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headquarters Fifteenth Wisconsin Volunteers, Near
Atlanta, Ga.,
September
15, 1864
.
Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Fifteenth Wisconsin Volunteers in the late campaign, commencing at McDonald's Station, Tenn., the
3d day of May
last, and ending with the occupation of Atlanta:
At 12 m. on the
3d of May
the regiment, under command of
Major
Wilson
, moved with the brigade on the road leading through Catoosa
Springs to Tunnel Hill, which point we reached on the
7th
at 12 m. The Fifteenth Wisconsin being deployed as skirmishers, advanced to
the foot of Rocky Face Ridge, where it remained during the night.
On the morning of the 8th the regiment was ordered tU advance and take the ridge, if possible.
At 8 a. m.
four companies being deployed as skirmishers our right, connecting with the skirmishers of
General
Hazen
's brigade, advanced under a heavy fire from the enemy strongly posted on the crest of the
ridge.
After a severe skirmish our left succeeded in carrying the crest, where we took up a strong position, which we
held until
relieved, under proper orders, by troops from
General
Harker
's brigade.
Finding it impossible to carry the ridge in front of our right by assault, the troops on this part of the line
remained.
in position on the northern slope of the ridge, constantly skirmishing with the enemy until the afternoon of the
12th
, when we moved with the brigade to the left about one and a half miles to meet a reported movement of
the enemy in force in that direction.
At 6 p. m. we relieved a part of the Thirty-second Indiana and Eighty-ninth Illinois regiments on the skirmish line, where we remained during the
night, and on the morning of the 13th found the enemy had evacuated his position in and about Rocky Face Ridge and Dalton.
Our loss up to this time was as follows: Killed, I; wounded, 1.
The regiment moved immediately with the brigade in pursuit of the enemy, passing through Dalton about 11 a. m., thence south on the left and on a line with the railroad.
On the
14th
at 12 m. heavy firing was heard in front; the brigade was formed in three lines, this regiment in the
left of the third line, and moved forward about-600 yards over broken country and found the enemy strongly
intrenched around Resaca.
About 4 p. m. our regiment and the Thirty-fifth Illinois were ordered to
relieve a portion of
Colonel
Sherman
's brigade, of
General
Newton
's division, about 200 yards to the right.
This position was greatly exposed to an enfilading fire from the enemy's artillery, and would have been
untenable had we not
been partly covered by the first line of the enemy's works, which had been previously carried by the Twenty-third Corps.
Here the regiment was engaged about two hours, when our ammunition was exhausted, and, being relieved by a
regiment from
Colonel
Sherman
's brigade, we moved back about 200 yards, where we rested over night.
At 6 a. m. on the 15th the regiment relieved the Forty-ninth Ohio on the front
line.
Hastily constructed barricades having been constructed during the night, we were partly covered from the fire,
and from this
position we kept a battery of two guns in our immediate front completely silent.
We commanded the enemy's works with our musketry, so he could not show his head above the parapets.
At 6 p. m. we were relieved by the Fifteenth Ohio, and formed in double column
in the second line.
At 11 p. m. the enemy made a desperate charge on our line, but was handsomely repulsed and severely punished.
On the morning of the 16th the enemy had disappeared from our front, and our skirmishers entered his main line
of works, when it was found that he had
crossed the Oostenaula River at Resaca
Station, and burned the railroad bridge behind him. Our casualties here were as follows, viz: Killed,
4; wounded, 14.
About 2 p. m. we crossed the Oostenaula River on the wagon bridge.
Moving in a southerly direction, in line with the railroad, we passed through Calhoun toward Adairsville.
On the afternoon of the 17th
General
Newton
's division met the enemy in considerable force near Adairsville.
We were formed on the right of
General
Hazen
's brigade and threw up breastworks on the crest of a ridge.
Our regiment was deployed as skirmishers about 200 yards in front, in which position we remained during the
night.
On the morning of the
18th
, the enemy having retreated, we moved in a southerly direction, passing through Adairs---ville and Kingston on the 19th to within
one mile of Cassville
, where the enemy was met in force.
The
Fifteenth
was formed in the third line as support where the line might be pressed, but did not become engaged.
On the morning of the 20th we found that the enemy had evacuated his position.
On the
23d
at 12 m. the regiment, together with the brigade, moved to the right, taking twenty days rations in the
supply train, to flank the left of the enemy's line at Allatoona Pass.
We crossed the Etowah River on a wagon bridge about
six miles
southwest of Cassville
, thence marching in a southerly direction through broken country, crossing Pumpkin Pine Creek.
About 4 p. m. the 25th we heard heavy firing in front, which we found was caused by the enemy having hastily
left his position in the Allatoona Mountain and hurriedly thrown himself onto the advance of
General
Hooker
's (Twentieth) corps, which was the leading column on this road.
Our corps was immediately hurried forward to its support.
