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.

Captain: In compliance with orders received from brigade headquarters, I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this regiment from the commencement of the campaign up to the 6th of the present month:

On the morning of the 7th of May, 1864, the Eighty-seventh Indiana Volunteers, then commanded by Col. N. Gleason, moved forward from Ringgold in the direction of Tunnel Hill, near which place we remained, participating in the movements of the brigade in front of Buzzard Roost until the 12th, when we moved to the right and passed through Snake Creek Gap. Moving forward on the 13th and 14th, in the evening of the latter day we took position on a ridge in front of the enemy's works at Resaca. On the 15th we moved about two miles to the right and halted in reserve on the left of the Fifteenth Corps. The enemy evacuated his works during the night. On the 16th we moved into Resaca, and remained till the 17th, when we moved forward, crossing the river, and continuing the march till the 19th, when we halted on the railroad, two miles south of Kingston. We remained at this [796] place till the 23d, when we moved to the right, crossing the Etowah River, and going into camp five miles this side of the same. On the 26th, the wagon train being placed under the guard of our brigade, we moved forward with it to a place on the road near Burnt Hickory. This regiment on the 27th guarded the train to the front on Pumpkin Vine Creek, and, returning two miles, camped over night, and the following day, with the balance of the brigade, guarded another train to the front. On the 29th we moved back to Burnt Hickory, and remained till June 1, when we moved near the front of the enemy's position at Dallas. We moved to the front the following day and relieved troops of the First Division of this corps. Here we had considerable skirmishing with the enemy. On the 6th, the enemy having evacuated his position during the night, we moved forward a few miles, went in camp, and remained till the 10th, when we marched in the direction of Kenesaw Mountain. We moved to the left on the 11th, and remained in camp till the 14th. We moved forward in line of battle on this day, a detail from the regiment being upon the skirmish line. We lost 1 man killed and 1 wounded. Moving forward about one-half mile on the 15th, we formed in the second line of the brigade and intrenched. After remaining in this position till the 17th we moved forward about three-fourths of a mile, and took position in the first line. Moving forward again on the 18th, we wheeled to the left, formed in the second line, and made works. Being exposed to the enemy's fire of artillery and musketry during this day, we had 2 men severely wounded. It being discovered on the morning of the 19th that the enemy had abandoned his works in our front, we moved forward till we came up to his position on Kenesaw Mountain; formed in the first line and intrenched. There was skirmishing and heavy cannonading at this place. On the night of the 22d, the brigade moving a short distance to the right, three companies of this regiment were placed in an advanced and exposed position. The balance of the regiment formed in the second line. Heavy skirmishing and cannonading continued day and night. On the 26th Colonel Gleason was assigned to the command of the brigade, and I assumed command of this regiment. We moved to the right three miles this day, and on the following day with this division supported the Second Division in an unsuccessful charge upon the enemy's works. On the evening of the 30th we moved to the right and occupied a part of the works of the Twentieth Corps, which had just moved still farther to the right.

The enemy evacuating his works at Kenesaw Mountain on the night of July 2, we moved forward on the 3d, passing to the right of Marietta, and halting some four miles south of that place. On the 4th we returned with the brigade to Marietta, where we remained till the 13th, my command performing provost duty. We then marched to the Chattahoochee River and went into camp near the railroad bridge. Crossing the river on pontoon bridges on the 17th, and moving forward on the 18th and 19th, we crossed Peach Tree Creek on the evening of the latter date, formed in the first line, and fortified. On the morning of the 20th we moved forward a short distance, and, being much exposed to the fire of the enemy's skirmishers, Lieutenant Leiter and 3 men of this regiment received severe wounds. About noon we moved to the right to a less exposed position, our brigade being relieved from the front, where we remained until the evening of the following day, when we moved to the front under the fire of the enemy's skirmishers. and formed in the [797] first line. During the night the enemy evacuated his works in our front and fell back to his fortifications around Atlanta. Moving up in front of that city on the 22d, we formed in the second line and intrenched. We remained in this position till August 3, when we moved to the right five miles, took position in the first line and made works. In the afternoon of the 4th, moving in the first line of the brigade, we made a reconnaissance to the front, and while advancing under the fire of the enemy's musketry and artillery, my command lost 1 killed and 16 wounded. After it became sufficiently dark to conceal our movements we retired to our works. We advanced again on the 5th, assisted in the capture of about 100 prisoners, and, wheeling to the left, formed in the second line. We had scarcely commenced our works before the enemy opened upon us from several of his batteries, giving us a terrible shelling, but we held our position and continued with the construction of our works. We lost this day 1 killed and 1 severely wounded. Several others were injured from fragments of shells, but not disabled. Nothing of special importance occurred on the 6th.

