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headquarters 104TH Illinois Infantry, Jonesborough, Ga.,
September
5, 1864
.
Captain: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the One
hundred and fourth Illinois Infantry during the campaign in Georgia:
The regiment left Ringgold, Ga., on the
7th day of May
, numbering 279 enlisted men, carrying muskets, and 17 commissioned officers.
They marched to Tunnel Hill and bivouacked.
The 8th they moved in front of Buzzard Roost.
On the
9th
the regiment was ordered to move across Mill Creek and
relieve the Seventythird Ohio, of the Twentieth Corps, stationed on a ridge at the right of the creek, between the creek and
mountain, the Eighty-eighth Indiana forming on their left.
They remained on this line until the 10th, keeping up a lively skirmish fire at times, without losing any men.
At daylight on the 11th they were relieved by the Twentyfirst Ohio, and moved back to their former line, where
they remained all day. On the
12th
they marched at 6 o'clock in the morning and reached Snake Creek Gap
at dark; marched through the gap and encamped in Sugar Valley.
On the
13th
the line of the brigade was formed about noon, the regiment in first line, with Eighty-eighth Indiana on right and Fifteenth Kentucky on
left.
Companies A and K were
deployed as skirmishers, and
Major
Widmer
in charge.
They. advanced in line a considerable distance, driving the enemy's skirmishers until they reached Camp Creek, where the enemy was discovered in force.
In advancing across an open field in front of the enemy's works the skirmishing companies lost5S men wounded, 1
mortally.
The regiment was relieved from this line in the evening by a portion of the Twentieth Corps, and moved farther to the left.
On the morning of the 14th the brigade was formed, the One hundred and fourth in second line, with Eighty-eighth Indiana on right and Fifteenth
Kentucky on left.
About 2 o'clock the two lines advanced, receiving a galling fire on the ridge just before reaching Camp Creek, and in crossing the creek the two lines closed together,
the One hundred and fourth uniting with the Twenty-first Wiscolnsin.
The brigade was here halted and remained in this position until after dark, keeping up a heavy fire with the
enemy.
Two companies were in the water up to their knees from 3 o'clock until 9 at night, their only protection from
the enemy's fire being the bank of the creek.
Their loss was I man killed and 9 wounded. About 9 o'clock they were relieved and moved back from the line.
On the
15th
they moved still farther to the left and were in reserve.
The rebels evacuated their works on the night of the
15th
, and at 9 o'clock on the morning of the 16th the regiment marched for:Resaca, where they remained until
the morning of the
17th
, when they were detailed as guard to the division supply train, marching all that night, and rejoining
the brigade about
four miles
south of Calhoun
at 8 o'clock on the morning of the 18th.
At 9 a. m. of the
18th
they marched with the brigade to within about
three miles of Kingston
.
On the
19th
they reached Kingston about noon and immediately marched
out on the road running southwest, until near the Etowah River;
then bivouacked.
At 7 o'clock on the 20th :they marched east to the railroad, reaching the road about
four miles
south of Kingston
.
Here they remained until the morning of the
23d
, to rest the men and strip for battle.
The regimental wagon was sent back and the regiment had no transportation left.
Marched at 8 o'clock on the morning of the 23d about four miles down the Etowah River, where they waded the stream, and then marched in a southern direction
about five miles and encamped near Euharlee Creek.
On the
24th
they marched about three miles and encamped on the south side of Euharlee Creek, where they remained until 1 o'clock on the morning of the
26th
, when they marched across Pumpkin Vine Creek, and went into position
in the rear of the Twenty-third Corps.
On the
27th
they moved to the left of the line until they reached Brown's
Mill creek, where they remained until after dark, then crossed the creek and occupied a ridge on the
west side.
On the
28th
they moved to the front before daylight, and occupied the side of a wooded hill.
Before the line was well formed the enemy made a demonstration with cavalry and infantry, but were easily driven
back ; no
casualties.
We immediately threw up strong works.
The skirmish line did not reach the top of the hill and the line was exposed to a severe fire from the enemy's
skirmishers
on the hill, making it necessary for the men to keep in the trenches.
The Fifteenth Kentucky was on the right and the Ninety-fourth Ohio on the left.
Remained on this line until the
2d of June
.
On the
30th
the skirmishers were ordered forward to occupy the top of the hill, which they did without loss, but
were obliged to fall
back on account of the skirmishers on our left falling back.
In falling back Company E lost I man, mortally wounded.
On the
2d of June
the One hundred and fourth Illinois, with the Eighty-eighth Indiana on the right, moved forward to support the skirmish line, which was
ordered to carry the hill.
The skirmishers of the One hundred and fourth connected with those of the Twentythird Corps on the left.
