CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this
regiment during the engagement near Dallas, Ga., on the 25th of May and days following:
The regiment marched, fifth in line, with the brigade from Burnt Hickory on the morning of
May 25; crossed Pumpkin Vine Creek about 10 a.m. and were halted with the brigade about
two miles beyond it, the head of the division being then engaged with the enemy. Soon
after, by direction of Captain Alexander, of Third Brigade staff, I countermarched the
regiment; marched back nearly half a mile and took up position to command the approach of
the enemy should he attempt to attack our left flank, where the regiment remained some two
hours, when I was informed by Captain Alexander that the necessity for any force at that
point had ceased, and was directed by him to march forward a little beyond the point where
we first halted and take position on a commanding ridge on the right of the road to
prevent the approach of any force of the enemy from that direction, which was done.
Immediately upon arriving in that position, by direction of a staff officer of
Major-General Sherman, I threw forward two companies as picket, and also sent Lieutenant
Truair and fourteen men as a patrol, with orders to go to a prominent hill at our right,
and from there take a course diagonally to the right and rear until he struck the creek,
then to follow it up to the bridge where we had crossed in the morning, then to return and
report at General Sherman's headquarters. The patrol reported at headquarters about dark,
having performed their duty, meeting no force of the enemy, but seeing several scouts, who
fled at their approach, and rejoined the regiment the next morning. The regiment remained
in its last position until about 5 p.m., when I received orders to rejoin the brigade,
which was formed in two lines, my regiment being on the right of the second line. As soon
as the formation was completed the brigade moved forward rapidly toward the sound of the
firing, which was very heavy. We had advanced about one mile and a half, the greater part
of the way being under fire of the enemy's artillery, when I received orders to move by
the right flank at a double-quick and relieve troops who were on the right and had been
for some time engaged. The regiment moved by the right flank 200 or 300 yards, when, by
direction of Colonel Cobham, commanding Third Brigade, I halted and formed to the front,
and immediately received directions from Captain Wheelock, acting assistant
adjutant-general, Third Brigade, to move forward, passing over a regiment of the First
Division of the Twentieth Corps, which was lying down directly in front of us and just at
the summit of a ridge running parallel with our line. The regiment advanced steadily
forward in splendid style, in line with the One hundred and eleventh Pennsylvania
Volunteers on our left, over the ridge, being informed by the line over which we passed
that there was another in their front. The regiment advanced some sixty to seventy-five
yards beyond the ridge toward the enemy, who was then firing to our left (by this time it
had become so dark that objects could be distinguished but a short distance), when,
without any warning or our supposing we were the front line, we received from several
pieces of artillery and the infantry supports of the enemy a terrific shower of grape,
canister, and bullets from a distance so close that the powder flashed in their very
faces, and great gaps were literally blown through the line and several of the officers
and men were struck by the pieces of board and tin of the canister. The ground afforded no
shelter, sloping downward toward the enemy. I directed the regiment to fall back to the
crest of the ridge we had just passed, and that as many as could do so should shelter
themselves behind the trees and open fire, which they did, and with such effect that the
fire of the enemy was in a few minutes entirely silenced. The regiment remained in that
position until about 3 a.m. of the 26th, when the brigade moved farther to the right, this
regiment being on the right of the brigade and the extreme right of the army, where
pickets were thrown forward by the regiment, and a substantial breast-work built. We
remained in that position until dark of the 27th, when the brigade moved to the left and
joined the Second Brigade of this division, the regiment being in the center of the second
line of the brigade, where we remained, doing fatigue duty on the works and picketing at
night, until about noon of June 1, when the brigade was relieved by a brigade from the
Fifteenth Army Corps, having been seven days and nights under fire and within 100 yards of
the enemy. The behavior of officers and men was excellent. Notwithstanding the darkness
and partial surprise and the terrific fire which swept away nearly one-fifth of the whole
number at the first volley in the morning, only three men remained not accounted for, and
those have since been ascertained to have been killed. The casualties are 3 officers and
38 men wounded, 4 men killed, the list of which has been heretofore forwarded. Of the
wounded an unusual proportion were severely so, being 25 of the 38.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
C. B. RANDALL,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.
Capt. S. B. WHEELOCK,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
