active part in the siege of that place. On the 6th of August it charged and assisted in carrying the enemy's works near East Point. The regiment also participated in the flank movement west and south of Atlanta, to Jonesboro, which was followed by the evacuation of Atlanta by the rebel

army.

The regiment was most conspicuously distinguished at Resaca, where, in command of Lieutenant-Colonel Benjamin F. Örcutt, it participated in the desperate charge made by Judah's division, of the 23d corps, and Newton's, of the 4th corps, driving the enemy from a strong and well fortified position, and, although not held, enabled General Sherman to advance his lines and get his artillery into such a position as to render it impossible for the enemy to again occupy the place. This charge was made under a most murderous fire of musketry and artillery, first across an open field, and then over a stream, with the water near waist deep, and bordered with thick bushes and vines, cut and lopped down in such a manner as to entangle the troops. In the charge the regiment lost about fifty men in a very few minutes. Among the killed was Adjutant E. M. Prutzman.

At Nickajack Creek, near Kenesaw, on the 1st of July following, the 25th, still in command of Lieutenant-Colonel Orcutt, again most signally maintained its fighting qualities as a regiment, while making a flank movement with its division (Hascall's) to the extreme right of General Sherman's army, the regiment advancing seven miles during an intensely hot day, continually under fire of musketry and artillery from early in the forenoon until dark, and being engaged in two brilliant and successful charges during the day, driving the enemy from every position, securing the desired point known as the cross roads, near Nickajack creek. The position thus obtained was held and strongly fortified during the night, and the force increased early on the morning of the 2d by the coming up of the 17th corps. The result of this movement was the evacuation by General Johnston of his strong position on Kenesaw Mountain and abandonment-of all his works between that place and the Chattahoochie.

On the 1st of November, 1864, this regiment was near Rome, Ga., serving in the 1st brigade, 2d division, 23d corps, and on the 2d marched to Resaca, then took rail to Johnsonville, Tenn., where it arrived on the 5th, and remained there until the 14th, when, with its brigade, it marched to Centreville to guard several important fords on Duck river. It was engaged at Pine Creek on the 26th and at Franklin on the 30th, and soon after the engagement at the latter place it was ordered with its brigade to Nashville, but owing to the rebel General Hood having invested that place, it was compelled to make a circuitous march of two hundred and fifty miles by way of Clarksville to reach that point, and at one time was within the rebel lines, but under cover of a dark night made its way out and arrived at Nashville December 8th, and on the 15th and 16th took part in the battle before that city, with a loss of one killed and seven wounded. The regiment was afterwards identified with all the movements of the 23d corps in its march to Columbia in pursuit of Hood's army. From Columbia the regiment marched to Clifton, on the Tennessee river, distant two hundred and fifty miles, where it embarked on steamers for Cincinnati, and thence proceeded by rail to Washington, D. C., and soon after took transports for North Carolina, where it participated in the movements of General Schofield's army.

After the surrender of the rebel forces under Johnston, the 25th was sent to Salisbury, where it remained until June 24th, when it was mustered out of service.

THE TWENTY-SIXTH INFANTRY.

The 26th-the celebrated skirmish regiment of the 1st brigade, 1st division, 2d corps-left Jackson for the field in Virginia on December 13, 1862, in command of Colonel Judson S. Farrar, under whose direction it had been recruited. Soon after the arrival of the regiment at Washington, it was ordered on provost duty at Alexandria, Va. It remained thus employed until April 20, 1863, when the regiment proceeded to Suffolk, Va. It participated in the several expeditions subsequently made to the Blackwater. In one of these, May 23d, a portion of the regiment became engaged in a skirmish in the vicinity of Windsor, losing Captain John C. Culver, mortally wounded, who died next day.

The 26th had acquitted itself with much credit in several battles when it entered on the great campaign of 1864 with the Army of the Potomac, bravely fighting through the Wilderness and at Corbin's Bridge and Nye River, and then most signally distinguishing itself at Po River and Spottsylvania. On May 9, 1864, the regiment, in command of Major L. Saviers, marched to Po river, crossed, deployed as skirmishers, and advanced about two miles, captured a few stragglers, halted, and laid in skirmish line all night, in close proximity to the enemy, who was busy throwing up works. On Tuesday morning, the 10th, General Grant's army occupied the same position as on the previous day. His line stretched about six miles on the northerly bank of the Po, and took the general form of a crescent, the wings being thrown forward. The 2d corps, across the Po, now held a line on the right, nearly parallel to the road from Shady Grove Church to the Court-house. The 5th corps held the centre, being on the east side of the Po, and the 6th corps held the left, facing toward the Court-house. Further on the left was the 9th corps, under General Burnside. In front was a dense forest. The enemy held Spottsylvania and the region north of the Court-house; his position was well supported by breastworks, and along the centre was the forest and underbrush, lining a marsh partially drained by a run. The conflict opened in the morning by a terrific fire of artillery, which was incessant all the forenoon. A most vigorous and gallant attack was made by the 5th corps and by Generals Gibbon's and Birney's division of the 2d corps on the centre of General Lee's army. In the meantime the enemy had turned General Barlow's division, (1st,) of the 2d corps, on the right, but it was finally extricated without much loss. In this movement of the enemy the 26th was attacked from the rear, and after a spirited resistance was compelled to move out by the left flank, and took a position to cover the recrossing of the troops, and when accomplished, crossed to the opposite side of the river. On the next day (Wednesday, the 11th) the position of the two armies was nearly the same as on the previous day. During the morning there was brisk skirmishing. The regiment, in command of Major L. Saviers, was sent out to reconnoitre the enemy's position, moved up the north bank of the Po about two miles, crossed, deployed as skirmishers, and advanced down the south bank to find his left and develop his force, attacked and drove in his pickets, charged a strong skirmish line, driving them into their works, gaining and holding a position under a heavy fire for half an hour, within three hundred yards of the enemy's intrenchments. Having accomplished the object of the reconnoissance, the regiment recrossed the river and returned to the It was depicket line, with a loss of three killed and fifteen wounded. termined during the day to make an assault early the next morning on the

