August 1, 1864. Since the glorious battle of the 28th, everything has been quiet in our immediate front, though the heavy artillery firing continues to the left. I think it is between the 14th and 20th Corps and some Rebel forts. Prisoners say that our shells have hurt the city very much. We all think [...]
One and three-quarter miles southwest of Atlanta, July 29, 1864. On the evening of the 26th, Adj. Frank Lermond sent me word that the Army of the Tennessee was going to evacuate its position, the movement to commence at 12 p.m. When the lines are so close together the skirmish line is a ticklish place. [...]
July 25, 1864. We moved up to the rear of the corps on the 21, and had just got comfortably fixed for the night when orders came that we should report back to the brigade on the front line. Just as we started a heavy rain set in, and continued while we marched one and [...]
July 23, 1864. The fight came off the 22d, and a glorious one it was for us. Lieutenant Blair of our regiment was killed, also Charles Buck, of Company F, and John Smith of my company. There were seven wounded only. Our brigade gets credit for 400 prisoners. They took us in rear and every [...]
July 20, 1864. Assembly has just sounded. In a few hours we will know if it is to be a fight. Frank says we are detailed for train guard. If the army marches right into Atlanta, I’ll think it d—d mean, but if there is a fight will not feel so badly, unless we can [...]
Decatur, Ga., July 19, 1864. To-night we are in Decatur, six miles from Atlanta. The Rebels were yet in Atlanta this morning, for they ran a train to this burg this morning, but they may now be gone. Our line of battle crosses the railroad nearly at right angles, facing Atlanta. I think the 23d [...]
Near Stone Mountain, July 18, 1864. Osterhaus (or his division, for I hear that he resigned and yesterday started for the North, en route for Mexico, where he formerly resided, and that he intends entering the Mexican Army to fight “Johnny Crapeau”) was ahead to-day, and only lost a dozen or 50 men. Our brigade [...]
June 17, 1864. After erecting some good works at Roswell (the best we have yet built), capable of holding at least 25,000 men, we were provided with three days’ rations and cartridges “ad libitum,” for another of what an Augusta paper calls “Sherman leap-frog-like advance.” Our corps is the extreme left of the army. We [...]
July 16, 1864, 76th of the Campaign. I can hear no firing to-day, but we are so far from the right or center that we could hear nothing less than a 13-inch mortar. I will tell you all I know of the situation just to let you know how little a soldier knows of what [...]
July 15, 1864. This is a glorious place. The current in the river is very swift, and it is the nicest stream to bathe in imaginable. I’ve a mind to stay here and have my meals brought to me. Expect we will catch some nice fish after they get over being scared at having so [...]
July 14, 1864. Another hot day. We marched down to the river at Roswell and crossed it, and have gone into camp on the bank a mile above town. This Roswell is a beautiful little town, such splendid trees all through it. Our cavalry four or five days ago destroyed some very large factories here. [...]
July 13, 1864. We passed through Marietta this morning at 9; rested in a cool, nice, woody place from 11 to 2, and made this place in the cool of the evening. We marched about 14 miles today. I would rather be in a fight than endure such a day’s march, and I think fighting [...]
July 12, 1864. We lay quietly in the shade all day the 11th, save those who had ambition enough to go fishing, berrying or swimming. The other bank of the Chattahoochie opposite us is yet lined with Rebel sharp-shooters, but there is a fine creek from which the boys get some fine fish. I saw [...]
July 10, 1864, a.m. The Rebels evacuated last night, and our flags are on their works and our skirmishers at the river. A number of Johnnies were left on this side. I believe they have every time left on Saturday night or Sunday. Their works here are the best I have seen. Three lines and [...]
Nine miles from Atlanta, two and one-half miles southwest of railroad crossing, July 9, 1864. On the evening of the 7th, just dark, a Rebel battery in a fort which our guns had been bursting shells over all day, suddenly opened with eight 20-pound Parrotts, and for one-half an hour did some of the most [...]
July 7, 1864. The shooting still continues in our front, but hear no Rebel artillery. The water here is excellent, and everybody seems to get a few blackberries. We also stew grapes and green apples, and everything that ever was eaten by anti-cannibals. There is so much confounded fighting to be attended to that we [...]
July 6, 1864. I went down to our front this evening. Our advanced artillery is yet some 1,200 yards from the Rebels, but there is nothing but an open field between, and it looks quite close. The Johnnies have thrown up a nice fort, embrasured for nine guns. They have not fired a shot to-day. [...]
July 5, 1864. Can hear no firing this p.m. It seems the Rebels have got across the Chattahoochie. We are about 12 miles from Atlanta. The river will probably trouble us some, but we all think “Pap” will make it before August 1st. Johnston don’t dare give us anything like a fair fight. We are [...]
July 4, 1864. I count it the hardest Fourth I have seen in the service. About 8 a.m. we moved out, passed through Marietta, which is by far the prettiest town I have seen South (about the size of Canton), and continued south nearly all the way along our line of works. Marched about 11 [...]
July 3, 1864. Rebels all gone this morning. Our boys were on the mountains at daylight. Hundreds of deserters have come in. Osterhaus moved around the left of the mountain to Marietta, all the rest of the army went to the right of it. We are about one-half a mile from town; have not been [...]
July 2, 1864. We have been taking it easy since the charge. Our shells keep the Rebels stirred up all the time. Sham attacks are also got up twice or three times a day, which must annoy them very much.
July 1, 1864. This campaign is coming down to a question of muscle and nerve. It is the 62d day for us, over 50 of which we have passed under fire. I don’t know anything more exhausting. One consolation is that the Rebels are a good deal worse off than we are. They have lost [...]
June 30, 1864 8 a.m. There was a terrific fight on our right, commencing at 2 this morning and lasting until 3. I have not yet heard what it was. Some deserters passed us this morning. I have lost just half the men I left Scottsboro with just two months ago, but what I have [...]
June 29, 1864. There was a night charge made by the Rebels on our right last night. They got beautifully “scooped.” We have been laying quiet all day. Lots of artillery, though but few shots come near us.
June 28, 1864. The attack was not general; it was made by our brigade and M. L. Smith’s Division. We lost nearly one-third of the brigade. Our regiment’s loss is 17 killed and 40 wounded. My company had five killed and four wounded. Colonel Wright was shot quite badly in the leg, and Lieutenants Montgomery, [...]