Diary of Alexander G. Downing; Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry

Friday, 17th—Our brigade was moved out to the left of the Fourth Division during the night, and General Logan’s Division occupied our former position. The Eleventh was at work nearly all night throwing up a new line of rifle pits, while the other regiments of our brigade occupied pits previously made by other troops. During the night Logan’s Division was twice charged upon, but both times repulsed the attack. Skirmishing began early this morning and continued throughout the day. Our entire left wing was ordered to fall in all along the line and make a demonstration, by cheering and by opening our batteries. This was done to compel them to draw reinforcements from their left, while our right would then charge their weakened left.[1] During these demonstrations and skirmishing the captain of Company C was wounded by a sharpshooter, as was also a private in Company G.

[1] This is strategy of war.—A. G. D.

Thursday, 16th—Skirmishing commenced again early this morning. The rebel batteries off on the left would fire a round or two and just as soon as our guns would open on them they would stop firing. General Leggett’s Division on the left drove the rebels back about a mile, and there was some very heavy cannonading in the afternoon on the right, where it is reported that General Thomas made a charge on the rebels’ left, around the rear and got possession of Pine Hills. It was reported that at one point a rebel regiment, the Forty-third Mississippi, was ordered to make a charge on our lines and when they started their colonel ordered them to reverse arms, and they came marching right into our lines, surrendering themselves as prisoners of war. While our men were making demonstrations all along the line yesterday, about one thousand rebels were taken prisoners, some of them surrendering without firing a gun. They said that there was a great discontent in the ranks of their army around Atlanta: that they were tired of continually falling back, and that many had come to the conclusion that the war on their part could be nothing else than a failure. Company E is lying quiet today. The rough treatment we experienced yesterday was a hard blow to the company, for the loss of nine men from one company in a skirmish line, in less than four hours, does not often happen.[1]

[1] Our losses were as follows: William Alexander, killed; Lieutenant Alfred Carey, mortally wounded; John Zitler, a thumb shot oft; Thomas R. McConnell, a minie ball passed through thigh; John Ford, LeRoy Douglas, George G. Main and John Albin, slightly wounded. James Martin, it was thought at the time, had been taken prisoner, but on the fifth day after the skirmish his body was found by an Ohio regiment, lying with the bodies of two Confederate soldiers. They had made Martin a prisoner, it seems, but before they could get to the rear with him, a shell from one of our batteries exploded over them, killing all three. Then, as they were considerably back from our lines, the body was not found until the enemy had fallen back and our army had advanced; besides, our brigade in the meantime had moved two miles to the left.

Martin had both legs cut off by the shell. A captain from the Ohio regiment which had found his body, brought his silver watch, Bible, some letters and other articles found on his person, and turned them over to our captain, informing him how Martin, in all probability, lost his life.—A. G. D.

Wednesday, 15th—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.

Tuesday, 14th—No rain, but cloudy and quite cool. Skirmishing began again early this morning and our artillery threw shells into the rebels’ works, but they would not reply. They are still fortifying their position. A rebel company consisting of thirty-five men came over to our lines today and gave themselves up. They informed us that there was a whole brigade that would surrender if given a chance, for they were tired of retreating all the while. They also represented to our officers that Johnston’s entire force numbered only sixty thousand men, and said that their artillerymen had orders not to fire when our artillery shelled, but to wait until our troops should make a charge, and then open up on us. There was one man of the Sixteenth Iowa killed today by a rebel sharpshooter.

Monday, 13th—It rained again nearly the whole day. We formed a line of battle early this morning, but soon returned to our “ranches” with orders to keep our accouterments on and be ready to form at a moment’s notice. Skirmishing commenced early all along the line and there was cannonading from our side with no reply from the rebels. Things are progressing fine. There is no news from the army around Richmond. I wrote a letter today to Robinson Laport of the Twenty-fourth Iowa and received one from Miss Moore.[1]

[1] Miss Moore, of Tipton. Iowa, wrote letters to encourage the soldiers.—A. G. D.

Sunday, 12th—It rained steadily all day. Our forces did not advance any today, but they are still throwing up earthworks and planting batteries. There was some shelling at a few points today by our men and the skirmishing at times was quite lively on both sides. But because of so much rain the last two days, and since we have worked so hard building rifle pits, we are glad to remain quiet and get some rest. As we have no tents, the men have built “ranches” out of their rubber ponchos, for shelter and for resting places in which to get snatches of sleep. There are no tents except the hospital tents, and some of the officers have “fly tents” in order to keep their papers and books dry. Our wagon trains are kept in the rear for fear of our being suddenly shelled and compelled to fall back. The earthworks of both sides are in plain view of each other, all the timber between having been cut down, and the pickets are close enough together at night to engage in conversation.

Saturday, 11th—Had a light shower yesterday, while today it rained nearly all day. We formed a line of battle this morning and moved forward. There was some sharp skirmishing, and our cannons were active, but the rebels did not reply. We advanced about a half mile and the rebels fell back inside of their rifle pits, a mile distant, at the foot of Kenesaw mountain. Each regiment then went to work throwing up its own rifle pits. There was some more sharp skirmishing, the rebels attempting to turn our left, but we drove them back. The railroad is now in operation up to our army, and the first train came in to Big Shanty¹ today. News came that Lee had evacuated Richmond, but we could not believe the report.

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¹ This is the station where Andrews and his band captured an engine with tender one Sunday morning and started up North, but he and his men were all captured, and some of them were executed, while others were set at liberty, —A. G. D.

Friday, 10th—Our entire army moved forward early this morning. The teams were all left in the rear. We advanced our division about ten miles and went into bivouac at a place called Big Shanty. Our front drove in the pickets and did some brisk skirmishing and cannonading. The railroad station at Big Shanty and the houses have all been burned. Our army is prepared for a big fight. There is no news from Grant’s army, but at last accounts things were working fine.

Thursday, 9th—The weather is fine—warm and pleasant. Our corps remained quiet and in its position all day. But orders have been given for the whole army to move forward in the morning. We commenced drawing full rations again today. I went out on picket this evening.

General Sherman is in command of all of our forces, with General Thomas in command of the right wing, General Hooker of the center, and General McPherson of the left. We have a large force of cavalry on each of the flanks. The country about Atlanta being so hilly and rough, it is exceedingly difficult to advance in front of the rebels, they having by far the better position.[1] They have a great deal better chance to kill our men than we have to kill them.

[1] Sherman’s plan was to get up as close as possible to the Confederates’ works, build forts and rifle pits, and then move our right around their left, or our left around their right, thus flanking them and threatening their rear. By that means they would be compelled to evacuate their strong works without having the opportunity of fighting from behind them.—A. G. D.