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[Aug. 1864] [Sept. 1864]

 

VIII. ATLANTA OCCUPIED, SEPTEMBER, 1864.

July 3rd, A.D. 1864, Sunday. We got up at day light. & the rebels had just left. We looked at their works & saw them all cut up with balls. & the rebs main line of works was about 80 or 100 yards from our mens works. & they had charged on works before finished & had bin repulsed. & our men charged on them. & lots of men was killed between the lines & left laying & was nearly all decayed. & I saw a rebel major who was killed in the charge. & we saw some rebel prisnors that was brought in. We got orders to get ready to march at 7 1/2 A.M. We started & marched to the right where we had come from last evening. It was nearly clear & a little cooler. We started at 10 A.M. & heared some cannonading in front. & we marched through one of the rebels strong lines of works almost impregnable. & we stoped at noon for dinner. It became very warm & threatened rain. We did not get dinner till we fell in & marched by the brick colliage near Marietta the county seet of Cob Co. We stoped again. & at 4 P.M. the bugle sounded. & our Division started & our major who was commanding the regt had orders for us not to start but to report to Colonel Cram of 9th Ky. We strung out among our corps train as guards. & started at 4 1/2 P.M. & crossed the railroad & passed a line of rebels works that had bin lately thrown up. & was not finished & was left without any fighting & soon we passed another plase where the lines of works had bin surveyed & layed off. & the bushes was cut in front of where the line of works had bin intended to be & there a little strip of bushes left to hide the works. & the two lines of bushes was cleared away where they intended to erect works. & I supose by the working of our flanks they had to fall back further. We heared some cannonading all day in front. We passed through tolerable level country & woods nearly all the way. & it is as thick as any harrican & the timber is principally Oak. We stoped near the railroad to camp at 8 P.M. having marched 5 miles. We could see something burning in front. We retired after 9 P.M. & reasted fine.

July 4th A.D. 1864. we got orders at 4 A.M. to be ready to march in a half hour. We heared some cannonading during the night. There was cannonading all fournoon in our front & left. We drawed 3 days rations. It was very warm. We heared some musketry. There was hundreds of rebels dezerted & came in our lines. I writ some. A.H. Terhune was very sick. It was 10 minuts till 2 P.M. when our Genl sounded & we started in 15 minuts & marched to the left about a mile. & Herman Frauer of Comp A was seriously wounded in the right leg just a little above the knee. & we could see the rebels skirmish works in a field. & we stacked arms in the edge of a woods & our pioneers went to erecting works in our front & it was hot anough to melt us nearly. & the balls passed around us through the bushes. We got orders to help put up the works. & we went to the edge of the field & comenced building the works. & the rebs shot at us but none of our regt was hurt while at work. When we got our work nearly don we got orders to clean our ground & after dark put up our tents & hide them with brush. & we heared that our men crossed the Chattahoohee river at 12 M. yesterday & that our corps was the extream left except 2 Divisions of Cavelry. I could not help but think the rebs would be gon till morning. We heared that corps had took 1300 prisnors & dezerters in the two last days. There was a battery took position behind our regts works. We retired at 9 P.M. & slept fine, having put up our tents.

July 5th A.D. 1864 we was awaked at 3 A.M. & the rebels skirmishers left in the morning early. & we saw prisnors coming in. We cooked some aples. At 6 the Genl sounded & we prepaired to start & at 7 1/2 A.M. we started & marched to the right to the railroad. & passed through the rebels lines of works. They only had one line but it was a very strong line. We marched a little way along the railroad & stoped for there was some skirmishing just in our front. We moved very slow & we heared our cannons to our right at 25 minuts till 10 A.M. & we came to where the rebels had took the rails off ove the road for about a mile. We got very close to the rebels. & our men throwed shells to the rebels just over us for the rebs was near us on the left. & a brisk skirmishing comenced just to our left. & the balls came over us. & it did not last long till our boys made the rebs scedaddle. We turned to the left of the railroad & went a little way. & our artillery went in front of us & comenced shelling the rebels across the Chattahooche river. & they replyed some. & the cannonading ceased. & at 2 P.M. we was ordered out of the road. & we stacked arms, having marched about 5 miles. & the bugle sounded & we comenced geting dinner. We could hear cannonading at a great distance to the right. We was nearly swultring for it was a very hot day. There was a little skirmishing cept up all the time & our artillery fired ocasionly & we heared a good deal of cannonading to our right. The officers went up on a hill & said they could see Atlanta through their glasses. We got orders to make ourselves as comfortable as possible for we expected to stay all night. I writ some. The boys that went up on the hill in our rear saw a man that had bin hung about a weak from the looks & was still hanging by the neck with a with. Some thought that he had hung himself. & others thought he was one of the spyes that the rebels had hung. & he was dressed in a rebel uniform. We retired after 8 P.M. & slept fine.

July 6th A.D. 1864. we got up early. A detail was called for in the night for sharpshooters, but was not neaded. The artillery to our right could be heared at a great distance. In our front our artillery comenced firing at 5 1/4 A.M. We got orders to lay out camp & put up our tents. & the mail came in & went out. I writ some. & the skirmishing was cept up all day & some cannonading. It was very warm. We drawed 3 days rations. The rebels balls passed over us. We was tormented a good deal with the chiggers. It was romered that the rebels had burnt the railroad bridge but I think it is fals, as I hear the bridge is an iron bridge. We retired after 8 P.M. & was waked in the night by our cars blowing so near us & so loud & so much blowing I never heared the like.

July 7th A.D. 1864. we got up very late & it was very warm. The skirmishing was still to be heared. The cannonading at a distance to the right comenced at 7 1/2 A.M. & we heared it all fournoon. & we drawed beef. At 12 1/2 the Genl sounded & we started at 1 P.M. & went a 1/2 mile to the right & stoped in the woods & layed off regular camp & put up our tents & shaded them. It was said that the 23rd A.C. went to our left yesterday. I writ some. At 6 1/2 there was some cannonading on our left. The cannonading to our right had bin heared all day. & it was very regular. & we could just hear it. & it was rumerd that they was fighting on the right. & we was ordered at 8 P.M. to fall in with gun & acooterments. & we stacked arms & was ordered to build a line of works & went to work. & at 8 1/2 the artillery to our left comenced a brisk firing. & it was answered by the rebels I think. It continued till 9 P.M. We got orders that we could lay down at 10 P.M. & finish the works in the morning.

July 8th A.D. 1864. we got up early & went to work at our breast works & got tolerable good works after hard work. & it was very warm. The rebs therew a fiew shots at 9 1/2 A.M.. to our left. Some of Comp D of our regt was fooling with a shell that had not exploaded yet. & it went off & hurt some of the boys a little. We heared cannonading to our right at a distance. We had inspection. It was a very warm day. We got orders to go on picket at 6 P.M. There had bin some cannonading all day to our right. We went out on picket. A ball hit one of our boys at the reserve but did not injure him. I went on centenal line at 10 O'clock & was relieved at 2 in the morning. Not a shot was fired on our line in the 4 hours.

July 9th A.D. 1864. we was relieved at 7 A.M. & went to camp. & I washed my clothing. The artillery to our right comenced firing at 8 A.M. not far off. & we heared a good deal of musketry on our right but none in our front. & it was cept up tolerable heavy & it was said afterwards that our men had charged the rebs & took 2 lines of skirmish works. There was some cannonading on our left & the rebels replyed. It rained a little. I writ some. It was said that the rebels had burnt one of our mails. We drawed 3 days rations. The rebs don a good deal of cannonading. Some of their shells past near our regt & exploaded just in the rear of our regt. It seamed that the rebs was doing more shelling than comon. Our batterys was not silent but was heared all along the line. It was said that the 23rd A.C. & one Division of our A.C. had crossed the river to our left. Some of our brigade went to the front of our line to camp & the pioneers to make a line of works for them. We retired after 8 P.M.

July 10th A.D. 1864, Sunday. we got up late. & the rumer was that the rebels that had bin on this side of the river in a bend had crossed the river & burned the bridge. It was rumered that our men that had crossed the river on the left had captured a factory & about 400 women in it & some darkeys. I writ some. The Genl sounded at 9 1/2. We heared a fiew shots of cannon on our right. We started at 10 A.M. & marched to the left up the river over the bluffs & hills & it was the hotest day seemingly that & ever experienced. We went slow as one division of our corps was in front. At 3 P.M. a very heavy thunder shower came up. & it rained very hard & cooled us as cool as night birds. The boys prefered the rain & mud before the sun & dust. We stoped near the river near the two pontoon bridges at 5 P.M., having marched about 6 or 8 miles. & part of the 23rd A.C. had crossed the Chattahoochee river & captured part of the rebel skirmish line & 4 Pieces of artillery. & the 2nd Division of our Corps was up the river a distance & said to be across the river. We sent out mail. I writ some & sent out 3 letters. We had our tents up in a short time after we stoped. We retired after 3 P.M. and slept fine.

July 11th A.D. 1864. we got up late & it was cloudy & foggy. It was a very hot day. It was romer that our men was crossing the river where we left yesterday. & that our signal corps was on the high hill across the river & could see the rebels marchinn through Atlanta double column & was evacuating their position in our front. I writ some. In the last 4 month & 7 days I have writ & sent 76 letters. & I have received answers to nearly every one of them. It was said that all of the 23rd A.C. that was not across the river crossed. We heared cannonading on the right. We retired after 9 P.M.

July 12th A.D. 1864. we got up early & was expecting to move. We got orders at 8 A.M. to be ready to march at 10 A.M. It was a very hot day. At 10 A.M. we fell in line & was ready. & some troops started. & at 10 1/2 A.M. the bugle sounded for us to get dinner & we eat. & the bugle sounded & we started at 15 minuts till 12 M. & we marched down the river about a mile to the pontoon bridge & crossed the Chattahoochee river on the canvass Pontoon Bridge at 3 P.M. & it was an exceedingly hot day. & we suffered from the affects of heat. & it rained a little & we formed in line of battle about a mile from the river on the left of our corps. & the 23rd joins us on the left. We stacked arms at 4 1/2 P.M. & it looked very much like rain. We pitched tents. & it rained. We retired at 8 P.M. & was soon called up to carry rails & logs to build breast works in the morning. & we got them carried up & layed down again. & it was thought best to build the works right away. & we got up & put up a good line of works of wood without dirt till 9 P.M. & I retired at 10 P.M.

July 13th A.D. 1864. we got up late. We drawed 3 days rations & got some meal & a fiew nicnacks such as vegitables & desecated potatoes & meal. I writ some. We heared some cannonading on the right at a distance. The Genl sounded at 9 A.M. It was a very hot day. We started at 11 A.M. & marched about a mile to the right & front & stoped at 12 M. & layed out regular camp & put up our tents & shaded them & put up works. We drawed trousers. The mail came in & went out. We got tolerable good works made & retired at 8 P.M. & got orders afterwards to have reville at 3 in the morning & be ready to march at 5 A.M.

July 14th A.D. 1864. we got up early & was ready to march & it was rumored that we was goying down the river on a reconoitering expedition to see how far we could go. We heared a fiew shots of artillery at a great distance. We heared that Genl Howard received a dispatch that the rebs was marching in heavy column slowly towards us & for him to ceep a sharp lookout. & we did not go out. & the works was made some stronger. & an entanglement was put before the works. & we heared a fiew shots out on the picket line. I changed & sewed the pockets in 4 pair of trousers at 50 cts a pair. We drawed some clothing. I received a letter stating that the girl I loved was sick with a fever. I was detailed as alarmguard. It clouded up & a very hard storm of wind & rain came up & blowed down our shades & we got wet in our tents. & when the storm passed we heared some cannonading on the right. I was relieved & retired after 1 o'clock, & slept fine.

July 15th A.D. 1864. the sky was cleer & it was a hot day. We heared some cannonading. We fixed up our shades & got orders to poliece the quarters. I went to a high place a fiew rods to our left & saw Atlanta. It looked to be 10 miles distant. We drawed 3 days rations. We heared some cannonading at a distance. I changed & sewed the pockets in four trousers & am to be payed next pay day. I received a letter. It was a little cooler & it seemed like the air was a little purer. I retired after 9 P.M. & slept fine.

July 16th A.D. 1864. we got up very late. & it was our regts time to go out on picket. & it did not take all of the regt. & so our comp did not have to go, only 2 men & a sergeant. I don some sewing & writ some. We had a fine mess of been & beef soop. We got orders to be ready for a scout in the morning & we was told to leave everything but gun & acootrements & rations. I sent out 3 letters. & we retired before 10 o'clock.

