Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 9.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[79] the fourth, we marched about twelve miles. On the fifth, marched two and a half miles, and went into camp about eleven P. M. On the sixth, marched about eight or ten miles toward Springfield. On the seventh, seven companies were detached to go back after forage with wagons, which they loaded, and rejoined the regiment that night, which had marched about ten miles toward Springfield. On the eighth, we marched to Springfield, four miles, and from there toward Monteith, about twelve miles. On the ninth, we marched toward Monteith Station, on the Savannah and Charleston Railroad. About two P. M., we reached a swamp, where the rebels had obstructed the road with felled timber, and commanded the road with artillery, placed in a couple of redoubts on the other side. The Sixty-first Ohio veteran volunteers and Thirty-first Wisconsin volunteers of our brigade were sent to the left to wade the swamp and flank the rebel position. This they did splendidly. At the first fire which they opened, the rest of the brigade rushed forward to their assistance, but they had completed the task and held the forts; the rebels, unfortunately, making good their retreat. We camped for the night around the forts, having marched about eight miles. On the tenth, we marched to Monteith Station, where we tore up the railroad, completely destroying about twice the length of the regiment, and then marched to where the rebel line of works around the city of Savannah confronted us, a distance of about nine miles. Here we went into position. Late in the evening, the regiment was sent out to hold a road, while the Forty-sixth Pennsylvania veteran volunteers proceeded to the river on a reconnoissance. On the eleventh, we changed position, moving farther to the left. About nine o'clock P. M., I was ordered, with my own regiment and the Eighty-second Illinois volunteers and Sixty-first Ohio veteran volunteers, to proceed to the rear of the train and guard the train, against which the rebel cavalry, under Wheeler, were said to be demonstrating. I reached the point designated about one A. M., and went into position. We remained here until the thirteenth, when the rest of the brigade came out, and with a slight change of position we went into camp, building a strong line of breastworks. Here we remained until the twenty-third, when we moved to our present position. As to the number of horses, mules, and cattle captured by the regiment, I have no very correct idea. We captured no horses, probably three or four mules, and as to cattle, I have no idea. We foraged a great deal of beef, we captured and turned in to the brigade commissary about twenty head of cattle, and in addition to that, I should estimate the number of cattle foraged by the regiment for their own use at about fifty head, but it is mere guess-work. We captured large numbers of hogs, sheep, and various kinds of poultry.

We lived almost wholly upon what we foraged. Excepting sugar and coffee, and occasional issues of hard bread, we lived wholly upon the country, and with but one or two days exception, fared, I might say, for soldiers, sumptuously. As to forage, our horses were subsisted wholly from what we gathered on the march, and they have grown fat from it, for they had all they could eat. As to negroes, I should place the number picked up by the regiment at about forty.

In conclusion, I would state, that, so far as the regiment is concerned, the whole expedition was a splendid affair. I feel glad to say, that I have not lost a man, killed or captured, and only three wounded by the accidental falling of railroad iron upon them, while engaged in tearing up the track, one of them seriously, the others only slightly. And I would take this occasion to return my thanks to all, both officers and men, for their ready obedience to my orders, and for their good soldierly conduct on the whole march.

I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

sir: I have the honor to submit to you the report of operations of my regiment since the entrance of Atlanta up to the present moment.

On the fourth of September, 1864, we did strike tents at the Chattahoochee River and entered Atlanta at eleven o'clock A. M., where we pitched camp on the north side of the city at the old inner rebel works; where we stopped until September twelfth, when we were detailed to take charge of the military confederate prisoners till October fourth, 1864. During October sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth, we were ordered to go on a foraging expedition in charge of Colonel Robinson. On the same we loaded all wagons taken along with corn and straw, also eatables, as sweet potatoes, pork, and beef. Another foraging expedition we participated in, under the command of Brigadier-General Geary, commanding Second division, Twentieth corps, on the twenty-sixth, twenty-seventh, twenty-eighth, and twenty-ninth, at which there was a similar result. We loaded up till we received (by an order from General Sherman) marching orders.

It was on the morning of the fifteenth of November, when we started on (as we know now) for Savannah. We encamped this night on the other side of Decatur, a little town on the Atlanta and Augusta Railroad, where we arrived at eight o'clock P. M. On the sixteenth, we left at eight o'clock A. M., and commenced to tear up and burned the railroad until four o'clock P. M. arrived in camp at twelve o'clock P. M. Marched November seventeenth and eighteenth. On November nineteenth, we passed Madison, and camped at one o'clock P. M. Marched twentieth, twenty-first, twenty-second, and arrived at Milledgeville, the capital of Georgia, at nine o'clock P. M. Laid up November twenty-third; and marched November twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth, and twenty-sixth;