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Hdqrs. Seventeenth Regt. New York Vet. Vols., Jonesborough, Ga.,
September
5, 1864
.
Lieutenant: I have the honor to make the following report in regard to the part taken by my regiment in the
action of
September
1
:
The regiment, under command of
Col.
William
T.
C.
Grower
, joined this command
August
21
, and accompanied it in its several marches till the p. m. of the
1st instant
, nothing of especial interest occurring.
Between 3 and 4 p. m. of the
1st instant
the regiment was formed in rear of the Tenth Michigan, about one mile
from the railroad, northeast of Jonesborough, Ga., and moved
forward toward the enemy's works.
The regiments in our front moved to the right, while the Seventeenth kept straight forward and came to a muddy
ravine, grown up thick with brush, which was very difficult to cross; the regiment
was crossed and formed as rapidly as possible; moved to the right and front and formed line on the left of the
Sixtieth Illinois, and moved rapidly up the hill to the woods, from which the
enemy was firing.
Arriving near the woods the regiment moved to the left and then forward into the woods.
I have since been informed that
Colonel
Grower
made this movement oy direction of
Colonel
Este
, commanding the Third Brigade, Third Division, Fourteenth Army Corps, for
the purpose of supporting that brigade.
Here the regiment came under very heavy fire, to which the right
wing replied sharply.
I discovered that some of our troops were in front of the left wing,
and ordered the firing to cease in that wing.
The men stood their ground well, but fell rapidly.
Colonel
Grower
soon fell mortally wounded, and I took command of the regiment.
Colonel
Grower
ordered me to find whether I was supported on my right or left, and, if not, to fall back and reform the
regiment.
Finding nothing on my right or left I moved the regiment back to the edge of the woods and reformed it; reported
to the acting assistant adjutant-general of the brigade, who was near by, for orders.
He said he had no orders for me, and could not tell me the position of the rest of the brigade, but advised me
to hold my
old position in the woods.
I found the Tenth Michigan in the edge of the woods a short distance on my
right; moved forward and formed on the left of it. Here
Lieutenant
McAllister
, aide-de-camp, came and ordered me to move forward and form on the left of the Sixtieth Illinois, which was some distance in the woods.
I told him I feared I should not be able to find the Sixtieth without some one to direct me; said he could send
no one.
I moved forward in the direction he indicated, and soon came upon the Third
Brigade, Third Division, Fourteenth Army Corps.
Colonel
Este
, commanding this brigade, told me he could not tell me where
Colonel
Lum
's brigade was, but was sure they were not in his front, and he did not think I could find it.
Said he was hard pressed and wished me
to assist him; that he had a vacant place on his left and was much exposed.
I accordingly formed my regiment on the left of his brigade.
After holding this position for a while a colonel (I think
Colonel
Moore
), commanding a brigade on my left in the First Division,
Fourteenth Army Corps, came to me and said the enemy was turning his
left flank, and that his brigade must fall back if I did not help him, and
urged me to move forward.
Advancing my right considerably, so as to have an enfilading fire upon the enemy in his front, I moved forward
as he directed,
fired a volley, which was not replied to, and finding that there was no enemy in my front I moved back to the
position which
I had left.
Here
Lieutenant
McAllister
came and ordered me to move to join the Sixtieth Illinois, and
directed me to that position.
By his direction I had a rifle-pit thrown up in front of my line, and the regiment rested for the night.
Many prisoners came in through my line, and I sent a guard to take charge of them.
I passed over hundreds of muskets, but would not allow my men to stop to pick them up. All my officers and men
obeyed orders
promptly and fought well.
My losses were heavy, as the accompanying list
Omitted. of casualties shows.
Colonel
Grower
died of his wounds on the
3d instant
.
In him the Government has lost one of its bravest and noblest defenders, and the regiment its beloved commander.
Capt.
John
Canty
, who was mortally wounded, showed himself, as he always has, a gallant officer, and the same is true of
Capt.
Hiram
Wilde
, who was slightly wounded.
The regiment lost 4 commissioned officers wounded, 23 enlisted men killed, and 70 wounded.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,