The Atlanta (Georgia) Campaign: May 1 - September 8, 1864., Part I: General Report.
Maj. George B. Davis, Mr. Leslie J. Perry, Mr. Joseph W. Kirkley, Ed.

I make the following report of the operations of this command during the campaign of Northern Georgia up to the fall of Atlanta and the occupation of Jonesborough by our forces on the 1st instant:

In the first place, it is proper to state that the regiment was commanded by Lieut. Col. J. H. M. Montgomery up to the 13th of August, on which day he was severely wounded, and I, being the the ranking officer present, took command. On the 7th May, in obedience to orders, the regiment struck tents, and with the army marched out in the direction of Tunnel Hill. Nothing worthy of notice occurred during the day, and in the evening, with the brigade, the regiment stopped in line of battle and bivouacked for the night. Next day, with the division, the line was swung to the left and advanced within a mile or so of Rocky Face Ridge. On this day Company D was deployed as skirmishers, but did not get engaged. On the 9th May, with the Twenty-first Wisconsin, the regiment was ordered to make a reconnaissance up the western slope of Rocky Face Ridge. Moved diagonally toward the crest of the ridge, and, after going about a mile, were met by the sharpshooters of the enemy posted on the cliffs. The regiment was halted for a while and then ordered to return. Nothing worthy of notice occurred on the 10th and 11th May. On the 12th May, in obedience to orders, regiment moved at early daylight and marched to Snake Creek Gap and camped about 12 at night at the southern entrance.

On 13th May the regiment was formed on the right of the rear line of the brigade and moved forward toward the enemy. Nothing of importance occurred with the regiment. Were relieved at night by a regiment belonging to a brigade of the Twentieth Corps. Early on the morning of the 14th May the regiment was formed on the left of the front line of the brigade, with the Twenty-first Wisconsin immediately upon the right, and with orders to conform to the movements of the latter regiment. Companies A, B, and I were deployed as skirmishers to cover the front of the battalion. The character of the country was very rough, uneven, and heavily wooded. Hardly had the line commenced to move when it became engaged with the skirmishers of the enemy, but they were steadily driven back by those of our line, and finally compelled to retreat within their works. The regiment was then halted in a small ravine and ordered to lie down. After remaining about half an hour in this position orders were received to move steadily forward until we got sufficiently close to the works of the enemy, to then fix bayonets and carry them by a charge, if possible. The works of the enemy were on the opposite side of a small valley, through which ran a medium-sized creek, its banks being overgrown with willow and cottonwood. In former times efforts had been made to straighten its course by ditching. The banks of these had also overgrown with willow and cottonwood, but had been cut down and tangled for the purpose of impeding an assault. The valley on the side we approached could only be reached by crossing a high wooded ridge and descending a steep bluff, close to the base of which, at the point this regiment entered, ran the creek. About I p. m. the forward was ordered. On reaching the crest of the bluff bayonets were fixed and the regiment again ordered forward. When near the base the order to charge was given. The men dashed forward in splendid style, but were soon greeted with a terrible fire. The column now encountered the creek and tangled underbrush before referred to, which, with the fire to which it was exposed, caused the line to be