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Hdqrs. Forty-Ninth Ohio Veteran Vol. Infantry, Near Atlanta, Ga.,
September
15, 1864
.
Sir: In obedience to orders, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by this regiment
in the campaign
just closed, resulting in the capture of the city of Atlanta:
From the time we broke camp on the
3d day of May
, at McDonald's Station,
East Tenn., until the 15th day of the same month, the regiment was commanded by
Col.
William
H.
Gibson
, therefore it will not be expected of me to give more than a general account of its operations during
that time.
From McDonald's Station we marched with the brigade, commanded by
General
Willich
, and with it went into position in front of Rocky Face
Ridge on the
7th of May
, and participated in the operations there without any occurrence worthy of mention until the 9th, when
the brigade was formed column en masse, our position being the right of second line and in rear of Thirty-second Indiana Volunteers.
In this formation we moved with the brigade by the right flank half a mile to the right of our first position.
This movement brought the regiment into an open field in musket-range of the enemy on top of the ridge.
Seeing us thus massed he gave us a galling fire that killed 1 and wounded 4 enlisted men. The command was
immediately deployed into line on first company and ordered to lie down,
taking shelter, as far as possible, behind the slight irregularities of the ground; remained in
this position half an hour, when we moved again with the brigade by the left flank about one-quarter of a mile
to the left and bivouacked.
This movement seemed to me to be objectless, and resulted in what appeared an unnecessary loss of life.
On the morning of the 10th we relieved the Fifteenth Ohio Volunteers on the
picket-line in front of the brigade, occupying a line close up under an almost perpendicular ledge of rocks,
from
the top of which the enemy rolled stones down on our men, injuring some severely.
Our left rested on the top of the ridge, connecting with the pickets of
General
Harker
's brigade.
We remained on picket until night, being relieved by the Thirty-second Indiana
Volunteers, and returned to our position in the brigade.
Our casualties this day were
Lieut.
Edwin
Haff
and 5 men wounded, all in Companies F and I, the former commanded byCapt.
John
F.
Kessler
, the latter by
Capt.
M.
E.
Tyler
.
On the morning of the
11th
, when the division took up position on the hill across the valley in rear of the position held on the
10th
, we moved with the brigade.
On the evening of the 12th we again relieved the Fifteenth Ohio Volunteers on
the line.
During this night the enemy evacuated the ridge and retreated from Dalton.
On finding them gone a skirmish line was thrown forward and 5 stragglers taken in. On the morning of the 13th
the regiment with the brigade marched with the pursuing column and took position in front of Resaca on the
14th
, where the brigade relieved troops of the Twenty-third Army
Corps.
During this day the regiment alternated with the other regiments of the brigade on the picket-line.
The opposing lines were close together, and firing continual and rapid.
Our casualties in this day's operations were 10 enlisted men wounded.
On the
15th
the situation was unchanged, and the position and operations of the regiment the same as on the
14th
.
In the afternoon of this day
Brigadier-General
Willich
was severely wounded; the command of brigade devolving on
Colonel
Gibson
, he turned the command of the regiment over to me. Casualties this day, 2 enlisted men.
On the morning of the 16th it was found the enemy had evacuated.
On the
16th
, 17th, 18th, and 19th we were engaged in marching with pursuing column; nothing transpired worthy of
mention, and having no casualties.
On the evening of the
19th
, the enemy being found in line of battle at Cassville,
about
twenty-six miles
south of Resaca
, the army formed line of battle and advanced upon them.
Our position was on the left of the brigade in the first line, the brigade being in reserve to the Second and
Third Brigades of the division, did not become closely engaged.
During the night the enemy again left our front.
Casualties this day, 1 enlisted man wounded.
Our position remained unchanged at Cassville until the 23d, when
we took up our line of march with the brigade.
Marched ten miles south, crossing Etowah River, and encamped on
Euharlee Creek at Milner's
Mills.
On 24th resumed marching; halted for the night after traveling twelve miles. On 25th continued our march,
crossing Pumpkin Vine Creek, moving to the support of the Twentieth Corps, which was severely engaged with the enemy near Dallas.
On the morning of the 26th the brigade went into position on the left of the troops of the Twentieth Corps, already in line.
The day was consumed in maneuvering for positions and fortifying them; we were not at any time during the day
brought into
close action.
On the
27th
, when the division marched to the extreme left of the general line of battle, the position of this
regiment in the brigade
was on the left of the second line, joined on my right by the Thirty-fifth Illinois
Volunteers, with the Thirty-second Indiana Volunteers in my front.
