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Hdqrs. Sixty-Ninth regiment Ohio Vet. Vols., Jonesborough, Ga.,
September
2, 1864
.
Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the regiment under my command from the
25th day of August
to the
2d day of September, 1864
:
On the evening of the
25th of August
marched to rejoin the division.
On the
28th
marched to a point on the Montgomery railroad, near Red
Oak. Next day were engaged tearing up the road, burning ties, and bending and twisting the rails.
August
30
, marched toward the Macon railroad, and encamped within
three miles of it. On the
1st day of September, 1864, marched to meet the enemy, the Sixty-ninth
Regiment having the advance of the Third Brigade.
Threw out six companies as skirmishers, the remaining four in reserve, and advanced on the Jonesborough road until a junction was formed with the left of the skirmish line of
the Seventeenth Corps.
The brigade being then ordered to reconnoiter and develop the force in our front, we advanced in line of battle
through a
strip of woods and into an open field, when we received the fire of the enemy's outposts, consisting of a light
line of cavalry,
dismounted and protected by rail piles, with two pieces of artillery.
We charged across a swamp, intersected by two wide and deep ditches, whose banks were lined with briars, and up
the opposite slope.
and routed the enemy, without loss to ourselves, and captured a caisson from them.
We then advanced to the.Macon railroad, and forming in line of
battle at right angles to it (the Sixty-ninth Regiment being on the right of
the front line), threw out skirmishers, and moved forward through a dense thicket.
On emerging from the woods into an open field the enemy's skirmishers were encountered, and soon driven in, and
we held their
line of pits in the edge of the woods.
After some delay in readjusting the lines (the Sixty-ninth being now placed in the center), we advanced to
charge the rebel works.
We reached a point within fifty yards of the works, and held it for fifteen minutes, under a murderous fire,
which speedily decimated our ranks.
The regiments on the right and left having already withdrawn, the Sixty-ninth fell back a short distance and
reformed.
The color-bearer having been killed, the colors were left between the hostile lines.
In order to cover them by our fire and prevent their capture by the enemy, the regiment was held in the woods in
advance of
the rest of the line, which had retired to the works in the edge of the woods.
The colors were thus saved from capture and were recovered in the second charge.
After a brief interval theregiment again charged with the rest of the line and the Thirty-eighth Indiana of the second line.
The enemy was dislodged, after a desperate struggle, from the portion of his works on the right of the railroad,
and did not
regain them.
Seven prisoners were captured and taken to the rear by men belonging to my command.
We held the ground fought over by our picket-line, and next morning occupied Jonesborough.