USA > Illinois > History of the Ninety-sixth Regiment, Illinois volunteer Infantry, Vol. I > Part 35
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Thursday, August 1S. the sick were sent to the rear and the troops ordered to be in constant readiness to march. No move was made, however, but heavy firing took place on various parts of the line on that and the following day.
by logs, dirt being thrown in the spaces. Outside of these is a tier of heavy limb-, or tree tops. sharpened and turned outward, which are piled thick and staked down. ! ' there be timber in front-and there is generally timber everywhere at the South-we fen. it, also lopping over the underbrush. So you can guess that it is no easy thing to charge and take breastworks. It would take a line-of-battle several miunites to climb over o: crawl through an abatis, by which time most of them would be hit. You may think that it take- a good deal of time to build such works, but many hands make light work. and if tools and timber are plenty it does not take many hours to fortify a position."
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ATLANTA.
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Saturday, August 20, the Regiment made a strong demon- stration in front of the Second Brigade. The command was moved to the skirmish line at four o'clock, leaving camp in a shower, and passing along a ravine that served to conceal it from observation. Six companies were detailed from the left and deployed as skirmishers, the four right Companies. - A, F, D, and I,-being left in reserve. The regular skir- mish detail. embracing men from every regiment in the Brigade, was ordered to advance with the six left companies, all under command of Major Hicks. The orders were to con- form the movement to that of the troops of the Brigade on the right, advancing with them and charging the Rebel skirmish pits. The line moved out across an opening and to the timber beyond, in which was the line to be charged. At first the Rebels seemed to be off their guard, -probably owing to the rain which was falling when the movement was inaugurated, - and the timber was gained without loss. The troops at the right were noisy in their movement, cheering as they ran and drawing a heavy fire. Midway in their course was a rail fence, where they halted, and beyond which only a few of the more daring ventured. Their officers urged them forward, but in vain, and there they remained until ordered back to the works from which they had started.
Meanwhile the NINETY-SIXTH, in heavy skirmish order, had penetrated much farther than the line on which they were to guide, and were ready to make the final rush upon the enemy whenever the others should come forward. A terrific fire now raged along the line, the men lying behind trees or logs, and giving shot for shot to the enemy behind their strong ritle pits. Major Hicks was in a quandary what to do. The orders received by him had been explicit enough, but events had not occurred as contemplated. To add to the anxiety, a portion of the line had misunderstood his command to "guide right," and had borne to the left, thus opening a gap near his centre. Word was sent to those on the left to correct the error, and after a time the line was united. At length, it being evident that the troops on the right would not come forward, and the casualties in the Regiment becoming numer-
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HISTORY OF THE 96TH REGIMENT, ILL. V. I.
ons, the Major determined to withdraw his brave men before the enemy could move to his rear and subject him to the added danger of capture. The retreat was a most difficult one, for the men were within a few rods of the enemy's skirmish pits, and no movement could be made without drawing the fire of the skirmishers. There were wounded men to be assisted to the rear, and the muskets of the killed and wounded to be cared for. Orders for the retreat were issued, and the men crawled or ran. as their positions permitted, to the reserve line. By somie means, however, a portion of the right of the line, including the color guard. failed to hear the order, and as the underbrush was so thick as to partially conceal the movement, did not see their comrades leave. It was not long, however, before they discovered their peril, and made their way to the rear, just as a volunteer party was being organized to go to their rescue. At dusk the Regiment moved to the main line, and the demonstration was at an end. The results seemed of little moment, although the losses had been severe. The men of the Regiment understood what was expected of them, and would most surely have carried the skirmish pits in their front had the troops on the right moved forward as expected. As it was they made no attempt to charge the works.
In this demonstration William A. Lewis, of Company A, who happened to be on picket duty for the day, and was there- fore with the skirmishers, instead of with his Company in reserve, was killed ; also Fred Blackman, of Company K. Those wounded were First Sergeant F. A. Weir, of Company A, right arm ; Ebenezer Tate, Company A, head ; Win. W. Tower, of Company B. who was wounded in the neck, and died six days later ; John MeGill, Company C, slightly, in neek ; Corporal Frank Peppard, of Company D. hand ; Ser- geant R. J. Cooper. Company E, shoulder ; Corporal Edward Malone, Company G, leg ; William Joyce, Company G. art and leg, disabling him for further service ; Corporal Robert D. Tarpley, Company I, arm ; Corporal Charles Shaw, Com- pany I, side.
