The Fifth Ohio, on our right on higher ground, suffered fearfully from the masked batteries, one company being almost entirely decimated. This caused the regiment to retire to the knoll. Colonel Patrick, a most gallant officer of the Fifth, was killed, also seventy-five of his men killed and wounded. The loss of the Twenty-ninth Ohio in this charge was forty killed and wounded, shot down in almost the short space of time required to record it.
It was not long before we heard tremendous cheering in the distance on our right front, which was caused by Sherman moving a force in that direction, turning the rebel flank, which was soon in full retreat. Immediately after, sounds were heard in the supposed deserted rebel works, which we believed were our own men who had recently occupied them, and by reason of this supposed safety our whole command was soon in slumber deep and heavy from exhaustion of the day’s labor.
At early dawn on May 26th the enemy discovered our close proximity, and at once opened upon us with artillery, and at about the same time advanced its infantry to attack us in our rear. This movement was discovered, however, in time to prevent its further progress. After a hot fight the enemy retired to his fortifications. During the day several attempts were made in the same direction, but without effect. Near the close of the day we were temporarily relieved and retired to a ravine a few yards in our rear, where we received rations, the first “square meal” in two days.
At an early hour the following morning (May 27th) our artillery took position at the breastworks and opened a furious cannonading, which is replied to with spirit by the rebel batteries. During the afternoon the enemy made a sortie on our line, a general engagement ensued, and the rebels were beaten back. The Twenty-ninth regiment loss was slight, we being well protected by rifle pits. The rebel loss in this attack was severe, their dead and wounded being thickly strewn in front of our works. During this attack General Sherman and staff took position in our rear. General Hooker is generally where the bullets fly thickest, and his utter disregard of danger has won the love of the “boys,” who call him “Uncle Joe,” and who are all, at any time, ready to go through fire if he so desires, knowing he will not ask them to go where he fears to lead.
The battle continues throughout the following day, with brisk infantry firing and heavy cannonading almost incessantly. As night again shrouds the bloody field the Twenty-ninth regiment, with the exception of company B, which was on the skirmish line, relieved the Seventh Ohio, One Hundred and Ninth, and One Hundred and Forty-seventh Pennsylvania. The rebels were unusually quiet during the night. Company B remained on the skirmish nearly all of the following day and was kept hotly engaged. The company’s position was not more than eight rods from the rebel outposts, who made it extremely hot for us as we went back and forth to the relief of our comrades, and sometimes unsoldierly attitudes were assumed to evade their deadly aim. Late in the day company B was relieved. Henry Brainard, Spencer Atkin, and Henry Clark volunteered to go out and bring in the bodies of Albert Atkin, C. A. Davis, and Jerome Phinney, which they did, the enemy opening fire upon them with musketry and artillery, the deadly missiles flying thick and fast about them. Such was the treatment of the “chivalry” to men bravely exposing themselves to give Christian interment to the gallant men who had fought their last battle. However, none were injured. While performing the last sad rites of burial, the rebels came out in a sortie and made furious assaults along our entire line. Our men reserved their fire until the enemy were close upon them, when, at a given signal, some twenty cannon, double shotted with grape, opened fire, which made the earth tremble with their awful thunder, while the infantry sent deadly volleys into their ranks. The result of this fire was most terrible slaughter to the enemy, who broke and ran anywhere to cover, leaving several hundred dead and dying behind, the ground between the two lines being literally covered with the rebel dead. During the 30th there were several sharp fights, our regiment having several men wounded. May 31st the regiment was under fire, as usual, the greater part of the day, and at night was engaged in the construction of an advanced line of works, under a heavy fire from the entire rebel line. Before they were fully completed the rebels commenced an attack and we fell back on the main line. General Geary being present, exclaimed, “Get back to your command in readiness for an engagement.” One ensued, which resulted in driving the enemy back with severe loss to them. We now resumed work and finally succeeded in completing the line, though continually annoyed by the enemy’s firing.
On the morning of June 1st the regiment resumed its place on the front line and was soon furiously engaged, which continued during the fore part of the day. At noon the Twentieth corps was relieved by Logan’s Fifteenth corps and moved to the left as support to the Fourth corps (General Howard). The following morning we moved towards the left and at 11 o’clock A. M. formed line and pushed forward in concert with Schofield’s Twenty-third corps. We capture two lines of rebel works, the enemy falling back. That night we slept on our arms. At dawn on the 3d we advanced and were soon engaged with the enemy, the skirmishing along our whole line being very strong. During the day Sherman succeeded in turning the rebel right, causing him to retire with severe loss. Twenty-ninth loss: Killed, six; wounded, twenty-four; captured, one; total thirty-one. This is the tenth day we have been under fire. 4th.—Firing during all of last night. All quiet to-day.
CHAPTER XVI.
Advance to Pine Knob—Battle at that Place—A Forward Movement.
At 5 o’clock on the morning of June 6th, the army pushed forward after the retreating enemy. When about two miles from Ackworth Station he makes a stand, and we wheel into line, the Twenty-ninth acting as skirmishers while the other troops were engaged in preparing rifle-pits. The Fourteenth corps now came up, forming on our left, and General Howard’s Fourth corps on our right. The position remained the same until June 10th, when the Twenty-ninth Ohio is sent forward on a reconnoissance. A large force of rebels are found to be strongly entrenched on Pine mountain. At dark the regiment returned to the main line, where the situation remains unchanged until June 14th, when our entire force move forward. The Twentieth, with the Fourth corps on its left, take position immediately in front of the rebel army, on Pine mountain. At evening the Twenty-ninth was again advanced to the skirmish line, and was engaged, as was our artillery, throughout the greater part of the night. On the following day, June 15th, occurs the battle of Pine Knob, Georgia.
At early dawn our regiment pushed forward as the advance of a general flank movement on Pine mountain, which resulted in its capture without severe fighting. The Twentieth corps was changed from the front to the right. Moving rapidly in that direction it soon reached another strongly entrenched position of the enemy, when the column made a left half wheel, which brought the first brigade of Geary’s division directly in front of Pine Knob.