On the 7th of May, when we left Ringgold, the aggregate effective force of this regiment was 357. Our casualties have been as follows: Killed-enlisted men, 3. Wounded-commissioned officers, 1; enlisted men, 23. Sent to the rear from. sickness-commissioned officers, 2; enlisted men, 91.

I cannot commend too highly the patience and cheerfulness with which the officers and men of my command have performed their duties during the present campaign, nor praise too greatly their good conduct at all times in the presence and under the fire of the enemy. Where all have behaved so well it would be out of place to mention particular instances of gallant conduct. It is, however, but justice to Major Sabin, and no exception can be taken to the statement, to say that he has at several times in our advance upon the enemy's works had command of the skirmish line of the brigade, and that he has on all occasions displayed a bravery and skill which have rendered his operations entirely successful.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this command since August 7, 1864, the date to which my last report was made:

At that time my command occupied a position in the second line of the brigade, which was in the front near the enemy's works at Utoy Creek. Our pickets were constantly engaged, and we were exposed to an almost incessant fire from the enemy's batteries. On Sunday, the 7th of August, an attempt was made to advance the skirmish line, which was unsuccessful on account of the near proximity of our picket-line with the enemy's fortifications and rifle-pits. [798] One man of my command was wounded. On the night of the 10th of August, the brigade forming in one line, I moved up and took position on the right of the Seventy-fifth Indiana, relieving the Eighty-fifth Illinois. Our position here was much exposed, being within short range of the enemy's works and unmasked by an open field. The firing, however, between the pickets ceased for several days by the tacit consent of each party. During this cessation of hostilities, quite a number of the enemy, availing themselves of the opportunity so favorably presented, deserted and came through our lines. A demonstration being made along the line on the 18th, the men of my command fired from their works. This continued for two hours, when the firing ceased. In the front of my line, after this engagement, several of the enemy's wounded were observed being carried off by the stretcher-bearers, though their loss could not have been great as their works afforded them almost perfect protection. Before daylight on the morning of the 19th my command was relieved by troops from the Thirty-eighth Ohio, and moved with the brigade a short distance to the right and rear, where we remained till after dark in the evening, when we returned and occupied our former position. The following day I sent four companies to occupy the line of the Thirty-first Ohio a few rods to the right, while that regiment was withdrawn from the line. It came back in the evening, and the companies referred to returned to their positions in the regiment. During the 22d of August we were much annoyed by the firing of the enemy's sharpshooters, who partially enfiladed our works from the left. Lieut. John Demuth, of Company C, an excellent officer, received a mortal wound and died in a few moments. We left our position here at 2 o'clock in the morning August 27, and with the army commenced the movement which resulted in the taking of the Atlanta and Macon Railroad, and the evacuation of Atlanta by the enemy. In the successful charge of the Fourteenth Corps, September 1, on the works of the enemy at Jonesborough, this brigade acting as a supporting column, my command took position on the right in the first line, and advanced with the troops in our front until the enemy was routed, and it became too dark to proceed farther. September 2, we moved a short distance down the railroad. My command was employed in the afternoon in tearing up and destroying the iron and cross-ties. We marched a mile to the east in the evening, and going in camp remained till the 5th, when we started back to this place and arrived here on the 8th. The following table will show the effective strength of this regiment on the 7th of May, 1864, the day we left Ringgold, the casualties from battle and disease during the campaign, and the present effective strength of the regiment:

Effective force May 7-officers, 22; enlisted men, 335.

Casualties: wounded-officers, 2; enlisted men, 21. Sent to rear sick-officers, 2; enlisted men, 83. Killed in action-officers, 1; enlisted men, 3.

Effective force September 7-officers, 17; enlisted men, 230.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,