Friday, July 1st, 1864
Laid behind our breastworks.
Saturday 2nd
On the skirmish line, some very sharp firing.
Sunday 3rd
The Rebs nave left their breastworks. March at 7 a.m., our skirmishers are following them up closely, several squads of prisoners have come in. 3 miles.
(Editor’s Note: The plan of attacking Johnston’s rear was begun near
the evening of the 2nd and the intended effect was instantaneous. Johnston
abandoned Kennesaw and all his works that night and when at dawn Sherman’s
skirmishers stood on the top of that mountain they saw the Confederate hosts
flying through and behind Marietta in hot haste toward the Chattahoochee in the
direction of Atlanta; later in the night Sherman rode into Marietta just as the
cavalry of Johnston’s rear guard left.)
Monday 4th
A good many prisoners coming in, moved position. 2 miles.
(Editor’s Note: Sherman continued to push a heavy skirmish line forward
and captured the entire line of Confederate rifle pits with some prisoners.
Johnston abandoned all works and fled across the Chattahoochee and began
building fortifications against Sherman’s passage.)
Tuesday, July 5th, 1864
Changed position to the right; moved forward 3 or 4 miles. Crossed our line of works. 4 miles.
Wednesday 6th
The Rebs have crossed the river[1]; we move up about 3 miles and throw up breastworks. 3 miles.
Thursday 7th
We take position on the north side of the river[2], the Rebs on the south; the Rebs and our men swim together and trade; lay here until the 16th.
Sunday 17th
Moved to the left, crossed the river on pontoons; the 23rd and the l4th Corps crossed before us; saw Eddie Waterhouse. He looks fine, very much like Tommy; marched 5 miles, detailed on picket tonight.
Monday l8th
Advance today; sharp skirmishing. 3 miles.
Tuesday l9th
Moved at 5 p.m. and marched 3 miles.
Wednesday 20th
Moved at 7 a.m.; the Rebs charged Geary’s Division at 4 p.m. whilst advancing his lines; a general fight ensued; we held the battleground. Loss on both sides very heavy: we had the advantage of cannon: our regiment lost 5 killed, 30 wounded. 2 miles.[3]
Thursday 21st
Threw up temporary breastworks last night; bury ours and the Rebel dead today; our company lost 5 men, 1 killed and 4 wounded. W.M. Anderson killed, Sergt. Petefish, Private Ruggers, Sharer and Hamilton wounded, Capt. Woof of Co. B was killed.
Friday 22nd
Advance to within half a mile of their works around the city and succeed in putting up works under a heavy fire; crossed one line of their works; John Allen of our company is missing. 2 miles.
Saturday 23rd
The Rebs made a charge on us but were repulsed. They advanced to within 100 yds. of our works. On the 21st we received a new regiment into the Brigade, the 31st Wisconsin.
Sunday 24th
The 31st Wisconsin takes the place of the 45th N.Y. in our Brigade on the W (East?)
Tuesday 26th
Keep strengthening our works a little: our skirmishers keep up a heavy fire; 24th, 25th and 26th still behind our works.
Wednesday 27th
Captured 46 prisoners: one of the 31st Wisconsin killed and few wounded when advancing the skirmish line.
Thursday 28th
Our batteries shelled the town today [Atlanta, Georgia]; good news from the right. Howard[4] has established his lines; repulsed 5 successive charges and captured 3000 Prisoners).
Friday 29th
Col. Robinson, our Brigade Commander, has left us; he was loved and respected by the troops. Col. Bouton of the 143rd N.Y. is in command. The Brigade consists of the 143rd N.Y.,
31st Wis., 82nd and 61st Ohio and 82nd and 101st Ills.
Saturday 30th
Detailed on Picket this evening; all quiet along the lines. John Sharer was buried at Chattanooga today; he was wounded on the 20th at Peach Tree Creek.
Sunday 31st
Relieved from Picket 7 p.m.; one man from the 31st Wis. wounded on the line.
Monday, August 1st, 1864
One of the 82nd Ills. killed on the skirmish line, also 1 of the 31st Wis.
Tuesday 2nd
Our troops are mostly moving to the right; we are advancing slowly but surely.
Wednesday 3rd
Very still along the lines today, scarcely a shell fired; the 23rd Corps are getting position on the right.
Thursday 4th
Heavy firing on the right, musketry and artillery.
Friday 5th
The cars have crossed the [Chattahoochee] river, artillery and infantry commenced firing at 4 p.m.