The skirmishers charged gallantly, driving the rebels from their rail pens and across the field.
The regiment lost 2 men wounded, 1 mortally.
The regiment was relieved at 6 o'clock in the evening by troops of
General
Baird
's division and moved back in reserve to Brown's Mill
creek.
On the
3d
June
, at 9 o'clock, the regiment was ordered, with Eighty-eighth Indiana,
to report to
General
Baird
on the front line, where they remained until the morning of the
4th
, when they reported back to the brigade.
The rebels evacuated their works on the night of the
4th
June
.
On the morning of the 6th they marched, at 6 o'clock, east to within about
four miles of Acworth
and encamped near Morris' Hill Church.
Here they threw up works and remained until the morning of the
10th
June
.
Marched on the morning of the
10th
June
, at 7 o'clock, on the Marietta and Burnt Hickory road to near Big Shanty, remaining in that vicinity until the
16th
June
, the brigade being in reserve.
On the evening of the
16th
June
they relieved the Second Brigade, the One
hundred and fourth Illinois, Forty-second and Eighty-eighth Indiana
throwing up works in advance of the old line nearly opposite Kenesaw
Mountain.
On the
17th
, at 10 a. m., the skirmish line was ordered forward, and Companies
E, F, and A were
deployed,
Major
Widmer
having charge of the line.
The line advanced nearly half a mile, driving the rebels steadily; no casualties.
On the morning of the 18th the skirmish line again advanced, driving the rebels in their works.
In this advance the regiment lost 1 man killed, and
Captain
Southwell
and 2 men severely wounded.
On the
19th
the enemy had fallen back, and the regiment moved forward to the front of and near Kenesaw Mountain.
On the
20th
June
they moved farther to the right and relieved troops of the Fourth
Corps.
They remained in this position on the 21st and 22d, exposed to a terrible artillery fire.
They lost 3 men wounded.
On the evening of the 22d were relieved, and moved about a mile to the right, where they remained in reserve
until the evening of the
27th
, when they relieved troops of the Second Brigade in their front.
They remained here until the evening of the
2d
July
.
The main works were about 150 yards from the rebels, and a sharp skirmish fire was kept up. The regiment lost 1
man killed on the
28th
June
and
1
man wounded
July
2
.
On the evening of the
2d
July
they moved a short distance to the rear, and threw up works; retired from the line they formerly
occupied.
The next morning (
3d
July
) the rebels were gone, and at 7.15 the regiment with the brigade marched out on the Marietta road, passing through Marietta, and finding the enemy about five miles south, when they found the line
and skirmished a little on the
4th of July
, with no loss.
On the morning of the
5th
July
the enemy had again disappeared from the front, and at 6 o'clock the One
hundred and fourth Illinois and Fifteenth Kentucky entered the rebel
works.
Captain
Proctor
's company (I) captured 11 prisoners.
At 8.30 they marched and came on the enemy's skirmishers about three miles south.
The regiment was formed on the left of the railroad and skirmished with the enemy until evening, when they were
relieved and
moved back.
Here they went into camp and remained until the
17th of July
.
On the
17th
July
they crossed the Chattahoochee and marched about a mile beyond.
On the
18th
they moved across Nancy's Creek, driving the enemy's
skirmishers from their works.
The regiment had 1 man slightly wounded.
On the evening of the
19th
July
they moved to the right and bivouacked on the north bank of Peach Tree Creek.
On the morning of the
20th
July
they crossed Peach Tree Creek at Howell's Mill and marched out on the Atlanta road about a mile, where the line was formed, the One hundred and fourth on
the left of first line; then Fifteenth Kentucky, Forty-second and Eighty-eighth Indiana on the right.
The right of the One hundred and fourth was about 125 yards in advance of the left of the Fifteenth Kentucky, they being on a ridge to the rear, a ravine between us. The left of the
regiment connected with troops of Twentieth Corps.
The regiment was ordered to erect works, but had not worked long before they were ordered to stop work and be
ready to advance.
About 4 p. m. the enemy attacked the Twentieth Corps, and a few
moments after attacked the regiment with two lines.
The first volley fired by the One hundred and fourth made them fall back into a ravine, where they reformed and
moved by the flank down the ravine and out of sight, and soon
after attacked the regiment square on the right flank, one-half of one of the regiments being in the rear of the
right of the regiment.
They poured a terrible fire along the rear of their rude works, and Companies A, B, and C, on the right, were ordered to fall back, when the Fifteenth Kentucky and Forty-second Indiana, in the rear,
fired a volley which made the rebel lines pause.
I sent word to
Colonel
McCook
, commanding brigade, as soon as attacked, that I must have assistance on my right or I would not be able
to hold my position.
The Tenth Wisconsin was sent and formed on my left.
