May 14, 1864.
Reveille at 3 a. m. and an order has just come to leave all
our knapsacks and move at 7 a. m. Great hospital preparations are going on in
our rear. I think we are going to take the railroad and Resaca. Large
reinforcements came last night. Could hear the Rebels running trains all night.
Ten-thirty a. m. — Have moved forward about four miles. Saw
General Kilpatrick laying in an ambulance by the roadside. He was wounded in
the leg this morning in a skirmish. Met a number of men — wounded — moving to
the rear, and a dozen or so dead horses, all shot this morning. Quite lively
skirmishing is going on now about 200 yards in front of us.
One forty-five p. m. — Moved about 200 yards to the front
and brought on brisk firing.
Two thirty-five. — While moving by the flank shell commenced
raining down on us very rapidly; half a dozen burst within 25 yards of us. The
major's horse was shot and I think he was wounded. In the regiment one gun and
one hat was struck in my company. Don't think the major is wounded very badly.
Three thirty p. m. — Corporal Slater of my company just
caught a piece of shell the size of a walnut in his haversack.
Four p. m. — Colonel Dickerman has just rejoined the
regiment. We would have given him three cheers if it had not been ordered
otherwise.
Five p. m. — Have moved forward about a mile and a real
battle is now going on in our front. Most of the artillery is farther to the
right, and it fairly makes the ground tremble. Every breath smells very
powderish. A battery has just opened close to the right of our regiment. I tell
you this is interesting. Our regiment is not engaged yet, but we are in sight
of the Rebels and their bullets whistle over our heads. The men are all in good
spirits.
Eight p. m. — A few minutes after six I was ordered to
deploy my company as skirmishers and relieve the 1st Brigade who were in our
front. We shot with the Rebels until dark, and have just been relieved. One
company of the 12th Indiana who occupied the ground we have just left, lost
their captain and 30 men killed and wounded in sight of us. The Rebels are
making the axes fly in our front. The skirmish lines are about 200 yards apart.
I have had no men wounded to-day. Dorrance returned to the company this
evening.
SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an
Illinois Soldier, p. 239-41
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