[679]
unchanged; constant skirmishing.
May 12, marched at 6 a. m. to mouth of Snake Creek Gap. May 13, marched through the gap.
May 14, with the Ninety-eighth Ohio, One hundred and eighth Ohio, and Thirty-fourth Illinois in front line, remaining troops in rear line, I was ordered to occupy a position from which a brigade of the Twenty-third Corps had been driven, connecting on my left with the Second Division, Twenty-third Corps, and the Third Division, Fourteenth Corps, on my right.
The position assigned was in an open valley, at the base of a range of hills, directly facing and within easy rifle-range of an elevated intrenched position of the enemy.
My line moved down the hill and into the valley, when the enemy opened on it with ten pieces of artillery.
I pushed the men forward as quickly as possible, until their assigned position was reached, and then screened them behind a creek bank.
Our sharpshooters rendered it impossible for the gunners to work their pieces in their front.
For a short time, however, the cannonading was most terrific, and we lost some of our most accomplished officers and men.
May 15, relieved two brigades of Twentieth Army Corps, and held their front.
May 16, returned to Snake Creek Gap and took main road for Rome.
May 17, placed Thirty-fourth Illinois in front as skirmishers, and six miles from Rome met the enemy's skirmishers; drove them rapidly, allowing no time for formation, until, when within one mile of the city, they opened on us with artillery from a fort.
Formed my lines at once, and requested that Fifth Wisconsin Battery should be sent to the front.
The battery was sent and placed in position.
Colonel McCook's brigade was on my left, General Morgan's on the right, massed.
The enemy had advanced from his works and was rapidly coming toward us. The plan adopted was to draw back my skirmish regiment before the enemy's advance, the entire remaining force concealed, inducing him to think that regiment constituted our entire force.
When he had come sufficiently far to receive our fire from the front line he would have been enveloped on either flank.
Colonel McCook asked and obtained permission to take a range of hills in his front, and in doing so wheeled to the right, and struck the enemy on the right flank, thus discovering to him some estimate of our force.
He fell back at once behind his works.
We intrenched our line and laid on our arms for the night.
May 18, the skirmish line, under Capt. M. B. Clason, of the One hundred and twenty-first Ohio, was advanced at daylight and discovered the enemy's works evacuated.
I immediately ordered the One hundred and twenty-first Ohio to occupy North Rome.
May 19 to 23, remained in camp near Rome.
May 23, crossed at the mouth to the south side of the Etowah River. May 24, marched toward Dallas.
May 25, reached Dallas.
May 26, no change.
May 27, in forming line a gap of two and a half miles was discovered between General Hooker's right and the left of General McPherson.
Under orders, I detailed the Thirty-fourth Illinois to find the line and complete the connection between these two wings of the army.
The dangerous duty was performed with eminent satisfaction, though the colonel, with a small squad of his men, passed at one time through the enemy's picket-line.
By midnight the entire line was perfect.
May 28, 29, and 30, position unchanged.
May 31, relieved by brigade of General Sweeny's division.
June 1, relieved two brigades of Twenty-third Army Corps. June 2 and 3, occupied same position.
June 4, relieved by General Whitaker's
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