Sunday, August 21, the command moved to the support of"
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ATLANTA.
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the Third Brigade, which made a feint upon the enemy's lines, and was subjected to some annoying artillery and infantry fire. Returning to their works the Regiment enjoyed com- parative quiet for a few days, although a glancing ball on Wednesday seriously wounded John McGill, of Company C. in the shoulder, disabling him for further service. It was now apparent that a change of plans was to be made by Gen. Sherman, but what the movement contemplated could be no one seemed to know. The sick and those not able to make a hard march were sent to the rear, and an air of mystery seemed to envelope all in authority. All efforts to take Atlanta, or to reach and cut the Macon Railroad, had failed, and soldiers and officers wondered if the effort was to be abandoned. The Rebel cavalry had eut the railroad toward Chattanooga, and many feared that the army was to retire to the line of the Chattahoochie, and act on the defensive ; others, with implicit confidence in their able and gallant commander, insisted that the movement was to be an aggressive one, and so it proved.
In the operations along the Chattahoochie and about Atlanta the Regiment had sustained the following
CASUALTIES.
Company A.
KILLED .- William A. Lewis.
WOUNDED .- First Sergeant F. A. Weir, arm ; Joseph D. Young, left leg ; Ebenezer Tate, head.
Company B.
WOUNDED .-- Myron Gillmore, left leg ; W. W. Tower, mortally.
Company C.
WOUNDED .- John McGill, neck and shoulder.
Company D.
WOUNDED .- Corporal Frank Peppard, hand ; George Deedrick, leg. CAPTURED .-- Henry M. Williams.
Company E.
WOUNDED .- Sergeant R. J. Cooper, shoulder.
CAPTURED .- Wm. W. Jellison, Wallace W. Montgomery.
Company F.
WOUNDED .- Thomas Kiminons.
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HISTORY OF THE 96TH REGIMENT, ILL. V. I.
Company G.
KILLED .- First Sergeant Aaron Scott.
WOUNDED .- Corporal Edward Malone, leg ; William Joyce, arm and thigh ; Corporal Peter Mowers.
Company H.
WOUNDED .- Peter Davidson, right wrist.
Company I.
WOUNDED .- Corporal Robert D. Tarpley, arm ; Corporal Charles Shaw, side.
CAPTURED. - Hugh Williams, died while prisoner of war.
Company K.
KILLED OR MORTALLY WOUNDED .-- John Hay, Fred Blackman.
208
W
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ATLANTA.
1864]
CHAPTER XXI.
Preparations for a Grand Movement --. A Night March -Building Breast- works again- Destroying the Railroad-Fairly in Rear of the "Gate City "-Guarding a Wagyu Train-Hurried to the Front-The Battle of Jonesboro-The Fight at Lovejoy's Station-Four Fatalities- Anniversary of the Regiment's Muster-in-" Atlanta is Ours, and Fairly Won "-Withdrawal of the Forces-Burning Cotton-In Camp near the City.
THURSDAY evening, August 25, saw the grand movement to the rear of Atlanta inaugurated. The pickets or skirmishers detailed the previous morning had been instructed to take their tents and blankets with them, and everything indicated an important movement. The men amused themselves by writ- ing letters to the Rebels, which they tacked to trees or tucked in the breastworks. If these letters could be reproduced they would be most interesting reading ; but this is impossible. Some were poetical, some defiant. Advice of all kinds was ottered, and exaggerations generously indulged in. A dozen outlines of the coming campaign were written, the soldiers drawing upon their imaginations, and no two suggesting the same destination. The Rebels who were so fortunate as to gather up the missives left by the NINETY-Sixrn must have been highly entertained, for this freak of letter writing seem- ingly took hold upon a majority of the members of every Com- pany.
At dusk the troops moved out upon the left and marched westward until two o'clock in the morning, bivouacking in rear of the Twentieth Corps. A part of the march was extremely disagreeable, being along a road newly cut out through heavy young timber, the stumps of which caused much stumbling and barked many shins. The Twentieth Corps moved directly to the rear and occupied works covering the crossing of the Chattahoochie, remaining until Atlanta was evacuated.
