From the crossing of the Etowah to the crossing of the Chattahoochee.

From the evening of the 19th to the morning of the 23d we remained in camp at Cassville preparing for our movement upon Dallas and thence Marietta. The order was to take twenty days rations, but this division was only enabled, from limited transportation, to carry seventeen days. The division crossed the Etowah the evening of the 23d and camped near Euharlee. Made a tedious day's march on the 24th , reaching camp two miles from Burnt Hickory at 10 o'clock at night in a rain-storm. On the 25th we marched for Dallas, keeping the roads to the right of the main road. At 3 p. m. were ordered to close up rapidly, as General Hooker had found the enemy in force. We crossed the Pumpkin Vine near sunset, and at night closed up to Hooker 's left. On the 26th Colonel Grose 's brigade went into line on the left of Geary 's division. We also put in a battery to play upon the enemy's lines. Early on the 27th moved the division to the left to relieve Wood 's division, which moved off to the left to attempt to turn the enemy's right. The position of the division here remained substantially the same until the night of the 4th of June , during which the enemy evacuated his line.

Cruft 's brigade was started back to Kingston as escort to the wagon train of the corps on the 30th . On the night of the 3d of June we relieved half of Davis ' front on the left of this division. Our time was constantly employed, whilst in this position, in pushing out works, by successive advances, close to the enemy; and a constant fire of musketry and artillery was kept up whenever we could annoy the enemy. The 5th we lay in camp near New Hope Church. On the 6th the division moved on the Acworth road to the vicinity of Morris Hill Chapel. The division remained in position at Morris Hill until the morning of the 10th , when, moving through the lines of the Twentieth Corps, on the Marietta road, we soon struck the pickets of the enemy. Pushing forward, the enemy was found in force, with an intrenched line extending across the summit of Pine Top Mountain. The division was formed facing this line of the enemy and intrenched in full view and under easy cannon-range of them. This position we maintained with some modifications until the morning of the 15th. On the 14th the position of the enemy was sharply cannonaded by all our batteries, and, as we learned subsequently, the second shot fired from a rifled section of the Fifth Indiana Battery exploded in a group of rebel generals, killing Lieut. Gen. Leonidas Polk . Early the morning of the 15th it was found the enemy had abandoned his work on Pine Top. The position was at once occupied by our skirmishers, and it was learned that Pine Top was an advanced work, the main rebel line being in the rear and connecting Kenesaw and Lost Mountains. Shortly after noon the division was formed in column of attack, following the Second Division, but the general commanding the corps having decided an attack impracticable at the point the head of the column struck the rebel line, this division formed in line and intrenched opposite to the rebel position. On the 16th the line was advanced under severe fire. A heavy cannonade was kept up upon the rebel position all day. While laying out a position for a battery this day Capt. Peter Simonson , Fifth Indiana Battery, chief of artillery, was instantly killed by a sharpshooter. This was an irreparable loss to the division. I have not in my military experience met with an officer who was the equal of this one in energy, efficiency, and ingenuity in the handling of artillery. He never missed an opportunity and allowed no difficulties to deter him from putting in his batteries in every position that he could prove annoying or destructive to the enemy. On the morning of the 17th it was found the enemy had again evacuated his line, and we advanced to find that he had abandoned his hold on Lost Mountain with his left. Again we had the experience of feeling for the position of the rebels and found him, as usual, strongly intrenched on one of the small branches of Noyes' Creek. On the 18th the rain poured in torrents. Kirby 's brigade was sent to support General Newton 's division, which engaged the enemy's lines closely all day. This night the enemy again abandoned his line, and on the 19th we moved forward and found him in his intrenched line of Kenesaw Mountain. Our lines were pushed up close to the rebel position and intrenched during the night, Grose 's brigade on the left, Whitaker 's in the center, and Kirby 's on the right. These positions were gained after severe skirmishing. During the 20th we strengthened our position, and at 4 p. m. we made a demonstration with a strong line of skirmishers on our whole line. Colonel Price , in command of General Whitaker 's skirmishers, gallantly charged the hill in his front and took it, with a number of prisoners. General Whitaker 's main line was ordered to be established on the picket-line captured from the enemy. The pioneers had only time to throw ap a few rails when the enemy advanced in strong force to repossess their line. Our men at once stood to arms and after a sharp contest repulsed them. At sundown the enemy repeated his attempt and was again severely repulsed. Not satisfied, about 8 o'clock at night, they made another determined attack, carrying a part of our line occupied by the Thirty-fifth Indiana.

