1864/09/25 Report of Lt. Col. F.C.Winkler

On the morning of May 2 we set out with 417 muskets and marched that day to Gordon's Mills. May 4, marched to Pleasant Grove, some four miles south of Ringold. May 6, marched to Leet's farm. May 7, crossed Taylor's Ridge, over a very rugged road, passed through Gordon's Springs, and camped at night in Dogwood Valley, about three miles from Buzzard Roost. May 8, started about noon on a reconnaissance to Buzzard Roost where we first met the enemy. A skirmish ensued and was continued till night and resumed the next morning. Here Lieutenant Juenger and First Sergeant Stollberg were wounded. May 9, returned to Dogwood Valley and went into camp. May 11, we started again at daylight and marched into Snake Creek Gap. Halted shortly after noon and were all put to work improving the road through the gap. May 12, marched forward several miles and halted. May 13, marched several miles and formed in order of battle near Resaca; skirmishing commenced about noon; we were left in reserve through the afternoon; took a position in the front line at night. May 14, remained in same position, with skirmishers out in front. The fire between the skirmishers became at times quite active, and we lost that day 1 man killed and 3 wounded. About midnight we were relieved and taken to the rear, where we slept till daylight. Shortly after marched to the extreme left of our army where dispositions for battle were soon made. The Twenty-sixth was formed on the right of the brigade in the front line and I ordered to take a hill in its immediate front. Skirmishers were thrown out, and, supported by the main body of the regiment, soon succeeded to drive the rebel skirmishers out of a light breast-work they had thrown up on top of a hill, and we gained its brow. The rest of the brigade soon joined us on the left. Here we halted some time. The rebels' main line of fortifications was on a ridge nearly parallel to the one we occupied, and separated from it by a valley very densely covered by a young growth of pines. We moved forward again, drove the rebel skirmishers back into their works, and pressed on to an assault. The fire of canister and musketry that met us was terrific, the rebels' works proved very difficult of access, and the density of the forest made the preservation of a serried line impossible, so that although the works were actually gained in some places, the assault as a whole proved unsuccessful. We drew back into the valley, reformed the line, and attempted another assault, but again in vain. Orders were then given to fall back to the first hill, and there the regiment was collected. The rebels made a desperate charge to regain this position but were completely repulsed. The regiment lost in this day's action Lieut. Christian Phillip and 5 men killed and 40 wounded. After dark we were relieved by other troops and allowed to rest a short distance to the rear. May 16, the rebels having evacuated Resaca during the night, we started in pursuit about 10 a.m., marched southwesterly, crossed the Connesauga on a log bridge, and arrived after dark at Field's Mill, on the Coosawattee River, which we crossed in a ferry boat and then halted. About 1 p.m. 17th set out in a southwesterly course and rested that night about two miles west of Calhoun; 18th, started at 5 a.m., and marched south. About the middle of the afternoon our advance encountered rebel skirmishers supported by a section of artillery. One regiment of the brigade was deployed as skirmishers and the Twenty-sixth marched in line of battle in their support. We advanced slowly, and at night halted and slept on our arms. The next morning we pressed forward again, our brigade going due south on a reconnaissance; toward noon came in sight of a large body of rebels. Our brigade being alone we withdrew to a slight eminence and there awaited the enemy, but he made no attack. After several hours had elapsed we moved forward again toward Cassville, the Twenty-sixth in advance, Companies A and G deployed as skirmishers. We had gone about half a mile when our skirmishers became engaged and quite a brisk skirmish ensued, in which the rebels were driven back and retired into the hills around Cassville. Toward evening, our corps having concentrated, we moved against Cassville in order of battle. Here quite a fight between the skirmishers and artillery of the hostile forces took place, continuing till long after dark. Our regiment was in second line and suffered no loss. The action over, we were taken about a mile to the rear and there encamped till May 23, when we set out again at 4 a.m. and marched southwesterly, crossed the Etowah River on a pontoon bridge in the afternoon, and soon after halted. 