Daylight of Friday, August 26, found the Fourth Corps closely massed on a hill near Utoy Creek. At eight or nine
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HISTORY OF THE 96TH REGIMENT, ILL. V. I.
o'clock the march was resumed. The Brigade was directed to guard the wagon train. The Rebels shelled the hill from Atlanta, but the morning was foggy and the artillery did but little damage. The march was not rapid, which was fortunate, as the day was hot and rainy. The Regiment halted at five o'clock and formed its camp for the night between Utoy and Sandtown. During the day the Fourth Corps had passed a portion of the Fourteenth Corps, and had learned that only the Twenty-third Corps held its former position confronting Atlanta.
Saturday, August 27, the march was continued to Mount Gilead Church, near which occurred some heavy skirmishing. A line of works was built by the Regiment in a surprisingly short time, but the enemy soon retired and a further advance was made to Camp Creek. The skirmishing continued until after dark and was renewed in the morning. The Army of the Tennessee had moved still farther to the right, and the entire movement of Gen. Sherman's command took the form of a grand left-wheel.
Sunday, August 28, there were orders for an early start, but the Fourteenth Corps occupied the roads, and the Regi- ment was idle until late in the afternoon, when it marched four or five miles and halted for the night near Red Oak. The Atlanta and West Point Railroad being reached other troops spent the night in destroying the rails and ties, and blowing up the masonry.
Monday, August 29, the Fourth Corps again advanced and took its turn in the work of destroying the railroad. The work was thoroughly done. A regiment would halt and stack arms beside the road, and with a few iron bars and wooden levers loosen the ties, when all would lift the track, turning it upside down for a long distance. The ties were then loosened and piled up, the rails laid across them and fires kin- dled. In a short time the rails would be red hot in the centre, and the men would twist them about trees or stumps, completely ruining them. In this way many miles of road were destroyed during the movement. There was some skirmishing but It heavy force was encountered.
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JONESBORO.
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Tuesday, August 30, the command pushed forward to the Fayetteville road. The skirmishing continued and at the right there were indications of a battle. The march was a leisurely one, -- the start being late and the halt at dusk. Some forage was secured, including green corn and sweet potatoes.
Wednesday, August 31, the advance was resumed,-the enemy, with both infantry and cavalry, resisting and forcing the Regiment to do considerable skirmishing. Three times the resistance was so vigorous that halts were made and breast- works begun. The enemy had good earthworks, but were driven out. After resting a while on the Rebel works the Regiment moved to the Atlanta and Macon Railroad and halted, the pioneers cutting the telegraph wires and destroy- ing the track, working the entire night.
Thursday, September 1, the Regiment was detailed to guard a wagon train and marched southward close beside the railroad track, which was being torn up by other troops. The air was full of smoke from the fires, and the skirmishing in- creased as the day wore on. Toward night the wagons halted. and the NINETY-SIXTH, relieved from its duty as train guard, was hurried forward toward Jonesboro, passing close up to the skirmishers before swinging into line-of-battle, beside the railroad track. This exposed position was reached under a galling fire just before night, and about the time of the assault on the part of the Fourteenth Corps on the right of the rail- road. That assault was perhaps the most successful one of the Atlanta campaign, for the Union forces swept entirely over the Rebel earthworks, capturing a thousand prisoners and sev- eral cannon and stands of colors. The NINETY-SIXTH was probably the first regiment of Gen. Stanley's command in posi- tion ; and before other troops of the Fourth Corps were able to swing around upon the left and join in a general assault, night closed in and the lines halted. The Regiment had occupied an exposed position, close to the enemy's entrenchments, and been under a heavy fire, but sustained no casualties. The troops slept on their arms, and were startled during the night by what appeared to be terrific artillery firing in the direction of Atlanta. They supposed that there had been a night assault
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HISTORY OF THE 96TH REGIMENT, ILL. V. I.
by the Twentieth Corps, but learned next day that the sounds had proceeded from the explosion of ammunition which the Rebels wished to destroy before evacuating the city. The Twentieth Corps moved forward at daylight, occupying the city and taking in charge the few stores not destroyed. Before retreating the Rebels had set fire to many supplies and had wrecked or burned a number of locomotives and many cars. A few prisoners were captured. The captures at Jonesboro numbered nearly two thousand, about one-half of them being wounded. Three hundred Rebel dead were buried by the Union forces. The losses on the part of the Federal forces engaged were about one thousand, mostly in the Fourteenth Corps. The NINETY-SIXTH was separated from the rest of the Brigade in the movement against Jonesboro, having no time to go to its regular command after being relieved from the care of the wagon train, but being pushed forward to support the charge in which the 17th New York played so conspicuous a part, and halted not far from where the bright uniforms of the gallant Zouaves dotted the ground so thickly when the battle closed.