July 17th A.D. 1864, Sunday. reville sounded at 3 A.M. & we had orders to start at 4 1/2 A.M. The Bugle sounded & we got ready & fell in line. We heared cannonading at a distance to the right very early. We started down the river at 6 1/2 A.M. & we marched very slow & heared skirmishing in front at 7 1/2. There was two brigades in our front of our Division & we still heared the cannonading on our right at a distance. We came to the river. & the 9th Ky ( & the squad of our regt which was 40 9 privates 2 corporals & myself of our comp) was sent out on the left on picket for the flank & in our front it was thick woods. & we saw in a little road that the reble cavelry had just went along. Our men comenced throwing a pontoon bridge across the river to our right a little ways & I think it was for the 14th A.C. to cross on. We was deployed & set on skirmish line till 12 M. & we was relieved & went to the reserve & got a Good many blackburrys to eat & some aples. & we heared a good deal of skirmishing on the right & left boath. & the cannonading cept up on the right. We got plenty of berrys & aples. & the boys did not let the hogs or sheap bite them. We got orders at 5 P.M. to go to the river. & we went & wated till the Div passed in front of us. & then we went to camp & got here till 7 P.M. & had marched about 5 miles. & I remembered that I had not heared of a man of our division being hurt. & comparitavely fiew of the 14th A.C. to what was expected when they crossed the river & took position & relieved us. I was glad & thanked God that we had come back safe. I received a letter from a young school Miss who had not writ to me since I have bin in the service. It was a splendid letter & was from as fine a lady as could be scared up anywhere. We drew two days rations just before midnight & got orders to get ready to march at 5 A.M. We slept a little before midnight & after midnight.

July 18th A.D. 1864. reville sounded at 3 A.M. & we was ready to start at 5 A.M. & heared the Genl sounding in other Brigades but not in ours. Ezra J Hicks & A H Terhune of our mess & Ben F Long had bin sick for some time & unable to do duty & was told to be ready to be sent back to the hospital. Our regt that was out on picket for the last 48 hours was sent in. The Genl sounded at 7 1/2 A.M. & at 8 A.M. I heared some cannonading a little to our left & about 4 miles to our front. & we found that the troops had bin moving out all the time. It was rumored that Peters Burgh had surrendered with 15000 men. The Bugle sounded & we started at 9 1/2 A.M. & marched very slow to the left about a mile. & stoped before noon. & we heared some more cannonading in front. We started down toward Atlanta at 1 1/2 P.M.& saw some nice corn & prety good sized roasten ears. The road was very dusty. & the sun very hot. & we crossed Nancys crick. & the rebels had tryed to burn the bridge & it did not burn fast anough & they cut it down. & our men repaired it up again. At 4 1/2 P.M. we stoped having marched about 6 miles. It sprinkled rain. As the Div hospital was moved this morning. The sick was all brought along & the Ambulances was all full & lots besides. I writ some. I received two letters. One from Levi who I had not heared from for over a month. & he said he had writ 3 letters to me & had received no answers. & he had not received one of my letters. We retired before 9 P.M. & reasted fine.

July 19th A.D. 1864. we was awaked at 4 1/2 A.M. & told to be ready to march at 5 A.M. It had rained a little. We started out on a scout at 5 1/2 A.M. leaving everything but guns & rig & grub. Our Brigade was in front & part of the 86th Ind & 59th OVI was thrown out as skirmishers. & we heared some skirmishing in front. We moved very slow. & the skirmishers was prety briskly engaged. & our artillery opened on the rebs at 7 1/2 A.M. & throwed several shots. & they called for a volunteer skirmisher from each of our companys. James P Johnson of our company went. They went to the right & we followed them to the right of the road & formed in line of battle & throwed up works on a bluff near a little crick called Peach tree crick. & the rebels skirmish pits was just across the crick. & we could see them moving about very close. We layed behind our works. & the rebels comenced shooting at our men with about 4 pieces of artillery at 9 1/4 A.M. & their shells exploaded two soon. At first they did not fire much. We heared cannonading on the right at a distance. & it seemed to be large guns. It was a warm day. The rebs balls had hit our rail works. At 3 P.M. we got orders to cross the crick. & some more of our regt was sent out to reinforce the skirmish line & we had to suport them & we went down to the crick & carried rails as we went & the Pioneers carried polls for the crick was two deep to waid. The field that the crick run through was in corn. We made a bridge across the crick & crossed & formed in line. Major G.W. Parker who was comanding our regt was seriously wounded in the right leg & when we was ready, we was ordered forward. & we crossed the field expecting every minut to receive a heavy volley. & when we got to a bluff & come into a thick woods of pine we charged up the hill as fast as we could go & yelled. & the rebels skirmishers left their works. & we got up to the road & fired a while & their artillerys played & wounded some men. & our artillery played on them. & we was ordered to build works of rails & we built them. & some more of our brigade come up on our right. & then we formed our works further up. & the pioneers came up to cut little timber for works. & the rebels skirmishers wounded several of our brigade. & the balls hit our works. & some passed over & hit the ground & bushas behind us. There was 23 men & a captain & Lieutenant & a Lieutenant Colonel of the 2nd Tenn came in to our lines in front of our regts skirmishers. & we sent them back to the rear. We heared cannonading on our right at a distance & to our left also & a good deal of musketry to our left. There was some more rebs came in anough to make 39 privats & 3 officers. It was seen in the rebs Paper (Memphes apeal) that our men had cut the Richmond & Atlanta railroad between Rocky Mountain & Decatur. Also that Genl Johnson was superseeded by Genl Hood.

The rebs thought to flank us on the right but found Genl Joe Hooker near the crick & they was repulsed. We was relieved after 9 P.M. by the 2nd Brigade & started back to camp. & our regt had not lost a man except the Major. & other regts of our brigade lost several. & our regt had the skirmish line out & the rest of the regt to suport it near their heals till we got to the road & passed them & fired. & so we come off remarkable well & very luckey for we had don a very daring & brave dead when crossing the crick. & in face of the rebels & flanking them out of their works. & while they was skedaddling our batterys shelled them. Our boys done some very close shooting when out on skirmish line for they killed some rebels while in their skirmish pits. We got to Camp at 10 1/2 o'clock having marched about 6 miles & don some fighting & hard work. We eat a good little supper of beens potatoes & onions & berries which the boys had got for us. We retired after 11 o'clock.

July 20th A.D. 1864. we had orders to have reville at 4 & march at 5 A.M. We saw in the Paper that from the first of May to the first of July our regt had lost 13 men killed & 36 wounded & one missing, making 50 in all. E J Hicks B.F.Long & A.H.Terhune was sent to the hospital. The Genl sounded at 5 1/2 A.M. & at 6 1/2 we started. & Capt Dunbar took charge of our regt. We marched further to the left than we had bin yesterday & crossed the crick above where we did yesterday. We heared some skirmishing & some cannonading on our right & to our left a good ways. We got to the line of breast works at 10 A.M. that the 1st Div had built yesterday. They was moving to the front. & our Div was following them. We went slow & heared cannonading all along the line. & it was rumored that a General atack was to be made at 9 A.M. all along the lines. & it was said that the whole line advanced & at 1 1/2 P.M. the artillery in our front comenced firing. & at 15 minuts till 2 P.M. we heared a good deal of musketry to our right & front. & the skirmishing cept up tolerable brisk & the cannonading also & we moved to the left in direction till we got to the left of Atlanta & then at 5 P.M. we started towards Atlanta & went up near anough to the front to hear the balls & see them light around us for there was a brisk skirmishing in our front. We moved along the line to our right & stoped at sundown having come about 6 miles the way we came. & I think we certainly hant over 4 miles from Atlanta. A very heavy cannonading was heared on our right a good distance & some to our left, & plenty of skirmishing in our front. & our Brigad took the front line which was to the right of the 1st Div. Our regt being the second line got word at 8 P.M. that we would stay. & we eat a little supper & retired after 9 P.M. & there was some cannonading all night & musketry.

July 21st A.D. 1864. we got up late & sergeant Hanes of Comp E of our regt was wounded in the neck in the night. & some of our brigade was killed & wounded yesterday. We drew rations. At 9 A.M. we got orders to get ready to move amediatly & we moved a little to the right & front of the works & sent out men to reinforce the skirmish line & the Pioneers comenced choping timber in the hollow to carry up on a ridge to build works. James C Dunlap was sick & Wessley T Shepard & others was very unwell. & we went to carrying logs up to the top of the hill in fair view of the rebels works & comenced building our line of works. & lots of our Brigade got wounded & some killed. Adam Hess of comp F of our regt was wounded through the nose. & Jessey Pointer of comp A was dangerously wounded in the left hip or thigh. The balls came over close to us. & we worked hard to get our works up. & I lifted & worked two hard & got overheated so I could not do anything. & I had to wet my head to ceep from fainting. It seemed to be the hotest day I ever experienced. & we was only about 3 or 4 hundred yards from the rebels works. & where our brigade was it was not more than 150 yards. John Warner of comp C was killed at 15 minuts after 2 P.M. He was standing behind our works. & the ball entered just below his left shoulder blade & before 4 P.M. Geo. W. Davis Corperal of Comp E was seriously wounded while on the skirmish line, in the right side or breast (suposed mortaly). He was a good soldier. & Adjutant Dunn was slightly wounded in the neck. & at 6 1/2 P.M. we got orders to get ready to move. It rained a little & we had our tents up but soon our tents was struck & we was moving to the right. We went to the right about a mile along the line. & stoped & retired after 9 P.M. & the rebels balls whizzed over us.

July 22nd A.D. 1864. we had orders to get up at 3 A.M. Everything was very still all along the line. & soon the word came that the rebels had left their works. & we soon heared distant skirmishing & cannonading. Calumbus Hancock come up. At 7 A.M. the Genl sounded. & soon we started & moved to the left to the plase where we had built works. & we went out front & passed through the rebels line of works that was so close & then passed through a very strong line of works that would have bin impossible to charge & carry. But our flank had swung around so far that they had to light out. We heared brisk skirmishing & cannons all along the line. The rebs used their artillery. We formed in line of battle on a ridge about 2 miles from where our other line of works was & comenced building works, as the rebels works was in our front about 1000 yards. & their skirmish works about 500 yards or suposed to be that far. But I think it is not so far. We heared a good deal of cannonading on our left. & some was a good way off. We soon got good log works up for we was in the woods where the rebels could not see us. I was very weak & felt the effects of overheating myself yesterday but still I don all I could for no time was to be lost or the rebs might charge us while without works & suceed in repulsing us which we wish may never be the case. The rebels comenced shelling the woods that we was in at 1 1/4 P.M. & some shells exploaded outside of the works & some passed over our works & exploaded in our rear. & our batterys comenced shelling the rebels. & it was a lively cannonading. It was a clear hot day. At 4 P.M. a very heavy cannonading comenced on our left aperuntly in front of the left of the 1st Division of 4th Corps. & we could hear musketry tolerable heavy. & before 5 P.M. & at 5 the musketry was very heavy on our left. & the lowering sound of the artillery proved that cannester shot was being used. It seaced for a little time but soon was renewed again. The rumor was that Genl McFerson was killed today when the rebels atacked his left flank & turned it back a little. But the ground was retaken. After dark several rebels fired & yelled & we prepaired to receive a charge. But soon everything was quiet & we retired to sleep.

July 23rd A.D. 1864. we was awaked at 3 A.M. & a good deal of skirmishing was heared along the line & some cannonading. Several of our boys was sick. & I had to take the plase of the orderly as James C. Dunlap was sick. I writ some. We drawed some clothing. We drew 3 days rations. At 3 P.M. a brisk skirmishing comenced on our right but did not last long. The rebs shelled us nearly all day. Some shells exploaded over us. & some hit the ground & then exploaded. & some musketry balls passed through our tents & cept boozing all the time day & night. & some men was wounded. We heared that the rebels charged our men 6 times on the left yesterday & was repulsed every time. We got mail. I received a letter from home from James. It was a good long letter. & Pa had met with bad luck by loosing two horses. I retired after 9 P.M. & we heared cannonading all night at a distance.

July 24th A.D. 1864, Sunday. we was aroused at 3 A.M. & I was very unwell & felt like I was goying to have a spell of sickness. I writ some & sent out letters. There was skirmishing & cannonading all along the lines. We have the best works that we have had since we have bin on this campain. A sollad shot passed an oak tree 20 feet behind our works, which was 2 feet through where the ball passed. I received a Letter & sent out two. A constant skirmishing was cept up all day. & cannonading all day. It was said our shells burnt some houses in Atlanta. We fixed good entanglements of bushes in front of our works & some flank works. We got orders to have roll call at 3 A.M. in the morning. We retired before 9 P.M. & a musket ball fell in my tent near our heads. At about 10 o'clock a brisk skirmishing comenced on our right but soon ceased as it was only a faint charge.

July 25th A.D. 1864. a brisk skirmishing was cept up all night & some cannonading. & a good deal cannonading at a distance on our right. We got up & had roll call after 3 A.M. We drew splendid beef. I heared from George W Evans. He was well & all right. We polieced the camp & put up sharp stakes close togeather out side of our works to ceep the rebels from charging. I writ some. It was a very hot day. We drawed some clothing. It was rumored that our cavelry had destroyed every railroad that came into Atlanta. There was a good deal of cannonading all day & brisk skirmishing. We retired after 8 P. M. & reasted tolerable well.

July 26th A.D. 1864. we got up late & the skirmishing was still goying on & the cannonading on both sides. James C Dunlap come to the camp again & took his plase. Isaac Higgins came over to see me & he is fat & he had went over to see his brother William. & he had bin wounded in the thigh & fell in the hands of the rebels on the 22nd Inst while in the hardest battle the 53rd Regt Ind Vols Inft had ever bin in. We drew 3 days rations. I put my time in at writing. & I read a letter from the Hon Lieut T.C. Batchelor. He was at the Officers Hospital Lookout Mt Tenn. & geting along tolerable well. I writ a letter to Batchelor & sent him 5 letters that had come to the company. We had inspection at 4 P.M. It was cloudy & it denoted rain. It was rumored that the right of our army had advanced & swung around a good deal. The left was still except the cavelry, which was said to be on a raid. We retired after 8 P.M.