Tuesday 9th
Detailed on Picket this
evening, shelling the city [Atlanta, Georgia] most of the afternoon; bad news
from Petersburg [Virginia].
Wednesday 10th
x to John (sent J.H.)
Relieved of Picket 7
p.m.; sharp firing all day.
Friday l2th
(X from J) (received
J.H.)
Very heavy Picket firing
on our left.
Saturday 13th
(x to)
Sunday 14th
Shelling the town
[Atlanta] last night; preaching tonight by the Chaplain of the 123rd N .Y.
Wednesday 17th
General Inspection by
Capt. Reynolds, In General, on the staff; move tonight.
Thursday 18th
The Johnnys opened their
batteries on us this morning, but with little damage; orders countermanded.
Friday l9th
(x
to)
I think we rather
startled the Rebs this morning; we opened 30 pieces of artillery on them from
our Corps at 4 a.m.; a few deserters still come in.
Saturday 20th
from a Tombstone,
Atlanta: “It is a Holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the Dead that they
may be loosed from their sins”. 2nd Michael 12 and 46.
Sunday 21st
Mr. Seymour preached
this evening.
Tuesday 23rd
Detailed on Picket last
evening; relieved today at 7 p.m.; no
firing in front of our Brigade; some of our large guns send shells into the
city [Atlanta, Georgia] every five minutes.
(Editor’s Note: In Memoranda found in the back of the diaries (see
appendix) he noted that “on the 22nd [August] we occupied a position in front
of Atlanta”.)
Wednesday 24th
Democrat paper came.
Various rumors in Camp about moving; received enough paper and envelopes to
supply the Regiment.
Thursday 25th
Struck tents this
evening at retreat or rather Tattoo, fell back to the [Chattahoochee] river,
five miles; what the object of this move is I do not know but I think that
General Sherman will be heard from in a few days.
(Editor’s Note: The Siege of Atlanta was raised on the night of the
25th and all munitions of war, supplies, and the sick and wounded men were sent
to Sherman’s intrenched position on the Chattahoochee River whither the 20th
Corps (Gen. Slocum’s) marched for their protection. In the grand movement that
followed, Sherman sent the Army of the Tennessee (Howard’s), the Army of the
Cumberland (Thomas’s) and the Army of the Ohio (Schofield’s) out into strategic
positions against the Confederate leader Hood.)
Friday 26th
Moved into position;
commenced putting up breastworks. Gen. Slocum arrived; we hear he is to take
command of the Corps.
Saturday 27th
Still strengthening our
works.
Sunday 28th
Cleaning up camp; we
have about 200 deserters building breastworks.
Monday 29th
(x to) (write to Jane)
Received a letter from
Jane, detailed on Picket this evening; relieved to help the Orderly with the
rolls; answered Jane’s letter.
Tuesday 30th
On Fatigue; 4 men
(stragglers) attached to the company.
(Editor’s Note: It is not known whether these were Union or Confederate
men.)
Wednesday 31st
Mustered by Lt. Col.
Lesage [Lessage]
Thursday, September 1st, 1864
During the night of the
1st we heard, as we thought, cannonading in the direction of Atlanta, which
proved to be the evacuating and destruction of stores and the explosion of
shells.
(Editor’s Note: At two o’clock in the morning sounds like the low
bellowing of distant thunder reached the ears of Sherman from the north and he
was a little puzzled. He thought that surely Slocum had not ventured to attack
the strong defenses of Atlanta with only the 20th Corps – Hood must be blowing
up his magazines preparatory to his flight from that city. With this
impression, Sherman ordered a vigorous pursuit of Hardee. While Sherman was
preparing to dislodge him, rumors reached him that Hood was indeed evacuating
Atlanta. The truth was given him on the 4th by a courier from Slocum and
revealed the fact that Hood, outgeneraled and overwhelmed with perplexity, had
blown up his magazines and seven trains of cars, destroyed the foundries and
workshops in Atlanta, and fled; Slocum had entered the city unopposed on the
morning after Hood left it and was holding it as conqueror.)
