The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-01-17
ATLANTA CAMPAIGN.
Part Taken by the 66th ~. at Resaca and
Laws Ferry.

Part Taken by the 66th ~. at Resaca and
Lays Ferry.
EDITOR NATIONAL Tribune: "High
| Private" in your paper of Nov. 90, 1864,
accuses Gen. o. o. Howard Of making a
mistake when writings of the advance ut
Snake Greek Gap. Both,are partly mistaken.
Gen. Howard assignedrou regiment TO the
Twelfth Corps. We belonged to the Six
eenth Corps, Army offs the Tennessee.
High Private is also az little of, to say
the least. He says that on the 9th of May,
1864, the 9th Ill. had the advance.
The fact is this: On the morning of the
9th of May, the 39th Iowaitook the field as
skirmishers. They were not used to Skin
mishing, and failed to make an advance at
once. The Goth ILL.,, sometimes called Blrges
Sharpshooters armed with Henry repeating
rifles. was then ordered into line across the
Gap. i'm the rear of the seth Iowa. We of the
66th were sent forward, passing the men of
the 39ih on the double-quick. We drove
the enemy (Wilder's dismounted cavalry
six or seven miles to the big bottom. We
captured q number of prisoners.
Our company CAY came to cluster of
buildings. Part of our company were on
small hill just north of the road.
Gen. Mcpherson and staff dismounted and
climbed the hill to inspect rebel forts about
two miles away near Resaca 1 am certain
the 9th Ill. WAS not in our front that day.
To show the comrade that wish to give his
regiment due credit. l will say that the Goth
made the advance on n run, knowing that
tie 9th Ohio and 10Th Ill. were close at their
heels.
do not know where High Private !"
could have besH during the crossing at
Lays Ferry. He SAYS the original plan
was to send the Goth III. across the river in
advance but they had used up their ammu-
milton and the order had to be changed.
The evening before the crossing was made
our company Ca, Goth ILL.,, Capt. W. S. Boyd
was on skiymish-ine below the old ferry
crossing, Oh the banks of the river. Seven
men OF the SIst Ohio attempted to cross the
river in canyas-covered pont0on boat. 1t
was said at the time that they were all
killed At dusk we were relieved, and
when we got to camp received orders for our
company to be ready at daylight to cross
the river Not much sleep for Co. A that
night.
Early in the morning we marched to the
road leading to the ferry. Fonr men were
detailed TO pole the boat The boat was
f1atboat, which had been used as a ferryboat.
The order vas given to double-quick to the
boat.
Our whole division followed to the bank
of the river and opened fire on the rebel
breastworks across the river. Not rebel
in sight. They held their guns up above
their heads and fred The bullets struck
the water all around Us, but did not hit a
man in the boat. We gained the shore,
climbed river hank and over the breastworks
4. L. -. a.
The 18th Iowa crossed in boats and marched
a short distance to the front and stood an
awful charge while the pOnto0ns were being
laid. Battery Fl, 1st Mo. Art, threw fuse
shells from their 12-pounders, killing many
OF the enemy. No regiment or part of regi-
ment fOrded, as " High Private" claims. In
fact, The river was too deep for fordiug. This
was in the morning, nnot dafternOon. The
Goth III. was engaged at r me Crossroads.
Just south of the roads there was a low
ridge covered with blush and small trees
l should think the ridge was "a half mile
long and one-fourth OF 4 mile vide.
A short distance beyond was rebel
wagon-trair with, it seemed to MS, small
guard. We thought we might capture the
train. We advanced our skirmish-line 10
the extreme point of the ridge, and fought
with rebel skirmishers who were in the
fields between our line and rebel wagon
train.
We soon saw two divisions of rebels
marching, one on each side of our ridge,
trying TO cut us off from our support. Col.
Burke, our commander, at that time COM
handing brigade, brought up the 18th Ill
and S1st Ohio, and held he rebels in check
until our regiment ran through the gap
made by the ridge about 200 yards at that
point
Col p f. Burke received his death wound
there while leading the 18th and 8ist. We
fell back slowly from ridge to ridge, the
enemy forcing us back until we had re-
treated about mile, when we came in sight
of the whole of the Army Of the Tennessee
in camp. 1t was getting dark, and the
were burning brightly. Welcome
sight to US, for as far "a we knew we had no
support within 10 miles of us.-A. NJ. SUM
NER, Co. A, Goth ILL.,, Briggs Sharpshooters.