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Hdqrs. Detachment Eighteenth U. S. Infantry, Near
Atlanta, Ga.,
September
17, 1864
.
Captain: I have the honor to submit a report of the operations of the detachment Eighteenth Infantry during the Atlanta campaign, from
May
2, 1864
, to
September
2, 1864
:
At the commencement of the campaign the detachment embraced two battalions, each composed of eight companies,
viz, Companies B, D, E
F, G, and H, First Battalion, and Companies G and H, Third Battalion (temporarily attached to First
Battalion), and all commanded by
Capt.
George
W.
Smith
; and Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H, Second Battalion, commanded by
Capt.
W.
J.
Fetterman
.
Captain
Smith
, in connection with his command of the First Battalion, was also
detachment commander until relieved by
Capt.
Lyman
M.
Kellogg
,
June
14
.
He, however, continued to command the First Battalion until
July
21
, when he was appointed acting assistant adjutant-general First
Division, Fourteenth Army Corps, by
General
Johnson
.
Captain
Smith
has furnished a report of the operations of the First Battalion, while
in command, which report is hereto attached.
Captain
Fetterman
commanded the Second Battalion until relieved by
Captain
Kellogg
,
July
11
, and then served with his company until
July
15
, when he was appointed acting assistant adjutant-general Second
Brigade, First Division, Fourteenth Army Corps, by
General
King
.
Captain
Fetterman
has furnished a report of the operations of the Second Battalion while
in command, which report is hereto attached.
Captain
Kellogg
joined and assumed command of the detachment
June
14
and of the Second Battalion
July
1
, and
August
11
he consolidated the sixteen companies into eight companies for field and tactical purposes.
From
July
11
to
July
21
the detachment was commanded by
Captain
Kellogg
, with
Captain
Smith
as acting field officer and second in command, and from
July
21
to
September
1
with
Capt.
Robert
B.
Hull
as acting field officer and second in command.
Captain
Kellogg
was wounded in action
September
1
, and the command of the detachment was assumed by me on the same day and on the battle-field.
The reports of
Captains
Smith
and
Fetterman
, above referred to, are complete and carefully prepared papers, and give the history of the detachment
and its operations
down to
July
11
.
In continuation of the said reports I have further to report that from
July
11
to
July
17
the detachment was held in reserve, the whole army, mean time, operating to push the enemy south of the
Chattahoochee River.
July
17
, crossed the Chattahoochee River at Ball's Ferry, and
July
18
crossed Nancy's Creek in pursuit of the enemy.
July
20
, crossed Peach Tree Creek and took position in line of
battle, but was ordered during the day (the right having been attacked) to the support of the
First Brigade, First Division,
Fourteenth Army Corps.
July
21
, marched to the left of our line and connected with the Fourth
Corps.
July
22
, rejoined the division and marched to within
two miles of Atlanta
and a point west of and near the Western and
Atlantic Railroad; took position, fortified, and remained until
August
3
, during which period a continued skirmish was kept up, and several times the detachment was subjected to
heavy artillery fire of the enemy.
August
3
, marched to the extreme right of the army, participating in a movement extending our lines and covering
the right flank.
August
4
, the detachment as skirmishers drove the enemy's pickets and cavalry vedettes until dark.
August
5
, in connection with First Brigade, First Division, Fourteenth Army Corps,
made forced reconnaissance, and same night marched back to the left and took position in the intrenched lines of
our army
and on the right of the Fifteenth Army Corps.
August
7
, at 1 p. m. the detachment was detailed and thrown out in front of our works, and, with three companies
deployed as skirmishers, ordered to advance.
Determined: resistance being offered by the enemy from his rifle-pits to the advance of our skirmish line, and
no connection
being had on our right, the Fifteenth U. S. Infantry was ordered to the right,
and the two regiments then advanced, driving or capturing all in front of them, capturing two lines of
well-constructed rifle-pits and all in them, and sweeping up to the abatis of the enemy's works and in the face
of a direct musketry and artillery fire delivered upon us from behind his main works.
The two regiments held their position until darkness enabled them to throw up intrenchments, and within 150
yards of the enemy's line.
