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.

May 15, the regiment having been heavily engaged yesterday, retired to a commanding position in rear of the front line, and threw up strong earth-works. May 16, the enemy evacuated during the night. The One hundred and twenty-fifth joined in the pursuit at daylight, passed through Resaca at 9.30 a. m.. pressed the enemy closely, and bivouacked at dark near Calhoun. May 17, recommenced pursuit at 7.30 a. m., and moved forward rapidly till 5 p. m., when a brisk skirmish ensued with the enemy's rear guard, which lasted till after dark. May 18, marched at 9 a. m. one mile to Adairsville, rested till 1 p. m., marched three miles toward Kingston, and bivouacked, the One hundred and twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteers having captured 4 prisoners during the day. May 19, marched two and a half miles beyond Kingston, encountered the enemy in force, and rested on arms during the night. May 20, went into camp three miles southeast of Kingston, where we were allowed to remain, the men resting, washing clothes, &c., during the 21st and 22d ultimo. As [370] every available team was ordered into the supply train, baggage was sent to the rear and the regiment was restricted to one team during the remainder of the campaign. May 23, marched at 12 m., leaving the enemy to our left, crossed the Etowah River shortly after dusk, and bivouacked two miles farther on at 8 p. m. May 24, moved at 8 a. m., crossed Euharlee Creek at Barrett's Mill, passed through Stilesborough, and bivouacked at dusk, after a march of thirteen miles under a scorching sun. May 25, moved to within one and a half miles of Dallas, and bivouacked in such position as to support the Twentieth Army Corps, which had engaged the enemy in strong force, and suffered a repulse during the afternoon. May 26, Companies B, F, G, H, and K were placed on picket, and the remainder of the regiment stood to arms during the day and threw up breastworks at night. May 27, the regiment remained behind works until 7 p. m., when it was ordered on picket. May 28, on picket; a continual firing with the enemy was kept up. during the day. May 29, 30, and 31, regiment lay in the trenches. From the 1st to the 4th of June, inclusive, the regiment was constantly under fire of the enemy, occupying nearly the same position in the trenches. June 5, the One hundred and twenty-fifth having been on picket during the night advanced as skirmishers at daybreak and found that the enemy had evacuated his works. June 6, moved at 6 a. m. eight miles toward the railroad and bivouacked at 4 p. m. near Lost Mountain. June 7, 8, and 9, remained in same place, men washing and resting. June 10, marched at 11 a. m. through mud and rain three miles and confronted the enemy near Pine Mountain. June 11, occupied in getting into positions, rain falling in such quantities as almost to prevent operations. June 12 and 13, active operations are suspended on account of excessive wet weather. June 14. regiment on picket, nothing of importance transpiring. June 15, the enemy evacuated our front; followed two miles, when we again encountered him behind strong works.

June 16, heavy artillery firing, but no movement on our part. June 17, advanced our lines a short distance. June 18, the lines are extended, the One hundred and twenty-fifth moves a short distance to the right and fortifies. June 19, the enemy having evacuated during last night, our lines are advanced two miles, when we again encountered him at the base of Kenesaw, on the northeast side of the mountain. Heavy cannonading is opened. Lieut. Freeman Collins is killed by a fragment of shell, 2 men are wounded. Threw up strong works at night. June 20, the brigade being relieved by a brigade of the Fourteenth Army Corps, at dark the regiment marched one mile to the rear and bivouacked in open field. June 21, moved half a mile to the right, relieving Twentieth Army Corps in the trenches. At 4 p. m. advanced our lines 400 yards and fortified. June 22, regiment was in reserve line. June 23, it being ordered to advance the pickets, the One hundred and twenty-fifth was ordered to support the skirmish line; Companies B, E, and K were deployed and advanced with great determination, drove the enemy from his pits, but received such a severe fire from his main works as to be unable to hold the ground gained. Capt. Sterling Manchester and 2 men were killed, and 12 men were wounded. Strengthened our advanced works at night. June 24, remained in position as support to the picket-line. June 25 and 26, were in rear line of trenches, resting. June 27, it having been determined to charge the enemy's works to the right of Kenesaw Mountain, the Third Brigade [371] was designated to form one of the charging columns to assault the enemy in front of works occupied by the extreme right of the Fourth Army Corps, Colonel Opdycke, in charge of the skirmish line for the division, selected the One hundred and twenty-fifth for skirmishers, ordering that it should push ahead at all hazards, scaling the enemy's works with the head of the column, in case the charge was successful, or protecting the rear if repulsed. I deployed the regiment in rear of our works, at intervals of four feet, placing Major Bruff in charge of the right wing, while I directed the movements of the left. Between our main works a.nd those of the enemy there was an interval of not to exceed 400 paces. Fifty paces in front, and running nearly parallel to our works, was a ravine, which was the only place between the lines where men were not exposed to fire from the enemy's main works. At the sound of the bugle, fifteen minutes before 10 a. m., the line sprung over the works and moved forward in quick time without firing. We passed the enemy's advance pits, capturing almost his entire line of pickets, and sent them to the rear in charge of wounded men, or without guard when there were not wounded men at hand, as I would not spare well men from the ranks.

