The day has been clear and quite warm. This morning Company
E was sent out as sharpshooters. During the night the Eleventh and Sixteenth
Regiments had thrown up a new line of rifle pits, about a half mile in advance
of the old one, and at noon today moved forward in line of battle into the new
trenches. At the same time our skirmish line was ordered to advance on the
rebel skirmish line, and it being our company's turn to go out on the line, we
were deployed and advanced, driving in the rebel skirmish line for almost a
half mile, pushing them back from their first and second lines of fence rails
piled up for their protection. We approached so near to their rifle pits at the
foot of Kenesaw mountain as to make it possible for their artillerymen to use
grape and canister upon us, killing one man, William Alexander. The rebel
skirmishers now received reinforcements, while our skirmishers on the left
failing to come up with us, made a gap in our lines and left us in a very hot
place for a little while, as it gave the rebels a cross fire on us. and we were
compelled to fall back, thus losing some of the ground taken. But just then our
colonel sent another company in double quick to relieve us, and our lost
position was regained. We had become completely used up and lost one man
killed, one mortally wounded, seven slightly wounded, and one man taken
prisoner.1 Our stretcher bearers, after the fight, raised the white
flag and went to get the body of Alexander for burial.
_______________
1 As was supposed at the time. See
note, under June 16th. — Ed.
Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B.,
Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 197