Friday, September 2, found the army jubilant over the news which reached them carly in the day that Atlanta was occupied by Union troops, and there was Insty cheering all along the lines. The Rebels had retreated from Jonesboro, and the soldiers from all commands flocked to see the captured cannon and the scene of the successful assaults of Thursday night. Early in the day another advance was made, the Rebels being overtaken and crowded rapidly southward. The NINETY-SIXTHI was near the left in the general advance and skirmished briskly, covering the front of the Brigade, and advancing vigorously two or three miles, when they came in sight of a long line of Rebel entrenchments. One Company after another was thrown upon the skirmish line, until nearly the entire Regiment was deployed. By a bold charge the skirmish pits near Lovejoy's Station were captured by the Reg- iment and a position gained close up to the enemy's main line. This advance, which was made under the personal direction of Major Hicks, was a most gallant one, the men evincing an
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LOVEJOY'S STATION.
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enthusiasm which called forth high encomiums from the Brigade and Division Commander. It was attended by four fatalities, Andrew Disch, of Company A, and Patrick Hewitt, of Com- pany I, being killed and William Calvert and Andrew Jelly, of Company F, mortally wounded. Calvert died two days later and Jelly was conveyed to Chattanooga, where he died September 10. John Lister, of Company F, lost a finger, and Charles Hawkins, of Company D, was wounded in the hand. The firing was very heavy until long after nightfall and so close was the range that the men on either side were compelled to hug the ground closely to prevent heavy loss. As soon as it was dark, a line of works was constructed, a heavy line of skirmishers firing incessantly to keep the enemy down and allow the work to proceed. So hot was this fire that the Rebels actually abandoned their front line before daylight, their forces moving a hundred yards or more to a second line of works.
Saturday, September 3, brought no forward movement, but a continnous firing was maintained by both infantry and artil- lery on either side. Large supplies of ammunition were required, and the men cheered loudly at frequent intervals, at times shouting questions and answers toward the still defiant but evidently disconcerted men in grey. The day passed without serious casualties.
Sunday, September 4, was a repetition of the previous day. Corporal Peter Fleming, of Company E, was wounded in the left shoulder. At night a band came out in the rear of the Union lines and played several patriotic airs, but their music came to a sudden termination when a Rebel battery let off a half dozen shells in quick succession.
Monday, September 5, the second anniversary of the organ- ization of the Regiment, found the command still under a heavy fire, and the men still responding, resolutely and enthu- siastically, to the shots of the enemy they had so long con- fronted. From the first it had been evident that the entire Rebel army had successfully eluded Gen. Sherman in their retreat from Atlanta, and that all were gathered at Lovejoy's Station. But ten days rations had been taken when the move-
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HISTORY OF THE 96TH REGIMENT, ILL. V. I.
ment began, August 25, and these were about exhausted. The weather was rainy, the roads bad, and the thirty miles which separated the Army from the city precluded the possi- bility of an immediate supply by wagon trains. For four long months the men had been actively at work, and were now in much need of rest. Gen. Sherman therefore determined to bring the long campaign to a close, and on the evening of September 5, began the movement back to the city of Atlanta, which had been one of the objectives of the campaign. The night was dark and rainy and the troops tired, but there was no murmuring and few if any left the ranks. Jonesboro, which was passed about one o'clock in the morning, presented a weird sight, for hundreds of bales of captured cotton were burning in the streets, details of soldiers being made to see that it was destroyed, and thus prevent it from falling into the hands of the enemy. A halt was made at two o'clock in the morning, the Regiment, with other troops, laying in bivouac all of Tuesday and Tuesday night, and until other portions of the army had passed on toward the city.
Wednesday, September S. the Regiment marched back to Rough and Ready, and on Thursday, September 9, to Atlanta, going into camp some two or three miles from the city, near the Augusta railroad, and pitching its tents near the graves of the brave men who fell with the gallant McPherson, July 22. The Army of the Cumberland encamped in and about the city, the Army of the Tennessee at East Point, and the Army of the Ohio at Decatur.
The Atlanta campaign had ended ; a campaign destined to live in history as one of the most remarkable of any clime or time. And well had the NINETY-SIXTH borne its part, and sustained the record for heroism and gallantry won at Chicka- mauga and indorsed at Lookout Mountain. The army hailed the needed rest with pleasure. The President, Congress, the press and the loyal people of the land showered-encomiums upon Gen. Sherman and the gallant officers and soldiers who had forced their way over mountains and across rivers from Chattanooga to the "Gate City," and saw in the successes of the four months, a hope arising that the long and bloody strug-
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CLOSE OF THE CAMPAIGN.