As the line advanced beyond the enemy's rifle-pits it was exposed to a more withering fire, but it moved forward in splendid style till it encountered the abatis in front of his main works, when I halted and lay down to await the charging column. The head of the column no sooner reached the abatis than it, too, was unable to stand the fire, and the men immediately threw themselves fiat on the ground; all attempts to again rally them were unsuccessful, although several men struggled through the dense abatis and were cut down while climbing the outer slope of the enemy's works. There was no concerted, action, and after maintaining i s position fully fifteen minutes the column was forced to fall back. The One hundred and twenty-fifth retired to the pits occupied by the enemy during the morning, and held them half an hour after the column had withdrawn, and until after relieved by fresh troops. The entire loss of the regiment during the engagement amounted to 1 officer killed, 2 mortally wounded, and 8 officers more or less severely wounded; 6 men killed, 8 mortally wounded, and 33 men more or less severely wounded. June 28, 29, and 30, remained in trenches resting. July 1 and 2, remained quietly behind works. July 3, the enemy having evacuated his works during the night, the One hundred and twenty-fifth joined in the pursuit at 6 a. m. and bivouacked at five miles below Marietta near the railroad, confronting the enemy. July 4, changed position and fortified; the enemy withdrew during the night. July 5, marched at 7 a. m. and bivouacked at night near Vining's Station. July 6, 7, and 8, rested in bivouac, men washing, &c. July 9, 10, and 11, moved with the division to support McCook's cavalry, which had effected a crossing of the Chattahcochee River at Roswell, twelve miles above Vining's. July 12, 13, and 14, returned to Vining's Station, crossed the Chattahoochee River at Powers' Ferry, and constructed breast-works at a point two miles farther south. July 15, 16, and 17, remained quietly in camp; no enemy appeared in our immediate front. July 18, the entire command moved at 5 a. m.; the One hundred and twenty-fifth was deployed as skirmishers, and was supported by the Sixty-fourth and Sixty-fifth Ohio, and Third Kentucky Infantry. Encountered Wheeler's cavalry, dismounted, supported by a 4-gun battery. At [372] 9 a. m. at Nancy's Creek charged him from his temporary intrenchments and drove him six miles, bivouacking early in tLe afternoon at Buck Head. Lost during the day 1 man killed and 5 wounded. July 19, remain in bivouac. July 20, marched at 6 a. m., crossed Peach Tree Creek at 12 m. and assisted in repulsing a severe attack of the enemy, which resulted very disastrously to him. July 21, rested in bivouac. July 22, marched at 10 a. m. and drove the enemy into his intrenchrrents about Atlanta after severe skirmishing. Went into position late in the afternoon, and worked all night at throwing up breastworks. July 23, changed position farther to the right of Peach Tree Creek road and constructed strong breastworks.

From the 24th day of July to the 24th day of August, inclusive, occupied nearly the same position, strengthening works, doing picket duty, &c. August 25, the grand flanking movement commencing, the regiment marched all night to our right. August 26, continued the movement began last night until 4 p. m., when the regiment bivouacked for the night. August 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31, were occupied in trying to get possession of the Macon railroad between Rough and Ready Station and Jonesborough. September 1, struck the railroad three miles below Rough and Ready Station, and assisted in tearing up and burning the track between that point and Jonesborough. The Army of the Tennessee having engaged the enemy at the latter place early in the day and gained advantage over him, the Fourth Army Corps was ordered to its assistance, but arrived too late in the day to be available. The One hundred and twenty-fifth, in the front line on the extreme left, went into position at dark after slight skirmishing with scattering cavalry, extended our pickets so as to inclose a rebel hospital containing three surgeons, several nurses and attendants, and 150 rebel wounded. September 2, pursued the enemy to Lovejoy's Station, confronted him on the 3d and 4th, and marched to Atlanta on the 5th, 6th, and 7th. September 8, went into camp two miles northeast of the city near the Augusta railroad.

Casualties since May 14, 1864: Killed, commissioned officers, 5; enlisted men, 27. Wounded, commissioned officers, 9; enlisted men, 107. Aggregate, 148.

Very respectfully, yours, &c.,