The Atlanta (Georgia) Campaign: May 1 - September 8, 1864., Part I: General Report.
Maj. George B. Davis, Mr. Leslie J. Perry, Mr. Joseph W. Kirkley, Ed.

[513] 31st General Baird. with his own and one brigade of General Morgan's division, was ordered to make a reconnaissance in the direction of the Macon railroad. The road was reached and a party kept at work destroying the track until the following day. Baird intrenched his command on the Rough and Ready road, near Smith's house, where it remained until joined by the corps the next day. Carlin's division moved in the morning to Renfroe's Cross-Roads, for the purpose of guarding the different trains collecting at that place. Late in the evening this division was hurriedly ordered to the support of the Army of the Tennessee, then reported to be engaged with the enemy, and Morgan's division was ordered to take its place at Renfroe's and to picket well to the front on the Fayetteville road; this he did. The emergency for which Carlin's division had been called to the support of General Howard's troops ceased to exist, the enemy having been repulsed, and the fact being reported to me, I ordered Carlin to return to his camp of the previous night. On the morning of the 1st of September I received orders from department headquarters to move with Morgan's division and two brigades of Carlin's and join with Baird's, and then to move in support of General Howard's left. Leaving one brigade at Renfroe's to guard the trains, as directed, Carlin marched promptly to the Rough and Ready road and halted his command a short distance in advance of Baird's field-works on the right. Morgan, with two brigades, marched promptly from Renfroe's, and, following Carlin, reported to me at General Baird's headquarters, where, in compliance with orders, Mitchell's brigade rejoined its division. Here I was informed by the department commander of the movement of Major-General Stanley's corps (Fourth) down the railroad, and of his desire that the two corps should move in co-operating distance toward Jonesborough. I immediately put the column in motion in the following order: Carlin in advance, followed by Morgan; Baird in reserve. In this order the whole corps moved rapidly until the head of the column reached Smith's house, near Mokers Creek, where it found the pickets of the Army of the Tennessee. As the next movement of my troops would evidently be made over the ground lying between the left of the position of the Army of the Tennessee and the railroad, along which Stanley was moving, I directed Carlin to send a brigade to make a reconnaissance of the ground in that direction. While this was being executed I conferred with Major-General Howard and received from him the position of his own troops and such information concerning the enemy's as he was able to give. An inspection of the ground between the head of the column and that part of the enemy's works which could be seen, and which was supposed to be his extreme right, showed a commanding ridge, immediately beyond the creek, from which an attack could be made with advantage. The enemy occupied this ridge in some force, both of infantry and artillery, but how strong could not be determined until Edie's brigade, in executing its reconnaissance, solved the question by gallantly advancing, and after a sharp skirmish took possession of the hill, pressing the enemy's artillery very close.

The department commander arriving at the head of my column at this time, I reported to him, and he ordered me to move forward in the direction of Jonesborough, expressing at the time some apprehensions that General Stanley's column might be in advance of mine. To advance beyond the ridge now held by Edie's brigade