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.

[388] brigade as a support, at the proper moment the whole moved forward handsomely together. The skirmishers of the Second and Third Brigades quickly carried the enemy's skirmish pits, and held them for nearly an hour, but in front of the First Brigade (where the enemy's skirmish pits are much nearer to his main line, more perfectly commanded by it, and where the pits themselves are much stronger and more nearly continuous) much heavier opposition was met. The advance of this brigade encountered a heavy fire of artillery and musketry, and, although the skirmishers succeeded in getting to the enemy's first line, they were compelled to fall back. Even if they had succeeded in carrying the first line they could not have held it, as it is perfectly commanded by a second and stronger line immediately in rear of it. The skirmishers of the Second and Third Brigades were finally compelled to abandon the pits they had carried by a combined front and flank attack, but not a single foot of ground held before the advance yesterday afternoon was lost. The advance of last week (on Thursday, the 28th ultimo), in which we carried the enemy's entire line of skirmish pits in our front, and captured a good many prisoners, compelled him to establish his line of skirmish pits so near his main line as to make it nearly as difficult in some places to carry the former as the latter, and when carried renders it nearly impossible to hold them. Shortly after our advance yesterday afternoon the enemy was seen to re-enforce his main line by troops brought from the rear. The troops engaged behaved in the handsomest manner, and although all the success hoped for was not achieved, we succeeded in developing fully the enemy's means of defense in our front. Intake pleasure in communicating the intelligence and zeal exhibited by my brigade commanders, General Hazen and Colonels Gibson and Knefler.

I append a summary of casualties:

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Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

General orders, no. 38.

The general commanding desires to express to the division his high appreciation of their good conduct in the battles of the 27th ultimo, and to thank the officers and soldiers for their heroism displayed on that occasion. Ordered to assault a strongly intrenched position, the troops advanced to the attack with a vigorous, decided