No. 77. report of Capt. Robert H. Higgins , Fifty-ninth Ohio Infantry.

Hdqrs. Fifty-Ninth regiment Ohio Volunteers, Atlanta, Ga., September 12, 1864 .

Captain: In compliance with an order from Colonel Knefler , commanding brigade, the following report of the operations of this regiment since leaving camp at McDonald's Station, is respectfully submitted:

On the 3d day of May last the regiment marched from the camp above mentioned, and about noon of the 5th of the same month arrived at Catoosa Springs, in Georgia. On the 7th the regiment moved to Rocky Face Ridge, which was then occupied by the enemy, who, just beyond this point, was intrenched at Buzzard Roost; here we remained, engaged in occasional skirmishes, in which we lost 1 man killed, 7 wounded, and 1 missing, until the morning of the 13th , when we marched in pursuit of the enemy, who had evacuated his position, and whom we next encountered before Resaca, where we arrived on the evening of the 14th. In the fighting at this place, our division being held in reserve, the regiment lost but I man wounded, on the 15th . On the 16th , the enemy having found it expedient to retire, we were again put in pursuit and engaged in occasional skirmishing, without any loss to us, until we came to Cassville, on the 19th , where we remained until the 23d, when we were again ordered to march, crossing the Etowah River and Allatoona Mountain. We next encountered the enemy near Dallas, where was fought the battle of New Hope Church, where, out of eight companies (two having been left behind on the skirmish line), the regiment lost I killed, 29 wounded, and 16 missing, including the commanding officer, Lieut. Col. G. A. Frambes , and Adjt. M. J. W. Holter . Night having terminated the fighting of this bloody afternoon, we retired to the right and rear of the scene of action, and rested until morning, when we were moved still farther to the right, confronting and skirmishing with the enemy. On the 31st we were again moved to the right, where we threw up intrenchments and remained until the 4th day of June , when we were ordered again to the right, relieving and occupying the works of the Second Division, Fourteenth Army Corps. The next morning the enemy left our front. On the 6th we were ordered to march in pursuit, and in the evening went into camp, where we remained until the 10th, when, after moving about two miles, we again rested until the 14th. On the 15th the enemy again abandoned their position in our front, and again we started in pursuit. We were thus constantly pushing the foe, and they intrenching and evacuating until we arrived near Marietta, where they sheltered themselves behind their works upon and about Kenesaw Mountain, we, in the mean time, losing 3 men wounded, and taking 20 prisoners, while on the skirmish line. Before the enemy were compelled to abandon their last-mentioned stronghold, we lost 1 man killed, 1 officer and 12 men wounded. Sunday, July 3 , the enemy disappeared from our front; we started in pursuit at 7 a. m., and camped four miles south of Marietta on railroad; moved into position and fortified. The next day the enemy abandoned their front line of works, and, being pushed, crossed the Chattahoochee River. We remained here until the 7th, when we changed position, moving a half mile to the right. On the 9th we advanced one mile. On the 10th we moved six miles farther up the river, where we remained until the 12th, when we crossed and camped about one mile and a half southeast of the point of crossing. On the 13th we advanced one mile, our regiment on the skirmish line. We remained in camp here until the 18th, when we advanced about three miles, camping seven miles northeast of Atlanta . On the 19th we advanced in front of the division as skirmishers, deploying at Buck Head; we pushed forward and discovered the enemy in strongly fortified position, with artillery, on left bank of Peach Tree Creek. We skirmished until about 4 p. m., when the regiment was ordered to charge. We did so, crossing the creek and entering the enemy's works, having 5 men wounded. We were relieved the same evening and returned to old camp. On the 20th we advanced to the left, taking position on Decatur road , the regiment being posted on picket-line in rear of the division; here we skirmished a little, losing 1 man wounded. About noon we were ordered to the brigade, with which we advanced two or three miles. Near sundown we were ordered to the front on skirmish line, relieving the Fifty-ninth Illinois Volunteers; skirmishers thrown forward; had 1 man killed. July 21 , we moved forward about half a mile, forming under a hill, in the second line of the brigade. Next morning discovered that the enemy had again retired from our front. We pushed forward, and came upon them posted in the defenses of Atlanta. The regiment threw up works in line with the Eighty-sixth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry and Thirteenth Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, very heavy musketry and cannonading going on on our left in the mean time. In the evening we received orders to take up position on the right of the division, which we did, and fortified our new position, being all the time vigorously shelled by the enemy from heavy guns; here we had 1 man wounded. On the 24th the regiment was ordered back to the left of Third Brigade, and again fortified, this time on our skirmish line. Here we remained until the night of August 25 , having lost while in camp and on the skirmish line 1 man killed and 9 wounded. At 8 p. m. we received orders to march. We moved out and marched in front of the brigade, passing the railroad, where we camped at about 2 a. m. August 26 . At 8 o'clock in the morning we marched to the right, and thus continued marching daily, sometimes skirmishing with the enemy, until the 29th, when we came upon the Montgomery railroad, which, after going into camp, we assisted in tearing up, burning the ties, and bending and destroying the iron. On the 30th we continued our march some seven or eight miles, which brought us in the vicinity of the Macon railroad. The next day (31st) we again advanced, driving their skirmishers before us, and taking possession of the Macon railroad. September 1 , we continued our march in the direction of Jonesborough, and found the enemy intrenched and engaged with the Fourteenth Army Corps two miles north of the town. The enemy escaping under cover of night, we started on their track in the morning and again came upon them in a strong position about five miles beyond Jonesborough , on the Cedar Bluffs. Here we charged, driving them into their works, with a loss to us of 4 men wounded. It being now night-fall, we went into camp near and in front of the enemy's works, where we remained until the night of the 5th , when we started en route for Atlanta, where we arrived without further fighting on Thursday, the 8th instant , thus terminating our campaign for the possession of Atlanta. A nominal list of casualties accompanying this report shows 6 men killed, I officer and 54 men wounded, and 2 officers and 18 men captured or missing; total, 81.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. H. Higgins, Captain, Comdg . Fifty-ninth Regiment Ohio Vol. Infantry. Capt. W. S. S. Erb , Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.