I again sent for aid on my right, and the Twenty-first Wisconsin was sent and
formed on my right.
The enemy was repulsed before this regiment arrived in position.
The casualties in the regiment in this engagement were 2 commissioned officers and 14 enlisted men killed; 1
commissioned officer and 24 enlisted men wounded; 4 enlisted men captured and 1 enlisted man missing.
These losses were all in right wing.
The officers and men behaved gallantly, and, with the exception of three companies named, remained firm in their
position.
After the enemy was repulsed the skirmishers were sent forward and occupied their old position.
The enemy carried their wounded and most of their dead from the field.
Five of their dead were buried by the regiment.
A number of small-arms scattered on the field were gathered up by the regiment.
On the 12st the skirmish line (Company F) was advanced and drove the
enemy's skirmishers from their rifle-pits.
They lost 1 man killed and 3 wounded.
The enemy abandoned their works on the night of the
21st
, and on the morning of the 22d the regiment, marched out on the Atlanta road.
Soon after passing the rebel works skirmishers were deployed (Company
E), who advanced and soon became engaged with the enemy, who fell back to their main works.
The regiment was formed on the left of the road, the Eighty-eighth Indiana on
the left and Fifteenth Kentucky on the right, and threw up works.
In the evening they moved to the right of the railroad and remained in this position until the
3d of August
.. On the
1st
--of
August
the skirmish line in charge of
Major
Widmer
was advanced and drove the enemy's skirmishers from their rifle-pits.
The regiment lost 1 man wounded.
On the morning of the
3d of August
we moved about four miles to the right, remaining in this vicinity until the
6th of August
, when the regiment went into position on the line near the mill on Utoy Creek, relieving troops of the Twenty-third
Corps.
On the morning of the 7th the regiment moved forward about 200 yards and threw up works.
About 1 p. m. the Eightyeighth Indiana moved forward and captured
a portion of the --enemy's rifle-pits.
The One hundred and fourth was ordered forward by General-
Carlin
to take the next line across an open field, bordered on the right by a wooded hill, but did not succeed
on account of a heavy
fire received on the right flank from the enemy posted in their rifle-pits in the woods on the right, and fell
back and formed
on the right of the Eighty-eighth Indiana and built works.
The regiment lost I commissioned officer and 3 enlisted men killed, and 10 enlisted men wounded.
The regiment remained on this line until the evening of the
26th
August
, a part of the time subjected to a severe fire ;on our right flank from the enemy's sharpshooters,
keeping the men very close
to their works.
Three men were severely wounded in --the works during this time.
About 4 p. m. of the
13th of August
the skirmish line advanced, when nearly all of the enemy's line of skirmishers threw down their arms and
surrendered.
The regiment skirmishers captured 23 ,men and occupied the enemy's riflepits.
The regiment lost 1 man killed and 3 wounded. About 5 p. m. of the
14th of August
the rebels made a dash on our skirmish line and were repulsed.
The regiment had 2 men wounded.
At 8 p. m. on the
26th of August
the regiment retired from the line, leaving their skirmishers in charge of
Captain
Brown
, Company C, and marched with the brigade to the right,
reaching camp about 1 o'clock next morning.
The skirmishers arrived safely during the forenoon; remained here during the day, marching the next morning at
daylight, reaching
the Atlanta and West Point Railroad near
Red Oak about 5 p. m. On the
29th
August
the regiment, with brigade, advanced up the railroad about two miles as guard to troops, tearing up the
railroad, returning to camp in the evening.
On the
30th of August
marched about six miles on the Jonesborough road.
On the
31st of August
, at daylight, the regiment, withithe brigade, marched out on the Jonesborough road to the Renfroe house; remained here all day, and in the evening
marched back to where they started from in the morning.
On the morning of the
1st of September
marched to the Renfroe house, then on the Fayetteville
road about a mile, and formed the line at the junction of the Jonesborough and
Fayetteville roads
, and threw up works, remaining here until I p. m. on the
2d of September
.
when they marched to Jonesborough, arriving there at dark.
The regiment now has 170 enlisted men carrying muskets, and 13 commissioned officers.
I cannot , close this report without giving credit to the brave officers and men of the command.
For four months they have endured the campaign, and have always behaved themselves in a manner worthy the name
of American soldiers.
Great credit is due
Major
Widmer
for the bravery and skill he has always displayed in his management of the skirmish line.
The loss of
Captain
Doty
,
Captain
Rynearson
, and
Captain
Fitzsimmons
is deeply felt by the regiment.
They were gallant officers, and loved and respected by their men.
I append a list of casualties.
Nominal list (omitted) shows 3 officers and 22 men killed, 2 officers and 71 men wounded, and 5 men missing;
total, 103.
I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,