Monday, May 9, 1864
5:30 a.m.
Moved to the front and took position at the foot Rocky Face Mountain.
Morgan and Mitchell's Brigade are on the advance. The enemy has
evacuated and moved back to the Gap and on the range of Rocky
Face Ridge. Our Division moved forward to a position on the left
of the Gap in the Valley, at the foot of the Ridge, with our skirmish
line advanced about half-way up the slope, the 1st and 2d Brigade
in advance and our Brigade in reserve.
Constant and heavy firing going on all along the line. Very little
artillery is heard from either side. The rebs cannot be seen in
any great force and consequently artillery can't be used to any
particular advantage.
12 noon
Very heavy skirmishing (on the abrupt slope of Rocky Face Mountain).
I have heard no report of casualties. Not much firing heard on
the right at this time.
2 p.m.
Skirmishers are gradually gaining ground on the immediate left
of the Gap. Heavy skirmishing still continues all along the line
and bids fair to open into a regular, general battle, a thing
which is a dread.
Rocky Face Ridge is a high range of mountains extending from near
Rome northward into Tennessee, and is considered one of the most
powerful positions formed by Nature. it is difficult to flank.
The slope is very steep and in many places is s perpendicular.
Overhanging cliffs stretch along its front, making it impossible
for an army to successfully make a direct assault.
8 p.m.
The advantage of position is altogether against us - in proportions
of five to one. The mountain sides of Rocky Face are very steep.
It is impossible to charge the enemy. Heavy skirmishing went on
all day without any particular advantage being gained. Word has
been received from General Grant's forces on the Rapidan, stating
that the enemy has been driven from its position and put in retreat
toward Richmond. The news greatly inspires our men.
Tuesday, May 10, 1864
6 a.m.
Everything remained quiet during the night. There was no firing
on our front after 6 p.m. A profound silence reigned on the field
at dawn. Very heavy firing began quite early, however, and widened
into a full-fledged engagement about nine o'clock. Both musketry
artillery have been freely used, but no advantage was gained by
either side. Northern troops and rebs held their respective ground
along the mountain side and tip. Brigade moved on the front line.
about 10 a.m.
Regiment made a rather serious blunder by abandoning their position
where there was no real cause or serious apprehension of danger,
though we had been much annoyed by sharp-shooters station on Rocky
Face Mountain, in which one man was seriously wounded and another
slightly wounded, at a range of about 1200 yards. Moved on the
extreme and relieved General Morgan's Brigade, 52d Ohio, on the
skirmish line. Position on the hills immediately to the left of
the railroad.
12 noon
fighting has been heavy, with both musketry and artillery, but
as yet I perceive that no great material advantage has been gained
along the mountain side.
Wednesday, May 11, 1864
Very heavy firing on our picket line at three o'clock this morning
brought every man to his feet, ready for action. The rebels tried
to surprise and capture our picket reserve, but failed. The 52d
Ohio was on the line, a regiment both watchful and brave. They
stood their ground and repulsed the enemy, with a loss of but
few men. Brisk skirmishing continued during most of the day in
which we had one man killed and several wounded in the Brigade.
At 5 p.m., General Whitaker made a reconnaissance with a hundred
picket men from his command and drove the enemy pickets and skirmishers
several hundred yards. Then the rebels gave fierce battle and
forced Whitaker and his men off the field. They retired with a
loss of only about ten men killed and wounded.
Our brigade was relieved from duty on the front at dark and march
marched back across the Valley and went into bivouac for the night.
Officers and men are much fatigued and in want of sleep.
Sick:
Augustus S. Dickson, William A. Stodgell and Sergeant Barnett
E. Haines departed with an ambulance train. (Haines died of intermittent
fever on May 31st at the General Field Hospital, Chattanooga.)
Later, there was general muster and all baggage was ordered sent
to the rear, in anticipation of an advance. Dark came and all
was profoundly quiet. Our Brigade retired to rest arms early,
with orders that reveille would beat at 3:30 a.m. At that time,
everything must be in readiness to leave at an early hour.