This day will long be remembered in the regiment for the determined, persistent, and desperate nature of the
conflict and
the great loss incurred.
In this charge that gallant young soldier
First Lieut.
Alfred
Townsend
lost his leg.
Lieutenant
Townsend
displayed on this field the same, extraordinary bravery in the face of death, and patient heroism in
suffering, that won
for him his commission in the army on the Potomac.
The detachment lost in killed and wounded 25 per cent. of its effective force.
Three
first sergeants (old and tried soldiers) were wounded, viz,
Charles
A.
Patterson
, Company G, First
Battalion;
Benjamin
R.
Elrick
, Company H, Second
Battalion, and
Charles
M, Stacks, Company H, Third
Battalion.
The detachment in this affair captured prisoners greater in number than its own strength, taking several
companies entire
with their officers and while in the act of re-enforcing their lines.
From
August
8
to
August
25
the detachment occupied the line captured on the 7th and the old first line of our works.
During that time (on the 19th and 20th) we marched twice to the right of our army and back, acting as support to
the Twenty-third Army Corps in movements made by said corps.
August
26
, at night withdrew from our line (in connection with the Army of the Cumberland), thus commencing that brilliant flank movement
which ended in the decisive victory of Jonesborough and resulted
in the capture of Atlanta.
August
28
, reached the West Point railroad, and
August
29
aided in its destruction.
August
30
and
31
, marched and countermarched with a view to reach the Atlanta and Macon Railroad.
On
September
1
was fought the battle of Jonesborough, the decisive and final struggle of the campaign, and in which
this detachment participated, with a loss almost as great
as that sustained on the
7th ultimo
.
A special report of the part taken by this detachment in the battle of Jonesborough has been furnished by me, a
copy of which report is attached and made part of this report.
September
2
to 7, the army leisurely fell back to Atlanta and
encamped, this detachment encamping on the West Point
railroad,
two and a half miles
southwest from Atlanta
, and on the extreme right of the Fourteenth Army Corps.
All the movements and operations of this detachment during the campaign were made in connection with the Second Brigade. First Division, Fourteenth Army Corps.
I give below the name of every officer of the regiment who has participated in the campaign, or any portion of
it, with his
rank, command, date of joining it, &c.:
Capt.
Lyman
M.
Kellogg
, joined and assumed command of detachment
June
14
; wounded
September
1
.
Capt.
George
W.
Smith
, participated in the whole campaign; commanded detachment till
June
14
and
First
Battalion till
July
21
, when appointed on staff First Division.
Capt.
Robert
B.
Hul
, participated in the whole campaign; commanded Companies G
and D, First Battalion; he
commanded First Battalion from
July
21
, and detachment from
September
1
; slightly wounded
May
14
.
Capt.
William
J.
Fetterman
, participated in the whole campaign; commanded Company A,
Second Battalion, and the Second Battalion
until
June
11
; appointed on brigade staff
July
15
.
Capt.
Philip
R.
Forney
, in arrest under charges when campaign opened ; resigned
June
3
; resignation accepted.
Capt.
Ansel
B.
Denton
, commanded Company C, Second
Battalion, till
August
23
; resigned and leave of absence granted
August
23
.
Capt.
Richard
L.
Morris, Jr.
, commanded Company D, First
Battalion; left sick at Kenesaw Mountain
June
26
.
Capt.
Anson
Mills
participated in whole campaign; commanded Company H, First Battalion, till
August
25
, when appointed on brigade staff; slightly wounded
July
30
.
Capt.
Andrew
S.
Burt
, commanded Companies F, First, and G, Third Battalion, and participated in the whole campaign, except battle of Jonesborough,
September
1
.
Capt.
Morgan
L.
Ogden
, on sick report when campaign opened; left sick at Dallas
May
27
.
First Lieut.
Thomas
B.
Burrowes
, joined command at Dallas
June
2
; commanded Company G, Second
Battalion; severely wounded
September
1
.
First Lieut.
James
Powell
, commanded Company B, First, and H, Third Battalion; participated in the whole campaign; severely wounded
September
1
.
