madison; also some railroad buildings, and a hundred bales of cotton. Marched thence south-east through Eatonton, across Little River to Milledgeville, where we halted one day. Crossed the Oconee River; passed Hebron, Sandersville, and Davisboro; crossed the Ogeechee River, thence through Louisville, and crossed the Augusta and Millen Railroad about three miles north of the latter place; thence to Springfield, and thence southeast toward Savannah, before which we arrived on the tenth of December, and formed line of battle on the right of the division, connecting with the Fourteenth corps, facing east, with our right on the Georgia Central Railroad. Our