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gle would soon terminate in a victory that should be final and complete. But there were to be other ardoous campaigns and bloody battles, and in them the NINETY-SIXTH was to have a conspicuous part.
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HISTORY OF THE 96TH REGIMENT, ILL .. V. I.
CHAPTER XXII.
The Gains and the Losses of the Campaign-Plans for the Future -- A Skirmish near Stone Mountain-Deaths by Disease-Gen Hood takes the Initiative -- A Race to the Rear-Passing Familiar Ground --- In Sight of the Rebel Army -- Allatoona -- The March to Rome -- Delays for want of a Little Bridge-Calhoun, Resaca and Dalton- On the Flank of the Enemy-Alternate Brief Rests and Heavy Marches-Southward to Gaylesville-A week in Camp with Abundant Rations-Last Days with Gen. Sherman.
THE stay at Atlanta continued for nearly a month, and was comparatively uneventful to the NINETY-SIXTH. A few men were daily permitted to visit the city, and in time all who cared to do so had made the circuit of the breastworks, and gone over the numerous and now historic battlefields about the town. The official reports brought out the fact that in the campaign more than three thousand officers and soldiers in the Federal army had been killed, about sixteen thousand wounded, and two thousand seven hundred captured. Four cannon had been captured at Resaca, ten at Rome, twenty at Atlanta and eight at Jonesboro. The Federal army had expended 86, 611 rounds of artillery ammunition and 11, 815.209 rounds of infantry ammunition. More than 8,000 prisoners had been taken, and 2,162 deserters had come within the lines. But the Rebel army was not destroyed, and while Gen. Sher- man was planning for a new and aggressive campaign Gen. Hood was also arranging to assume the offensive, and startle the world by a campaign bold in its conception, but destined to be disastrous to the brave men in his command.
Meanwhile a spirited correspondence sprung up between the two commanders, growing out of the question as to what should become of the citizens in Atlanta, and resulting in the sending of nearly all non-combatants north or south, which- ever way they chose to go. A heavy inner line of works was constructed, so that a small force might hold the city against assault. The terms of many of the troops enlisted in 1961
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.
.. ... F. M. FARNSWORTH. . 11. ! JUDSON A. MASUN.
Corp'l JAMES lekcox. Second Lieut. IHRAM W. FARNSWORTH. JOSIAH HI. WRIGHT.
JOSEPH PALMER. JOHN K. BECK ..
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RESTING AT ATLANTA.
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were expiring, and these men were sent north by rail. Gen. Thomas was sent to the rear to look after the defence of the long line of communications, and to gather troops to resist the raids of the enemy. Gen. Sherman and Gen. Grant were in constant communication, and before the close of Septem- ber the march to the sea had been proposed. It was expected that Gen. Hood would follow, or march upon parallel lines, seeking to harass or annoy the Union forces, but instead he assumed the initiative and threw his entire army northward, crossing the Chattahoochie a few miles west of Atlanta. Early in October the enemy began the work of destroying the long lines of railroad between Atlanta and Chattanooga, thus attempting to do to Gen. Sherman's army precisely what the latter was purposing to do to Gen. Hood's.
During the month of September the health of the Regi- ment was good, and its numbers were increased by the return of many of those who had dropped out because of sickness or wounds during the campaign. Lieutenant Earle, who had been acting as Adjutant of the Regiment for a few weeks, was detailed as Aide-de-Camp on Brigade staff, and entered upon his duties September 23, serving as Aide and Inspector until the close of the war. Hospital Steward Ferguson was mus- tered as First Lieutenant of Company H. Colonel Cham- pion returned to the Regiment, and toward the close of the month was assigned to the command of the Brigade. His wound had healed but his health was poor, and he looked many years older than when he left the front in June.
The number of deaths from disease, aside from those occur- ring among prisoners of war, was much smaller than during the previous summer. A. C. Tarpley, of Company I, a brother of Capt. Tarpley, died at Bridgeport May 11. John R. Dun- more, a recruit to Company D, died at Chattanooga July 1. Thomas Kinreid, of Company G, died at Nashville June 27. William II. Bevard, of Company I, died at Nashville, August 6. Corporal Jolin Hill, of Company I, died at Atlanta Septem- ber 23.
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