Friday, April 1st, 1864
On picket in Hogjaw Valley. 3 Corps., 9 privates; raining most of the time.
Wednesday 6th
On patrol to Shell Mound.
Friday 8th
P. Daley starts home on furlough.
Monday 11th
On fatigue, building Fort.
Saturday 16th
On guard at the Pontoon Bridge.
Sunday 24th
Detailed tonight to guard prisoners at Brigade Hd. Qr.
Thursday 28th
Received orders to march on Saturday next (30th).
(Editor’s Note: Sherman, succeeding Grant in the command of the
Military Division of the Mississippi, received his orders from Grant on the
30th of April to advance southward from the vicinity of Chattanooga. His chief
objectives were the destruction of the Confederate army under Johnston, then at
Dalton in northern Georgia, and the capture of Atlanta.)
Monday, May 2nd, 1864
Left Bridgeport this morning at 7 a.m. and camped at Whiteside. 15 miles.
Tuesday 3rd
Left Camp at 8 a.m. and marched to Chattanooga, 15 miles. Col. Fox made his farewell speech.
Wednesday 4th
Left Camp at 8 a.m., camped 5 p.m., passed over the old Chickamauga Battlefield, 12 miles.
Thursday 5th
Left Camp at 6 a.m. and camped at 4 p.m., crossed the Chickamauga Creek and camped in Pleasant Valley, marched 12 miles. Georgia.
Friday 6th
Camp Pleasant Valley. On picket, 2 men killed and one wounded.
Saturday 7th
Relieved at 3 a.m., marched at 6 a.m. Camped at 4 p.m. at Anderson, Clinton Co., Georgia; reports of a battle at Tunnel Hill[1], marched 12 miles.
Sunday 8th
Sunday; laid in camp, firing on our right and left, a thousand reports going wind.
Monday 9th
In Camp at Anderson, some fighting on our right and left wing; two or three hundred men brought in wounded.
(Editor’s Note: Sherman determined to turn the Confederate position at
Dalton and for that purpose tried to make a passage at Snake Creek Gap, farther
south. Masking this movement, Thomas menaced Johnston’s front but in so doing
had quite a severe engagement with the Confederates at Buzzard’s Roost.)
Tuesday 10th
Marched at 1 a .m. and joined McPherson’s Corps on our right by ten o’clock, marched 10 miles.
(Editor’s Note: McPherson passed through Snake Creek Gap sit appeared
suddenly before the Confederate works near Resaca on the railway south of
Dalton. These works were too formidable for an attack with his force alone so
he fell back to a strong position in Snake Creek Gap awaiting the main army.
Sherman was somewhat disappointed in the result of these movements but felt an
advantage had been gained. On the 10th he ordered Thomas to send hooker’s corps
to the support of McPherson.)
Wednesday 11th
Camped at Snake Creek Gap.
Thursday l2th
Fixed some road through the Gap.
Friday l3th
Marched through the Gap, heavy firing in front, marched 5 miles.
(Editor’s Note: By menacing the Confederate position near Snake Creek
Gap and Resaca, Sherman compelled Johnston to abandon Dalton and fall hack to
the menaced position; from that position Johnston took post behind a line of
entrenchments.)
Saturday 14th
Laid most of the day in support of Butterfield, about 5 p.m. ordered to the left. The Rebs just broke our lines; our men were skedaddling in double quick. We went in with a yell and repulsed them; laid out as skirmishers all night. 5 miles.
Sunday 15th
This morning a general advance along the lines: this afternoon we had a warm time but succeeded in driving the rebels. Lost six men wounded from our Company. We were hotly engaged 2 hours.
(Editor’s Note: Sherman was severely pressing Johnston at Resaca and a
general engagement ensued in the afternoon and evening. Johnston abandoned
Resaca and the following morning the Nationals took possession while Sherman’s
whole force started in pursuit. Hassell
Hopper was wounded.)
Monday l6th
The Rebs in full retreat. (I guess we scared them last night.) We are in pursuit; the Rebs have left their dead and wounded on the field, marched 10 miles.
Tuesday l7th
Left Camp this morning about 10 a.m., crossed the Consawassa river[2]. Henry Miller came back to the regt., marched 10 miles.
Wednesday 15th
Left Camp 8 a.m. and marched 15 miles.