First Lieut.
Horace
Brown
, in arrest at opening of campaign; resigned
July
28
.
First Lieut.
Daniel
W.
Benham
, quartermaster
First Battalion; commanded Company
E, First, from
July
8
to
July
15
; was adjutant of detachment from
June
6
to
July
8
; appointed on brigade staff
July
15
; participated in the whole campaign.
First Lieut.
Frederick
Phisterer
, adjutant
Second Battalion, entered campaign; received leave of absence
August
18
.
First Lieut.
Frederick
H.
Brown
, regimental quartermaster, participated in the whole campaign as acting quartermaster Second Battalion, and commanding Company G, Second,
till
July
9
; appointed detachment quartermaster
June
27
.
First Lieut.
William
H.
Bisbee
, joined
May
16
; commanded Companies A, Second, and G, Third, till
August
20
, when appointed adjutant Second Battalion and detachment adjutant;
slightly wounded
July
30
.
First Lieut.
John
I.
Adair
, joined
May
--; commanded Company D, Second, till severely wounded,
May
31
.
First Lieut.
Alfred
Townsend
, entered campaign and commanded Companies E, First, and G,
Third, until severely wounded,
August
7
.
First Lieut.
Reuben
F.
Little
, joined
June
1, 1864
; commanded Companies C, D, and E, Second; slightly wounded
July
4
.
First Lieut.
John
S.
Lind
, participated in whole campaign, except the battle of Jonesborough,
September
1
; commanded Companies B, G, and H, Second.
Second Lieut.
James
S.
Ostrander
, participated in the whole campaign; commanded Company F,
Second; slightly wounded
August
7
.
Second Lieut.
Orrin
E.
Davis
, participated in the whole campaign; commanded Companies E,
First, and H, Third Battalion.
Second Lieut.
John
U.
Gill
, entered campaign as acting adjutant First Battalion; commanded Company H, Second, until left back sick,
August
24
.
Second Lieut.
E.
N.
Wilcox
, commanded Company A, Second, until
June
26
, when he was sent back sick.
The list of casualties
Omitted.
The reports and papers attached to this report, and to be taken as part of the same, are, first, report of Captain Smith of the operations of First Battalion and detachment to date of consolidation, and marked A; second, report of Captain Fetterman of the operations of Second Battalion to July 11 , and marked B; third, report of Captain Hull of the part taken by the detachment in the battle of Jonesborough, September 1 , and marked C; fourth, tabular report of changes in the detachment among commissioned officers and enlisted men during the campaign (prepared by Lieutenant Bisbee , adjutant detachment), and marked D
Omitted.
; fifth, report of casualties among commissioned officers and enlisted men, by name, during the campaign, and marked E.Omitted.
All which is respectfully submitted.
R. B. Hull, Captain, Eighteenth U. S. Infantry, Comdg . Detachment. Capt. William J. Fetterman , Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., 2d Brig., 1st Div., 14th Army Corps.
supplemental report.
Hdqrs. detachment Eighteenth Infantry, Camp near Atlanta, Ga.,
September
18, 1864
.
The surgeons who served with the detachment Eighteenth Infantry during the
campaign were
Edward
J.
Darken
, assistant surgeon, U. S. Army, and
William
T.
Sherwood
, acting assistant surgeon, U. S. Army.
Dr.
Darken
served with the First Battalion until relieved,
July
16
.
Dr.
Sherwood
served with Second Battalion until
July
16
, and from that time was the only surgeon with the detachment.
He served during the whole campaign.
Both surgeons remained with the troops while on the march, in the trenches, and on the battle-field, fully
sharing their dangers and hardships,
and at all times ably and faithfully performed their arduous and responsible duties.
Battle-field of Jonesborough,
September
3, 1864
.
Captain: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this detachment in the battle of
Jonesborough, Ga.,
September
1, 1864
:
The detachment, composed of sixteen companies, was consolidated for field and tactical purposes into eight
companies, and commanded as follows: First company, commanded by
Capt.
Robert
B.
Hull
; second company, commanded by
Lieut.
James
S.
Ostrander
; third company, commanded by
First Sergt.