July 27th A.D. 1864. it had rained in the night & was still raining. I was detailed for picket. At 5 A.M. a very heavy cannonading comenced on our left. It was thought it was our 20 Pdrs. It lasted several minuts & was cept up at times very brisk. We went out on picket. & the reserve was all out on the line deployed & it was said that the skirmish line was goying to be advanced. & at half past 7 A.M. a brisk skirmishing comenced in our front. & I thought it was only a faint to draw the atention of the rebels for I heared that the 15th, 16th and 17th A.C. had went to our right last night to atack them there. We went out to relieve the pickets. & they did not advance but cept up a very brisk skirmishing to ceep the rebels down. For the line on our left was goying to advance & if the rebels left their skirmish pits in our front we was to go & take them. & a very heavy skirmishing was cept up but no advance was made till 11 1/2 A.M. & then the skirmishers to our left I think run out a little ways & caused a great firing on both sides of cannon & muskets. & at 12 M. we was relieved & went to the reserve. & one of the 17th Ky got seriously wounded in the left knee while laying near the works at the reserve. It was a very warm day & sprinkled rain at times. It rained a good deal at 2 P.M. & we got orders for the pickets to comence a brisk firing at 6 P.M. when the artillery opened & ceep up a good deal of nois. The orders was obeyed. I went out on poast at 7 P.M. & a large fier was seen towards Atlanta. The rebels balls came thick & fast & uncomenly close for night as they hit our works time & again. & we replyed liberly. At midnight I was relieved & went to the reserve & slept some.

July 28th A.D. 1864. we was relieved & we had shot 7000 rounds of cartrages on our detail while on picket. I received a letter from Lt T.C. Batchelor. He was geting along fine. & Captain Howe also. & they expected to get home soon. The news was that Genl Howard took command of the 15th 16th & 17th Army Corps in plase of Genl McFerson & Genl Stanley took command of our corps. & it is said that Genl Hooker was sent to Washington City. I had some washing don. I was very unwell. There was a good deal of cannonading just to our left at about noon & to our right at a distance after 1 P.M. I writ some. I received a letter from Levi P Huntzinger. He was well & had not heared from me but once for two months (till the day he writ he received one of my letters) & then he heared I was wounded. He said he would lots rather be with the Old 79th & run the risk of his life with the other boys than be back in the V.R.C. at Nashville where he could not see a durned rebel or get to shoot at them. For he said he came out to supress rebellion & fight the rebels. But as the surgeons pronounced him unfit for the front on account of his wound he said he could not get to come to us but had to content himself where he was. He sent me paper & stamps & requested me to let him know when I wanted anything. & there was a good deal of cannonading all afternoon on the right at a distance. At 4 P.M. a brisk skirmishing comenced on the left & some yelling. & soon it comenced in our front & right all along the line. & we got orders to fall in & move out. We heared that Genl Howard with his 3 corps was goying in prety heavy. & we had to advance to draw the rebels attention. & we went out to suport the skirmish line which was composed of all regts of our Brig., a detail of each regt. At 5 P.M. we all advanced. The skirmishers had took the rebels skirmish pits but they had another line of pits dug & went in them. & some of our men got killed & some wounded. & our skirmishers captured part of the rebel skirmishers. We built works to protect us. & the pioneers went & changed the rebel pits for our boys. At sundown a brisk cannonading comenced on our left at a distance. Corporal Alexander Stewart of our company was on skirmish line & received a wound in the little finger of his left hand causing it to have to be taken off up in the hand. He was sent to the hospital. Wm D Mitchell of our comp had a hole shot in his hat. & others tuched with spent balls. We came to camp at 8 P.M. & the news was that the rebs had charged Genl Howards force 3 times & was repulsed. & they charged part of the works of the 14th A.C. & was repulsed & charged by our men & driv with heavy loss. There was a brisk cannonading cept up all the time. We retired at 9 P.M. having orders to get up at 3 A.M. in the morning & have roll call.

July 29th A.D. 1864. we got up at reville at 3 A.M. & there had bin a little skirmishing all night & cannonading all along the line. I writ some. The rebels shelled us with large guns suposed to be 64 Pdrs. Peaces of the shells passed through our tents. A brisk cannonading was cept up. & at 10 A.M. we heared a brisk skirmishing to our left. Wever of Comp A 9th Ky was killed at 12 M by a piece of shell while standing in side of the breast works. The rebel shells exploaded near us & sent peaces in every direction. I was very unwell hardly able to be up. We drew 3 days rations. It rained a little. Some of the rebels shells did not expload. & after the powder was extinguished the shell wayed 64 lbs. They looked awful to come at men. It looked impossible for the shells to expload so near us & not hurt us any more than it does. I sent out 2 letters. We retired after 8 P.M.

July 30th A.D. 1864. reville at 3 A.M. & we got up & had rool call & Samuel C Dunlap was sick & I had to take his plase. After 4 A.M. a very heavy skirmishing comenced on our right & some cannonading & part of our Brigade skirmish line was advanced & pits dug & the skirmishing on our right at a distance was cept up all fournoon at times. & a good deal of cannonading & seemingly from large guns. I think our men was advancing their line. I had a pain in my head as I have for several days, comensing after sunup & geting very severe till after noon & then graduly leaves me. It was a warm day. Several of our brigade was wounded yesterday & today. & hardly a day passes but what some of our Brigade gets wounded. It rained a little. The rumor was that our right wing had reached the railroad & that our men had two of the rebels forts. & the one in front was watched so close by our skirmishers that they did not shoot their guns but closed the port holes of the fort. We had orders to be ready for Inspection in the morning at 3 A.M. Genl Woods & Coln Fred Knefler came up & looked at our works & thought they was good anough. & the word was that the rebels had left Genl Howards front & it was thought that they was goying to asault our works. The rebels fired their cannon twice in our front at dark. We heared that our men had captured the rebels pickets or skirmish line & got close to the rebels works & dug pits & had comand of the rebels forts. It was the opinion of the most of the Boys that the rebels would be gon till morning. We retired at 8 P.M.

July 31st A.D. 1864, Sunday. reville sounded at 3 A.M. & we had rool call & there had bin skirmishing & cannonading all night. We had Inspection at 9 A.M. I writ some. It rained & thundered, & was very warm. The rebels shelled us a little. One shell went in the works & exploaded. It was reported from our right that the rebels was suposed to be leaveing. & our pickets in our front reported they thought the rebels was leving. There was a large fire to our left lasting all night. We had orders to get up at reville at 3 A.M. & have roll call & stay up till daylight & if we did not stay up without we was to have our rig on & form in line & stand till day. We slept fine. There was cannonading & skirmishing all night.

 

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August 1st A.D. 1864. reville sounded at 3 A.M. We had roll call. Between 4 & 5 A M. a brisk skirmishing comenced on our right at a distance & lasted several minuts. There was a good deal of cannonading from our guns on the right & some from the rebs. It rained some. We drew 3 days rations. Our brigade & the 1st Brigade pioneers & others went in our rear to build a line of works & it was said that the 23rd A.C. was goying to our right & we was to be left on the left flank. I received a letter. We got orders to get in our rifle pits. Our artillery opened fire on the rebs works at 20 minuts till 4 P.M. A brisk cannonading was cept up till night. & on the right it seemed to be the heviest. & I thought I heared some musketry at a distance. There was a small fire again to our left. We retired after 8 P.M. & slept fine.

August 2nd A.D. 1864, reville as usual at 3 A.M. It rained a little. There was a brisk skirmishing cept up all night. Our Boys have put pins in a large tree just in front of our works clear to the top of the tree. & can have a fair view of Atlanta & the rebels works. I writ some. Sargt Mathew Chandler was sent to Division hospital sick. There was some cannonading & skirmishing all day. I received a half ream of paper from home by mail which come in a nice time, as I was just out. I sent out a letter. I let some of our comp have paper & sold some for money to buy envelops & cept a good portion for my own writing. The news was that some of our cavelry had bin surrounded by the rebels & cut their way out, having went out to draw the atention of the rebels while Genl Stonemen with his Cavelry went toward the railroad to destroy it down toward Maken [Macon]. The 23rd A.C. all went to the right & the cavelry took their places. We retired at 9 P.M.

August 3rd A.D. 1864. reville at 3 A.M. We still heared a little skirmishing & some fiew shots of Artillery. There was a good deal of cannonading on the right at a distance. A prisnor stated that the rebels was moveing their large guns from Atlanta. I received two letters. I writ some & sent out letters. We got orders to fall in line & stack arms & be ready to move out. & I saw some rebel regts moving out & it was said we was goying to charge the rebels works. & at 3 p.m. the artillery comenced firing all along the line & cept up a firing & the rebels did not reply. A rain storm came up. The artillery ceased firing to a great extent. Some of the rebels could be seen leave their pits. There was but little skirmishing. At 10 minuts till 5 P.M. Hasens Brigade skirmishers started & took the rebels skirmish pits. & then amediatly our brigade skirmishers started & Willichs line to our right. & at 5 P.M. the rebel artillery opened on our men. They threw a good many shells & cannester all from small guns. Our skirmishers got the rebels skirmish pits in front of our Brigade. The pioneers comenced changing them amediatly for our boys. The skirmishing cept up very brisk on our right. At about half past 5 P.M. the rebels charged our skirmish line with a line of battle before our pioneers had got don changing the front of the rebels skirmish pits. & our skirmish line was obliged to fall back to the line of pits that they started from & the rebels used more artillery than I have knowed them to use before on this campaign & the sollad shot shells & the cannester raked the ground & woods & passed just over our works & exploaded near us & all around us. & fairly hailed missles of death but we was in the rifle pits behind our works. & the skirmish line in their pits. & there was not many killed & wounded considering all the amount of shooting. Dudley Hudson of Comp B of our regt was seriously wounded in the shoulder. Capt Millers Horse was killed by a sollad shot while standing near head quarters. The rumor was that Genl Scofield was charged by the rebels 5 times & he repulsed them each time & then charged them & drove them. There was brisk skirmishing cept up & cannonading. We retired after 9 P.M.

August 4th A.D. 1864. reville at 3 A.M. There had bin some of our large guns fired all night on our right. The shells seemed to be near town when they exploaded. We drawed 3 days rations. I writ some. At 3 P.M. there was a hevy cannonading comenced on the right at a distance & cept up till 4 P.M. It was so constant & heavy that I think it was one side or the other chargeing. It was thought the rebels was goying to make some demonstrations in our front. Our artillery fired from their works to our left for a while at 6 1/2. We retired after 8 P.M.

August 5th A.D. 1864. reville & roll call as usual. There was some cannonading on our right & skirmishing all along the lines. We cleared & polieced a large scope of ground in the rear of our regt & between our works & the line of sharp stakes. It was a warm day. I received a letter. At 2 P.M. the artillery to our left comenced a brisk firing. & there was a good deal of skirmishing all along the line. & at half past 2 P.M. we got orders to get our rig on & get in the entrenchments & part of our Brigade had went out to suport the skirmish line. & a heavy skirmishing comenced all along the line & yells like one side was chargeing. & the rebels cannons comenced firing rapid. The skirmishing & cannonading ceased to some extent. & at half past 4 P.M. a very heavy musketry & cannonading comenced on our right at a distance. We could just hear the musketry. It continued some time. A brisk skirmishing was cept up all the time till night & cannonading also. The news was that the right wing had swung around across the Maken railroad yesterday & had good works. & the rebels had charged our men several times & had bin repulsed each time. Our boys could see the smoak raising yesterday from their position in the large Poplar tree near our works & we knew there was desparet fighting on the right. Our cars came across the Chattahoochee river today. After noon we could hear them blaring near our lines again. It is said we have large guns coming up on the cars.

The news was very good in the papers from Grants army. They had blew up one of the rebels principal forts mounting 16 guns. & desparet fighting had bin don & our boys had took lines of earthworks & an entire line of entrenchments. This was in front of Petersburg. The explosion seems to have bin a signal, for the paper stated that 120 guns comenced firing as soon as the fort was blew up. & our boys charged the works amediatly. & it was said by the prisnors that our men captured that the rebels would have bin ready to blow our works up in two days but yanks was two smart.

The 1st Div advanced their lines a little for the skirmishers & built a line of works & cept up a very brisk skirmishing on our left. We retired after 8 P.M. & there was heavy guns fired all night on our right.

August 6th A.D. 1864. reville & rollcall as usual. & I was notified that I would not send out the pickets that I had detailed. There was some cannonading & a brisk skirmishing. The rebels fired some shots from their artillery to our left. There was a good deal of cannonading to our right. I writ some & sent out a letter. At 5 P.M. a brisk skirmishing & yelling comenced on our right a little ways. There had bin a good deal of cannonading all along the line all day & very regular to our right. We got orders to get our rig on. & we fell in line & moved to the right along the entrenchments a little way to fill the vacant place where the 19th O.V.I. had left in the morning. The heavy skirmishing was cept up all along the line. The heaviest to our right. The rebels was trying to drive our skirmish line back. It rained some. We returned to our quarters at dark. & it was still raining hard. & there was brisk skirmishing to our left. We retired after 8 P.M. & slept fine.