Thursday 19th
Left Camp at 1 p.m., marched 6 miles and came across the Rebs; drove them about 4 miles from 4 lines of breastworks where they again made a stand at Cassville and it being dark we had to halt. and throw up breastworks. 6 miles.
(Editor’s Note: Sherman was pushing Johnston farther and farther into
Georgia, meeting but slight opposition along the way. After making a brief
stand at the Georgia State Arsenal at Adairsville, which the Nationals
destroyed, he moved on to Cassville where Sherman found him holding a strong
position and apparently determined to fight.)
Friday 20th
The Rebs were hard at work last night throwing up breastworks and building Forts; heavy skirmishing all night; this morning our Cavalry advanced. The Rebs have left their works. They were heavily fortified in a very strong position; a beautiful graveyard was torn up and the Tombstones made into breastworks.
(Editor’s Note: Common sense told Johnston to move on and he did so
that night, crossing the Etowah River, burning the bridges, and placing that
stream between his army and the ever advancing Sherman. In Memoranda (see
appendix) Hopper noted “fight at Resaca, May 20th/64, where we lost 45 men
killed and wounded, May 20th at Peach Tree Creek, we lost 35 men” … “fight on
the 25th near Dallas, lost 75 men”.)
Saturday 21st
Today we are in Camp. The boys are washing up their clothes, orders to be ready for a 20 days’ march.
(Editor’s Note: Johnston halted near the Allatoona Pass, in a very
strong position among rugged hills where he was not molested for two or three
days because Sherman gave his army rest on the right bank of the Etowah, while
supplies were brought for the next stage of the campaign.)
Sunday 22nd
Still in camp, expect to march tomorrow; some few prisoners and some deserters come in.
Monday 23rd
Leave Camp at 4 a.m.; about 10 a.m. I fell sick and was carried to the ambulance; crossed a small river about 4 p.m. and camped, marched 10 miles; six men of our brigade died of sunstroke.
(Editor’s Note: Hopper received a leg wound at Resaca. The next day he was unable to remain in camp
for they were ordered out. Family
members remember that he walked with a slight limp.)
Tuesday 24th
Left Camp at 5 a.m., slight skirmishing all day: marched about 14 miles.
Wednesday 25th
Left Camp at 8 a.m. and marched 4 miles to dinner; at about 3 p.m. Butterfield encountered the Rebs ambushed and suffered severely. We were in the fight twice during the afternoon, drove the Rebs 1 mile; we suffered severely, 7 men in our company wounded. 7 miles. (Battle of Dallas)
Elijah Hickan dead
John Saffley w.(wounded) severely
Jess Collins “
George Liter “
George Coffin “
James Ruddell “
(Editor’s Note: Sherman with his various divisions continued his
pursuit of Johnston and suddenly came upon him fairly well intrenched. A sharp
conflict ensued. Hooker made a hold push but a stormy night was coming on and
though he gained some ground he could not drive the Confederates from that
position.)
Thursday 26th
Laid still today, smart skirmishing all day along the front lines, our Troops are getting into position; our Division has suffered severely.
(Editor’s Note: The following morning Sherman found the Confederates
strongly intrenched with lines extending from Dallas to Marietta.)
Friday 27th
Orders to be ready to march this morning at 4 a.m., laid in camp all day. Our troops are putting in a terrible fire all day; the Rebel cannon is silenced. Our Division lost 1850 men the other night, 19 from our Regt.
(Editor’s Note: In his efforts to dislodge Johnston, Sherman moved
McPherson to Dallas and Thomas to New Hope Church. In this vicinity there were
many severe encounters ending unfavorably for the Nationals. Then McPherson
endeavored to join Thomas in front of New Hope Church so that Sherman might
more easily strike Johnston’s right; the Confederates struck a severe blow;
they were repulsed but at an extremely heavy cost to the Nationals.)
Saturday 28th
Heavy firing all night; this morning we were ordered to march at 4 a.m. We are in charge of some prisoners and guarding a train to Kingston for ammunition, marched 12 miles.
Sunday 29th
Left Camp this morning 5 a.m., reached Kingston at 3 p.m. 12 miles.
Monday 30th
Left Kingston at 6 a.m., marched 16 miles.
Tuesday 31st
Marched to the Front, about 8 miles, heavy skirmishing going on.
Wednesday, June 1st, 1864
Left Camp at 8 a.m. and moved around the left, about 5 miles.
