No. 65. report of Lieut. Col. Robert L. Kimberly, Forty-first Ohio Infantry, commanding regiment and demi-brigade.
At 12 m. May 3 the battalion broke camp at McDonald's Station, Tenn., and marched for Catoosa Springs, reaching that place on the 4th. On the morning of the 9th. the command having moved upon the enemy's position at Buzzard Roost, a picket detail of four companies of the Forty-first Regiment became engaged with the enemy's skirmishers, but without casualty. At 3 p. m. of the same day the battalion in moving across an open field in close column, lost 1 officer and 9 men by the enemy's fire from the summit of Rocky Face Ridge. On the 10th and 11th the battalion lay under the eneiny's fire, but lost only 2 men. At noon of May 13, the enemy having abandoned his position at Buzzard Roost, the command moved toward Resaca, and at 11 a. m. of the 14th advanced upon the enemy's position covering that place. This battalion formed the right of the first line of the brigade, and after moving a mile came upon the enemy's works. The battalion was ordered to protect the right of the left battalion, which had gained an advanced position, and by a charge secured a crest within 100 yards of a salient in the enemy's line. By using a fence upon the crest as a barricade, the battalion was enabled to maintain this position, and prevented entirely the use of the enemy's artillery on that front. This position was strengthened at night and held by the battalion until the withdrawal of the enemy. Shortly after gaining the crest, a gallant effort was made by Major Stafford, First Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with about 100 men to carry the enemy's works at the salient point, but it was not successful. On the 15th orders were received for a general assault of the enemy's works, and at 1 p. m., in obedience to signal, the battalion moved to the attack. The direction of our line on each flank was such that its fire swept the ground over which this battalion was to move, and as the troops on the right and left did not advance, but opened a furious fire from their works, the assault was an utter failure, the battalion being driven back by the musketry of our own troops. During the night following the enemy abandoned the position, and at 5 a. m. of the 16th the Forty-first Regiment made a reconnaissance, going as far as the Oostenaula River, securing a few prisoners, but finding no enemy in force. During the operations at this [place] the battalion sustained a loss of 2 officers and nearly 50 men. On the 17th the army being in pursuit of the enemy, the battalion was detached at Calhoun to follow the railroad to Adairsville, the main columns moving on parallel roads on each flank. The enemy was met after moving two miles, and, although taking advantage of the ground at every favorable point, were driven steadily backward along the road to within a mile of Adairsville, where he suddenly showed heavy lines of infantry, within 500 yards of our skirmishers, advancing toward us. His advance proved to be only a movement into position, but no farther progress was attempted. Both regiments of the battalion were engaged as skirmishers during the day, and the service, from the persistency of the enemy's resistance, and the distance marched, was excessively fatiguing. The casualties were limited to half a dozen wounded. On the 19th, the enemy having been found in front of Cassville, the skirmish line of the battalion became sharply engaged, but without loss. On the 26th, the [435] command having moved from Cassville to the vicinity of Dallas, the battalion moved into position 500 yards from the enemy's works near Pickett's Mills.
On the 27th the division was relieved from the line to attack the enemy's right flank, and was formed in column with a front of two battalions, this battalion having the right of the first line. The movement commenced at noon, the column marching two miles to the left of the Federal lines, encountering only the cavalry of the enemy. At 4 the attack was made. This battalion moved through an open wood, the right flank passing along the side of an open field, across which, at a distance of 400 yards, were the enemy's works. A deep ravine was soon encountered, the opposite bank covered with an almost impenetrable undergrowth of oak. The skirmish line was stopped by the enemy's fire as it ascended from the ravine, and the battalion closed upon it. The line was here rectified and the ranks closed, when I ordered the charge. The battalion had advanced hardly a half a dozen paces when it was struck by a withering volley of musketry from the thicket in front and from the right. The enemy's fire was sustained in greater severity than would be possible for a single line, and in advancing twenty paces nearly one-third of the battalion was stricken down. The line was within twenty-five paces of the slight barricade behind which the enemy's lines were posted, but it was impossible to carry the position, the line being too much broken and no shelter under which to reform. The battalion was held in this position, the men availing themselves of what shelter was offered by trees, logs, and the conformation of the ground, and opened a rapid fire upon the enemy, the effect of which could be plainly seen, while I dispatched a staff officer to hasten up the second line, hoping to be able with its aid to carry the position. This officer, First Lieutenant Homan, adjutant of the First Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was shot while going back, and a second messenger was sent, but failed to find the proper officer or bring forward the second line. In the mean time the enemy formed a regiment upon our right flank, and opened a battery from the same direction. Their fire was very severe, but the orders having been for an attack in column, I