24th, marched to Burnt Hickory. Shortly after 8 a.m. May 25 we started from Burnt Hickory and marched southward, crossed Pumpkin Vine Creek, and continued our march through a very rough country, hills and woods. Near New Hope Church we came upon our Second Division, who had intrenched themselves. Dispositions for battle were made, and about 4 p.m. our brigade moved forward on the extreme left of the line, the Twenty-sixth being in second line. We moved forward with but little opposition nearly a mile, then came to a ravine which was commanded by an opposite hill, which the rebels held in force with infantry and artillery. The brigade was still pressed forward, and here a very severe conflict ensued. The rebels fire was very rapid and, owing to their advantageous position, far more effective than ours. The Seventy-third Ohio, in the front line to our left, being very hotly pressed, we moved to its support and soon after relieved it and took our place in the front line. The battle continued with great fierceness for about an hour longer, when, as darkness set in, both parties ceased firing. We held that position till after midnight, when we were taken to the rear. Our casualties this day were 5 men killed, 1 officer and 31 men wounded, and 2 men missing. It being found that the enemy occupied a strongly intrenched position, our army also took position and intrenched. We were held in reserve till the 27th of May, when we took position in the front line of works, where we remained till evening of the 30th, our pickets in front constantly skirmishing with those of the enemy, whereby 1 man was killed. The evening of the 30th we were relieved and retired to the second line. June 1, our corps was relieved by the Fifteenth, and we marched toward the left. June 2, continued our march, and toward evening took position in support of troops of the Twenty-third Corps, who were skirmishing in our front. June 3, pushed forward again several miles. June 6, marched southward again and about noon struck the rebel lines. Here we again intrenched a strong line near that of the enemy, and the long rains which ensued kept us there till June 15, when we pressed forward again, the rebels having evacuated their lines running over Pine Knob toward Lost Mountain. We pressed forward cautiously, the advance engaged in heavy skirmishing. The enemy had only retreated about two miles to a very strong position well intrenched near Golgotha Church. We pushed close up to his works under a heavy skirmish and artillery fire. Our brigade was in reserve and exposed only to the latter. Two men of the regiment were wounded by a shell. The ground gained was held and the front line intrenched during the night. June 16, took position in front line. The rebels evacuated that night. Our skirmishers pressed forward at daylight, driving the enemy's, and then our battalion soon followed. The rebel skirmishers opposite those of the Twenty-sixth once attempted to make a stand, but they pressed forward impetuously, drove them off, and captured a battle-flag from them. At Noyes' Creek the enemy was again found in force and intrenched, and we in turn halted and intrenched. On the morning of the 19th this position was found to be evacuated, and we advanced once more with difficulty, crossed several creeks very much swollen in consequence of the late heavy rains, and came upon the enemy's skirmishers again. In the afternoon our brigade was formed in one line, the Twenty-sixth on the right, and sent forward into a wood. Having gone some distance we came to an open field commanded by a wooded hill held by rebel skirmishers. Here we were ordered to halt while our skirmishers engaged those of the enemy. Thus the afternoon passed. We lost I man killed and 4 wounded. After dark we were withdrawn to the rear of entrenchments, which had mean time been thrown up by the other brigades. This was in front of the rebel position near Kenesaw Mountain. June 22, our brigade was again formed in line of battle and marched forward. The rebels had thrown up a line of rifle-pits along the hill they held the 19th, and occupied them by a very strong skirmish line, which our skirmishers were unable to dislodge. We were then ordered to advance upon them in line. We had to cross an open field under a destructive fire, then charged upon the pits and took them, but soon found that «30 R R--VOL XXXVIII, PT II» they were commanded by the main line of the enemy's works. The portion held by our regiment was particularly exposed, but it had to be held, and we managed to throw up some breast-works, which, when finished, afforded us some protection. Our loss was very heavy, 9 men killed and 30 wounded. At night we were relieved and marched some distance to the right. June 23, marched to the right as far as the Powder Springs road, in rear of the line, then marched along that road as close as we could up to the rebel position, there took position and intrenched. Here we remained, with constant skirmishing between the pickets, till July 3; had 2 men wounded. We were so close to the rebel skirmishers that they fired into our lines with ease, and there was no place of safety except close to the breast-works.