No firing during the night on our front.
A person would scarcely think that we rest on the eve of the most
deadly conflict.
Thursday, May 12, 1864
Reveille sounded at 5 o'clock. We departed from camp at half-past
six and proceeded to the right, in the direction of Snake Creek
Gap. Marched about three miles and halted to let the 1st and 2nd
Brigades pass to the front. lay in an open field for about two
hours and again moved on. Weather fair but unusually cool. Halted
at Cemetery Church and cemetery. Halted again about a half-mile
from the church and took dinner.
After resting about two hours, we moved forward. The movement
is necessarily slow as the road is bad and difficult to pass artillery
over, which often detains the column.
About sundown, we came up with some other troops at the mouth
of Snake Creek Gap. We stopped for supper in a nice grove. Afterward,
we left the wagon train to take care of itself and entered the
Gap, marching through it a distance of about four miles.
The night was very dark and the heavy rains here, over the past
few days, have made the roads very muddy in some places, almost
impassable.
Water around here is scarce and bad. Along the route, marched
through the village of Snake Creek..
The men - good, true, and hardy - bear it all. They made their
way through and laid down in an open field on the south side of
the Gap at 2:30 a.m. of the 13th.
I got finished about 3:30 a.m. Laid down and slept about an hour.
Friday, May 13, 1864
Snake Creek Valley, south of Snake Creek Gap, in the Rocky Face
Mountains:
After about tow hours sleep, we had reveille at daylight and a
hastily-prepared breakfast. Then we again moved forward from Snake
Creek. Strange as it may appear to my brother officers in the
regiment, every man of my command was in line, though I was soon
compelled to leave two of my best men behind on account of sickness.
No other company in regiment could boast of taking every man through
that Gap in that dreadful dark night.
The health of the men is gradually failing. Many of them are complaining
of sore throats and sore mouths, some billiousness, though I trust
not many men will be disabled. I was oblige to leave two of my
best men - Hughes and William A. Groves - making three men since
I started from Ringgold, corporal Ben F. Scott having been shipped
to the rear from Buzzard Roost several days back.
We went on about two miles up the Valley and halted. The Brigade
was here massed and lay in that position until nearly sundown.
A general move then commenced, much of it on the double quick,
in the course of which a large portion of the Army then situated
there apparently changed front from Northeast to Southeast and
after having marched on various roads and towards nearly all points
of the compass, our Brigade took position in reserve, in a thick
underbrush, and bivouacked for the night.
The men soon settled into quiet slumber, having had but few hours
sleep in the previous three nights. Many are so exhausted from
hard marching and loss of sleep that they are barely able to do
duty. Weather is clear and very hot.
A thousand rumors - good, bad, and indifferent - are constantly
going the rounds.
Saturday, May 14, 1864
Slept until daylight. Then had reveille. Everything remained quiet
during the night. The men feel much refreshed after getting a
good night's rest. Skirmishing started quite early and soon ripened
into heavy fighting. A general engagement commenced about 12 noon
and continued almost incessantly for about two and a half hours.
This resulted in pushing the enemy from several important positions
and back inside their main line of works, in which they make a
stubborn resistance. They have repulsed several heavy charges
made on their works situated on the heights south of the Oostanaula
River Creek.
No part of our Brigade has been engaged today, but we have been
exposed to a heavy artillery fire from the enemy several times
and have had several men killed and wounded. we have been unable
to return a single shot. During the day, we proceeded steadily
forward from our position to another until about three in the
afternoon, when we cam in came in front t of the enemy's main
line of works and then had to halt in a position where we were
in range of the enemy's shells. Many of those shells were hurled
at us. We stayed here until sometime after dark, when we proceeded
about three-fourths of a mile to our right and took position on
a space in front of the rebel works. There, we built temporary
breastworks for protection against sharpshooters. This kept our
troops busy. Being but poorly supplied with entrenching tools,
most of the night was spent in our construction of the works.
The night was clear and moon-lit, which was much in our favor,
as chopping down trees constituted the great portion of the labor.