After crossing Pumpkin Vine Creek the road was somewhat blockaded by troops
of the Twentieth Corps, and a rain setting in at night-fall, we
bivouacked for the night about 9 p. m. on the left of the road.
At 4 a. in.
the 26th the brigade was put in position on the left of
General
Newton
's division, fronting east.
The
Fifteenth
, on the right of the Thirty-fifth Illinois, in the second line, moved forward
with the brigade to within 250 yards of the enemy's works.
The Thirty-second Indiana was deployed as skirmishers and drove the enemy
handsomely, and in this position thus secured we intrenched ourselves on
a ridge, where three batteries were immediately planted.
Our regiment relieved the Thirty-second Indiana on the skirmish line at 6 p.
m., where it remained during the night.
At 9 a. m. the morning of the 27th the brigade was relieved by a portion of
General
Stanley
's division and moved about one mile to the left, passing by Pickett's Mills, where the brigade was formed in rear of and supporting
General
Hazen
's brigade in two lines of battle, the
Fifteenth
forming in the center of the first line, connecting on the right with the Eighty-ninth Illinois and on the left with the Thirty-second
Indiana.
Our division, having been selected to develop the enemy on the left, moved by the left flank about three miles,
passing in the rear of the Twenty-third Corps, which was on the left
of our previous position.
About 2 p. m. we arrived at a point which we supposed to be the right flank of the enemy's lines.
About 4 p. m.
General
Hazen
's brigade being repulsed, the front line of this brigade was ordered forward, closely followed
by the Second.
Our regiment in crossing a ravine was enfiladed by one of the enemy's batteries.
Charging with a yell over the Second Brigade, the regiment went so near to the
enemy's breast-works that some of our men were killed within ten feet of them.
Finding it impossible to dislodge the enemy, the regiment lay down about fifteen yards from their works, keeping
up an effective musketry fire, Companies A and F firing right oblique at a battery that was in position about sixty yards to the
right, so as to enfilade our line of battle.
The firing from the enemy's musketry and artillery was very heavy, but we held our position until about 9 p. m.,
when we were ordered to fall back.
In attempting to carry off our wounded the enemy charged on us and captured many of our men, including most of
the wounded.
About 11 p. m. the regiment was put in position some 300 yards to the right, on a ridge, and 200 yards from the
enemy's works, where we fortified strongly.
In this position we remained, constantly skirmishing with the enemy until he evacuated his position on the night
of
June
5
.
The regiment the next morning at 8 o'clock moved to New Hope
Church, where it was put into position fronting south, the left connecting with the Twenty-fifth Illinois, on the first line./ Our casualties at this battle were as follows, viz:
Commissioned officers-wounded, 1; missing, 2.
Enlisted menkilled, 14; wounded, 40; missing, 26.
At 9 a. m.
June
6
we moved in a southerly direction to within
one mile of Pine Mountain
, where we bivouacked for the night.
On the morning of the 7th we moved about 600 yards to the front and left and were put into position 300 yards
from the enemy's works on Pine Knob, our right connecting with
General
Harker
's brigade and the left with the Fourteenth Corps,
fronting nearly south.
On the morning of the 14th our line advanced about 200 yards to the left and front, where we formed on a ridge,
our right connecting with the Thirty-fifth Illinois and our left with the
Fortyninth Ohio.
In this position we intrenched ourselves within 200 yards of the enemy's works on the eastern slope of Pine Mountain.
On the morning of the 15th the enemy had disappeared from our front.
We advanced at 9 a. m. to the abandoned works and formed in double column on the left of the second line,
stacked arms, and rested until
Generals
Stanley
's and
Newton
's divisions formed and advanced about one mile, when the enemy was found in a second line of
works.
Our division being in reserve, moved inside of the abandoned works and bivouacked for the night.
At 7 a. m. the 17th we marched through the second line of works, the enemy having retreated during the night,
and relieved
General
Stanley
's division, which was skirmishing with him. This brigade being formed in two lines, connecting
on the right with
Colonel
Knefier
's brigade, and on the left with the Fourteenth Corps,
advanced with the Eighty-ninth Illinois deployed as skirmishers, driving the
enemy from their riflepits into their main line of works, a distance of one mile. From this position five
batteries shelled the enemy in the direction of Kenesaw Mountain.
On the
18th
at 6 a. m. our regiment was put into position about 300 yards from the enemy's works, and hastily
constructed barricades.
At 8 a. m. we relieved the Twenty-fifth Illinois on the skirmish line, which
was so near the enemy that we fired into his main line of works, and received in return a heavy
fire from his whole line of battle.
Being relieved at 2 p. m. by the Fifteenth Ohio, we fell back to the main line
of works, where we remained until the enemy evacuated his third line in front of Kenesaw Mountain on the night of the 19th.
Passing through the third line of the enemy's works at 10 a. m. the 20th, this division relieved a division of
the Twentieth Corps, about one and a half miles to the right of Kenesaw Mountain and 500 yards from the enemy's fourth line of works.