The good behavior of the Ninety-ninth Ohio, which coolly formed a flank and poured a fire into the rebel force which had broken our line, saved the brigade. The Fortieth Ohio was brought up and charged the rebel force which had broken through, restoring our lines. This affair, which was a very severe fight, reflects great credit upon Whitaker 's brigade. The men fought with great coolness and resolution. The loss in the brigade was quite severe-5 field officers were killed, wounded, and missing, and the loss in the affair amounted to 250 men. Colonel Kirby 's brigade carried the bald hill in his front, but the enemy rallied and drove him back. This occurred three times, when, night having arrived, I directed the contest to stop. On the morning of the 21st Colonel Kirby was ordered to retake the hill for which he contended the day before. As General Wood 's division moved forward at the same time, this was soon accomplished with slight loss. During the 22d the division remained in position excepting five regiments of Colonel Grose 's brigade, which marched to the right to relieve part of Butterfield 's division. At night General King 's division, of the Fourteenth Corps, relieved us, and we in turn relieved Butterfield 's division by daylight in the morning. We occupied the day strengthening our position, and about 5 p. m. formed a strong picket-line and charged that of the enemy, capturing about 40 of them. Shortly afterward the enemy made a counter-charge, and outflanking the skirmishers of Whitaker 's brigade, forced them back. Our loss in the affair was about 60 men. During the 24th, 25th, and 26th our lines were a little advanced and improved. Our position was in easy musket-range of the enemy. On the morning of the 27th , it having been determined to attack the enemy from the front of the First Division, this division was selected as the support of the assaulting columns of the Second Division, which was selected to lead in the assault. Whitaker 's and Kirby 's brigades were formed in columns of regiments, Grose 's brigade to hold the line of breast-works was deployed. From the failure of the assault the troops of this division were not engaged, Kirby 's brigade only passing out of the works, and yet so severe was the fire of the enemy that the division lost over 100 men killed and wounded while waiting the movement of the Second Division. Captain McDowell , Company B, Independent Pennsylvania Battery, my second chief of artillery, a most excellent and accomplished young officer, was killed while superintending his batteries just before the assault.

From this date until the night of the 2d of July we merely maintained our lines, very little firing, even between pickets, occurring. On the night of the 2d of July the lines of the First Division were extended, relieving all of General Newton 's division. Early the morning of the 3d , finding the enemy gone, the division followed their trail, leading through Marietta and taking the road east of the railroad leading to Pace's Ferry. This division was in the lead and had some little skirmishing, and in the evening came again upon the enemy intrenched at Ruff's Station. Grose 's brigade alone was deployed, and severe skirmishing was kept up during the evening. About 11 o'clock on the 4th , the general commanding the division having expressed a doubt of there being an enemy in force in front of us, orders were given to feel the position strongly. To this end a strong skirmish line, well supported, was deployed, and advanced at charge step over the open corn-field against the enemy's rifle-pits, which were plainly visible and very strong. Colonel Grose 's skirmishers having the least distance to move to strike the enemy, at once came under a most galling fire. The day being very hot the men dropped down to gain breath, after making half the distance; but as soon as a little rested they were rallied by the brave Captain Hale , Seventy-fifth Illinois Infantry, commanding the skirmish line, and dashing forward broke the rebel line and at once occupied their pits. The main lines of the division were moved up at once and established themselves on the late rebel picket-line under the severest and most continued cannonade the rebels had ever used upon us. I regret to add that the gallant Captain Hale , who was the life of this gallant charge, was killed during the afternoon. The rebel skirmish line which was dislodged was almost a full line of battle, and the charge upon them over open ground was very creditable to the troops engaged, who were details from most of the regiments of the division. Our loss in this affair was 100 men killed and wounded. We took 50 of the enemy prisoners. This same night the enemy abandoned his line and withdrew to the river, and on the 5th the division followed in rear of the corps on the railroad and took position on the Chattahoochee, above Pace's Ferry. From the 5th until the 10th we remained resting in camp, occasionally shelling the rebels across the river and picketing the river and islands. On the 10th the division moved up to Soap Creek, and bivouacked near the pontoon bridges, thrown across by General Schofield .