The men suffer much for want of sleep.
Sunday, May 15, 1864
Very heavy skirmishing began at daylight. The sky was clear, but
a heavy fog overlay the Valley. Artillery firing from our breastworks
began about six o'clock and went on for nearly two hours. It did
very little damage to the enemy, who are supposed to have formidable
works on our immediate front. Two men from Company C were wounded,
one severely and one slightly, about seven in the morning.
The fog obscured the rebel lines from our view at first, but it
has now burnt off because of the hot sun. Our artillery has blasted
the southerners with terrible fury, but, sad to say, not to any
great effect. The enemy have strong works which afford them sufficient
shelter.
The southern sharpshooters have annoyed us very much during the
after-part of the day, endangering the lives of every creature
that showed above the trenches. And judging from what I have been
able to see, the enemy have been compelled to use the same precautions.
The distance between our works and that of the enemy is about
500 yards. That is an easy range for an Enfield or Springfield
rifle musket.
today closes the ninth day since the general advance on the enemy
began, during which not a day has passed without musketry and
artillery being freely used. Artillery firing went on at intervals
today, but the rifle fire was continuous and heavy. It only ceased
when night threw a dark mantle over all. Then everything was quiet
until after eleven.
Around 12 midnight
A panic, of all things has seized our pickets. They have opened
a heavy skirmish fire. That immediately raised the main line.
Holy hell broke loose, for the main line poured in tremendous
volley after volley for a few minutes, while our magnificent artillery
rent the heavens with a rain of grape and canister. The air was
heavy with gunsmoke and saltpetre fumes. Flames roiled about the
treetops and there was a howling of shot and shell. Naturally,
it was impossible to sleep with all that going on.
And, most ridiculous of all, this immense expenditure of gunfire
and ammunition was all, literally, without effect, for the Confederates
had, at no time, been outside their own works.
The alarm which first set off our picket sharpshooters was apparently
the distant sound of some stir amongst the enemy and was speedily
taken up along the line. Of course the rebels gave back as good
as they got, but for both sides, it was all a waste.
Monday, May 16, 1864
At 4:30 a.m., I was ordered to make an advance on the enemy's
works with my company and Company 'I' of the 86th, for the purpose
of ascertaining whether the enemy were still there. The patrol,
however, soon found that the enemy had pulled out during the night
and moved south of the Oostanaula River, which gave us possession
of Resaca and a clear, continuous railroad track back to Chattanooga.
By the rebel move, we found that Dalton was evacuated and that
we had entire possession of all the country in our rear.
We pursued the rebel rearguard to the village of Resaca. company
F was deployed as skirmishers, but soon found our line had been
preceded by a line of skirmishers from some other Corps. Our regiment
skirmished through the town of Resaca, or, rather, the village
of Resaca, for it only has about forty houses. It is situated
on the north bank of the river, completely encircled by a chain
of parapets and every approach was protected by powerful fortifications
for artillery and all that plus the usual other artificial works,
so that Resaca is a powerful, natural position.
When the 86th had gotten through Resaca, we then marched back
to sugar Creek Valley, where our knapsacks had been stored several
days ago. After a few minutes rest at this place, we set out again
and marched toward Rome, our regiment being detailed as train
guard.
Proceeded from Sugar Creek Valley at 10 o'clock p.m. in the direction
of Rome. Marched in the van of the division wagon train and moved
very slowly the first three miles, after which the road was much
better. The train moved off briskly, making it very hard marching
to keep up. Went about fourteen miles and then settled into camp
near a good spring, at the foot of a low range of mountains. The
men were very much fatigued, having marched about twenty four
miles this day and under very adverse circumstances. They have
had to go most of the distance in the van of a wagon train, halting
frequently and proceeding at a very irregular gait.
Since it was quite late when this place was attained, most of
my lads went to sleep without super and soon all was quiet about
the camp. So closed the day, the first time in over a week in
which we were spared the hateful sound of enemy musketry or artillery,
or a combination of both, plus our replies. for every time they
shoot at us, we have to shoot back at them.
