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headquarters Eighty-Sixth Indiana Volunteers, Near Atlanta, Ga.,
September
12, 1864
.
Sir: In compliance with orders received from your headquarters, I have the honor to submit the following as a
report of the
operations of my regiment during the campaign just closed, commencing
May
3, 1864
:
On
May
3, 1864
, the regiment left McDonald's Station, Tenn., and marched
with the command southward, reaching Catoosa Springs, Ga., on the
following day, a distance of about fifteen miles. Remained bivouacked here until the morning of the
7th
, when I again marched with the command and occupied Tunnel
Hill.
On the
8th
.
formed in line and moved off into the valley separating Tunnel
Hill and Rocky Face Ridge, where constant and heavy
skirmishing was kept up until the morning of the
13th
, when it was ascertained that the enemy had evacuated his position and was in full retreat.
Immediately ordered in pursuit, I marched with the command, coming upon the enemy at Resaca,
fifteen miles
south of Dalton
.
At this place the enemy halted to give battle, but my regiment was not called into action, though was held in
supporting distance
during the two days battle which raged at Resaca the
14th
and
15th of May
.
The morning of the 16th dawned finding the enemy had retired.
The command being again ordered in pursuit, I followed, pressing the enemy's rear closely, the skirmishing at
times assuming
proportions almost equal to a battle, until reaching Cassville,
Ga., which was on the
19th of May
.
At Cassville orders were received that the army would rest and
replenish until the morning of the
23d of May
, when it would again march with twenty days rations.
Accordingly, on the
23d
, the command moved out, going in a direction nearly due south.
Crossed the Etowah River and continued the march until reaching
Pumpkin Vine Creek, a small stream in the Allatoona range of mountains.
Here it was ascertained that a portion of the Union force had met the enemy and that an engagement had already
commenced.
On the
26th
the regiment was formed in line of battle with the brigade, and with it maneuvered until the evening of
the
27th of May
, when we became actively engaged.
My regiment being on the extreme right of the brigade, I was ordered to halt with a view of protecting that
flank.
The enemy with a heavy force compelled the brigade to retire, though not until night-fall, when it fel back in
good order.
In this action the regiment sustained a serious loss in wounded, though none proved mortal.
After retiring from the field where the command fought on the
27th of May
my regiment was placed on the second line, where it remained until
June
4
, when the brigade was ordered to relieve
McCook
's brigade, of
Johnson
's division.
My regiment was then assigned to the front line behind works, and not more than 400 yards distant from that of
the enemy.
On the morning of
June
5
it was ascertained that the enemy had again abandoned his line of works and fallen back in the direction
of Marietta, Ga. On
June
6
the command again marched.
Arriving near Acworth Station, Ga., went into camp and remained until
June
10
, when an advance was made upon the enemy, the front line skirmishing with the enemy, who, it seemed, had
a well-chosen position.
We bivouacked until
June
15
, when we evacuated and again fell back.
On the evening of the 15th the command occupied Pine Mountain;
remained here until
June
17
, when my regiment was placed on the skirmish line and advanced upon the enemy.
Though the resistance was stubborn, yet we succeeded in driving him perhaps a mile.
Night coming on, my regiment was relieved and ordered to bivouac till morning.
June
18
, continued to press upon the enemy, and, notwithstanding the heavy rains which were falling, rendering
operations exceedingly
difficult and unpleasant, they ceased not, and the duty was performed with cheerfulness.
Advanced perhaps a mile and threw up works of rails and mud, but the enemy getting range with a piece of
artillery, wounding
several of my men, that position was abandoned and I was ordered to the left about 400 yards.
June
19
, again found the enemy retreating.
Ordered to follow, but had not gone more than a mile, perhaps, when he was again encountered.
On the
20th
the brigade moved to the right about a mile and relieved a brigade in
Hooker
's corps, and on the 21st the lines were advanced with Companies I, C, and K of my regiment deployed as skirmishers.
Works were hurriedly thrown up and constant and heavy skirmishing continued until the morning of
July
3
, when the enemy was found to be evacuating his position.
Marched in pursuit and came upon his rear on the evening of the
4th
, about
five miles
southeast of Marietta, Ga.
The morning of the 6th again found his works vacated.
Followed him up until reaching the Chattahoochee River, where he
had chosen a strong position and easy of defense.
Awaiting movements of other portions of the army, we went into camp and remained until
July
10
.
The enemy having again fallen back, the command was ordered up the river a distance of perhaps
five miles to Powers' Ferry
to cross; after crossing the river went into camp.
On the
17th of July
I marched with the brigade and division five miles down the left bank of the Chattahoochee River to dislodge the enemy's pickets and enable troops to cross the
river at that point.
This accomplished, the regiment returned to Powers' Ferry the same evening.
On the
18th
the command marched in the direction of Atlanta.
On the
19th
encountered the enemy on Peach Tree Creek.
The Fifty-ninth Ohio was deployed as skirmishers, while my regiment was thrown
out as a support.
The enemy had a strongly intrenched position on the opposite banks of the stream, and it was with difficulty
that the skirmishers
effected a crossing, though the crossing was effected with but little or no loss in my regiment.
After reaching the opposite banks a sharp little engagement ensued.
At dusk the brigade was relieved, and with it I returned to the camp of the previous night.
July
20
, I again moved with the brigade in the direction of Decatur,
Ga., about four miles, when we again encountered the enemy.
Breast-works were hastily thrown up, and twenty men thrown out as skirmishers.
On the
21st
the lines were advanced perhaps 500 yards, and on the morning of the 22d it was discovered that the
enemy had retired.
Again followed him, driving him to the last ditch surrounding Atlanta.
Being assigned to a position on a knoll commanding the enemy's lines, I remained, performing the duties of
making demonstrations,
picketing, fatigue, &c., until
August
25
, when the command had orders to march.
At about 10 p. m. we marched, going to the right of the army until reaching the West Point railroad, which the regiment assisted to destroy.
August
30
, marched eastward and continued the march until
September
1
, when the Macon railroad was reached.
On
September
2
I moved southward with the command about three miles, when the work of destruction was resumed on the
railroad.
Continued the march the same evening until coming near Jonesborough, where a portion of our forces were engaging the enemy.
On the morning of the
3d
, finding the enemy had retired, we followed him, coming upon him at Lovejoy's Station,
twenty-eight miles
south of Atlanta
.
Here the enemy had chosen a position and our lines were immediately formed for the purpose of dislodging him.
Being assigned
to the second line and to the support of the Ninth Kentucky, I moved forward
with the command.
Soon after we were ordered to charge and take the enemy's works, but support failing to come up on the left, the
front line
fell back through my regiment in some confusion, causing, for a few moments, disorder in my ranks; but order
being restored,
I immediately threw up a line of works, behind which we remained until the night of the
5th of September, 1864, when the army began to retire toward Atlanta.
My regiment marched with the command, reaching this camp on the
8th of September, 1864
.
Of the officers and men of my regiment much credit is due them for the promptness with which every order was
executed.
They have my unfeigned thanks.
The casualties in the regiment during the campaign foot up as follows: Killed, enlisted men, 2; wounded,
officers 4, enlisted men, 50 ; total, 54; aggregate, 56.
Respectfully submitted.
Your obedient servant,