August 7th A.D. 1864, Sunday. reville & roll call as usual. We furnished Pickets as we had before by detail. We had Comp Inspection at 9 A.M. It was clear & very warm. I writ a letter to George W Evans. We drawed 3 days rations. I writ a letter to R.M. Gosney. I received a letter from home, date June 25th. It had bin lost I supose. It rained some. I sent out some mail. I writ a letter home. There was constant skirmishing all day but not much cannonading. I writ till dark & we retired after 8 P.M. & slept fine.

August 8th A.D. 1864. reville & roll call as usual. It rained a little. Our regt did not send out pickets. I writ some. I mad a requisition for clothing & mad out a morning report. The regt waggon came up & brought the officers velices. We heared that our regt & the 70th Ind was goying back to Indianapolis in this month. It was rumored that we was goying to get payed soon. It was showery all day. We Polieced a good deal & dug a tunnel under our breastworks to draw the water out of our entrenchments. There was some cannonading on the right & skirmishing all along the line. It was said thear was hard fighting on the right last night. I writ a good deal & sent out letters. Our band played the first time for a good while as the rebels had shelled them the last time they played. We retired after 8 P.M. & slept fine. It rained hard.

August 9th A.D. 1864. reville & roll call as usual. Hirum Shipman was sent to the Division Hospital. Our cannon comenced firing to our right at 10 A.M. & to our left but did not fire very rapid but regular. I felt very unwell & had the Diarrhea. I received a letter from Levi P Huntzinger. He was well. I writ an answer & while I was writing every time I heared a cannon fire I made a little mark like this - & writ to Levi what it was for. & there was 665 marks when I got don writing & I writ as fast as I could for the cannons fired so fast sometimes that I could hardly get a word in between the marks. I sent out a letter. The cannonading continued all along the line all day as far as I could hear. It was said that our Batterys was shelling Atlanta. It rained at intervalls all day. I drawed some clothing. I got a par of Trousers for myself. The cannonading had nearly ceased when I retired at 8 P.M.

August 10th A.D. 1864. reville & roll call as usual. & it had rained & was still raining a little. There was a little cannonading & skirmishing along the line. There was considreable cannonading on the right all fournoon. I changed & sewed the Pockets in my Pants. It cleared off & was very warm. We drawed 3 days rations. We only got one days salt meat & the other two beef. It was rumered that all of our army but the 4th 14th & 20th corps had marching orders & that they was goying in the rear of the rebels & let the 4th 14th & 20th corps hold the presant line that the whole army holds now as the works are good. I sewed Pockets in the after noon. I received a letter from hoam & Pa had lost 3 horses. & the 4th one was expected to die soon. He thought that it was caused by some poisen in some oats he had bought.

At 20 minuts till 5 P.M. the rebels comenced using some guns in our front not very large. It was said the rebels was goying to our right. At 5 P.M. a very heavy cannonading comenced on our right seemingly from large guns. It was cept up very brisk for some time. It rained a good shower. There was cannonading on our right till we retired. & every time I was awake during the night I heared the cannons roar & I lay awake about 2 hours & studied. & I think the cannons fired twice to the minut on an average & the guns to our right was large guns. & the reverberation sounded far around in the surrounding country. The firing was don by our batterys.

August 11th A.D. 1864. revelle & roll call as usual. & we heared a brisk skirmishing on our right. We got orders to put our tents all on one side of the Street. We did so & almost all of the Boys put their Buncks up off ove the ground as it was so damp. Hague & I cut poals & made us a bead & got Pine boughs for feathers. We have a splendid bead to lie down on. I drew a lot of clothing & issued it to the Comp. I put my time in at changeing & sewing new pockets in new pants. We heared that our regt & the 9th & 17th Ky was goying back to Marrietta to do guard duty there. But as we have bin out in the service a good while we have long since learned not to believe anything of that kind untill we know it to be so of ourselves. There was some cannonading all day & skirmishing. We retired at 8 P.M. & reasted fine on our new bunck. There was some cannons fired all night.

August 12th A.D. 1864. reville & roll call as usual. There was some cannonading on the right & a good deal of skirmishing. It was a hot day. I put my time in at Changeing & sewing Pockets. At half past 10 A.M. a brisk skirmishing comenced on our right. & our bugler went out. & our skirmish reserve deployed & went in the pits. & at 15 minuts till 12 M. at the sound of the bugles a very heavy skirmishing comenced & some yelling. & some of the rebels left their pits. The rebels artillery was used a little in our front. The skirmishing ceased to some extent till 1 P.M. We drawed cartriges. Our artillery just to our left (which moved near our regt yesterday) fired several times. & I heared cannonading all along the line. & at 3 P.M. the bugle sounded again, the men all being ready in their pits. A brisk firing comenced all along the line & was cept up about an hour. & some rebel artillery was used but not much. I dont know what the intention was in makeing the demonstrations. I stoped sewing & went to writing & night overtook me & I wanted to finish the letter & so I writ on by moonlight & finished my letter & sent it out. The 17th Ky suttler came up. I thought of the last visit I payed to the friends at home was two years ago tonight. It seems a good while ago when I got home & left next night. We retired after 8 P.M. It rained during the night. & some cannonading & skirmishing could be heared all night.

August 13th A.D. 1864. reville & roll call as usual. I sewed some more & hired some washing don for James Hague as he was sick & out of money. & I have bin geting my washing don for some time by a darkey. We got orders to be ready for Inspection till 9 A.M. in the morning. I writ some. We drawed 3 days rations. It was a very warm day. I received a letter & sent out one. Wm Criteser one of my messmates went out a forriageing on the Colonels mule. He went about 10 mile, & got roastening ears & peaches. We had a good mess of corn for supper. Lt Cardell Com'd our comp got the boys some tobaco & is to wait till pay day for pay. The 19th O.V.I. had went to our left before daylight this morning. & 2 Brigades of 2nd Div. It was said the rebels was moving to our left yesterday & teams going with them. I writ & sent a letter to Capt D W Howe. I sit up & taked till 9 P.M. & retired. There was cannonading & skirmishinb all night. The cannons fired very often.

August 14th A.D. 1864, Sunday. reville & roll call as usual & we had a splendid mess of corn for breakfast. We had inspection at 9 A.M. I writ some. It was a very warm day. The boys at the Hospital are geting a little better. We had a good mess of peaches and Crackers cooked up for dinner & they made a good mess. I writ a good deal during the day & I sent out two letters. At 5 P.M. a very heavy cannonading comenced on our right at a distance. It cept up very heavy. We had a mess of corn for supper. There was cannonading till night. We retired at 8 P.M. & there was cannonading all night.

August 15th A.D. 1864. reville & roll call as usual. We had a mess of corn. There was a very brisk skirmishing on our right before revelry & lasted till daylight. It was a very hot day. There was a good deal of cannonading on the right. I writ some & tried to compose the beginning of my camp life, as I did not comence ceeping my Memorandum till the first day of Oct, not thinking of ceeping a memorandum when I started out in the Service. I heared from Levi. He was well. It rained some. We heared that the rebs had advanced & dug pits for the skirmishers in front of the 20th Corps. & our men had also advanced up a little ways & dug pits unbeknowence to each other & when they found it out they went to firing as fast as they could. & the rebels had to get back. That was the firing we heared before reville on the right. I had a very sore Eye. We retired at 8 P.M. & had orders before midnight to get up at 3 o'clock in the morning & get ready to go a forriageing till 4 A.M.

August 16th A.D. 1864. we was awaked at 3 A.M. & got breakfast & was ready to go a forriageing. There had bin a good deal of cannonading & skirmishing all night. At 5 A.M. the bugle sounded & we started & took the Marrietta road and went out to Buckhead & loaded our guns at 7 A.M. & sent out a front & rear guard & we went on turning to the right & leveing the Marrietta road. & we went about 10 miles from camp & stoped at 9 A. M. & the teems went in the fields & went to geathering corn. & we was formed in line of battle across the road & skirmishers sent out in front. Our regt & the 9th Ky was out. We got our haversacks full of corn & carryed them. & one of my messmates got some apples in a sack & corn & got them hawled in a waggon. We started back to camp at half past 10 A.M. & took our time. & some of the Boys saw an oald darkey woman & she said she was 110 years oald. I got two good peaches. It was the warmest day almost emaginable. & we almost swultered. We got to camp at half past 3 P.M. & was very tired & a good many was intierly give out. We drew 3 ears of corn to the man that the waggons brought in. We drawed 3 days rations & some Whiskey & some sanitary goods, dryed apples & pickled Onions. It was said the rebel raiders had took the railroad & blowed up the Tunnel at Tunnel hill near dalton. & our mail did not come in. & it was rumored that our men had captured the largest squad of the raiders. & the others was scattered like lost sheep in the mountains. The rebel news in our papers was that the rebel force at Mobile had surrendered to our forces there with everything, causing a great excitement in Richmond & Atlanta. We retired at 6 P.M. & reasted fine considering the hard tramp we took to get forriage.

August 17th A.D. 1864. revill & roll call as usual. We had a splendid mess of corn & onions. I writ some. It was a very warm day. We had a splendid mess of crackers & apples cooked togeather after which being sweetened resembled an apple Pie. I writ a letter of 5 sheets to the Jeffersonien conserning our last & presant campaign. At half past 3 P.M. a very brisk skirmishing comenced on our right & continued all along the line in our front & it continued a good while. & some of our brigad went out & marched around to show marks of massing our troops & making a demonstration on the rebels works. The rebels used their artillery & so did our men. We had a good supper of the same kind of eatables that we had for dinner. The rumor was that our Corps was goying to move to the right tonight. At 5 P.M. the skirmishing had ceased to some extent. The mail did not come in. There was some considreable cannonading along the line. We retired at 8.

August 18th A.D. 1864. we was awaked at the time of revill in sted of artillery & there had bin artillery moved in the night to make the rebels think that we was massing our troops & was goying to charge. But the order was as usual for them to remain in their pits & fire. At 4 A.M. the bugle had sounded & our men being ready comenced a hevy firing & yelled as if they was making a charge. And it cept up all along the line for some time. & the rebels used their artillery very free & large guns. & our men throwed shot & shell by the tenns & hundreds. & it was said that the reason we did not move was because the cavelry had gone in our plase to the right to tair up railroads & mashines & that was what we was making the demonstrations for. We had a good mess of corn. At 7 1/2 A.M. a very brisk firing comenced on our right. & some of our Brig was marching around to make the rebels think that we was massing our forces in a hollow & some marched way off to our left & built fires like camp fires in the woods. We got orders & went out at half past 9 A.M. & marched twice where the rebels could see us from their works. & then we came back in the rear out of sight. & this was cept up by a regt of each Brigade at a time. At half past 10 A.M. a brisk firing comenced on the right & at 11 A.M. it comenced in our front. & a brisk cannonading was kept up on the right. The mail came in. We had a good mess of corn for dinner. At half past 1 P.M. a very heavy firing & yelling comenced on our right. I writ some. It was a very hot day. There was some cannonading all day & demonstrations. I got an oven & baked some corn Poans out of the meal we drew. We retired after 8 P.M. & reasted fine.

August 19th A.D. 1864. the 19th O.V.I. was up & struck tents & started to the left at 2 1/2. & 3 1/2 A.M. a very heavy cannonading comenced on the right & the bugle sounded forward which was a signal as usual to comence firing. & as the Picket reserve was in the Pits a very brisk firing comenced all along the line & I dont think I ever heared hevier cannonading in my life. It was perfect volleys for about a half hour of tolerable large guns. It was our batterys firing. We drawed 3 days rations Except bread 2 days. There was demonstrations all day on the lines. It was exceedingly warm. We drew shoes. A very heavy cannonading was kept up nearly all the time. I writ some to Levi & Alexander Stewart. Ezra J Hicks came up to the company & was well again. We heared the cars blow. It rained some. At 15 minuts till 5 P.M. a very brisk firing comenced all along the line. & at 5 P.M. we got orders to get our gun & rig & be ready to move. & the hevy skirmishing kept up all along the line till late. We drawed one days rations of warm soft bread. After 6 P.M. the bugle sounded recall & we took off our rig. & we had stewed apples & light bread for supper. Two deserters came in from the rebel line & said the rebels was leveing but so many such reports have passed through camp that we dont credit it as being the truth. We retired to reast after 8 P.M. & slept fine. It rained & stormed in the night & a brisk skirmishing was kept up all night & some cannonading.

