Part 3 (1/2)

Here we found the rebel General Johnston, strongly fortified on the northern slopes of Pine, Kenesaw and Lost mountains. General Sherman says, in his official report: ”The scene was enchanting; too beautiful to be disturbed by the harsh clamors of war; but the Chattahouchie lay beyond, and I had to reach it.”

At this place, our division took a position at right angles with the railroad and a few miles south of Big Shanty, where it threw up substantial breastworks, and remained until the 14th, when the lines were advanced and another line of works thrown up. In front of these works there was a deal of skirmis.h.i.+ng carried on, creating undue excitement in the lines of battle, for it was thought the Johnnies would make a trial on our strength and position.

About this time there was an incessant roar of artillery on the extreme right of our lines, despite the heavy rains that fell, which afterwards proved to be the operations of Sherman's ”flanking machine.”

On Sat.u.r.day, the 18th, our lines were again moved forward and other works constructed, the boys working with a vengeance all night to find the Johnnies gone in the morning; being flanked and obliged to evacuate their position for another. They were followed up at early dawn on the morning of the 19th, and chased to their next place of retreat. Their right was now found resting on the Marietta and Canton road, with their centre on Kenesaw mountain, and left, across the Lost mountain and Marietta road, behind Nose's creek, and covering the railroad back to the Chattahoochie. Our division under Davis, took its position directly in front of the Big Kenesaw and nearly up to its base.

Several batteries of our artillery soon moved up in short range of the Kenesaw and opened a furious fire upon it, in order, if possible, to develop the whereabouts of the enemy's masked batteries. During this cannonade it seemed that the very heavens were in agitation and the earth in violent commotion, but no reply was received.

The troops stood from behind their works in full view of the enemy, looking on in silent amazement, enjoying in their hearts the sublime grandeur of the scene. Finally, a locomotive was run up to the base of the mountain, when behold, a masked battery opened on it in all its fury, the engine immediately reversing its steam and running back.

On the night of the 20th and 21st, the rebels constructed several strong forts on the summit of the Kenesaw, from whence they annoyed our position a great deal. On the 22nd and 23rd, interesting duels were fought between these batteries of the enemy and our own; and certainly there never was a more amusing and interesting scene portrayed than exhibited in these short, effective engagements.

The scenes about Kenesaw will ever maintain a sacred spot on the tablets of our memory. During operations about this place it rained almost continually for three weeks, so that a general move was impossible.

On the evening of the 25th of June our division was relieved from its position in front of Kenesaw by a division of the 15th Corps, and after much delay arrived at General Palmer's headquarters on the right centre of the army.

The next day Sunday the 26th, it lay in the rear of the lines of battle, resting itself for the dreadful scenes of the morrow. The loss of the Eighty-sixth Regiment, from Dallas up to this time, was nine wounded and one killed; the company loss was as follows:

Company I, one killed.

WOUNDED.

Company A 1 Company I 1 Company E 1 Company F 1 Company D 2 Company K 1 Company B 2 Total 9 On the 24th of June, General Sherman ordered that two a.s.saults should be made on the 27th, one by General McPherson's troops near Little Kenesaw, and another by General Thomas', about one mile further south. This came wholly unexpected to his troops, all believing that he would put ”the flanking machine” in force whenever he made a demonstration on the enemy's position, but Sherman resolved to execute any plan that promised success. These two a.s.saults were made at the time and manner prescribed in the order, and both failed.

General Thomas chose the 2nd division of the 14th Corps to aid in the work along his line, and early on the morning of the 27th it was ma.s.sed preparatory to a charge. The 3rd brigade, Colonel Dan. McCook commanding, was on the left of the division; the 2nd brigade, Colonel Mitch.e.l.l commanding, was on the right, and the 1st brigade, General Morgan commanding, was held in the rear as reserves. The signal for the charge was given at 8 a.m., by the simultaneous discharge of a battery of guns; the lines advancing slow and steady, pa.s.sing over our line of works, descending a hill over a small stream, then crossing an open field, ascended the acclivity on which the enemy's works were built, when a desperate rush was made upon them with all the fort.i.tude and heroism of men under a most galling fire of cannon and musketry.

The brigade on our right failing to come up, we had to receive the cross-fire of the enemy. It was too withering, the men falling before it as the gra.s.s before the scythe. When the works were reached by those who did not fall in the attack, they were too weak and too few in number to effect a breach in them, the men lying down in front of the works and up against them, until the order to fall back was given. When the order of retreat was given, it was hard to obey, being attended with a greater slaughter than the a.s.sault, the enemy having the chance of taking cool and deliberate aim. Thus our broken lines fell back, again taking position only thirty yards from the enemy, and in the most difficult manner threw up a line of works, at the same time hugging the ground for dear life, and where we remained in defiance of the exultant rebels. This was our darkest day of the war.

The loss of the brigade on this occasion was truly severe. Colonel Daniel McCook fell mortally wounded, and Colonel Harmon succeeding him, survived his command but one moment, when he was carried off the field a corpse.

The total loss of the regiment in this charge, in killed, wounded and missing, was ninety-six men.

The company loss was as follows:

KILLED.

Company A 11 Company C 4 Company D 2 Company F 3 Company G 2 Company H 2 Company I 3 Company K 1 Loss in killed 28

WOUNDED.

Company A 7 Company B 3 Company C 6 Company D 9 Company E 5 Company G 7 Company H 13 Company K 5 Loss in wounded 55

MISSING.

Company A 6 Company D 2 Company F 1 Loss in missing 9

Officers wounded 4 Ninety-six men were lost from the Eighty-sixth on that fatal day. It was a loss to be remembered and remarked, for they were among our foremost and best men. They were as n.o.ble, as true and trusty men, as loving and as loyal as ever lived.

May a just Heaven reward them as their merit deserves! May the earth rest light on their bones! Mourn them not; it was with them ”dulce et decorum, est pro patria mori.” How well these men have fought and with what heroism they have suffered, let the battles of Chickamauga, Mission Ridge and Kenesaw answer! They will be rewarded, for they have left their ”footprints on the sands of time.”

It was now a busy time at the hospitals, for they were full of the most heart-rending cases. Among the physicians conspicuous there for energy and ability, were the indefatigable Hooton and Guth-men who justly deserved the confidence and respect of their boys. Among the most trying positions in the army, the Surgeon's is first. The minds and dispositions of soldiers are as varied as the colors of the kaleidoscope, and hard to comprehend even in a sound condition, but when fretted by ill health no one man could come out best with all of them. A good Surgeon, like the whimsical pages of Tristram Shandy, is pestily censured and admired alternately.