Diary of E. G. Whitesides (Adjutant, 125th O.v.I.)

September 1863

Saturday 19. Enemy opened the fight by attacking our left at 9 A.M. Soon after our right became engaged and the fighting continued all morning on both sides of us. At 1 P.M. we were called upon to reinforce the left. We advanced and engaged the enemy in a dense woods at about 2 P.M. Captured one rebel officer and eight enlisted men, with a loss of the 1st. Sgt. of Co. A and eleven men wounded. The regiment was under fire until after dark. Lay on our arms without fires until midnight when we retired a mile and a half towards Chattanooga and camped on the side of a high hill, and lay down before large fires for a few hours rest. Sunday 20. Rations were issued to the men, and breakfast was being cooked, when we were ordered to form and take our position which was in reserve. I formed the battalion and eat a hasty breakfast sitting on my horse. We advanced in line about a half mile, where we were attacked between 9 and 10 o'clock. Our artillery was placed in position and soon cleared our front, when we were ordered to move to the left and reinforce Reynolds who was being hard pressed. The enemy followed us, coming through the gap which we had opened, and attacked us vigorously on the right flank and rear. We immediately changed front to rear on the left, which formed our line parallel to that of the enemy, when Gen. Wood ordered us to charge. We fixed bayonets and charged on the double quick, breaking the rebel line and causing them to fall back in confusion. Gen. Wood said, "That was a glorious charge and if I live it shall be made official and go into history." We now lay quietly behind a prostrate fence for a few minutes, when Col. Opdycke and myself, from our horses, could see the rebel line reform, and soon they advanced upon us again with three times our number. We held them at bay for some time but were finally obliged to fall back to the crest of a hill five hundred yards in the rear, which we held until the battle was ended some time after dark, although the hill was desperately assaulted several times by heavy forces of Longstreet's Corps. On this hill my horse was shot under me at about 2 P.M. We were ordered to retire to Rossville at 7 P.M. near which place we bivouaced at 12 P.M. Our loss is 17 killed, 83 wounded and 5 missing.

Monday 21. Arose at 6 A.M. after a rest of four hours. Before breakfast could be had we were ordered into position in front of Rossville on Missionary Ridge, where we built breastworks of rails and stones and lay in position all day. Some skirmishing on our front in the morning. One of the boys of Co. F wounded in the leg. They attempted to shell us off the ridge in the afternoon but the shells all passed over our heads. At 9 P.M. we retired towards Chattanooga.

Tuesday 22. At 2 A.M. we camped in the suburbs of Chattanooga. Rations were issued to the men and we rested until daylight when we took our assigned position in the lines around the place. The men were set to work on the works and by night we had a good breast work to rest behind. Feel a little unwell today.

Wednesday 23. Gen. Rosecrans passed around the lines and addressed a few words to each regiment. Gen. Garfield was with him and called his attention to Col. Opdycke. The Gen. then rode around to the front. When we presented arms to him, he said, "I thank the officers and men of the 125th Ohio regiment for the magnificent manner in which they fought. If we are attacked here, only do as well again and we will break the neck of the Southern Confederacy." Slight skirmishing on the picket line.

Thursday 24. Men still working on the fortifications. At midnight the rebs made an attack on our right. We hastily formed and awaited an attack in our front, but all remained quiet, except on our right where a heavy cannonade was kept up for an hour. The roar of the artillery was splendid, and the beautiful moonlight, with the flash of the guns, was a magnificent sight. Friday 25. Rebel batteries in sight from our works.

Sunday 27. Inspection by Col. in A.M.

Source: Edward G. Whitesides Diary, Civil War Tinies Illustrated Collection, U. S. Army Militaty History Institute