Tuesday, May 17, 1864
Marched from our bivouac at daylight and moved forward rapidly
abut ten miles. We crossed Arumuchee Creek and filed into the
timber. There, we took dinner about 12 noon.
After about an hour and a half, we went forward again towards
Rome - almost entirely unmolested - until we arrived within two
miles of town. It was about half-past five, when we encountered
the enemy in force, outside their fortification. dispositions
were immediately made to give them battle and, if possible, to
push them across the Oostanaula River, yet save for ourselves
the bridge across the stream.
We engaged the rebels on the north side of Rome. Our men were
very much excited and thanks to the inefficiency of our field
officers, became almost beyond control.
As the 1st Brigade had the advance, it was deployed on the right
of the road and our brigade on the left, where, after some exchange
of fire, we managed to drive the enemy back for some little distance.
In the meantime, the 1st Brigade had moved by the right flank,
with their right thrown forward so as to flank the rebels on their
left and give room for the 2d Brigade to form on our immediate
right and between us and the 1st Brigade. While in this position,
the enemy counter-attacked in considerable force on the front
of our brigade. This rebel jab hurt and gave rise to great excitement
in our ranks and quite a bit of wavering backward and forward,
amid great volleys of musketry. During this bedlam, our brigade
lost many men. From my company, I lost John Vogler, John Wesley
McCulloch killed, James McNaughton and William M. Gardner wounded.
In the regiment, five men were killed and twelve severely wounded.
the regiment was badly managed, the colonel having sought shelter
behind a tree and remained there like a frightened puppy without
uttering a word or giving a single command throughout the entire
engagement and in the most trying moments that the outfit ever
experienced. Both officers and men vie in the one opinion that
the colonel is a contemptible coward, unworthy of the high and
honorable position he now holds. Officers who had up to this time
been his best personal friends have now become thoroughly disgusted
with him and have lost all confidence in his courage or ability
as a regimental commander. While every man, officer or private,
throughout the regiment, earnestly prays that it may never again
fall to his unhappy lot to be forced to pass through another battle
under the present imbecile and incompetent commander.
Only the obstinate courage and stubborn fighting of the men gained
us the victory. The imbecile officers and incompetent commanders
could not cheat the boys out of a victory which hard fighting
brought them.
The 22d Indiana was the heavy loser on this field and was equally
badly managed. their loss was fifty killed and wounded, amongst
the latter was Lt. Col. W. Wiles and Major Sheer, besides a number
of line officers. As those two regiments stood the whole brunt
of the fighting, there was but a very slight loss in either of
the other regiments of the brigade.
Many of the men say they can never hope for anything except to
be uselessly slaughtered because of the inefficient management
of our field officers. I fear the confidence of the men has become
so impaired that our present officers will never be able to redeem
themselves and obtain sufficient confidence to restore what was
lost.
Company F, 86th Illinois, lost two fine lads. Johnny Vogler was
shot through the abdomen and Wes McCulloch was shot through the
head. Both lived several hours afterwards, but then died and were
buried near the general field hospital. In losses, the regiment
had many killed and 1200 wounded - a great percentage of whom
will yet die from the wounds.
Joe MacManus was shot in the left arm.
The effects of John Wesley McCulloch as found on his person after
he fell on the field: one (1) watch with detachable fob of silver
and one dollar and 25/100 in cash . He was 28. Will have to write
his wife back home.
Immediately after the battle, the rebels withdrew a short distance.
Our line remained in its old position and was actively fortified.
We bivouacked there for the night.
Lost four Enfield muskets in this battle. Two of them belonged
to the men killer - Wes McCulloch and Johnny Vogler. Instead of
these weapons being returned to my custody, all the guns were
simply picked up and carried along with the wounded, to the field
hospital. No means of transportation was provided for cast off
equipment. I applied to Lt. Scraggs in order to have the guns
put into the Ordnance Train, but was refused. he said he had no
means of getting the guns from the hospital and over to where
his depot was situated.