Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-07-30
From the 18th Regiment.

don few mistakes. Yours, &c, ****.
From the 18th Regiment.
Il Rerie,o from tie 18th of Jia,e-IHe Move-
lae7ats of our Forces-IMore of lSheYnans
Right Flanking-Rebel ETacu0tiOn Of. Kene-
sa,r-THe Pursuit of de Enemy Charging
and Dyiring the Rebels to tie Chatt0boochee
The Spires of atlanta IN Vieac.
Correspondence of the State Journal.
NEAR CHATTAHOocHEE RIVER, GA,
July 9, 1864.
In my last | related the particulars of a
charge in which part of our regiment par
ticipated, on the 18th of June, and which
cost us heavily. | will now relate our subse-
quent adventures.
After several days Smelling the woods in
our front, where our boys made the charge,
the rebs gradually falling. back from line to
line as each grew too hot to hold them, it
was decided to make another advance, and
on the morning of the 10th the various regi-
ments of our corps began to move forward.
Crossing over our late battle-ground, we
marched through the thick brush, over quite
number of steep hills, through double
line of empty rihe-pits, sitting under the crest
of little hill to endure two hours deluge
of rain, then moving by the left flank through
openings in the woods, where the rebels had
exhausted their ingenuity in telling trees and
brush so as to block up and prevent the pas
sage of any hostile forces, through more rifle
pits, finally hating near rebel fort, where a
double row of pointed stakes forbid a nearer
approach. However, as the builders had
skedaddled, we quietly pushed the obstruc-
tiOns aside and took position in the de-
serted works, using the logs to make other
Ca
finishing them we were ordered to make
another advance, which, after repeating our
former adventures among logs, trees, hills
and abattis, brought us to another and still
stronger line of works, the fourth entered
since leaving our camp in the morning. Do
not suppose that no opposition had been
made to our advance. Shot, shell and bull
lets had constantly been on the hunt for us
in a remarkable interesting manner, but, for
tunately, without doing very great damage.
Upon reaching this fourth line of works, We
laid down behind them, taking baptism the
second, while bullets sang around us right
merrily.
In the morning our batteries, which had
taken position on the TANKS of our brigades,
opened fire upon the rebels-whose batteries
could plainly be seen upon the crest of the
mountain overlooking us-which was re-
turned with considerable spirit for a while,
after which they became silent, and our boys
had it all their own way again.
We remained quietly in our new position
until the morning of the 22d ult., the rebels
apparently paying little heed to US, but CIV
ing great attention TO the proceedings of our
troops far to the right, when they suddenly
began to shell the tents and flys of regimen
tai and brigade headquarters, tearing a tent
fly on one side and shelter tent on the
other side of our Coloneps tent, sending a
shower of dirt over the table where few OF
our officers were eating, causing them to
scatter in great disgust and rather rapidly to
a safer place, damaging the understanding OF
horse and a mule, whose brains were at
once knocked out, to save doctors bills,
while the rest of us laid low" not caring to
receive any of the compliments so lavishly
showered upon US.
Next day we dug line of rife-pits some
| fifty steps in advance CT the line, strengthen
ing it considerably otherwise, so as to make
ourselves more secure from shot and shell, OF
the more insidious bullet.
During the night of the 26th ult., we moved
little to the right, and went to work
strengthing the breastworks and closing up
the line of rifle-pits, so as to make them into
| an advanced line of breastworks. Next
morning another charge was orderedby Gen.
| Whisky, or somebody else, to be made by
four companies of the SD Indiana, of our
brigade, an order which was obeyed, result.
ing in the death of one captain and the cap.
| ture of another, the death of one or two lieu.
tenants, and the killing, wounding and cap.
turing of about IS rank and file, and the rapid
retreat of the rest, loudly cursing the officers
who sent them to charge up the side of a
PERCEPTIONS mountain where the rebel rife
pits, perched upon inaccessible walls of rocks
shOwered death and defiance upon them.
Toward evening of the 1st of July. the
rebels exposed flag of truce in their pits al
the foot of the mountain, when, upon in
quiry, they proposed that the SD boys should
come up and bury their dead. When it il
recollected that they buried none of those
who fell in the charge of the 18th of June
belonging to either army, but left them for III
to inter when we advanced to the occupation
of the ground, it seemed strange that they
should make such proposition; but the OBJ
ject sought by them soon became apparent
when the flag was ordered back by our pick
ct officer, as their whole line of pits at the
foot of the mountain opened fire upon oul
skirmish line, with an uproar that was awful
The time occupied in receiving the flag o.
| truce had been used'to cover the approach
of large force of rebels, who crept dowr
the side of the mountain into their pits, pre-
paratory to opening heavy fire upon oui
boys. i think they soon became satisfied
| that they had walked the wrong passenger,
as batteries from all directions took up the
quarrel, and more than rained hardware upor
| the ragged rascals. The air was fairly alive
] with the roar of artillery and bursting shells
for awhile, and the rebels retreated to thsii