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headquarters Twentieth Indiana Battery, Jonesborough, Ga.,
September
5, 1864
.
Sir: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of the Twentieth
Indiana Battery during this campaign:
On the
14th day of August
, in obedience to your order, tie battery was placed in a position in the works before Atlanta, which had just been vacated by Battery I, First Ohio Artillery, on the right of
the First Brigade and the left of the Second
Brigade, First Division, Fourteenth Army Corps.
We found in our front and in the enemy's works the remnant of a battery which had been dismounted previously by
Battery I, First Ohio Artillery,
and which the enemy were endeavoring to remount and place in position near their former one bearing upon us. I
directed fire to be kept up on all working parties of the enemy in our front, which was done effectually
until the night of the
25th
, when the enemy, under cover of night, placed a battery obliquely to our right in a new position,
bearing upon the Twentieth Battery, and on the morning of the
26th of August
directed a sharp fire on our works, when I directed a concentrated fire of the whole battery on the
enemy's battery, and,
with the firing from the Seventh Indiana Battery, soon silenced the enemy's
guns and damaged their works so seriously that their artillery abandoned the position.
During the firing I expended the following ammunition: 63 spherical case, 129 shell, and 122 solid shot.
On the evening of the
26th of August
, in obedience to your orders, the battery took up the march with the corps in the general movement on
this point, and moved
under your direction until the
28th of August
, when the Twentieth Indiana Battery and the Seventh Indiana Battery were organized into the Third Battalion of
Artillery, of the Fourteenth Army Corps, by order of the
major-general commanding the corps, and in obedience to your order reported to
Brigadier-General
Baird
, commanding the Third Division, Fourteenth Army Corps, to move with and be maneuvered with that division.
On the morning of the
29th of August
Brigadier-General
Baird
assigned the battalion a position in his column, and we marched with his command during the day without
any firing by the
Twentieth Indiana Battery, the Seventh Indiana
Battery under your direction having fired six rounds from a position on the Atlanta and Montgomery Railroad.
The battery moved with the Third Division, of the Fourteenth Army Corps, under the direction of
Brigadier-General
Baird
, commanding, up to the battle-ground on the afternoon of the
1st instant
, when the infantry became engaged, and the Twentieth Indiana Battery,
with the Seventh Indiana Battery, was, by order of
Brigadier-General
Baird
, commanding the division, placed in a position in reserve, with orders to await orders in readiness.
The battery was not engaged, and consequently met with no losses.
On the
2d instant
the battery arrived at Jonesborough, Ga., its present
position, with the Third Division, Fourteenth Army Corps.
When the battery moved from its position on the night of the
26th of August
I was necessarily compelled to leave some property for the reason that all my transportation wagons,
with a detail of one sergeant and ten men, were by your order out after forage, and I had no means of
transporting them, the wagons having failed to reach me until noon next day, after the enemy occupied our old
position.
The following is a list of the stores lost: 2 mules, unserviceable; 3 sets mule harness; 300 feet picket rope; i
wall tent.
I take pleasure in reporting the good conduct of officers and men in my command during the campaign.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Maj. Charles Houghtaling , Chief of Artillery, Fourteenth Army Corps.