Pumpkin Vine Creek--Dallas, or New Hope Church--Slight
Unpleasantness--Personal.
At Pumpkin Vine creek we discover the enemy and drive back his
skirmishers, who are stationed on its opposite bank, recovering the
bridge, which we cross and throw out skirmishers on the opposite side.
While this was being accomplished, General Hooker and Staff, with a
small body guard, pushed ahead to reconnoiter. He had not advanced far,
however, when he was attacked by a force of rebel sharp shooters. He
now came tearing back into our lines shouting to General Geary to move
his First brigade into position to hold the enemy in check until the
Second and Third brigades should come up, they being some four miles
in our rear. We quickly formed line by columns to the right and left,
the Twenty-ninth Ohio occupying position on the extreme left, Knapp’s
battery taking position immediately in our rear, to cover the bridge in
case we were forced to retire before reinforcements should reach us. As
the left company of the Twenty-ninth were completing the battle-line a
rebel column was found marching in close proximity to our flank.
Ten paces to the front the skirmishers were hotly engaged, but our
flank was uncovered. We immediately face to the left and prepare to
fire, but are prevented by instructions not to draw on a general
engagement but to hold the position at all hazards. The rebel column on
our flank, however, slowly retired without firing a gun, and forming
on their main line, which was massed in the woods a short distance
to our front. During this time we hastily changed front in form of a
semi-circle to protect us from flank attack. This movement was executed
none too soon, as the enemy came immediately to the attack, and a
sharp engagement opened all along the line, which was a hot one, yet
it gallantly held its own until the balance of its division came up.
Forming in column with us, we advance on the rebel line and drive them
slowly back.
The battle now became fierce and our assaults were heroically met.
Generals Hooker and Geary were present and ordered the attack, the
plan of which was to advance lines and fire, to be followed by bayonet
charges, by which the enemy was steadily driven back. Our front line
was frequently relieved by columns from the rear, thus keeping fresh
men at the front. Geary’s division alone had driven Hood’s rebel corps
back to the forks of the road at New Hope church, when Butterfield’s
Third division arrived and took position on our left. Soon after,
Williams came up with the First division and passed to the front, which
allowed the Second division to drop in the reserve long enough to clean
our firearms and replenish cartridge-boxes, when we again advance in
support of the First and Third divisions.
Just as the sun disappeared in the western horizon, General Geary
ordered the First brigade to charge the enemy. This movement was
executed on the double-quick, and as our columns passed in perfect
alignment to the front, Butterfield’s and Williams’ commands greeted
us with hearty cheers of genuine admiration. Onward the column rushes,
and closing with the enemy delivers a terrible volley. The charge is
continued, the air resounding with defiant cheers as the enemy is
driven from the field and down a hill at a brisk run. It was now
beginning to grow dark, and the impetuous rush of the men soon brought
them within a short distance of a line of brush-covered work which
concealed the enemy’s batteries, who at once opened a terrific and
deadly fire of grape and canister into our ranks. Instantly falling
on the ground, we deliver so destructive a fire on their cannoniers
that their guns are soon silenced. Our left being without support, an
attempt to carry their works was extremely hazardous. The regiment on
our right had already retired some distance to our right rear, making
the situation of the Twenty-ninth regiment one of great danger, but
owing to the darkness we knew nothing of it until an officer of Geary’s
staff came forward with an order to fall back, when we retired to a
position some forty paces from the rebel line.
The enemy had now ceased firing, and perfect silence reigned, only
broken by the groans of the wounded and dying. The Twenty-ninth
regiment had suffered severe loss, and only the favorable depression in
its front saved it from annihilation. W. F. Stevens, captain of company
B, was wounded in this action.
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.