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

[141]

Respectfully submitted.

Lieutenant: In compliance to circular from headquarters, Chief of Artillery, Twentieth corps, dated December twenty-third, 1864, I have the honor to submit the following: On the second day of September, 1864, the battery entered Atlanta, Georgia, and took position in the abandoned works of the enemy, remaining there until about the tenth day of September, when we moved in the south-eastern part of the city, and went into camp together with the artillery of the corps, where we remained until the morning of October twenty-first, when I was ordered to accompany a foraging expedition under Colonel Dustin, commanding Third division, Twentieth corps. Starting at daylight of the same day, and moving in the direction of Lithonia, a small station on the Georgia Railroad, passing through the town of Decatur, at sundown we went into camp on a large plantation, formerly owned by Clark, and known as Clark's plantation, about fifteen miles from Atlanta. Remaining here until the evening of the twenty-third, we succeeded in loading about nine hundred wagons with forage and provisions within a radius of five miles. About dark the train was put in motion leading to Atlanta by Colonel Dustin, my battery acting as rear-guard as far as Decatur, where we arrived about four o'clock A. M. On the morning of the twenty-fourth, about seven o'clock A. M., we again started for Atlanta, acting as advance-guard, where we arrived about ten o'clock A. M., went into camp in our old camping-ground, where we remained until the morning of November thirteenth, when we were ordered by Major J. A. Reynolds to report to Brigadier-General Geary, commanding Second division, Twentieth corps, as the enemy were making demonstrations, both with artillery and dismounted cavalry, on our lines around Atlanta, but in both of the above expeditions there was no expenditure of ammunition or any casualties in my command.

On the morning of the fifteenth day of November Atlanta was evacuated by the Federal forces, my battery moving with the troops of the Twentieth corps in the direction of Savannah. When within about twelve miles from Savannah, on the afternoon of December ninth, we encountered two small redoubts on the Augusta dirt-road, occupied both by the enemy's artillery and infantry. One section of my battery under Lieutenant Scott was immediately thrown forward and put in position, with a range of about one thousand two hundred yards. The troops of the First division, Twentieth corps, were immediately deployed, and scattered the enemy without the use of artillery.

On the morning of the eleventh day of December, Major J. A. Reynolds again directed me to move my battery on the Savannah River, with the Twenty-second Wisconsin infantry as support, it being reported that the enemy's gunboats had made their appearance. On the morning of the twelfth day of December, about eight o'clock, the enemy's gunboats made their appearance, which afterward proved to be the Macon, armed with four sixty-four-pounder rifle-guns and two thirty-two pounder howitzers, also the gunboat Samson, armed with two thirty-two pounder howitzers, with their tender, (Resolute,) a small steamer. After an engagement of about three quarters of an hour, from two thousand four hundred to two thousand seven hundred yards, they were forced to retire up the river leaving their tender behind disabled, together with her officers and crew, numbering about thirty, our expenditure of ammunition being one hundred and thirty-eight rounds.

On the morning of December sixteenth, one section, under Lieutenant Scott, was thrown over the river on Argyle Island, and immediately intrenched themselves. On the morning of the eighteenth engaged a section of rebel artillery on South-Carolina shore. After firing thirteen rounds, silenced their guns, at a distance of one thousand five hundred yards, with no casualties. On the morning of the nineteenth, a regiment of rebel cavalry made their appearance about two thousand two hundred yards' distance, on the South-Carolina shore. After firing three rounds caseshot they withdrew out of range. During the day, Lieutenant Scott was relieved by Lieutenant Freeman, whom I gave command of the four threeinch guns, having received from Lieutenant Shepperd a battery of six thirty-pounder Parrott guns, needing him to see that works were built prepatory to moving the light battery in front of the enemy's works on Augusta road. During the night Lieutenant Freeman was ordered by Colonel Carman, commanding brigade, First division, Twentieth corps, to cross the river to the South-Carolina shore and report to Colonel Cogswell, commanding Second Massachusetts infantry. Went into position, built works, which were completed late in the morning of the twentieth. During the day the section was ordered by Colonel Cogswell to fire at different objects, using thirty-two rounds ammunition, with no casualties. One section of the thirty-pounder battery, under Lieutenant Adle, was placed in position in Fort No. One, to reply to one of the rebel gunboats, which had been reported advancing up the river from Savannah. During the night of the twentieth, the remaining four guns of heavy battery were placed in position in Forts Nos. Two and Three. Early