About 150 yards in the immediate front of this brigade lay Bald Knob, where the enemy was strongly posted behind
rifle-pits.
On the
21st
the brigade was ordered to charge and dislodge the enemy from his position on the knob.
At 12 m. the Fifteenth Ohio, deployed as skirmishers, and the Forty-fifth
[Forty-ninth] Ohio supporting, charged.
and drove the enemy from his position, capturing many prisoners.
Our regiment was immediately ordered to relieve the Fifteenth Ohio on the
skirmish line, which was effected under a heavy fire from the enemy.
We immediately intrenched ourselves on this knob, which we held until the night of the
2d of July
, when we moved together with the brigade at 9 a. m., about one mile to the left, and relieved
General
Woods
' brigade, of the Fifteenth Corps.
Our regiment formed on the left of the brigade, in single line, occupying strong works built by the troops whom
we relieved,
about 200 yards from the enemy's works on Kenesaw Mountain.
On the morning of the 3d we found that the enemy had evacuated his position on and about Kenesaw Mountain, and retreated toward the Chattahoochee River.
Our casualties were at this place, enlisted men, killed, 4; wounded.
8.
On the
3d
, at 8 a. m., we moved with the brigade, passing through the enemy's works, about
two miles
southwest of Kenesaw Mountain
, thence in a southeasterly direction past the Military
Academy at Marietta, and crossing the railroad
one mile
south of Marietta
, marching on the left on a line with the railroad about six miles, where
General
Stanley
's division found the enemy in force.
At 1 p. m. on the 4th we moved one mile to the left, where the brigade was put into position on the extreme left
of the army, our regiment fronting nearly east.
On the
5th
the enemy had again disappeared from our front, and we marched at 8 a. m., passing through the enemy's
works, thence to the right till we reached the railroad, on which we marched to Vining's Station, where
General
Hazen
's brigade discovered the rear guard of the enemy
across the Chattahoochee River at Pace's Ferry.
Our regiment was put in position 200 yards to the left of the road leading to Pace's Ferry, on a ridge about 200 yards from the river, our right joining the Thirty-fifth
and our left on the Twenty-fifth Illinois.
We remained in this position until the 10th, when we moved about seven miles up the river and bivouacked for the
night.
At 7 a. m. on the 12th we moved two miles down the river, where a pontoon bridge was constructed, on which we
crossed at 1 p. m. On the
13th
the division went down the river to Pace's Ferry and drove the enemy
from that place to enable the Fourteenth Corps to cross.
When
General
Davis
' division had crossed, we were relieved and went back to our former position.
On the morning of
July
18
the regiment marched on a road leading through Buck Head
to Atlanta.
On the
119th
we went on a reconnaissance and found the enemy strongly intrenched on the south bank of Peach Tree Creek.
Colonel
Knefler
's brigade succeeded in driving the enemy from his first line of works on the right of the road,
and the Twenty-fifth Illinois being deployed as skirmishers, crossed the creek
simultaneously and occupied the works on the left.
The brigade followed the skirmishers, crossing the creek on a hastily constructed foot bridge.
At dark we were relieved by
General
Newton
's division, when we marched back to our position of the previous night and rested until
morning.
At 7 a. m. we marched about two and a half miles when we were put into position on the left of
General
Newton
's division on the north side of Peach Tree
Creek, in single line, our right connecting with the Fifteenth Ohio,
and our left with the Eighty-ninth Illinois.
On the morning of the gIst the enemy had again disappeared, and we marched southwest, on a by-road passing
through the first line of works in front of Atlanta, leading to
the main
Atlanta road
. About one mile from the first line the enemy was again found in force.
We were put into position within 200 yards of his line, where we put up works, two companies being deployed as
skirmishers.
On the morning of the 22d we found that the enemy had again evacuated his position, and we moved into the
abandoned works and expected to enter the
city without further opposition.
But the enemy was found strongly posted behind heavy forts and breast-works around Atlanta, and our regiment being put into position within musket-range of the city,
fortified and kept up a heavy fire from the skirmish
line.
Up to this time the regiment was under command of
Major
Wilson
, but he is now absent sick, and consequently unable to make his report, and I am indebted for the
foregoing to
Adjt.
L.
G.
Nelson
, of this regiment.
I returned and took command on the
24th day of July
, and from that time no movement was made till the evening of
August
25
, when, in accordance with previous orders, we moved out quietly with the rest of the brigade, and
marched about four miles. The regiment marched with the brigade around and to the rear of Atlanta to Jonesborough, thence to
Lovejoy's Station, where we lost I man wounded, and back to Atlanta, and went into camp four miles and a half southeast of the
city,
September
9
.
Casualties
Nominal list (omitted) covering the entire campaign shows 21 men killed, 2 officers and 67 men wounded, and 2
officers and 32 men captured or missing; total, 124. not before reported: Commissioned officers, wounded, 1.
Enlisted men, killed, 1; wounded, 7.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully,