No. 169. report of Capt. Mark H. Prescott, Battery C, First Illinois Light artillery.
In obedience to orders received at Graysville, Ga., May 3, 1864, I moved out toward Ringgold and encamped near the town, where I remained until May 6, when I moved out again passing Tunnel Hill under fire and encamped on the road to Buzzard Roost on the night of the 7th. On the 8th moved forward to Buzzard Roost. One section of my battery went into position in front of gap and opened on rebel works. 9th, remaining two sections moved up and battery was engaged all day; at noon three guns went through the valley to the left of Buzzard Roost Gap under a heavy musketry fire and took up position within 1,000 yards of the rebel batteries. On the 10th battery was engaged in front of gap again. 11th, engaged heavily three hours at the gap; one section was placed in a very exposed position, by order of Major-General Thomas, to draw the enemy's fire. May 12, marched to Snake Creek Gap and camped at the south end. 13th, moved out and took up a position in line in front of Resaca. 14th, advanced in the evening and took up position and threw up works within 800 yards of rebel works during the night. 15th, after being engaged a short time I was ordered to move farther to the left and take up position, which I did under heavy fire of artillery and musketry, and was heavily engaged here all day. 16th, the enemy having evacuated the night before, I moved into Resaca and camped. 17th, moved forward again, passing through Calhoun, and camped at the battle-ground five miles below. 18th, moved forward, passing through Adairsville, and [827] camped at a point five miles from Kingston. 19th, moved again to a position on the banks of the Coosa River. 20th, marched on toward Cassville and camped. 21st, crossed Etowah River at Island Ford, and camped on Euharlee Creek. 22d, remained in camp. 23d, remained in camp. 24th, crossed creek and camped on Allatoona Hills. 25th, marched at 2 a. m. toward Dallas, through Burnt Hickory, and camped on the mountain. 26th, moved forward and took up position in line on Pumpkin Vine Creek at 4 p. m., and threw up works during the night. 27th, engaged by rebel batteries all day. 28th, engaged in same position all day. 29th, engaged at same place all day. 30th, engaged all day. 31st, engaged all day.
June 1, engaged all day. June 2, engaged a part of the day; was relieved in the evening and moved two and a half miles to the left and went into camp, where we remained during the 3d, 4th, and 5th. June 6, moved again, passing through Big Shanty to Allatoona Creek, where we camped. 7th, camped in line and threw up works. 8th and 9th, remained in camp. 10th, marched again toward Kenesaw Mountain and camped. 11th, went into position three miles from Kenesaw Mountain. 12th and 13th, in position but not engaged. 14th, engaged a part of the day. 15th, moved out toward Kenesaw and camped. 16th and 17th, battery lightly engaged. 18th, went into camp. 19th, remained in camp all day. 20th, went into position under fire near east end of Kenesaw Mountain, relieving a battery of the Fourth Army Corps, and threw up works. 21st, battery engaged heavily all day. 22d, was engaged heavily all day; Private Daniel Shoneburgh was torn to pieces by a shell and First Sergt. J. Miller was wounded slightly in leg, Sergt. L. S. Warner slightly in finger, Private G. W. Blanchard slightly in head. 23d, engaged all day in same position. 24th, in same position but not engaged. 25th, engaged a part of the day; changed position after dark, going farther to the right. 26th, was engaged. 27th, engaged heavily by rebel batteries. 28th, was engaged at intervals. 29th, was engaged again. 30th, in same position but not engaged.
July 1, was engaged in same position. 2d, was engaged all day. 3d, the rebels having fallen back during the night, I moved oat on the Marietta road, passed through the town and took up position with one section five miles south of Marietta on the skirmish line and was engaged until night, when I threw up works and put the whole battery into position; Corpl. Oscar D. Gray was wounded severely in left side. 4th, was engaged heavily all day in same position; Privates Jeremiah Swoyer was wounded severely in shoulder, George Otto in arm and side severely, F. G. Vallereux badly in right arm, D. W. Shearer in face and hand, John Shanon slightly in hand, George Harding slightly in hand, Cornelius Burns in head, Frank Hall in foot. 5th, moved forward again, the rebels having evacuated the night before, and took up position on the Chattahoochee River and opened on the rebels; threw up works during the night. 6th, went into camp near the works. Remained in camp 7th and 8th. 9th, was engaged in same works all day; Christopher Klassier wounded in the head.