August 20th A.D. 1864. we was up at the usual time. & a brisk skirmishing was kept up. & some cannonading on boath sides. I writ some. At 10 A.M. a brisk skirmishing comenced. We was ordered to get our rig on & be ready in a half hour. & we went the same round that we went the other day. It rained hard before we got back. At 15 minuts after 2 P.M. another brisk firing comenced. The mail came in. I received a letter from Lt Thos C Batchelor. He was geting along tolerable well but Capt Howe was very unwell & bed fast nearly all the time. He fears his knee will be stiff & he wont be back with us soon. He seemed to regreat that he could not be with us now & I dont doubt but what he does. For he always was with his company through thick & thin through battle or in camp & he is a man with a heart in him & sympathizes with his company. I also received a letter from Levi. He was well except the heat was using him very bad. He was break out nearly all over with heat. It rained. One of the 59th O.V.I. was killed on skirmish line. The report was that there had bin hard fighting on the right & that our troops had took the Maken railroad & built works & the rebels had charged our men & was repulsed 4 times. The news seems to be very faverable that the Indiana Troops would get to go home this fall. One of the boys got a piece out of the paper in a letter & it stated that Gov Morten had just returned from Washington & had suceeded in making arguments for to have the Indiana troops furloughed home just before the October Election. We have a little Idea of geting to go home this fall. We retired after 8 P.M.

August 21st A.D. 1864, Sunday. it had rained hard in the night. We had orders to be ready for Inspection at 9 A.M. We had Inspection. & I got promition of the Capt commanding the regt to go to the 70th Ind Vols to see my cousin George W Evans & I saw him. He was out on skirmish line. & the rebels & our men did not shoot in their front but traided with each other. Our men did not shoot at the rebels in front of the 20th Corps. George was well. I stayed about 3 hours & went to see Aaron Hutcheson of Comp I 70th Ind. & he was well. & after a long chat with him I returned at 5 P.M. I saw some 32 Pdrs on our line. & I had crossed the railroad leding from Atlanta to Chattanooga. It rained during the day. There was some cannonading & skirmishing along the line in front of our corps. We retired after 8 P.M. & reasted fine. It rained hard in the night & lightened considreable.

August 22nd A.D. 1864. reville & roll cell as usual. There was a good deal of cannonading on the right. I writ some. We drawed 3 days rations. 2 days hard bread & one days flour. I made a requisition for clothing. I received a letter from my love. She is about well again. We have orders to have roll call 4 times a day, at reville noon retreat & tattoo. I sent out two letters. We retired after 8 p.m. & reasted fine.

August 23rd A.D. 1864. reville & roll call as usual. Our camp had to furnish 3 Pickets. Our Adjutant came up from Chattanooga. He had bin sent back for some necessary papers & books. & he said that Lt S. P. Oyler told him to remember his love to Comp I & the Adjutant said that Oyler was waiting for his papers. He was told by the bord of examiners that he was not able for the service & was advised to resign & they gave him a sertifficate showing that he was not able for the service. & he sent his papers up. & I think he will not fail in geting a discharge. We was notified that Privat Wessley Drake was transferred to the Cumberland Veteran Enjineer Corps on the 15th day of August 1864. I writ some. I don some sewing & got some washing don. I helped the Lt make out some Clothing returns. It was said that Genl Kill Pattrick had returned safe from a raid clear around Atlanta & suceeded in destroying a good deal & 11 miles of railroad & one mail & burning a train of cars & some mills.

The rebels comenced shelling us at 12 M. but our guns soon silenced them. & they was very saucy & cept up a very brisk skirmishing all afternoon. & put the balls close to the pits. One round ball hit a board siting against my tent & knocked the corner of the tent down. We drew beef. We drawed 1 1/2 ears of corn to the man. The 17th Ky had went out 15 miles a forriageing for it. & the most of it was two hard for roastening. We retired after 8 P.M. & slept fine, as the nights ar geting a little cooler now.

August 24th A.D. 1864. reville & roll call as usual. There was 12 men sent from our regt to the Hospital. Among them was James Hague Ezra J Hicks & William Holdcroft of our company. The Doctier told them to report to the Div Surgeon in charge & that they was sent back to have transportation in case we should move. & so I expect we are goying to make a move soon. I hated to see Hague leve. For he is a good soldier & him & I have always buncked & messed togeather when with the Comp & I fear he will not be with the company soon again as his breast is affected very much. I writ some. I sent out mail. I received a Pr. of Suspenders from home. It was a warm day. We had orders to have 60 rounds of Cartridges to the man. There was some cannonading to our right. The news was that our corps was goying to Allabama. A Lieut of the 19th O.V.I. was killed by a stray ball passing through camp. There are hundreds passes. & it is a wonder that is not more gets hurt. The Lieut was burried in the honors of war. One of the Boys went to see the sick at the hospital & Hicks was worse & Hague & Holdcroft was goying to be sent back to the rear. & Hague sent word to read all of his letters from Franklin & not let anyone know the contents of them. & when he would stope he would write to me. I was loansome all day without Hague. There was preaching at night in our regt. The text will be found in Isah 55th Chapt 7th Verse. While we was assembled to listen at Gods word explained it made me reflect & think of the times I had listened at home to many sermons. Only the distant rumbling of artillery firing & the skirmishing just in front almost drowned the speakers voice unless we was very close to him. We retired after 8 P.M.

August 25th A.D. 1864. reville & roll call as usual. I writ some. We drawed 3 days rations & meat to do 4 days. It was said the rebels has left the front of the 1st Div of our corps & that the Div has advanced a little. It was said that Corps head Quarters was being mad ready to move. & we expect a move soon if this be true. It rained. We drew whiskey. Some how or other Orderly Charles Maney & Sergt Joseph Hodges got into a fuss & fought & caused a great excitement. James C Dunlap was sent back to the hospital.

I received a letter from James [Huntzinger]. He was very unwell & very much affected & reduced by the affects of his leg. He said Paw had bin sick & one of the little girls & Maw. & James had mad arangements to clerk in a store if he had not took worse with his leg. 5 letters came for Lt T.C. Batchelor. & I had directed them once before to the hospital. & they came back. & I sent them back to him in new envelops & writ a little to him. Our artillery fired a fiew shots just before dark & Head Quarters was taken down & we was ordered to take down our tents very quiet & build no fires when ordered to take them down. At 8 o'clock we got orders to strike tents & the bugle sounded tattoo as usual & the taps. & the band had played. At 10 o'clock we started & marched to the rear till we was out of hearen of the musketry & not a shot of artillery was to be heared along the whole line. We marched a little ways & then stop. & we worked along that way about 4 miles. & it was very mudy & we stoped at 3 o'clock to sleep.

August 26th A.D. 1864. we got up after sunup & eat breakfast & heared some skirmishing & the rebels shelled us. Their shells went a good ways over us & some lit in line with us. It was said that all of our troops had pooled off from the line & we did & was moving to the right. At 7 A.M. we got orders to build works in our front as it looked favorable that the rebels might try to follow us. & we believe in being ready at all times. There was prety constant cannonading on our right a good ways off. It was a very hot day. At 15 minuts till 9 A.M. we got orders to get ready to move. & we saw troops goying to our right part of the time on the run. It was thought there was considreable fighting on our right from the cannonading. Before 10 A.M. we started in rear of 2nd Div. & it was the hotest & hardest marching that I think we ever don. For it nearly killed us to march so fast & hard with our loads & no sleep the night before worth naming. The boys played out very fast. & over half was back. The whole army had moved to the right & was building works. & we passed where the 16th Corps was puting up works for the left flank. We stoped an hour at noon for dinner. It rained. & we went about 10 miles to the right the way we marched. We marched through lines of entrenchments two numerous to mention & we stoped at half Past 4 P.M. to camp in rear of the 23rd Corps. I received 3 letters. One from a friend one from Levi P.H. He was well. One was from my Ladie friend a School Miss which was very encouriageing & heart touching & from as good a union Ladie as can be found. She said she only wished to corrispond with me to Encouriage me & all soldiers & if possible to caus my time to Glide more pleasantly away & no one knowes what joy & comefort it gives the soldiers to receive letters from affectionate ones & true union friends. We retired after 8 P.M. & it rained in the night.

August 27th A.D. 1864. reville at the usual hour. We got up & it rained very hard & there had bin teems & troop passing for some time & the 15th Corps was moving to the right. We got orders to get ready to march & that our regt was in front of our corps & they wanted no stragling to the front. & we was to march 40 minuts & reast 20. & flankers was detailed. We started at 8 A.M. & went back the way we came a little way & then took the Sand Town road. & it was a tremendous warm day & very muddy. & so swultry that we could hardly march at tall. We heared skirmishing on our left at 11 A.M. & we stoped. There was cavelry to our left & front & 2 pieces of artillery in rear of our regt. The firing cept up in our rear or left flank aperantly. We moved further to our right & fronted & took Position on a hill on the right at 12 M having come 5 miles. We built works in a hurry. & saw the rebels moving in our front. We heared the artillery firing to our left. The skirmishing cept up. The boys got corn & got dinner. Mitchell & Richardson was very unwell & had a pass to march at will. We built tolerable good works. & after 5 P.M. we got orders to go out with gun & rig on a recoinnoissance & we started. & our artillery to our left fired some. & we went to the front. Our regt & 9th Ky with skirmishers deployed & we advanced near a mile & not a shot was fired in our front which was very unexpected as the rebels had just left. We stayed till the 2nd Div of 4th A.C. took position behind us & relieved us. & we returned to our works at 8 P.M. & heared a fiew shots of muskets to our left.

I received a letter from my true love & some thread & needles. & one from home. They was all a little better but was sick yet. & James was not expected to get over his severe sore leg. We also received 2 papers sent from Franklin Ind sent to "My Comrads Comp I 79th Ind Vols" & they was from Capt Howe. We retired after 9 P.M. & reasted fine.

August 28th A.D. 1864, Sunday. reville as usual. It was cleer & a little cooler than usual. Corp George Andrews James P Johnson Wm D. Mitchell & William A. Richardson was unwell & excused from duty by the Dr. At 7 A.M. we got orders to be ready to move amediatly. There was cannonading to our left & some skirmishing. We did not move & troops went to our front & left. It was a very hot day. It was rumored that the rebels had atacked the 20th Corps at the railroad Bridge & was repulsed. But the report is not credited as truth. We looked every minut to move. The boys of the regt kept up a battle with cobbs nearly all day. It was sport for them to charge each other. I put my time all in at reading & would have writ some had I not expected to move at any minut all day. At 5:15 the Bugle sounded to the colors & we fell in. & at 6 P.M. we started & marched back the way we came in about a mile & stoped to wait till the train moved out as our Brigade was in rear of the Corps & was Corps train guards. I told the boys that I thought our present raid would result in the capture of Atlanta & the defeat of Genl Hood & army. For I knew they had to give up Atlanta & come to stop us from destroying the Macon railroad. & then we would destroy their army. & when Atlanta was given up & we have the place, I think we will get to go home to vote. & the boys nearly all laugh at my future views but I tell them to take notice to what I said. We started about 8 P.M. & marched over hills Hollows & muddy branches stoping every fiew steps. The boys was so awful Mischievious they was crowing & barking & all the nois of Animals & fowls was to be heared with the Exception of some. We stoped with the Brigade at 12 O'clock (midnight), having marched about 3 miles. We retired to reast.

August 29th A.D. 1864. we got up at sunup & it was cleer. The bugle sounded & we started at 7 A.M. & went a little ways & stoped & drawed 3 days rations in a big hurry & had orders to leave everything except guns & acoutrements & Rubber Blankets. & we was goying on a little raid to tar up the Macon railroad. We started at 9 A.M. & stacked our knapsacks along the road & we got to the Montgomery railroad & the troops was tarring it up & burning the ties & heating the iron rails. We took the railroad toward the junction of the Macon & Montgomery railroad near East Point. & we heared a brisk skirmishing in front. & we stoped at 12 M & went to upseting the railroad. We turned it upside down & then piled the ties & put the iron rails on them & built a fire under them & bent them. At 1 P.M. we started back to camp & we went in the rear of the front line where they had works built. & stoped in the woods at 3 P.M. having marched about 5 miles. It was cleer & very warm & dusty. It was said that the army of the Tennessee had started to tair up the Macon railroad today. Thomas Fessler of 63rd Ind Vols Inft came to see me & we had a chat. I received a gay letter from Lt R. M. Gosney. He was well. The Boys got a hog. We retired after 8 P.M.

August 30th A.D. 1864. we was ordered to get breakfast & be ready to move. We got orders to make our 3 days rations do us 4 days. The news was that the whole army was on a move this morning. We heared the Genl sounding. We heared that we was goying to stop Communicating with the 20th A.C. who are still at the railroad bridge at the Chattahoochee river & no mail or anything was to be sent either way. We started at 7 A.M. & straitened out our Brigade & waited for other troops to pass till 8 A.M.& then marched out the road to the Montgomery railroad & turned toward East Point & went but a little way at a time & then stop. & at 10 A.M. we heared some cannonading a good way off to the right & front. We was on the extream left & stoped at 3:30 P.M. & formed in line of battle having marched about 5 miles through a tolerable but poor country. It was a very hot day & dusty. At 4:30 P.M. we started again & marched to the right a mile & went in line of battle & stoped for the night at 5:30 P.M. We stoped & took a position on a ridge as the rebels was reported to be advancing on our flank & had stacked our train but it did not amount to much. We was just don eating our good mess of corn when the bugle sounded to the colors. & we fell in & started at 7 P.M. & went to the front further & took position on a ridge & built works. & it was said the rebels was close in our front. We retired after 9 P.M. & slept fine.