In this formation we marched through almost impenetrable woods and over swampy ground a distance of several
miles, arriving
at a position near Pickett's Mills about 3 p. m. Here our lines were now
formed, facing those of the enemy.
About 4 p. m. our brigade, following the Second Brigade, advanced to the
attack.
The woods and undergrowth were so dense that nothing could be seen at a distance of 150 yards. I was ordered to
maintain that distance from the first line.
At the signal I advanced, preceding my command, to observe the movements of the first line.
We were soon brought under a desolating fire of musketry and artillery at close range.
In a few movements I lost sight of the first line, it having drifted to the left.
I could see no organized force in my front, but the woods full of men seeking shelter from the terrible storm of
shot and
shell.
At this juncture I met the adjutant-general of
General
Hazen
's brigade, who, in answer to my inquiries, told me the enemy had a strong position on a hill
across a ravine a few yards in advance,
and said it could only be taken by storm.
The regiment, over 400 effective men, soon arrived at the ravine named, and which I found was enfiladed by
artillery and musketry.
I could now see the position of the enemy on the other side and a line of our troops lying below the crest of
the hill.
I then gave the order to charge, and the line advanced on double-quick, maintaining a perfect line; passing over
the line
on the side hill, advanced to within ten paces of the works of the enemy, and at one or two points got within
bayonet reach of the rebels behind [sic] hors de combat, and it was found impossible for us to take a position
before which line after line had melted away, yet we remained without cover in the position we had gained,
stubbornly contesting
with our foe behind intrenchments until night enabled us to withdraw in safety, bringing off our wounded and
losing but 4 in prisoners.
I will be pardoned for claiming for my men and officers the highest encomiums for their intrepidity and
persistent courage
displayed on this field.
Our casualty list in this day's fighting attests its severity, being as follows: Commissioned officers-killed,
3; wounded,3.
Enlisted men-killed, 49; wounded, 144; missing, 4.
Aggregate loss, 203.
During the night of the 27th we went into position with the brigade and fortified; remained in the position
during the days of the 28th and 29th, and on the evening of the 30th advanced our line nearer the enemy and
fortified.
Remained in this position until
June
4
, alternating with the Eighty-ninth Illinois Volunteers on the first
line, meeting with no loss.
On the morning of the 5th it was discovered that the enemy had evacuated their position in our front.
On the
6th
marched with the column to camp near Acworth, a distance
of eight miles, where we remained to recuperate our wasted energies until the 10th, when the army resumed
offensive operations, and on the 12th went into position in front of Pine Top Mountain.
The work [sic] nothing was done until the morning of the
14th
, when the brigade and division advanced about one mile, finding the enemy in strong works; the position
of the regiment in brigade on this day being the right of the first line, with our front covered by the Fifteenth Ohio as skirmishers.
Having driven the enemy to their main works, we took position and constructed fortifications.
Our casualties this day were 1 officer (
Captain
Patterson
) and I man slightly wounded.
During the night the enemy again evacuated our immediate front.
Passing over the interval between the 14th and 20th, during which time the regiment was engaged in picket duty
and building fortifications in front of the enemy (our loss from
the 14th to the 20th being 1 man killed and 4 wounded), on the morning of the 20th the brigade marched to the
right one and a half miles and relieved a brigade of the Twentieth
Corps in front of Kenesaw Mountain.
My regiment was sent out to occupy a wooded knoll taken by the Twentieth
Corps the day previous.
It stood out from the main line of battle, and almost detached from the ridge held by our troops.
Upon this knoll we completed some works made in the form of a crescent, and protected our flanks from the
cross-fire the enemy
were enabled to give us. Remained in this position until evening, being relieved by the Thirty-fifth Illinois and Fifteenth Wisconsin Volunteers,
when we returned to our place in the brigade.
Our casualties this day were 1 enlisted man killed and 4 wounded. On the
21st
I was ordered by
Colonel
Nodine
, commanding brigade, to take my regiment and place it behind a bald knob just captured by the Fifteenth Ohio, as support.
In obeying this order, and while advancing over an open field, I received a cross-fire from a wooded eminence to
the right
of the bald knob, and directly in front of the wooded knob alluded to above.
Deeming it necessary to drive the enemy from this position to enable us to hold the one just gained by the four
companies of the Fifteenth Ohio, and seeing the skirmishers of that regiment
closely pressed, I exceeded my orders and changed the direction of my [line]
and charged the position, driving, with the assistance of the Fifteenth Ohio,
the enemy from it. We at once constructed temporary works of rails and logs, keeping up the fire until they were
of sufficient
strength to enable us to hold them against any force the enemy might bring against us. Our loss in this affair
was 1 officer killed and 13 enlisted men wounded.