William
W.
Bell
; fourth company, commanded by
Lieut.
James
Powell
; fifth company, commanded by
Lieut.
Reuben
F.
Little
; sixth company, commanded by
First Sergt.
William
Gordon
; seventh company, commanded by
Lieut.
Orrin
E.
Davis
; eighth company, commanded by
Lieut.
Thomas
B.
Burrowes
; the whole detachment commanded by
Capt.
L.
M.
Kellogg
;
Lieut.
William
H.
Bisbee
being detachment adjutant.
The detachment left camp at 7 a. m., marching with the Second (or regular) Brigade, the first company,
commanded by
Capt.
Robert
B.
Hull
, acting as flankers and skirmishers.
The flankers struck the enemy's line of skirmishers about noon, and the brigade immediately deployed and formed
line of battle.
The first company, acting as skirmishers, was then withdrawn and placed in
line.
The detachment advanced with the brigade in line of battle until a point was reached overlooking and directly in
front of
the salient point of the enemy's intrenched double lines.
The brigade was again formed, and about 2 p. m. the order to assault was given, the second company,
Lieut.
James
S.
Ostrander
commanding, being deployed in front as skirmishers.
The detachment in line of battle then advanced for a distance of 400 yards, through a dense thicket, down to and
over a swamp covered with almost impenetrable undergrowth, making it extremely difficult
to preserve the integrity of the line.
Emerging into the open field directly in front of the enemy's lines, the command was immediately subjected to a
destructive
fire of. musketry.
The distance before us, over which to advance to reach our enemy, was at least 800 yards, and the necessity of
immediately advancing and taking the works with a dash became apparent to our commander.
Orders were immediately given to that effect, and the detachment, at a double-quick, led forward by
Captain
Kellogg
, in a most intrepid manner, assisted gallantly by
Lieutenant
Bisbee
, steadily and quickly approached the enemy; and, without wavering or hesitating, the detachment
assaulted, drove the enemy
from his works, and immediately entered them.
The dash was so impetuous and sudden that a large number of the enemy were unable to leave the intrenchments.
Almost simultaneously with the capture of the works a deadly fire was opened upon the detachment from a second
line of intrenched works, concealed in the woods directly in our front and on our right flank.
The loss soon became great.
Captain
Kellogg
and
Lieutenants
Burrowes
and
Powell
were here wounded.
The struggle was continued in and around the enemy's intrenchments, the enemy constantly massing in our front
and his fire
increasing.
It soon became evident that the second line of the enemy's works could not be successfully assaulted by so thin
a line in the face of so great a force, and the
detachment, therefore, fell back about 100 yards in good order, turning and fighting, and reformed, still under
fire, on their colors behind a slight crest and between the
enemy's works and a brigade of the Second Division, which was
forming in our rear to make the final assault.
Our greatest loss occurred within a short distance of the enemy's works and in them, where, for some minutes, it
was a hand-to-hand
contest.
The three officers above named and
Sergeant
Bell
, commanding third company, were wounded in or near the works.
The command entered the battle with 8 officers, 36 non-commissioned officers, and 225 privates.
The total loss killed and wounded-3 officers, 9 non-commissioned officers, and 31 privates, and 1
non-commissioned officer and 7 privates missing.
The men of this command behaved with their usual gallantry, and
Sergeants
Bell
and
Gordon
, commanding companies, were conspicuous for the soldierly qualities displayed by them oil the field.
Sergt. Maj.
Andrew
Durfey
, Second Battalion, and detachment sergeantmajor, is also mentioned for
good conduct.
The color guard, consisting of Sergts.
James
McKenzie
and
Willis
G.
C.
Hickman
, and Corpls.
Peter
Barnes
and
James
Risher
, also attracted my attention,
Sergeant
McKenzie
still standing by the colors after being severely wounded;
Corporal
Barnes
was also wounded.
The officers of the detachment without exception behaved gallantly and showed the greatest intrepidity, being
ever in the
front during the assault, and at all times during the various positions taken and formations made necessary by
our movements,
possessed and exercised complete control over their companies and commands.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,