August 31st A.D. 1864. reville as usual. We was ordered to get breakfast amediatly. It was cloudy. We could hear the rebels cars & could hear their train of waggons & could see them from the top of the trees. We could hear skirmishing in front & after 7 A.M. our artillery comenced shelling the rebels train from our right a little ways. We strengthened our works & about 9 A.M. we started & moved to our front a little ways & formed in line of battle & built a line of works. & we saw the rebels running across the open field in front of our skirmishers driving them. Our regt was ordered on skirmish line or Picket. & I went out but was sent back as the orderlys was left back & a report was to be made out the same as a muster. We soon saw the skirmishers advancing & not so much firing was to be heared when we first formed our line. The line got out a good way. & our artillery ceased firing. & we got orders to march. & we advanced a little. & the rebels had left a good line of works. & we stoped at a mill & got dinner & the boys got to grinding corn & wheat & got Honey. It was a very hot day. We started at 2 P.M. & heared brisk skirmishing & heared the cars blow. Our regt had marched a good ways deployed as skirmishers & was relieved & came to the road. They found some womans clothing & wheat in the weeds so we could not find it. As the rebels had told them that we would destroy them & everything we came to. The boys took the clothing to the house & gave it to the girls. & they told why they hid it. We moved on slow & at 4:45 P.M. the cannons to our left fired several shots. & a very brisk skirmishing was kept up till we got near the Macon Railroad & stoped after 5 P.M, having come over 3 miles. & our men was taring the railroad up. We moved around & formed our lines & put up our line of works. It was a good line of works with bushes cut down in front & a wier stretched to trip the rebs. It was said by the Citizens that two corps of the rebels had went down the railroad to Jonesboro. & the rest stayed at Atlanta. We was ordered to lay with our guns by our side & be ready to get up at a moments notice as we was expecting an atack. We retired after 8 P.M.

 

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September 1st A.D. 1864 reville early as usual. & the 1st Div & Pioneers was all goying out to tar up the railroad. There was cannonading all night on our right several miles distant. & from 3 A.M. it was tolerable heavy & seemingly from tolerable large guns. We went to strengthening our works against heavy artillery. & the cannonading to our right ceased. & at 7 A.M. we got orders to stop work & get ready to move amediatly. We did not start. The cannonading soon comenced again on our right. At 8:30 A.M. we started to the right. Our company was sent out as flankers. & we marched about 2 miles & stoped near the 14th A.C. in mass after 10 A.M. The 14th A.C. said the rebels had atacked the army of the Tennessee 3 times & was repulsed with heavy loss. We started soon again & went nearer the cannonading on the right & stoped at 12 M. & heared skirmishing to our left in front & cannonading not far to our right. We got orders to make coffee if we wanted it. & at 1:30 P.M. we heared a very hevy skirmishing on the line in front & some artillery. & we started amediatly & got to the Macon Railroad. & it was tor up & a burning & we went to the right & stoped at 2 P.M. & turned the railroad upside down & piled the cross ties & layed the iron on them & built fire under them to heat & spring them. & there was no road left from where we tore the road up yesterday to where we tore it up today. The cannonading to our right could still be heared. & sometimes very heavy by volleys. The Boys got corn & sweet Potatoes & some honey. At 5 P.M. we started & heared hevy musketry in front & the artillery seemed to be spiting cannister at our men from the way they roared. & there was hard fighting from the way the musketry roared. & it was said that it was the 1st Div & part of the 14th A.C. for they had bin Passing as we was destroying the railroad. We heared yells & at 6 P.M. we heared a great cheer rais & the firing ceased. & the boys said that is yanks for we know it was by the yells & charge. & we stoped & stacked arms. As we was advancing down the rail-road & heared the fighting it made the blood run fast & warm in our veigns & the Boys seamed to want to get to the front where we could help rout the rebs. There was hevy Skirmishing soon comenced & cept up seemingly geting further away. At 6:10 a very heavy firing comenced again but did not last long so heavy & several cannon could be heared in front & to our right. & some shells & shot came right over us & some lit in our Brigade. At 6:15 a brisk skirmishing comenced on our left in front. It was the 23rd corps. Our Batterys fired some but I think there was Poor Positions for our Batterys. There was several went to the front to hunt positions. At 6:40 P.M. a very heavy fighting & yell comenced & did not last long. The cannonading grew brisker. & at about 7 P.M. we started & the cannonading ceased. & we went to the front & went off to the left a good ways & took Position having marched about 6 miles. We stoped in rear of other troops & eat a bite of supper & retired after 9 P.M. Soon we got orders to be ready to move in a half hour & we was ready & then the order was countermanded & we retired having orders to be ready to move before daylight in the morning before breakfast. A little after 10 O'clock in the night I awoke & heared vary heavy cannonading on the right I thought. And it was a good way off. & I got up & saw a great light where the firing was. & the flash of the guns lit the sky like distant lightening. & the cannonading increased till it was hevier than I have heared before in my life. & it seemed impossible for artillery to make such a poping so fast & so numerous that scarsly a distinction could be made between the reports. & not a shell could be heared expload. & I thought it must be cannister shot at short range from the sound it seamed like I could hear volleys of musketry. It lasted a good while. & we was ordered to get our things Packed & be ready to move in case of an Emergency. After 2 o'clock the cannonading ceased a little & we was told to lie down again. It was my opinion that the rebels found that we was swinging the left around so far that they thought that they could drive our right back. & I think they failed & I think till morning they will be all gone or if not they will be prisnors before dark & desperat fighting. For the rebels works lay parelell with the railroad on our right & the army of the Tennesee in their front in good works & our line lay across the road, with the left wing swinging up a good way & more men to go around. The sky was clear. & a good many of our boys was so turned around that they thought the hard fighting was in our rear & that it was the rebels came down from Atlanta & atacked our left flank which turned back from the front to protect our rear & trains. But I knew there must be good works where the guns was firing so or they could not have stayed so long & resisted a charge or sucessive charges. Some thought it was muskets firing a little way off but I could not hear it that away to save my life.

Sept 2nd A.D. 1864. we was awaked up before 4 A.M. & heared skirmishing in front. & we got ready & started out to our left to picket on our flank. It rained a little. & there was very heavy cannonading on the right again for a little while. But it seemed to be more in direction of Atlanta than the army of the Tennessee. Just at daylight our skirmishers comenced yelling & firing. & our cannons fired in front of our Brigade. & the news soon came that the rebels had left. & we heared a car blow. Our boys saw a hospital that our skirmishers had captured last night. & we had came in the rear of the rebels & had night not overshadowed the earth we would have bin very apt to have captured nearly all the rebels army that is hear. The rumor was that the 14th corps captured 500 Prisnors & a battery. We got orders to move before breakfast. & we did not start till after 7 A.M. & our Pickets that went out had got close to the rebels. & Capt Dunbar Com'd our regt had went out to Post the Pickets & is suposed to be captured as he was last seen a fiew feat out side the line looking out a better position. He was a respected officer. We went back to where we was laying in the field last night when the rebels shelled us. & drawed 3 days rations to do 4 days. We eat breakfast. Wm. Criteser had sprained his foot & had to ride in the Ambulance. & the report was that the heavy cannonading that we heared last night was the rebels blowing up their Arsnal & Magazines & Ammunition in Atlanta. It was nearly clear & very hot. At 9 A.M. we started. Capt Ritter took command of our regt. We passed through a line of rebels works & along the railroad. & there had bin hard fighting. For our boys had charged clear up on the rebels temporary works in the woods. & the bushes was mowed down. Some of our boys was being burried. & lots of dead rebels was laying clear from the works to town. We got near Jones Boro & reasted while other troops was passing. & we marched in town (Jones Boro) the County Seet of Claton County at 10 A.M. It has bin a nice little town situated on the Atlanta & Macon railroad 21 miles from Atlanta & 81 miles from Macon. We stacked arms & soon started on. & there was some cannonading in front & some back towards Atlanta. I think the 20th Corps is following the rebels up from Atlanta. It was very hot & dusty marching. I saw figs growing. We stoped at 12 M. & eat a little & started at 1 P.M. & soon heared brisk skirmishing in front & a car blowed. & the artillery rushed up double quick. & soon we heared artillery firing. & we stoped on the railroad, as there was troops in front of us. & we moved slow down the road & turned to the left in the field. & the rebels could see us & shelled us hard. For a sollad column & a battery was moving side by side. & they don us dirt. A piece of shell hit Kersons foot of Comp E but did not hurt much. & a piece of a shell hit Adjutant Dunn on the right ride of his head severly wounding him & knocking him off his horse at 3 P.M. After 3 P.M. we formed in line of battle a good way to the left of the railroad in the woods. & there was a brisk cannonading at times. We moved further to the left East & stacked arms a little while. George Anderson could not ceep up & got a pass from the Dr. to march at will. At 4:30 we throwed out a very hevy skirmish line & started to advance by division to the front. & we marched that away stoping at times untill we went near a mile. & the skirmishers had bin skirmishing very brisk. & the way we was marching the rebels fired nearly length ways our lines, as we had formed in line of battle again. & we was ordered to halt just as we came near where the rebels had cut down bushes for entanglement. & Capt Miller (Kneflers Adjutant General) was instantly killed. & the same ball wounded Lt Colchlasier Q.M. of our regt on Kneflers staff. The 1st Division of our Corps was on our left. & at 12 minuts till 6 P.M. they charged the rebels skirmish Pits which was good ones with head logs on them. & at 10 minuts till 6 P.M. our regt & 9th Ky our left & 19th O.V.I. to our right had orders to advance & we started to charge & we charged through the Entanglement about 200 yards to the rebels skirmish Pits & captured some & came to a corn field where the corn was partly geathered & blades Pooled & we advanced as fast as we could go with yells to the top of a little ridge where we was in fair view of the rebels strong line of works. & the rebels poured a very heavy & deadly volley of musket balls into us. & their Artillery Played very fast on us. & we layed down a little down from the top of the ridge. & some fiew went on down inwith a fiew yards of the rebels works. We fired a fiew times. & after the rebels fired several times or volleys our right began to fall back as it was two hard for them. & none had advanced as far as we had. & so we knew we could not stay there. & after the Most of the boys got back & the firing ceased a little ( as I knew they would fire at the bigest squad that run back) I got up & run back a little ways & then hunted our regt & there was but 3 of comp I to stack arms at dark as the rest had got scattered around but soon came in one by one but none of our comp was hurt which was very unexpected to me as 7 of us started in the charge. & Wm A Richardson was one among the ones that went so far to the front & Colonel Cram of the 9th Ky. & they saw one of our boys desert & run in the rebels line & the rebels yelled & laughed. & our Boys could hear them talk. & after dark they sliped away one by one till they all got away. & I was glad to see Richardson come up smiling. Orderly Charles Eaton of Comp E was severly wounded in the right arm & Sert Cotten of Comp D severly wounded in knee. & Ellingwood Company K was wounded in the leg. The 9th Ky suffered considreable. Lt Colonel Baley of 9th Ky was severly if not mortaly wounded in his thigh. & Colonel Manderson of 19th O.V.I. was wounded in back severly if not mortaly. & Genl Wood was wounded in ankle or foot & road some time before he went back. & the talk is that Genl Wood & Genl Stanly requested Coln Knefler to take charge of the Div & he ast for someone else to take the plase & was ordered to take command & had to obey without any more words. & Colonel Stout of 17th Ky took Comd of our Brig. We built a line of works as far as we could in the woods & retired to sleep with rig on & gun by our sides expecting to be called up before daylight. We had marched about 8 miles to where we stop.

Sept 3rd A.D. 1864. we was awaked about 3 A.M. & the rebels was firing very low over our works. & we went to strengthening our works. & it rained hard. & we got tolerable good works & there was a very brisk skirmishing kept up. & the rebels had sliped up as close as they could & made skirmish Pits & we heared them working at their works. At 7:30 the rebels comenced shelling us. & Corporal Robbert C Hiser of Comp A was found this morning wounded. The news was that Adjutant Dunn was dead. & the word was that our men had charged all along the line yesterday evening to our right & that they was not sucessful in carring the works. It was rumered that the rebels from Atlanta had formed a junction with those in our front. There was some shots came very close to us. They came under our head log & passed through tents & rubber Blankets. One of the 13th O.V.I. which lays just to our left was wounded & one of the 19th O.V.I. to our right. I was told that two of the 19th was killed & 9 wounded & some mortaly. & 16 killed & wounded in the 9th Ky. & some of the 17th Ky was wounded. & I think there was not a regt in our Brigade but what lost some men in the Charge that we was in, as lots got wounded in the rear line. It was a very warm day. & we got very good shellproof works till noon. It was rumored that our campaign was ended now. It was rumored that McLellon was anominated for president & Pennilton of Ohio for vice President. Also that Peters Burgh was ours & that our Div had orders to start back to Atlanta tonight at 1 o'clock. We heared a great many cheers given on the right. 3 distinct cheers each time. It rained hard & we put up our tents. Our batterys to our left opened on the rebels at 2 P.M. We was notified that Jas Cotten was a patient in Jeffersonville U.S. Genl Hospital. The word came that Orderly sergt Charles Eaton, Comp E had his arm amputated & Privat Hiram Ellingwood Comp K had his leg Amputated. We could see the rebels plain from our line of works. & they was working at their works & throwing dirt over their works. At about 3:30 P.M. some of our artillery that had took Position to our right opened fire on the rebels & kept up a very brisk cannonading till night. We got word that the mail would go out but ove course we had no letters writ. Our Boys have the way cleared now between hear & Atlanta. & there was a dispatch sent from Atlanta stating that the rebels had destroyed by fire 80 carloads of amunition & had abandoned their siege guns failing to destroy them. & our men went in & took the town. We drew beef. Geo Andrews & Wm Criteser went back to get transportation back to Atlanta, as we was looking to move back. The pickets had orders not to shoot unless the rebels advanced, as we did not know whether we would get to go back tonight or not. & if we did not go till tomorrow night they could not tell so well when we left the line as if a brisk firing was kept up. We retired after 8 P.M. The rebels fired very brisk & very low over our works. It rained.

