1864/05/22 Report of Col. S.Ross

On the morning of the 13th the regiment, with the brigade and division, moved from its camp in rear of General McPherson's command, near the easterly entrance to Snake Creek Gap, toward the enemy, then in and around Resaca, and arriving in a thick wood formed line of battle and awaited developments of the enemy's position. Moved on in four hours and again formed in line of battle at King's house at 2 p.m. Remained in line about four hours, then advanced to the enemy's left. Finding that the Fourteenth Corps had driven the enemy from one of its positions, soon after dark moved with the brigade to the position occupied by General Johnson's division, Fourteenth Corps, and bivouacked in line of battle for the night. On the 14th advanced on the enemy's left, formed line of battle near our artillery, built breast-works, and remained during the day and night without being engaged. On the morning of the 15th moved with the division from the enemy's left to his right and participated in the attack upon and the turning of his right. This regiment occupied the following position in the brigade in the attack:

The brigade advanced between 1 and 2 p.m. in the above order, the order to advance being given by Captain Kellam, provost-marshal of the brigade. My regiment, occupying the second line in rear of the Eighty-fifth Indiana, was governed by the latter regiment in its movements. It was said that our Second Brigade was preceded by the First Brigade, but of this I personally knew nothing, further than what was said, and which I believed, but its direction after crossing the first hill I knew nothing of, nor was I informed in what direction our brigade was expected to go after reaching the top of said first hill, so that I only had the movements of the Eighty-fifth Indiana in my front to guide me, and moved when and where it moved, and when it halted my regiment halted, as a matter of course. My regiment acted with the brigade during the battle of that day, officers and men obeying every order. Where all acted so well, allusions to personal courage are uncalled for, and I will only refer to the most noteworthy. In passing the open ground, after crossing the first hill, under a heavy fire of musketry, grape, and canister, the color bearer was hit and fell out of line; thereupon Adjt. C. Jay Du Bois, seized the colors and gallantly carried them forward, holding them until our line was reformed on a new front, when he surrendered them to the sergeant designated to carry them. Soon after dark Lieutenant-Colonel Buckingham, with Company B, Capt. John H. Doolittle, and Company D, Capt. Oliver R. Post, with parties of other regiments of the brigade, was detailed to hold possession and remove during the night, if possible, four 12-pounder brass pieces captured from the enemy that day, but so near the rebel breast-works as to be within easy musket-range, and thus making it impossible to remove them by daylight. This duty he accomplished with perfect success, and by 2 a.m. the guns were brought within our lines. Lieutenant-Colonel Buckingham acknowledges valuable assistance from Colonel Cobham, One hundred and eleventh Pennsylvania, and his men. The regiment remained in line under arms. The list of casualties is hereto attached. Monday, the 16th, marched in pursuit of the retreating enemy to Field's Mill, crossing Connesauga and Coosawattee Rivers, and bivouacked for the night. May 17, marched to a place about two miles southeast of Calhoun and bivouacked, May 18, marched to a point on the Cassville road about two miles south of Doctor McDowell's house, on a high hill about four miles north of Cassville, and bivouacked in line of battle. May 19, about 11 a.m. this regiment was detailed with the Nineteenth Michigan Infantry, under my command, to report to Major-General Butterfield, then about two miles distant toward Kingston, with the First and Third Brigades; the other three regiments of the brigade remained behind with brigade headquarters. About 2 p.m. the division made a demonstration on the enemy with infantry and artillery. In this movement the Nineteenth Michigan and Twentieth Connecticut Volunteers, under my command, covered the right flank and supported our artillery. The division advanced about half a mile and swung around on Cassville, the enemy retiring, when these regiments, under my command, were posted on the right of the division, my left connecting with the right of the Third Brigade. The formation for a general advance of the division being completed, these two regiments under my command, thus posted on the right, advanced with the division in good order to the road near the seminary. Officers and men acted promptly and bravely. Lieutenant-Colonel Buckingham commanded the Twentieth Connecticut and Major Griffin the Nineteenth Michigan, both discharging their duties with ability and zeal. At this time Colonel Coburn arrived upon the ground and assumed command of these two regiments after that part of the day's operations were over, without the other three regiments; two of the three others were on the march and arrived about or a little after dark. The Twenteith Connecticut was «29 R R--VOL XXXVIII, PT II» then advanced a few rods to support our artillery batteries, sending skirmishers to the front to drive back the enemy's sharpshooters. About 8 p.m. these two regiments, the Twentieth Connecticut and Nineteenth Michigan, assisted by no other troops, in line of battle with fixed bayonets, assaulted and captured Cassville and occupied it until the morning of the 20th instant, when we marched to the present camp.