enemy's left, where their batteries were so strongly posted as to annoy General Grant's lines. The 2d corps was selected to make this movement. Soon after midnight, in the darkness and storm, General Hancock changed the position of his corps from the extreme right to the left, filling up the space between Generals Wright and Burnside. It was then near ground well commanded by the enemy, and requiring a quick advance in the morning. At 11 P. M. the 26th, having been relieved from the picket line, commenced the movement to the left of the 6th corps at Spottsylvania, where the division had preceded it, and in the darkness being misled, had marched all night, only reaching the ground where the division, being in the first line, was massed for the assault, just in time for the regiment to form in column without halting, aligning its ranks as it advanced. The regiment moved up in gallant style, and was the first to reach the rebel works, (striking them at an angle,) which were carried after a hand-tohand fight with the bayonet, capturing two brass guns immediately in rear of the enemy's line, which had been fired only once, and just as the works were entered. The regiment passed on without halting, and soon became mingled with the other regiments coming up in left and in rear, and with these charged along the rebel line at a run, rolling it up for more than a mile, capturing a large number of prisoners, guns, and colors. When about a mile from the angle referred to, another line, running nearly perpendicular to the line being rolled up, was encountered, which sharply contested the advance. Having unavoidably become much broken up, and being opened on by a heavy fire from the woods on the right and left, were obliged to fall back, losing half the ground gained, though the men who thronged their works had been made prisoners and sent to the rear. Several pieces of the captured artillery were left in the hands of the enemy, as they could not be drawn off. The regiment was reformed and moved with the brigade to the woods on the left, where rifle-pits were constructed. The enemy having, by repeated and desperate assaults, retaken the works on the left, near the angle, the regiment was ordered to that; creeping along by the right flank on the outside of the works, until it overlapped the rebel line about half the length of the regiment, its right resting near the point where a large oak tree, twenty-two inches in diameter, standing almost on the first line of rebel works, was literally cut down by musket bullets, partly coming from the 26th.

In the Richmond Examiner's account of the battle of Spottsylvania occurs the following:

"A TREE HEWN DOWN BY BULLETS.-Most people have doubted the literal accuracy of the dispatch concerning the battle of Spottsylvania, which alleged that trees were cut down under the concentrated fire of Minie balls. We doubted the literal fact ourselves, and would doubt it still but for the indisputable testimony of Dr. Charles McGill, an eye-witness of the battle. The tree stood near our breastworks at a point upon which at one time the most murderous musketry fire that ever was heard of was directed. The tree fell inside our works, and injured several of our men. After the battle Dr. McGill measured the trunk, and found it twenty-two inches through, and sixty-one inches in circumference, actually hacked through by the awful avalanche of bullets packing against it. The foliage of the tree was trimmed away as effectually as though an army of locusts had swarmed on its branches. A grasshopper could not have lived through the pelting of that leaden storm; and but for the fact that our troops were protected by breastworks they would have been swept away to a man."

The regiment fought for more than one hour over the rebel works, almost

musket to musket, losing a large number killed and wounded, when the enemy made signals of surrender by waving handkerchiefs on their rammers. Firing ceased, and the rebels were called to come over, when their whole line for seventy or eighty yards rose up and started to come in; but the moment firing ceased the enemy advanced a fresh line, which came up from their supports to the works with a cheef, when most of those who had started to surrender turned and jumped into the works again. About twenty who were immediately in front of the regiment were taken. The regiment fought this new line for half an hour, when it was relieved and moved to the left, where it joined the brigade and remained during the night. In this memorable affair, which lasted fourteen hours, the regiment lost twentyseven killed, four commissioned officers and ninety-three men wounded, and fourteen missing, most of whom are now known to have been killed. Major Saviers, commanding the regiment, was struck four times by the enemy's bullets while gallantly doing his duty, and seven out of the nine colorguards were killed or wounded. The regiment was specially complimented by Generals Barlow and Miles for its noble conduct and persistent and vigorous fighting during the day, and had the credit of first planting its colors on the enemy's works.