Sept 4th A.D. 1864, Sunday. we got up at day light. & Micheal Oconal of Comp A was wounded in thigh. & a great many of our regt run narrow escapes. Being in their tents & balls passing through their tents & Cloth & hats & miss them not more than an Eighth of an inch. Some of the 19th O.V.I. was wounded. The rebels are but a very little distance from us. It seems to be but 150 yards. Our artillery just to our right a fiew yards fired regular. One of the 13th O.V.I. was killed & we had to stay in our entrinchments to be safe. One of the 19th O.V.I. was killed. & some of the 9th Ky wounded. In fact I dont believe there is a regt in our Brigade but what has lost some men. For we are nearer the rebels main works than ever before. & I dont think we was Ever so much exposed to their fire in any Camp before. & it is so nearly all along the line. As some of the boys was along the line & saw men killed & wounded every little while. Our batterys shot Cannister & case shot at the rebels & could see them moving around & ove course their loss must be as severe as ours. & no dout but a great deal worse. It was a very hot day. The rebels kept up a brisk firing & threw a fiew shells & yelled. & it was thought they was goying to atack us this evening or tonight. & we drew amunition. We had strict orders if there was an alarm they should all get in our Places every one without any order as the rebels would not have far to come when they started. We started [retired?] after 8 P.M.

Sept 5th A.D. 1864. we was awaked at 3:30 A.M. The mail came in. I received a letter from Capt D.W.Howe. He was not geting along very well & said he was sorry to inform me that the Dr. told him he would have to resign. & that he thought that Lt Thos C Batchelor would not be able to come to the Company any more. & he requested me to take an interest in the well fare of the boys as a good deal of responsibility would reast on me. He sent a lot of stamps to the boys & requested the boys to write to him. I writ some. & was somewhat anoyed by the rebels shooting so much. Our artillery fired often on all day. It was a very hot day & threatened rain. The order came for Every man to have 60 rounds of Cartridges & stop work on the breast work & quit fortifying their tents. & some artillery Pooled off ove the line. & so we expect to leave after dark. We drew 3 days rations of Bread meat Coffee Shugar & salt. & it rained very heard & stormed & I got wet before I got through with the rations. Our batterys to our left fired very rapidly. & some all along the line. The rebs threw a good many shells to our left. We got orders to get ready to march at 8 P.M. & at dark we struck our wet tents & sit in the rain till about 8:30 P.M. & then started as still as we could & Lt Burns comenced Acting Adjutant. & we moved through the woods where had bin roads cut & it was mudd nearly knee deep & we had such a load & it was so dark that it nearly killed us [what] we did. We only moved a fiew rods & stoped to wait for others to get out of the way. I think our brigade was in rear of the whole army except the Pickets. We set down & reasted once. & then finaly lost the sound of musketry in distance & marched through Jones Boro & stoped at 5 A.M. of the 6th [Sept.]. It was daylight & we had marched about 9 miles. & it was said by many that it was the hardest marching that we had ever don.

Sept 6th A.D. 1864. I layed down at 5:30 having marched all night & slept 3 hours & awoke & was laying in the sun. & I heared some cannons fire in the rear or the way we came from the rebs. I judge the rebels have followed us up. I saw a good deal of Cotten burning. We got orders at 10:30 to be ready to move. & at 11 A.M. we formed our lines near& put up a good line of works. We heared skirmishing in front or to the left of Jones Boro. We heared some cannonading. It was very hot & rained. We got orders to be ready to march at daylight in the morning. The sick & those who have poor shoes was ordered to start on & take their time to it. & Wm. D. Mitchell got a pass & went & Andrews & Criteser had passes to march at will. & it may be they got transportation. It rained hard. We put up tents. We retired before 8 P.M. & reasted fine.

Sept. 7th A.D. 1864. reville at 3 A.M. & I awoke the Boys to prepair for the march. The mail came in. I received a large letter from James. It had bin writ some time. & had bin opened. The Genl sounded at 6 A.M. & we started at 6:30 A.M. & went to the railroad & marched tolerable brisk reasting ocasionly. I heared the 23rd corps cheering a great deal. I distroyed some of my ammunition as I was loaded with two much for a man to carry. It was cloudy but warm. We turned to the right of the railroad at 10 A.M. We eat a good deal of shuger cain that we got along the road. We stoped at 12 M. & formed in line of battle to camp having marched about 10 miles. & we was 7 miles from Atlanta. & this morning when we started we was 21 miles by railroad from Atlanta & 17 by dirt road. We put up tents & it was the first time we might say for 4 months that we stoped to camp & heared nor feared no rebels balls. The boys was merry & full of fun. I received a letter from Levi P. He was well & had received a letter from home that Pa & Ma was very sick. & James was not expected to live. We got 125 Envelops & 144 sheets of paper. It was sent to the boys of Comp I. & we supose that Capt Howe sent it. We got news that the rebel Genl John Morgan was killed & fell in our mens hands at Newburgh Ky while on a raid in that state. & that the railroad between Chattanooga & Stevenson Alla was destroyed by the rebel raiders. I writ some & sent a letter home. we retired after 7 P.M. & reasted fine.

Sept 8th A. D. 1864. reville sounded as usual. We got ready to march. We got orders that we would march at 7 A.M. The Genl sounded before 7. But the boys was all ready. At 7:30 we started & strung out & wated for the 1st Div to pass till 8:30 A.M. Then started & marched very moderat. & had orders for every man to march in his plase. It was cool & cloudy. & at 9 A.M. it comenced sprinkling rain a little. At 10 minuts till 12 M. we passed through the rebels line of works in rear of Atlanta. We stoped at 12 M & counted off in Companys of 14 men & had orders to carry our guns proper & ceap step & put on a little stile goying through town. & had the order "on the right in to line" "March" & "guide left". & I was a left guide & did not see very much of town but what little I noticed I think it has bin a nice town. Atlanta is the County Seet of Fulton County. We kept step with the band which was just in front of our regt as we was in front of our Div. & we went to the depot & saw our cars in town. & several citizens was in town. We took the Decature railroad & saw where the rebels had burnt 4 locomotives & a great nomber of cars which had bin loaded with small arms & amunition. & of all the pieces of shells & sollad shot that lay scattered over the ground I never saw the like in my life. For they had burnt the cars & the ammunition blowed up. & that is the nois that we heared that night of the 1st of Sept. We saw some shells or torpedoes that looked like they was 11 or 12 inches in diameter. & we saw houses that had cannon balls holes in them & lots was burnt to the ground. We passed through the rebels lines of works at 1:30 P.M. & saw where they had bin fighting. & we came to our works where McPhersons forces had bin on the left. We stoped & formed in line for camp at 2:30 P.M. about 2 miles from town. Having marched about 10 miles the way we came. & we have marched about 244 miles since we left Cleveland* besides the forriage trips. & it was a beautiful sight to see us march through town. We layed off camp. & Wm. Criteser Wm. D Mitchell & Geo Andreson came up. They had passes to march at will. & James C Dunlap came up. We was told it was expected we would stay in camp a while. & we put tents temporary for the present time. & Hague, Hicks & Shipman rejoined the company. We retired after 8 P.M.

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* In Tennessee April 16. See Chapter 6

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Sept 9th A.D. 1864. reville as usual. It was clear. We had orders to poliece & fix up good tents or buncks which the boys ove course was already doing. James Hague & I put up tents togeather again & put split rails for our bunck & pine boughs for feathers. I writ some & had a good many reports to make out. It was a warm day. Wm. Holdcroft rejoined the company. We drew 3 days rations, 3/4 bread & 1/2 shuger. We drew some White fish & pickle cabbage. Sergt Dunlap took his plase again & comenced doing duty. We got orders to have roll call at reville in the morning. & Police our quarters just after roll call. We retired after 8 P.M. & reasted as well as if we had bin on a bed of feathers.

Sept 10th A.D. 1864. reville at day light. We Policed the quarters & eat breakfast. I went to writing. Some fiew of our regt went to Chattanooga after beef cattle. We drew whiskey & vinegar. The rumor is that our Div is goying to be stationed _____in ____ Atlanta. & Genl Woods com'd the Post. Some of the boys went to town & bought light bread at 5 cts Pr loaf. & we had a good meal of it. The Pioneers bult a line of works in front of our camp. I writ nearly all day & sent out mail but it only goes to Chattanooga as the railroad is not repaired yet between Chattanooga & Stevenson Alla. We drew beef & had roll call at 8 P.M. & retired after taps.

Sept 11th A.D. 1864, Sunday. reville at day light. & we Policed acording to orders. It was a beautiful morning. & the nights are cool & pleasant evenings & mornings. I writ some. We had company Inspection at 9 A.M. I writ some more. & at 10:30 A.M. we was notified that there would be Preaching in our regt quarters amediatly. & we collected in the shade & heared the 1st & 51st Psalms read & a short but heart touching & sensible Prair from a Privat soldier of Bridges Battery. & then he preached a good sermon John the Evangelist, 11th Chapt & 35th vr. His ides was good & he spoke well. & I think such sermons would be a benefit to our regt if we heared them oftener. I writ some in the after noon. I received a letter. & some of the boys received a Jeffersonian & the letter that I had writ on the 17th while before Atlanta was in the Paper but they had not printed but little over half of what I writ. I dont know the reason they did not write all except it was because they did not have room for as lengthy a letter as mine was. We drew cloth. I sent out mail. At night there was a splendid sermon preached in our quarters from Pauls Epistle to the Romans, 1st Chapt & 16th ver. & then a good Exertation. 4 men & my self was detailed of our company for Picket to report at 8 A.M. in the morning. We retired after tattoo & roll call as usual.

Sept 12th A.D. 1864. reville at 3:30 A.M. We got up & went out on Picket at 9 A.M. & I went out with first relief & was relieved at 1:30 P.M. & then I writ two letters. They drew 5 days rations in camp & brought our suppers out. They drew a good many onions & potatoes. I went on Central Post after 9 P.M. & was relieved at 1:30 in the morning. The moon shun & it was a beautiful time to Picket & not a shot was fired & it was quite differant & pleasant to what it had bin for the last 4 month. I layed bown after 2 o'clock.

Sept 13th A.D. 1864. I awoke after sun up. It was a beautiful day. We was relieved at 9:30 A.M. & went to camp. I received 4 letters. & a paper from S.P. Oyler. I writ some. The camp was ditched. I sent out 4 letters & we received mail again & I received 3 more letters. Two was from home & they was geting better & had moved to Union County in Iowa to their place that Pa had bought. I was very glad to hear from home for I was very uneasy. We heared that Lt T C Batchelor had leaf of absence 60 days from the 7th of this month. Dunlap Criteser & Shipman made application for furlough. We spent the evening in singing. We retired after 8 P.M.

Sept 14th A.D. 1864. reville as usual. I & James Hague washed all of our cloth. We drew cloth tents & campe kettles & hatchets. I drew 1 pr shoes. I writ a letter for the Jeffersonian. It was a very warm day. The camp was ditched more. & the dirt hawled out of camp. We had orders to be ready for Genl Inspection of guns & accutrements & cloth till 10 A.M. At 6:30 P.M. the bugle sounded. & we went to the 9th Ky where they had fixed a conveniant Place for preaching. & there was hundreds Preasant & we heared a very nice sermon delivered from Pauls to Agrippa [Acts] 26th Chapt & latter Claws of 28th ver. I reflected & remembered how we use to enjoy such happy seasons in times gon by. & hope the time would soon come when we could come again to our friends & go to the house of god to enjoy those blessings again. It was a beautiful moonlight night. We retired after 8 P.M.

Sept 15th A.D. 1864 reville as usual. I writ nearly all day & sent a letter to Ma & one to a friend. The boys made us a table. We had orders to be ready for dressparaid. & the orders was read that President Lincoln had issued concerning the capture of Atlanta & tendered his thanks to Genl Wm. T Shearman & the officers & men who had bin in the hard marches & battles & sieges to capture Atlanta. & he ordered a salute at a nomber of places to be fired. We retired after 8 P.M. & it was a cool night.

Sept 16th A.D. 1864. we cleaned up our quarters & everything for Inspection. & cleaned up our guns the best we could without sand paper. At 10 A.M. we heared the report of shells exploading or something of that kind seemingly in Atlanta. We had Inspection. I put my time in at writing. I sent out letters. We had dressparaid at 5:30 P.M. & Lieut John Gosney & Daniel Hodley who was promoted from Orderly sergts was on dressparaid for the first time as Lts. The 59th O.V.I. of our Brigade started back to the rear to Tallahoma, as their time is nearly out. At night there was preaching in our regt quarters, from the Genl Epistle of James 5th Chapter & last claus of 16th ver.

