Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Second Battalion, Eighteenth U. S. Infantry, during that part of the
Georgia campaign in which I was in command of it:
The eight companies of the battalion, under the command of
Capt. A. B. Denton and
Lieuts. Frederick H. Brown,
John I. Adair,
John S. Lind,
Edward N. Wilcox,
James S. Ostrander, and
Orrin E. Davis, with
Lieut. Frederick Phisterer as adjutant, and
Frederick H. Brown acting as quartermaster, having been temporarily detached from the
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detachment of the Eighteenth Infantry on outpost duty at Parker's Gap, Ga., rejoined the detachment at
Ringgold, Ga., on the 4th of May, 1864, and with it proceeded, May 6, on the campaign.
On the 7th arrived at Buzzard Roost Gap, and went into position, remaining under fire three days. On the 12th withdrew from
Buzzard Roost and, marching to the right, passed through Snake Creek Gap and encamped.
On the 13th, a. m., marched about a mile, formed line of battle, and commenced advancing against the enemy, who fell back, skirmishing.
On the 14th continued the advance with a strong skirmish line, under command of
Lieutenant Davis, and drove the enemy to his works, near
Resaca, after heavy skirmishing.
15th, under a heavy fire all day from the enemy's works, and on the 16th, the enemy having retreated, marched to
Resaca.
Here
Lieut. William H. Bisbee joined.
On the 17th crossed the
Connesauga River, and on the 20th arrived at Cass Station, where the command rested till the 23d, when resuming the march arrived at Pickett's Mills, or New Hope, among the
Allatoona Mountains, on the night of the 26th, and went into position in front of the enemy's works, under a heavy fire of artillery, and fortified.
Here the command lay for nine days exposed to a most harassing fire from the enemy's sharpshooters, which killed and wounded many valuable men. Among the killed was
Sergeant-Major Peterson, a gallant and faithful soldier.
On the night of the 29th the battalion was ordered to advance to a commanding position, then occupied by the enemy's pickets, in front of the right of the brigade, and to throw up a work in the form of a crescent, refusing both its flanks, so as to be as near the main line as possible.
The enemy's pickets having first been driven back by the skirmishers of the Sixteenth Infantry, the battalion advanced and carried out the order; working all night under an artillery fire, and by morning had completed the work sufficiently to render it tenable; the next day the work was thoroughly finished.
On the 31st the enemy made a determined attack in force on the work, but was repulsed with heavy loss, the battalion sustaining a loss of
Lieutenant Adair, wounded, and 33 enlisted men. The enemy were followed up by heavy skirmish line, under command of
Captain Denton, and a new picket-line was established by him on the ground previously occupied by the enemy.
The manner in which this was conducted by
Captain Denton is deserving especial mention.
On the Ist of June
Lieut. R. F. Little joined.
On the 6th, the enemy having retreated, the battalion marched to Big Shanty and rested till the 10th, when continued the march, feeling for the enemy.
On the 22d, with the brigade, ielieved
General Whitaker's brigade before
Kenesaw Mountain, and remained under fire of the enemy's artillery and sharpshooters within seventy-five yards of his works till the 3d, when marched through
Marietta in pursuit of the retreating enemy.
At
Kenesaw Lieutenant Wilcox was sent back to hospital, being sick.
On the 4th of July overtook the enemy in position behind works, and two companies of the battalion, under command of
Captain Denton and
Lieutenant Little, in company with several other companies of the brigade, the whole under command of
Capt. G. W. Smith, commanding First Battalion, Eighteenth U. S. Infantry, were advanced as skirmishers, and, charging the enemy's rifle-pits, carried them in the most gallant manner.
Lieutenant Little was slightly wounded, but did not permit his wound to interfere with his duties but for a few days.
The rifle-pits having been captured by the skirmish line,
Dilger's battery
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was ordered forward, and the battalion advanced to its support under a terrible artillery fire, which was kept up during the entire day. On the 5th the enemy fell back to the
Chattahoochee River, and the battalion went into position near Vining's Station.
Here the battalions of the detachment, being consolidated into one, under the command of
Capt. L. M. Kellogg, Eighteenth U. S. Infantry, I resumed command of my company, and, having soon after received the appointment of acting assistant adjutant-general of the brigade, am unable to report further the operations of my battalion.
I cannot close, however, without mentioning my very efficient adjutant,
Lieut. Frederick Phisterer, for his invaluable service and for the gallantry and zeal which he always manifested in the performance of his duties; and to the officers and men of the command I tender my warmest thanks for their untiring attention to their duties, their ever-conspicuous gallantry, and the patient, unmurmuring devotion with which they toiled and fought and endured during this the severest campaign of the war. For a list of casualties I beg leave to refer to the detachment report to which this will be appended.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Wm. J. Fetterman, Captain, Eighteenth U. S. Infantry.
In addition to the foregoing report, I beg leave to call the attention of the detachment commander to the three following non-commissioned officers of my battalion:
, killed, and the second and third commanded their companies — the second a portion of and the third during the whole of the operations here reported — with great credit.
Their conduct has been conspicuous for gallantry, zeal, and efficiency, and has won for them the respect and esteem of all their officers.
They well deserve promotion.
