Saturday, 15th—We left Resaca early this morning, going out after the rebels whom we found at the south entrance of Snake Creek Gap. Here we formed a line of battle and skirmishing commenced. A small force of the rebels was behind some old works which our men had built last spring while advancing on Resaca. Finally two regiments of the Third Division made a charge upon them and routed them. Our loss was about fifty killed and wounded. The rebels then fell back through the pass, blockading it for about eight miles, by felling trees across the road. Our corps did not succeed in getting through the pass until about dark, and the Fifteenth Army Corps was still in our rear.
Diary of Alexander G. Downing; Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry
Friday, 14th—At Adairsville we took a train composed of box cars and left for Resaca, where we arrived about 4 o’clock this morning. We at once left the cars and formed a line of battle. Here we lay all day. The remainder of our corps soon arrived, and later the Fourteenth Army Corps came up. The first division of our corps was sent out after the rebels. They found them on the railroad about six miles out between Resaca and Dalton, where they already had destroyed about fifteen miles of track. Our troops engaged in a skirmish there in which the Seventeenth Iowa were taken prisoners, but were at once paroled. It is reported that the commander of the post at Dalton surrendered the place without firing a gun. It is thought that the rebels are making for the mountains, and if they succeed in getting there before we do, it will be hard to trap them, as they are in their own country and among friends.
Thursday, 13th—We left our teams behind at Kingston and they did not catch up with us till this morning. We lay here in camp all day. About sundown we received marching orders and our division started for Adairsville, some fifteen miles distant from Rome. We left our teams and all artillery behind and marching through on a by-road, reached Adairsville by midnight.
Wednesday, 12th—We started early this morning and marched to within five miles of Rome by midnight, when we went into bivouac for the rest of the night. We had to move very slowly on account of the teams giving out. Our horses and mules are getting very thin. This is because of the scarcity of forage, and then, too, the roads are very rough, which made it hard on them. Hood’s force is thought to be about thirty thousand, while our army numbers fifty thousand men, of all arms, and the men are in fine shape. We received a large mail at Kingston, when passing through there this evening.
Tuesday, 11th—The weather has been cool and pleasant for several days. Our entire corps started early this morning at 2 o’clock, going as we suppose, to Kingston. We marched through to Cartersville, where we went into camp for the night.
We hear that there was a hard fight at Altoona yesterday with fearful loss of life on both sides, but Hood had to give up trying to capture the place. It is reported that Hood is now moving toward Rome, Georgia.
Monday, 10th—A large detail from our regiment was put to work on the railroad. Three of us, Hiram Frank, John D. Moore and I, took French leave this afternoon and climbed to the top of Kenesaw mountain. It is a grand view from the mountain, but we had to pay for our sightseeing, for when we got back to camp we found that our command had left. They were ordered to go on the double-quick to Altoona, Georgia, and we had to run about four miles before we caught up with them. Our bunkmates were carrying our knapsacks, haversacks, canteens and rifles, with all accouterments, and they were about as thankful as we were when we caught up with them.[1]
[1] General Corse had flagged Sherman for reinforcements, as Hood was trying to capture the place. Our army had about one million rations stored at Altoona. Sherman flagged: “Hold the fort; I am coming,” and General Corse answered back that he’d hold the fort to the death if need be.—A. G. D.
Sunday, 9th—We were routed early this morning and left for Big Shanty, and arriving there in the afternoon went into bivouac. The Fifteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps were sent here to put the railroad track in repair. The rebels tore up about nine miles of track, burning the ties and twisting the rails. The engineers have to get out new ties and large details of our men are put to work cutting down trees and hewing the ties. It is reported that the rebels are going to the North.
Saturday, 8th—We started back early this morning for Marietta and arrived in camp about noon. I was sent out on picket duty this afternoon. The entire Fifteenth Corps left on an expedition this afternoon, but their destination is not known. The rebels left Lost mountain, retreating to Dallas, Georgia. Our men captured some of their wagon trains. All is quiet again. No news from the North. Camp Eleventh Iowa, Marietta, Georgia.
Friday, 7th—Weather clear and pleasant. Our division, now the Fourth of the Seventeenth Army Corps, started out to reconnoiter. We went in light marching order without teams or artillery and marching out about twenty miles to the southwest of Marietta came upon the rebels’ pickets, at a place called Powder Springs. We drove them about four miles to the south, they not caring for a fight, and camped for the night. Our division was sent to find out whether or not the rebels are out in force along this road.
Thursday, 6th—It rained nearly all day. We lay in bivouac all day, resting. We hear that Sherman with a part of his force is trying to surround the rebels in the vicinity of Lost mountain. The rebels left the railroad after tearing up about fifteen miles of track, burning the ties and twisting the rails. But the engineers will have it repaired in a few days, as there are thousands of trees along the way just the size for railroad ties. All is quiet along the line.