Leaving its position at Spottsylvania Court-house on the night of the 20th, the regiment marched to the North Anna river, where it arrived on the 23d. On the 24th it crossed the North Anna at Jericho Bridge, under a heavy fire from the enemy's artillery, and after a spirited skirmish the rebels were driven into their works. The casualties of the regiment in the engagement were five killed and nine wounded. It recrossed the North Anna on the night of the 26th, and marched toward the Pamunkey. Crossing that river on the morning of the 28th, it advanced to the vicinity of Hawes' Shop, and threw up breastworks. On the 29th it moved down the Richmond road, drove in the enemy's pickets, and developed their position on the Tolopotamy creek. Three companies were engaged in skirmishing with the enemy on the 30th, losing one killed and three wounded. On the 2d of June the regiment arrived at Cold Harbor; and advancing as skirmishers on the enemy, near Gaines' Hill, succeeded in driving them into their intrenchments. It afterwards charged their works across an open field; but, finding them occupied by the enemy in force, and being under a fire of grape and canister, the regiment was obliged to retire. The casualties sustained in the assault were fifteen wounded and five missing. From the 3d to the 12th the regiment was on the skirmish line and in the intrenchments, and lost three men killed, seven wounded, and one missing. At midnight, on the 14th, it crossed the James river at Wilcox's Landing, and on the morning of the 16th arrived in front of Petersburg. The regi ment participated in the assault of the 16th, in which the first line of the enemy's rifle-pits were carried. It lost in the attack its commanding officer, Captain James A. Lothian, who was mortally wounded, and two men killed and nine wounded. On the 17th, the regiment, commanded by Captain A. G. Dailey, participated in the capture of the enemy's line of works, losing in the charge two killed and seven wounded. A detachment was engaged as skirmishers on the 18th, with a loss of one killed and one wounded. On the 22d the regiment assisted in repulsing an assault made on our lines, near the Williams House. Its loss in the attack was two men taken pris

oners.

The 26th also attracted much enviable notice by its gallant fighting at Deep Bottom, July 27 and 28, 1864, where the enemy in front of the 2d corps occupied rifle-pits defended by a battery. An advance was made by

the corps, during which General Miles' brigade, in which was the 26th, flanked the whole position under a brisk fire, driving the enemy in much confusion, capturing four guns and taking some prisoners, the 26th Michigan constituting a part of the skirmish line which led the assault. On the 28th the regiment made a reconnoissance between New Market and Charles City road to discover the enemy's left, when it attacked and drove in splendid style double its own strength for half a mile, and then pushed them into their earthworks in much confusion. For this gallant and dashing affair, and the operations of the day preceding, the regiment was specially complimented by General Hancock in general orders.

On the 16th of August it encountered the enemy near the White Oak Swamp, losing three killed, fourteen wounded, and seventeen taken prisoners. Among the latter was the officer commanding the regiment, Captain A. G. Dailey. The regiment recrossed the James river on the 20th, and reached the lines in front of Petersburg on the 21st. On the 22d it marched to the Weldon railroad, and until the 24th was employed in the destruction of that road near Ream's Station. On the 25th it was engaged in the battle at the latter point, assisted in repelling the repeated assaults of the enemy, and after the works were taken by the rebels participated in the charge in which they were retaken. Its loss in the action was three wounded and fourteen missing.

On the 25th of March, 1865, immediately following the evening's attack on Forts Steadman and Hancock, in the line of the works in front of the 9th corps, the regiment, in command of Captain S. H. Ives, with the brigade, was ordered to make a charge on the enemy's works in front of its position, and succeeded in capturing a portion of them, taking several prisoners, and continued fighting during the day with slight loss. The brigade occupied that position until the army commenced its flanking movement to the left on March 29th, when it was deployed during the day as skirmishers, in front of the corps, and at night was relieved. On the 30th it again skirmished the entire day, the regiment losing several men, and on the 31st it marched in column until about noon, when it again took the skirmish line, and participated in a running fight with the enemy until it was relieved. From the 1st to the 6th of April it was engaged in pursuing the retreating army, fighting every day. On the 6th the regiment took a very active part in the capture of a train of 260 wagons, containing baggage, provisions, and ammunition, and was the first regiment to attack the train. The pursuit of the enemy continued on the 7th, 8th, and 9th, and the regiment was in the skirmish line at the surrender of Lee's army, and through its lines General Grant operated with his flag of truce in arranging the terms of surrender. From March 28th until April 9th the regiment had captured our 400 prisoners, and during that time its losses had been, killed and wounded, about sixty, or more than one-fourth of its number present for duty, and had often been complimented by the brigade and divison commanders as the best skirmish regiment in the corps.

THE TWENTY-SEVENTH INFANTRY.

Although the 27th, organized by Col. D. M. Fox, did not leave the State until April, 1863, it engaged the enemy at Jamestown, Ky., in June following, and before the war ended had passed through four distinct and prominent campaigns with the 9th army corps, to which it belonged: One in Mississippi, the siege of Vicksburg and Jackson; Burnside's campaign in