(Editor’s Note: Sherman moved his army to the left and compelled
Johnston to evacuate his position at Allatoona Pass.)
Thursday 2nd
Moved about 3 miles further around to the left, put up breastworks, moved our position and put up more. 3 miles.
Friday 3rd
Laid behind our breastworks all day, heavy firing on the line.
Saturday 4th
Still behind our works; this evening I was detailed on the skirmish line, rained all night, heavy skirmishing.
(Editor’s Note: Johnston abandoned his works covering New Hope Church
when Sherman advanced and took possession of the railway.)
Sunday 5th
This morning the Reb skirmishers have retreated; we are relieved, the Brigade has moved: march about 5 miles.
Monday 6th
Our company as skirmishers, march about 1 mile and again come across them. We threw out a line of skirmishers and formed a line of battle, threw up breastworks, moved position and built more breastworks.
Tuesday 7th
Again moved position a little to the left, slight skirmishing on the lines.
Wednesday 8th
Behind breastworks, slight skirmishing still going on, commences to rain.
Thursday 9th
Two or three Regts. of Cavalry went out and ran the skirmishers into their works. Raining.
Friday 10th
Still laid behind the breastworks expecting to move every moment. Rains.
Saturday 11th
Stil1 in Camp, the 4th. Corps move in front and drive the skirmishers into their entrenchments; still rains.
Sunday 12th
Rains dreadfully.
Monday 13th
Still raining.
Tuesday 14th
Looks a little brighter this morning.
Wednesday 15th
A general advance, drive the Rebs into their works, 2 miles.
(Editor’s Note: After much maneuvering, Sherman, under cover of a heavy
cannonade, began his advance on Johnston’s lines between Kennesaw and Pine Mts.
The troops pressed on fighting at almost every step; the Confederates abandoned
Pine Mt. and took position on their line of entrenchments between Kenesaw and
Lost Mts.)
Thursday 16th
Pretty sharp fighting, both parties in their entrenchments.
Friday 17th
The Rebs on the retreat; they leave their works, we follow them up. They are again in their entrenchments, heavy artillery firing, 2 miles.
(Editor’s Note: The Confederates abandoned Lost Mt. and the long line
of works connecting it with Kennesaw and took position on the lofty heights of
the latter.)
Saturday 18th
Again on the retreat, drove them out of 2 lines of works. 2 miles.
Sunday 19th
Follow them up; rains dreadfully. The rebs are again in their entrenchments.
Monday 20th
Laid in reserve, sharp skirmishing with some cannonading.
Tuesday 21st
Moved position, rains heavily.
Wednesday 22nd
Sharp skirmishing, moved into a ridge and threw up breastworks.
Thursday 23rd
Again moved position, drove the Rebs back; planted our batteries and had a warm time generally, about 5 p.m. the Rebs charged us but they went back quicker than they came; our loss very slight.
(Editor’s Note: A detachment of Johnston’s army under Hood attacked the
Nationals: although the movement was sudden & unexpected he was received
with a terrible return blow making him recoil in great confusion leaving in his
retreat his killed, wounded & many prisoners in the hands of the Nationals.
The struggle was brief & bloody & is known as the Battle of Kulp
House.)
Friday 24th
Laid behind our breastworks, very sharp skirmishing; the 23rd Corps buried 21 hundred Rebs today.
Saturday 25th
Some fighting along the lines but in the main quiet; strengthen our works.
Sunday 26th
Heavy skirmishing along the lines; the Rebs occasionally make a dash on our Pickets after night but are unsuccessful.
Monday 27th
Lieut. Dimm of Co. D was killed today on the skirmish line. He was a brave & good officer; we feel his loss very much.
Tuesday 28th
A general charge was ordered all along the lines; the 14th and 4th Corps suffered severely. They took the first line of the enemy’s works. The Rebs have the strongest position here and are the best fortified of any place we have found them.
(Editor’s Note: After a disastrous defeat at the hands of the Confederates
on the 27th with an aggregate loss of about 3000 men, the Nationals reversed
and began seriously to threaten Johnston’s rear.)
Wednesday 29th
They occupy Kennesaw Mountains[3] which they have covered with cannon. They have several Bomb Proof Forts, and two or three lines of Breastworks which it would be madness to charge. We shall have to flank them; making out Muster Rolls.
Thursday 30th
Mustered for pay.
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