July 3, the enemy being on the retreat again, we followed; found the enemy again strongly intrenched, and halted. July 4, made a short reconnaissance to find the position of Twenty-third Army Corps in the forenoon; moved some distance to the right in the afternoon to connect with that corps. July 5, the enemy having abandoned his works on the Nickajack Creek, we advanced again to within a few miles of the Chattahoochee. July 6, marched toward the left a couple of miles, and went into camp in a pleasant wood about two miles from the river and within eyesight of the domes of Atlanta. Here we enjoyed a brief period of rest. At 1 p.m. July 17 we broke camp, and toward evening crossed the river a little above the railroad crossing. July 18, marched to Buck Head and remained there 19th. July 20, we marched south from Buck Head, and shortly before noon crossed Peach Tree Creek; then formed in line and halted for a rest at the foot of a hill which ran along our front nearly parallel to our line. The Twenty-second Wisconsin, deployed as skirmishers in front of our division, had driven the rebel skirmishers from this hill, and also another similar hill beyond it, and now held the latter. We had been in this position several hours, when it was reported that the enemy was advancing in lines of battle, and the increased rapidity of fire on the skirmish line corroborated the report. Our brigade was at this time formed in two lines, the Twenty-sixth Wisconsin Regiment in front line on the right, the Twentieth Connecticut on the left, two regiments, Seventy-third and Fifty-fifth Ohio, in second line. We took arms at once and waited impatiently for the order to advance. The order came, and we moved forward simultaneously with the brigade on our right. We gained the first hill just as our skirmishers were falling back from the second. We moved forward still, and had just gained a shallow ravine covered with bushes between the two hills when the enemy appeared in strong line of battle at a fence running along the brow of the hill in our front. As the two lines were within easy musket-range of each other, the battle commenced at once with great fierceness. The Twentieth Connecticut had not advanced with us. The Fourth Corps, still pushed to the left, which did occupy an advanced position at the time of the approach of the enemy, had fallen back to its breast-works, so that we were now on the extreme left of the line. In our front the field was open, but some sixty yards from our left there was a dense forest. Of this the enemy availed themselves, and came upon our flank in strong force, opening an enfilading fire upon us, while at the same time the line in front came nearer and nearer, until the two lines were in many places less than a rod apart. For a time the conflict was desperate. I took every man who could be spared on the right to re-enforce the left. At last the enemy broke and fled. We pursued him on his very heels to the top of the hill, captured the regimental flag of the Thirty-third Mississippi, and leaving Colonel Drake, of that regiment, and 34 others dead, and at least double that number severely wounded, behind us, and cutting off the retreat of forty others, who surrendered afterward to the second line. Arriving on the top of the hill, we were again met by a heavy volley from the woods on our left, to which we replied with vigor. After some fifteen minutes the Twentieth Connecticut came up and took position on our left, and some time after the Seventy-third Ohio came up to take our place, and we were permitted to go some forty yards to the rear. Our ammunition had been entirely expended, and during the last half hour we had used that of the killed and wounded rebels lying on the field. The intense heat of the sun, added to the heat of the contest, had utterly exhausted the men, and when the excitement was over quite a number fell into a swoon. We secured besides the flag 5 officers' swords of the Thirty-third Mississippi. This regiment, we ascertained from the wounded, numbered nearly 400 effective men. We went into action with 260 muskets. Our casualties were Captains Seeman and Mueller killed, Captain Steinmeyer and Lieutenant Wollmer wounded, 7 enlisted men killed and 34 wounded. July 21, we remained on the battle-field, which was about half a mile from a strong line of fortifications held in force by the enemy. The enemy's sharpshooters continued to shoot into our line, and killed I man of Company K. July 22, it was found that the enemy had abandoned his first line of works, and we moved forward and took position near the main defense of Atlanta. July 23, moved about half a mile to the right to relieve a brigade of our First Division near the railroad, and remained till 29th, being daily much exposed to rebel artillery fire, by which 2 men were wounded the 27th. July 29, our division left this position and marched to the extreme right of the army. August 2, moved back again nearly to our former position, and next day relieved Fourteenth Corps in the front line. In this position we remained to the 25th day of August. We advanced our lines three successive times, strongly intrenching at each advance, and were constantly exposed to bullets from the rebel picket-line, whereby we lost 2 men killed and 2 wounded. In the night of 25th of July we withdrew from our breast-works and marched to Turner's Ferry; there took position and intrenched.