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Hdqrs. Chief of Artillery, Dept. Of the Cumberland
Atlanta, Ga.,
September
14, 1864
.
General: I have the honor to transmit the reports of corps chiefs of artillery and battery commanders of the
operations of
the artillery arm of the service in your army during the campaign resulting in the capture of the city of Atlanta:
In forwarding these reports I will bear witness to the efficiency and valuable services performed by the
artillery of your
army during the entire campaign.
Heavy losses were inflicted upon the rebels by the accuracy of our fire, the skillful and daring positions taken
by our batteries,
frequently on the skirmish line, within short canister range of strongly intrenched works of the enemy.
That it has been most destructive, we have not only the evidence of what we ourselves witnessed, but also that
of the enemy.
The chiefs of artillery of corps have shown energy, efficiency, skill, and courage equal to any officers in the
service.
I call your attention to the reports of corps chiefs relative to subordinates.
Capt.
A.
Sutermeister
, Eleventh Indiana Battery, being attached to your headquarters under
your own supervision, you are aware of the efficient and zealous manner he and
his company have performed their part in the campaign, both with the 20-pounder Parrotts and 4 1/2-inch guns.
The organization of the artillery into brigades under the immediate command of the corps chiefs is, in my
opinion, an improvement upon the former organization, and I recommend
it be retained.
We have lost the valuable services of several officers killed in battle during the campaign, viz:
Capt.
Peter
Simonson
, Fifth Indiana Battery;
Capt.
S.
M.
McDowell
, Company B, Independent Pennsylvania Artillery;
Capt.
William
Wheeler
, Thirteenth New York Battery;
First Lieut.
O.
H.
P.
Ayres
, Sixth Ohio Battery;
Second Lieut.
F.
Henchen
, Company I, First New York
Artillery.
Our loss in guns was four
3-inch
Rodmans-two belonging to the Eighteenth Indiana Battery, lost on
General
McCook
's raid,
July
30, 1864
; two of the Chicago
Board of Trade Battery, lost on
General
Kilpatrick
's raid,
August
20, 1864
.
I would here take the opportunity to mention the effective service of the batteries serving with the cavalry
command-Tenth Wisconsin Battery,
Capt.
Y.
V.
Beebe
; Eighteenth Indiana Battery,
First Lieut.
W.
B.
Rippetoe
, and the Chicago
Board of Trade Battery,
First Lieut.
G.
I.
Robinson
, commanding-during the entire campaign.
In every instance where these batteries were engaged they did good service, and their commanding officers acted
with judgment
and gallantry.
Guns captured in battle: Four light 12-pounder guns by the Twentieth Army
Corps at Resaca,
May
15, 1864
; six light 12-pounder guns, two
10-pounder Parrott guns by the Fourteenth Army Corps at; Jonesborough,
September
1, 1864
.
Guns captured, abandoned by the enemy: Four
6-pounder iron guns at Resaca,
May
16, 1864
; 20 guns of different calibers at Atlanta,
September
2, 1864
; 10 guns of different calibers at Rome.
A consolidated report of casualties and expenditure of material and ammunition during the campaign is hereto
annexed.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Casualties and expenditure of ammunition in the artillery of the Army of the Cumberland during the campaign ending with the capture of
Atlanta.
Zzz
J. M. Brannan, Brig. Gen., Chief of Artillery, Dept. of the Cumberland. Hdqrs. Chief of Artillery, Dept. of the Cumberland, Atlanta, Ga., October 1, 1864 .
I have the honor to forward a report of the number of horses received by the artillery of the Army of the Cumberland, during the recent campaign, and of the number now on hand: Statement giving number of horses in possession of the artillery of the Army of the Cumberland when leaving Chattanooga, number received during campaign, and number now on hand. Command Number at starting. Received during campaign. Number on hand. Loss. Fourth Army Corps 5 68 81 478 261 Fourteenth Army Corps 613 228 304 537 Twentieth Army Corps 600 139 447 282 11th Indiana Battery 133 76 68 18th Indiana Battery 157 110 94 173 Chicago Board of Trade Battery 201 0 126 75 10th Wisconsin Battery 83 30 70 43 Total 2,445 599 1,595 1,439
Very respectfully,
J. M. Brannan, Brig. Gen., Chief of Artillery, Dept. of the Cumberland. General William F. Barry , Chief of Artillery, Military Division of the Mississippi.