This movement being made under the eye of the generals commanding division and corps, they were pleased to
tender us their
thanks.
From the 21st to the 27th nothing of special interest occurred.
The lines in front of the brigade having been made secure by formidable earth-works, with abatis in front, we
remained in
them, a continual firing being kept up from both sides, causing frequent casualties.
On the
27th
the lines of the brigade were reduced to a single line, the brigade extending to the right, covering the
space of the whole
division for the purpose of aiding the assaults made on other portions of the line.
After the failure of the assaults made that day the troops reoccupied their former positions, and the situation
remained unchanged
until the night of
July
2
.
A change being ordered in the lines, we were relieved in our position by other troops, and marched with the
brigade to the
left, and occupied the works made by the Fifteenth Army Corps.
While this change was going on the enemy was engaged in evacuating their works, and the morning of the 3d
revealed their absence from our entire front.
Our casualties in front of Kenesaw Mountain from the
21st of June
to
July
3
,
4
enlisted men and I officer wounded.
In the movements of the division and brigade from Kenesaw
Mountain to the Chattahoochee River we bore our part of
the picketing and skirmishing of the brigade without casualties or incident deserving mention.
After a refreshing rest of four days at Vining's Station we broke camp on
the
10th day of July
and marched up the Chattahoochee River to a point about
eight miles above the station and crossed to the east side, taking up position about one mile from the crossing
at the river and fortified it. The command was engaged on one or two important movements from the time we
crossed the river until we broke up camp on the 18th and marched for Atlanta.
The movements of the regiment from the 18th to the 22d, from which time the siege of the city dates, I may not
record in detail, as it would only be a repetition of much that has
been given before.
During the night of the 21st the enemy again left our front.
We moved forward with the brigade at an early hour of the 22d.
When within
two miles of Atlanta
my regiment was deployed as skirmishers and moved forward, driving the enemy'into their main works
around Atlanta.
After skirmishing about two hours we were relieved by
General
Newton
's troops and moved half mile to the left and fortified the position held by us during the entire siege.
On the
28th
I received orders to advance my pickets in front of the regiment.
Accordingly, I gave the order, and the men dashed forward and captured the entire line of riflepits of the
enemy, forking
out with their bayonets many prisoners.
This affair gave us much relief on our main line by removing the enemy's line of pickets from an eminence to
lower ground.
On the
3d day of August
we were ordered to make a demonstration in our front and ascertain the strength of the enemy, and, if
found practicable,
carry his works.
I pushed out my skirmishers about 100 yards. Finding the enemy numerous and strongly posted and well protected
by artillery I drew back the line to the original position.
In this affair we lost 3 men killed.
From this date until the army withdrew from the position around the city, on the evening of the
25th
, the situation remained unchanged, nothing occurring worthy of mention in this report.
The brigade and division commanders know the character of the operations.
Our casualties in the siege, from
July
22
to
August
25
, were as follows: 2 commissioned officers wounded, 6 enlisted men killed, 15 enlisted men wounded.
The regiment marched with the brigade and division on the night of the
25th of August
from Atlanta, and returned with them to the city on the
8th day of September
, with a loss of 4 men wounded in the works before Lovejoy's Station.
Leaving McDonald's Station with an aggregate strength of 592, I
went into camp at the close of the campaign with 225, having lost in killed and wounded alone 295.
To the officers and men of the command, who so promptly executed all orders given them, whether on the march, or
while confronting
the enemy, all praise is given.
In the hour of battle they evinced the highest qualities of the patriot soldier.
To
Maj.
L.
M.
Strong
and
Adjt.
D.
R.
Cook
my thanks are especially due for their gallantry and very valuable assistance rendered me throughout the
campaign.
Major
Strong
was severely wounded in the battle of the
27th of May
,. but declined to leave the field and remained on duty and witnessed the crowning success of the
campaign.
I feel entirely incompetent to pronounce eulogy upon the heroic dead.
The memory of
Lieutenants
Simons
,
Ramsey
,
Gibbs
,
Wallace
, and the many brave men who with them have so nobly died, should ever be cherished in the hearts of our
people and inspire
there, as in the minds of theiF remaining comrades, the determination to defend and forever establish the great
cause in defense
of which their blood was shed ��� the hope of humanity, our free institutions ��� a fitting monument to the
glorious sacrifice.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,