Friday 2nd
7 miles. This morning 3
Regiments of our Division are ordered, 123rd N.Y. and the 101st Ills. and one
other Regiment unknown to me; we advanced with skirmishers thrown out very
carefully and entered the City at 1 p.m.; there was already some of the 3rd
Div. there but the colors of the 101st were the first to enter Atlanta; the
dwellings have [illegible] scarcely any but (as) been struck, three or more,
the citizens had mostly caves dug to creep into when we were shelling; they had
destroyed large amounts of property [illegible] 200 cars and 2 loaded with
[illegible]
(Editor’s Note: When Slocum was satisfied that Hood had abandoned
Atlanta, he sent out at dawn a strong reconnoitering column in that direction.
It encountered no opposition and entered the city – much of which was reduced
to a smoking ruin by Hood’s incendiary fires – at 9 o’clock, when it was met by
mayor Calhoun, who formally surrendered the place. Gen. Ward’s division then
marched in with drums beating and colors flying and the National flag was
unfurled over the Courthouse.)
(Editor’s Note: Portions of this entry were impossible to transcribe.)
Tuesday 6th
B. D. Campbell, the 6th
and 7th Arkansas Regt., Gavans Brig., Cleybournes’ Div., Hardee’s Corps at 9
[and a half] p.m.; detailed to guard prisoners to Chattanooga.
(Editor’s Note: The prisoners taken to Chattanooga belong to the
various divisions described here. Sherman strengthened the garrisons to the
rear, and to make his communications more secure he sent portions of the 4th
and 14th Corp. back to Chattanooga.)
Wednesday 7th
Took 500 prisoners, 83
commissioned officers and 1 Brig. Gen.; it was midnight when we left Atlanta
and arrived at Chattanooga midnight tonight, turned over the prisoners to the
Guard there and laid down on the cars and slept until morning.
Thursday 8th
Stay at Chattanooga. See
some of our Company that had been left back, eat some apples and peaches, the
first since last fall, enjoy ourselves considerably. We look rather seedy
compared with the 100 day men, who have clean guns, clean clothes and
everything to correspond.
Friday 9th
(to x)
Started last night with
Bonnell, left for Atlanta at 7 p.m. The officers in charge at Resaca[5]
were having a dance; one train stopped there some time and the boys annoyed
them terribly.
Saturday 10th
We progress finely until
12 a.m. when one of our cars ran off the track which detained us 2 hours.
Afterwards the engine refused to pull us along so it was midnight before we
arrived at Atlanta.
Sunday 11th
(paper proof x)
Slept rather late this
morning, commenced to write a letter home, when we received orders to move;
moved camp about 1 mile, put up quarters. 280 miles.
Monday 12th
Clearing of the Ground;
we have got a very nice Camp. Our Div. shaped in 3 lines of battle, the 1st
Brig, composing the 1st line, the 2nd Brig, the 2nd line and the 3rd Brig, the
3rd line.
Tuesday 13th
(from x)
Received a letter from
John and wrote one home.
Thursday 15th
(papers)
On Fatigue; put up a
fence in front of Col.’s tent.
Friday 16th
General Inspection by
Capt. Reynolds: very particular but our guns are in pretty good order.
Saturday 17th
Will Larrimore and
myself visited the Cemetery [in Atlanta]. There are some splendid monuments and
beautiful shrubbery; there are some 4000 Confederate soldiers buried here. One
beautiful monument stands about 20 feet high with a vault beneath; the door is
open and the curious can inspect. The coffins stand one upon another; there are
2 with panes of glass inserted in their lids just over the faces of the dead.
One is a woman; by removing a slide of wood you can see the skeleton of what
was once flesh and blood; the man although been buried many years his beard
seemed to be quite fresh and extended over his shoulders.
Sunday 18th
General Review, three
miles from camp; weather very unfavorable, rained most of the time; we all got
a good drenching, served the Commanding Officer right, wish he had had to take it
all.
Tuesday 20th
General Review by Gen.
Slocum; everything passed off smoothly; we marched past Gen. Sherman’s and
Thomas’s Quarters.
(Editor’s Note: Gen. Thomas, Sherman’s second in command, of the Army
of the Cumberland.)
Wednesday 21st
Moved to town [Atlanta]
and took possession of the fire Department
Thursday 22nd
It will take several
days to fix up the engines, of which there are four.
Sunday 25th
(paper)
Service at Episcopal
Church this morning, at Methodist Church this evening at 6 p.m.
Monday 26th
Working on the engine,
meeting at the Methodist Church.
Tuesday 27th
Must be some movement in
the rear; Troops are going back every day.
Wednesday 28th
Wrote to V. Breckon;
meeting every night; no mail for several days.
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