Sept 17th A.D. 1864 5 men of our company went out on Picket at 7 A.M. I sewed some at Pockets. I writ & sent out mail. We heared that the railroad was cut at two places. That was the reason we had not got mail for the last 3 days. We drew 5 days rations & a fiew dryed apples & but one days rations of meat. We will get beef for 4 days as we did the 4 last days. A small mail came in. Some of the 3rd Ind Boys came over & took supper with us & stayed all night & for breakfast.

Sept 18th A.D. 1864, Sunday. it was raining & rained often on all day. I writ & sent out mail. & I received a letter that bin on the way a long time. At 3:30 P.M. we heared a sermon preached from the General Epistle of John the 3rd Chapter & 1st & 2nd ver. I heared from Geo W Evans. He was well. We spent the evening at singing till tattoo & then reasted fine.

Sept 19th A.D. 1864. I writ some & sewed some. There is a great deal of talk of us geting to go home to vote this fall. & I think everything looks favorable for us to go home to vote. Thos Robinson, Comp N started home on a 20 days furlough. We drew trousers. I sewed Pockets. I sent out mail. We was ordered to have 4 roll calls a day & dressparade at 5:30 P.M. & all who goes to the city with passes are to return till 5 P.M. It is said the order is to drill. & Capt Ritter said he would drill us when we reasted a little & feal like drill. Other regts drill twice a day.

Sept 20th A.D. 1864. I writ some & got a pass & went & saw the boys of the 22nd & 82nd Ind. & they was all well except Lt Joseph Fraker was not very well. I also saw the 70th Ind. & Geo W Evans was well. & I went & saw the Chaplain of the 79th O.V.I. who had writ on the back of a letter of mine (that was miscarried to their regt) to know if I came from Lafayette Ind. & if so he would claim relationship. & I think it was my fathers uncle that he knew & had alution to. I saw in town at nearly every house where the citizens had dug hoals or sells in the earth & covered them up & throwed dirt over them like magazines. & the citizens lived in them while we was in front of Atlanta & shelling them. We call them gofer holes. & I saw the buildings all full of cannon ball holes. It beat anything to see how the town was tore up & destroyed by our shots. I saw a train of cars goying South loaded with citizens & furniture, who had relation in the rebel army. & I saw a large train of waggons goying South loaded with citizens & Plunder. & the depot was full of citizens & furniture ready to be shipped north who took the oath of Eligions & desired to go north. Some of the engins that the rebels tryed to destroy was repaired & are now used by our men. I returned to camp at 3 P.M. & we had dressparaid & it rained a little. The regt had drilled. No mail. An order came around to each company commander to make out a list of the names of the persons who are back at the Hospitals & other Places etc. & in the morning Dr. Tilford is to start back to see them. & some think it is to order all who may be able to report to some sertain places to fall in with the regt to go home to vote this fall. I remembered well this night one year ago when we was ordered back from the hill we had held for so long at Chickamauga after being charged so often & we still held the hill or ridge till ordered back.

Sept 21st A.D. 1864. it had rained some through the night. I writ some. The mail came in & I sent out mail. It misted rain & is cooler. Our rations is scarse, as bread meat & coffee is our main living now. It rained very hard. I read some. We eat all our bread for supper.

Sept 22nd A.D. 1864. it rained some. I put my time in at reading. We drilled company drill from 9 till 10 A.M. I got some bread from Lt Cardell. We had orders to be ready for Genl Inspection of guns & accoutrements & Knapsacks packed & Haversacks & Canteens, to be inspected within 4 days by Corps Inspecter. We drew 5 days rations. Penty Salt Pepper Salt & Candles & a little Pickle Cabbage. & no salt meat. It rained often on all day. We wahed our Haversacks. It rained hard & stormed at 6 P.M. I spent the evening till tattoo in reading.

Sept 23rd A.D. 1864. It still rained a little. At 7:30 A.M. 5 men was called from our to report for Pickets amediatly. We got orders to get ready for Inspection at 2 P. M. by regemental commander. We cleaned up the best we could under the presant sircumstances. James C Dunlaps furlough came back approved for 20 days. & he gave me some noats to collect & told me to settle up his buisness if we got payed off before he returned. He seemed to be very well pleased to get a furlough. Lt Burns Acting Adjutant started home on leaf of absence. & Lt Cardell is acting in his place. We had Inspection at 2 P.M. & it rained very hard. We had bread water & coffee for supper. 2 more of our comp went out on Picket. There was a little mail came in. The news was good from the East. Genl Sheardons forces had don good work & gained a compleet victory. We drew beef & it was not fit to Eat. & we threw it away. I put my time in in the evening at reading.

Sept 24th A.D. 1864. it had rained nearly all night & still rained. & complaint was made to Capt E. F. Ritter comdg regt concerning the beef & he went to Knefler & complained. & Knefler made considreable fuss about. Before noon the Sky was nearly clear & we was notified that we would not drill & could do washing. We had to ditch through our quarters. I writ for the boys & put my time in at reading. We heared a good deal of cheering in 1st Div. & after a while we found out there was good news. We drew 2 days rations of beef. After tattoo we was ordered to Capt Ritters tent & he told us the order had bin sent around to be read that Genl Sheardons troops had bin victorious in another battle. & there had bin 8 rebel Genls killed & wounded & a great many Prisnors captured & 2000 had arived at Washington. & others on their way. & had night not fallen as soon as it did, more compleat victory would have crowned our army. Our force is still following the rebels through the Shenando Valley toward Richmond. The old 79th raised 3 loud cheers when the Capt said we was at liberty to cheer as much as we pleased. It was clear & cool. I read some.

Sept 25th A.D.1864, Sunday. it was a beautiful cool Sunday morning. & I think there was frost at some places. James C. Dunlap started home with leaf of absence. & I took his place. We had Comp Inspection at 9 A.M. I read my testament. The news came that the rebs had burnt one train of our cars & destroyed some road toward Kingston & was fighting at Sand town. & that the 2nd Div of our corps had started to reinforce. I writ some. At 3 P.M. a chaplain comenced preaching in our quarters from Hebrews 4th Chapter & last claus of 2nd vrs. We had dressparaid. & I had to take command of the Company. It was said a tellagraph dispatch had come to town that Genl Shardon had the 3rd fight with the rebels & was victorious in all. It was also said that Genl Grant was killed. Also that Jeff Davis had sent in a Proclamation for peace to President Lincoln. We spent the evening at singing & reading & it was a cool night.

Sept 26th A.D. 1864. we drilled from 9 to 10 A.M. Our regt was deprived of any more passes till further orders, as it is said our regt had let some of the 17th Ky boys out of the Picket line & they was captured. Lt Cardell started to Bridge Port after our baggage & left me in command of the company. I comenced cleening the moderan bronse off ove my gun. I received a letter. Hiram Shipmans furlough came approved for 20 days & I tryed to get him a discriptive list so he could draw his money at home as his family needs the money. I had the roll all made out Except the clothing to be put on it. & I sent a list of all the clothing I had issued to him & told him to get Capt Howe to add it to the amount against him on the Company books & put it on the Descriptive roll & then he could get payed I think up to the 31st of Aug. We drilled batillion drill from 2 to 3 P.M. & I had to command the comp & act as orderly or right guide which was a little bothersome. We had orders to be fixed in trim till 2 P.M. tomorrow for review & Inspection by Genl Stanly. I tried to get some boot blackening for the Company but there was none at the Suttlers. We passed the Evening till 9 P.M. talking.

Sept 27th A.D. 1864. we cleened our guns & accoutrements in stile. I received 3 letters. Hiram Shipman started home with furlough. There was blackening issued to us & as there was but fiew brushes in our regt. I went to Conl Knefler & borrowed his brush. At 12 M we fell in to move out. & as our company had no commissioned Officer the regt consolidated in to 8 companys. & our company devided among A D & E. & we went out where our Pioneers had Prepaired a review ground in a field. It sprinkled rain a little but soon stoped & was a beautiful day for review. Our Brig formed on the right of the Div & the 9th Ky on the right of our Brig & our regt next. When the Division was forming each regt formed in close column by division. Then we reasted till after 2 P.M. & then Genl Stanly & Staff came & Genl Wood was brought in a two horse carriage. We was called to atention & a regt from the left of the Div came with band in front & a flag was presented to it to be presented to our Div. & they marched in front & center of the Div. & presented the flag & the Div all presented arms. Then two comps of 19th O.V.I. with band in front went up & received a flag for our Brigade & it was presented to our Brigade. & we presented arms. The 2nd & 1st Brigades received flags also & the 93rd O.V.I. received a regt flag. Then Genl Stanly & Staff road to the front & center of the Div. & we presented arms to him. Then he road to the right of the Division & Passed all along the Division looking at the roops [troops?]. While this was goying on the bands was playing. The discription of our flags, the corps flag is marked out below.

When Genl Stanly returned to front & center of the Div again the order was given, Change direction by the left flank. When this order was obeyed the orders was given (by Coln Post who commands the Div) "Pass by review" Column forward" "Guide right" "March" each band was playing in front of the Brigades. Then "right shoulder shift" "arms" then left "wheel" then "forward"march" then "left wheel" "March" &"forward" "March" again. &"Shoulder" "arms" then we passed by Genl Stanly who was siting on his war steed with his hat off viewing us pass. & the bands stoped in front of him & fell in rear of the Brigades. Then we brought our guns to right shoulder shift again & left wheel & left wheel again. & then we marched up & took position where we was when we started. We halted & Color Post gave the connnand to the Div (& it was repeated by Brigade comdrs.) "deploy column" "march" then "Prepair to open ranks" "to the rear" "open Order" "march" then the regt comdr gave the comd inspection arms. Then Genl Stanly & Inspecter & Div Commander & Inspector & Brigade Comdr & Inspector & regt Commander & some other officers walked in front of front line & each man brought his gun up to his left breast ready to be inspected. The Genl stoped & took a fiew of the 9th Kys guns in his hand & then passed in rear of front rank & Inspected the rear rank. & Passed in front of regt & bragged on our regts guns for being cleen & bright & said they looked well & nice considering the sircumstances. We went to camp at 5 P.M. There had bin some ladies to see us on review. 5 days rations had bin issued to us in camp. No meat. 3 days hard bread & one of light bread. We had nothing but bread & coffee for supper. I spent the Evening in writing.

Sept 28th A.D. 1864. it sprinkled rain. We had coffee & bread for breakfast. & men was called from our Co for Picket. We drew beef. I writ all fournoon. It rained a little at times all day. I made a requisition for acoutrements in Plase of thos condemned at McDonalds Station Tenn. But I did not get any as we did not have our Invois Papers to show the amount condemned. It rained hard. I spent the evening in reading.

Sept 29th A.D. 1864. it was still misting rain. We had bread & coffee for breakfast. Capt Dunbar came to the regt having just bin exchanged & reached our lines. He looks poor but not a piece of his garment had bin taken from him which was a great wonder as they strip nearly all of our men that they get. He said if we could see our men that are prisnors we would not take any more Prisnors. He said it was no use to tell us how they was treated for he could not make us believe him. He was at Charlston. He said it was a desperate plase. & is being shelled yet by our men. He was captured by a squad of rebels Scouts who was from Atlanta & was ordered in to Jones Boro on that road & had he not steped down in the road for 3 minuts they would have road in our lines as they did not know that the yankies was on the left of the railroad. The Captain sais that Genl Hoods army is disbandoned he thinks. He saw a Lieut of the 2nd Div who was captured on the evening of the 1st of Sept while on the skirmish line. & he said the rebels was running & leveing their artillery & was perfectly confused in our front. & had night not bin shading the Earth it would have bin one of the greatest victorys for us that we have gained on this campaign. But we did not get in position till after night. & then we could not go forward & so the rebels came back & got their artillery that the skirimish line had run them from on the left of 1st Div 4th A.C. We drew some beef. I writ some. There was a little mail but not a through mail, as it was said the rebels had destroyed the R.R. between Nashville & Louisville & between Chattanooga & Bridge Port & the 2nd Div of our Corps had a fight with the rebels between Chattanooga & Bridge Port. It is said there is about 2 or more divisions of rebel Infantry & all their cavelry back trying to destroy the R.R. George McIlvain of 22nd Ind v.v.t. came over & said their Div had orders to be ready to go on the cars this evening, to go back along the road. We drilled one hour company drill & the rest of the time I had I writ. I sent out 3 very large letters. We had dressparade. We spent the evening in singing & talking.

Sept 30th A.D. 1864. We had bread & coffee for breakfast. I made out a monthly return. The first I ever made in full. & it was a little bothersome. I drilled the company one hour. I received a letter from James. & Sarah & they was geting along fine. Pa was not very well. Jas's leg was geting better. I was glad to hear from home. I writ some. There was great rumors that the rebels was in our rear. & it is said it is on the Bulliton Bord in town that Grants troops had took a line of works & was goying for Richmond. There was more of our Prisnors came in. It was said Grant & Shardon had formed a junction. I drilled the Comp one hour in the afternoon. Capt Dunbar took comd of the regt. We had dressparade. I spent the evening in listening at Capt Dunbar tell of the horrible treatment of our men that are Prisnors in the rebels hands.

 

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