In camp again on the 10th, where we remained until the 16th, when I exchanged two sections of my Parrott guns for 3-inch rifles. 17th, in obedience to orders, I moved out and crossed the Chattahoochee River, and camped about one mile from the river. 18th, moved out and took up position on skirmish line, and was engaged [828] a part of the day. 19th, marched about two miles and encamped. 20th, moved out, took up position, and built works. 21st, moved a short distance, took up position, and built works again; was engaged a short time; Private H. B. Tooley wounded severely in leg. 22d, moved forward; took up position in front of Atlanta; engaged heavily all day; Sergt. William Mcintyre wounded slightly in leg, Corpl. T. A. Fitzsimmons severely in the face. 23d, engaged part of the day in same position; were relieved by Eleventh Indiana Battery and moved one mile to the rear and went into camp. 24th, moved out on the line in front at daylight and threw up works again. 25th, engaged in same position all day. 26th, engaged in same position. 27th, was engaged again lightly. 28th, cngaged at intervals all day. 29th, engaged lightly. 30th, was engaged a part of the day. 31st, moved off to the left and front of a large rebel fort; took up position and threw up works during the night.
August 1, battery engaged all day with rebel fort. 2d, was engaged very heavily all day by 20-pounder guns in tho fort; they disdismounting one of my guns. 3d, fired five rounds at intervals during the day; was relieved in the evening, and moved a short tance to the rear and camped. 4th, moved at 6 o'clock in the morning and took up position on the right flank. 5th, remained in same position, but not engaged. 6th, moved a short distance to the left; took up position on front line; was engaged all day at intervals. 7th, engaged all day in same position. 8th, fired a few shots occasionally all day. 9th, engaged in same position. 10th, engaged again. 11th, engaged in same position at intervals. 12th, was engaged. 13th, was engaged lightly. 14th, engaged lightly. 15th, engaged heavily all day. 16th, ired a few rounds occasionally. 17th, was not engaged. 18th, fired a few rounds. 19th, fired a few rounds. 20th, fired a few rounds. 21st, fired occasionally during the day. 22d, fired a few rounds. 23d, engaged all day at intervals. 24th, engaged at intervals. 25th, fired a few rounds. 26th, fired a few rounds occasionally all day, and in the afternoon received marching orders; moved out after dark, going to the right about four miles, and camped. 27th, moved out one mile farther and encamped. 28th, moved out at sunrise about eight miles, and camped in the evening on the Montgomery and Atlanta Railroad and threw up works. 29th, remained in camp all day in the same place. 30th, marched again at 6 o'clock nearly due east, going about eight miles, and went into camp. 31st, moved out about four miles toward the front during the day, and returned to same camp in the evening.
September 1, moved out on the Jonesborough road, and about 11 o'clock took up position about three miles from Jonesborough; remained there a short time, when I took two sections out on the skirmish line and went into position and opened. After firing a few rounds I advanced my whole battery nearly a mile farther to the front and took up position in the edge of the timber, overlooking a broad space of open ground, from which position we were enabled to enfilade the rebel intrenchments and batteries. We silenced the rebel guns and drove the gunners to the cover of their works; was engaged until dark, when the rebel works were carried; Corpl. Anton Kreuger (detailed) wounded slightly in the back, and Private Louis Boffinger (detailed) severely in hand. After dark we took up a new position to the left and front, and threw up temporary works during the night. September 2, moved out toward Jonesborough, the rebels having evacuated during the night previous, and went [829] into camp on the railroad near the town, where we are at present encamped. During the entire campaign officers and men performed their duty well in every respect, and in all of the engagements exhibited perfect coolness and bravery without an exception.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
[Maj. Charles Houghtaling, Chief of Artillery.]