deemed it my duty to hold my battalion (the head of the column) as long as possible. Twice the enemy tried to charge from his works, but was stopped at the outset. Finally he closed upon our right, doubling it back. By strenuous efforts this was restored, but only to be again crushed by a more vigorous advance of the enemy, when, seeing it was impossible to hold the shattered line longer in the position, I ordered the battalion to fall back to the hill in rear. This, except in the case of the three right companies, which the enemy nearly enveloped and pressed with great vigor, was effected in order, and without the loss of a man, but it was impossible to bring off all the wounded. A hundred yards in rear the battalion in its retreat met one of the supporting brigades advancing, behind which it reformed, but was not again engaged. The attack had continued for more than an hour and failed, but it was an honest effort to execute an order, without hesitating to calculate the chances of success, which all who took part in may be proud of. I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of the officers and men under my command in this affair. I saw not a single instance of hesitancy when the order was given to charge, and if devoted gallantry could have won success these men would have had it. The battalion went into position near the battle-field, [436] and, except to repulse a feeble effort of the enemy to feel the line with their skirmishers, was not again engaged. On the morning of June 5, being ordered to ascertain if the enemy had left his position, I moved the Forty-first Regiment as skirmishers upon his works and found them occupied. On the 6th the command moved to the vicinity of Acworth, and on the 10th advanced upon the enemy's position in front of Kenesaw Mountain. On the 17th the First Regiment was severely engaged as skirmishers, and three companies of the Forty-first Regiment charged the enemy's skirmishers, strongly posted in the outbuildings of a farm-house and carried the position.
On the 20th, the enemy having fallen back to his last line in front of Marietta, the skirmishers of the Forty-first Regiment were advanced, driving the enemy's skirmishers back upon their works. The battalion was moved up in support of the skirmishers, and the main line established 500 yards from the enemy's works. Except constant picket-firing the battalion was not afterwards engaged until after the enemy evacuated the position at Kenesaw Mountain and fell back to the Chattahoochee River. In the advance to the Chattahoochee the battalion was detached to make a detour to the left, strike a pontoon bridge, and endeavor to come upon some of the enemy's trains. The battalion left the column two miles from Vining's Station, and moving to the left, drove a small force of cavalry before it, and struck the river one and a half miles above Vining's. Moving down the river the battalion succeeded in reaching the enemy's pontoon bridge at the instant it had been cut loose from the north bank of the river. The enemy was in force upon the opposite bank, but the battalion deployed as skirmishers along the river maintained its position with some loss, and prevented the enemy from taking up his pontoon. The casualties were few in number, but among them was Major Williston, Forty-first Regiment, whose faithful services the regiment could ill afford to lose. On the 17th, having crossed the Chattahoochee above Vining's Station, the division moved down the river to drive the enemy from the bank opposite Vining's, the First Regiment encountering their skirmishers during the movement, and on arrival at the point of destination, the Forty-first Regiment was advanced on the road toward Peach Tree Creek, dislodging a small cavalry force. On the morning of the 20th the skirmishers of the battalion were engaged at Peach Tree Creek, with several casualties, and again on the 21st and 22d, when the final position before Atlanta was taken up. On the 26th the First Regiment was ordered to Chattanooga. July 28, the Forty-first Regiment, with the Sixth Regiment Kentucky Volunteers as support, was ordered to take the enemy's rifle-pits in front of the brigade. Three companies were deployed as skirmishers, and charged the enemy's line of skirmishers, driving them easily from their pits ard capturing several prisoners, with a loss of but 2 men. From July 28 to August 25 the command remained in position before Atlanta, frequently under fire, but sustaining trifling loss. On the 25th of August the regiment moved with the army to the south of Atlanta, but was not engaged with the enemy, except as skirmishers on the 3d of September in the position seven miles below Jonesborough. The regiment reached its present camp on the 8th instant.
I respectfully call your attention to the accompanying tabular statement of casualties, and commend to the gratitude of their commanders and their country the surviving officers and men who have [437] endured without murmur excessive hardships of a four months campaign. My own thanks are due for the zealous and efficient services of Maj. J. A. Stafford, First Ohio Volunteer Infantry, while that regiment was part of my command; to Maj. J. H. Williston, Forty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and to the subordinate officers of the command generally.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
, Jr., Asst. Adjt. Gen., 2d Brig., 3d Div., 4th Army Corps.
Inclosure.
Report of casualties in Forty-first regiment Ohio Veteran Infantry during the campaign commencing May 7 and ending September 5, 1864.
| Zzz |
Reports of effective force : May 3-effective aggregate, 333. Engaged May 27-commissioned officers, 10; enlisted men, 261. Engaged September 8-commissioned officers, 13; enlisted men, 187. Average effective force during campaign, 240.
