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Hdqrs. Thirty-Eighth Illinois Vet. Vol. Infty., Near Atlanta, Ga.,
September
11, 1864
.
Captain: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Thirty-eighth Regiment
Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry in the campaign:
The regiment left Chattanooga
May
28
, on its return to the field from veteran furlough, and reported at Rossville, by order of
General
Steedman
, to take charge of and escort a drove of cattle to IResaca.
Arrived at Resaca
June
2, 1864
.
There the drove, numbering over 1,200 head, was transferred to
Captain
Thornton
, commissary of subsistence.
He called upon me for guard to the front, showing authority from
General
Sherman
for his demand.
Addition had been made to the drove, making over 1,700 head, thereby entailing very heavy guard upon the
regiment, which numbered only 180 effective men. Arrived at Acworth,
Ga.,
June
8
.
June
9
, were relieved and reported to the brigade.
June
10
, moved with the brigade, and participated in the operations before Pine Top and in the advance upon the
Kenesaw line.
June
20
, moved to the right and relieved troops of the Twentieth Corps
in front of Bald Knob.
The picket-line was advanced, and being driven back, the Thirtyeighth was deployed and placed on picket.
June
21
, the Thirtyeighth was relieved early in the morning.
The picket-line was again advanced, took and held Bald Knob in our front.
After the line was established the Thirty-eighth was moved to the hill, where it remained till the morning of
the 23d.
During the operations the enemy shelled the line vigorously.
June
23
, moved farther to the right before daylight.
The line was advanced in the afternoon.
The Thirty-eighth was ordered to throw up works between the Twenty-first
Illinois and One hundred and first Ohio, in doing which I man was
killed and several wounded.
On the morning of
June
27
the regiment was on picket, and was relieved before light by a portion of the Third Brigade, and, with the brigade, was held in support of
Newton
's division while charging the enemy's lines.
After the withdrawal of
Newton
's division, were again moved to the front line.
In so doing
Captain
Harris
, Company K, was wounded in the leg. Remained at this point
alternately on front and rear lines till
July
2
.
In the month of
June
the Thirty-eighth lost 1 commissioned officer and 26 enlisted men wounded, 1 enlisted man killed.
On the night of
July
2
moved to the left and relieved the One hundredth Illinois on picket.
July
3
, moved with the brigade several miles past Marietta.
July
4
,
Captain
Patrick
, in command of the picket detail, was wounded in advancing the line, causing the loss of his left arm.
July
5
, moved to Vining's Station, near the Chattahoochee; laid there till
the 10th, and were moved to the left.
July
12
, crossed the river, threw up works on a high ridge near the river, and laid there till the 18th.
July
18
and
19
, moved with the brigade in the direction of Atlanta.
July
20
, crossed Peach Tree Creek, and when lines were formed
were placed in support of the Fifth Indiana Battery, in which position we laid
till the morning of the
22d
, when, the enemy having left, we moved forward.
Upon coming up with the enemy's line, were formed, threw up works, and remained in position till the 26th.
The night of
July
26
moved to lines protecting the left flank and rear, remaining there till
August
1
.
Loss in
July
, 1 enlisted man killed; 1 commissioned officer and 2 enlisted men wounded.
August
1
, the regiment was ordered out, and threw up works near corps headquarters.
At night were ordered to rejoin the brigade, when we took position on the left, relieving the Twenty-third Corps; remained there, with a few changes in the line, till the night of
the
25th
, when the brigade moved to the right.
August
26
, about 11 a. m. were ordered to support the Eighty-first Indiana on
the skirmish line, and, deploying, were ordered to the works held by the enemy.
The regiment charged and, driving them out, occupied the works. .The left was immediately exposed to a flank
fire and fell
back.
The left was refused and the line held till ordered back, when it fell back slowly, protecting the rear of the
column.
Loss in the month of
August
, 2 enlisted men killed and 3 wounded.
September
1
, were engaged with the brigade in destroying the Macon
road.
When line of battle was formed before Jonesborough were placed
upon the left as flankers and skirmishers, connecting with the Ninetieth Ohio,
who were upon the skirmish line, the Second Division forming in our
rear.
The Thirty-eighth prolonged the line of the Ninetieth, and, an advance beeing ordered, went forward through a
thick wood till it attained a hill in front of Jonesborough.
The regiment made two charges upon the enemy's skirmish lines, driving them readily, with a loss of 3 men
wounded.
It remained till dark, when it was relieved by other troops.
September
2
, ra6ved to the left of the line near
Lovejoy
's; withdrew the night of the
5th
, and, with the brigade, returned to Atlanta, reaching
that place
September
8
.
Recapitulation.-Commissioned officers wounded, 2; enlisted men wounded, 34; killed, 4; missing, 3; aggregate
loss during the campaign, 43.
The regiment was under the enemy's fire twenty-six consecutive days, from
June
10
to
July
5
, both inclusive.