The diary of D. C. Neal, 51st Tennessee, continues:
“June 6: Just returned from the Regiment, found the boys well; Regiment throwing up breastworks; the news is now that R. E. Lee has whipped Grant & completely routed his army; the health of our army is very good; I have never seen so little straggling in our army…this is the 29th day of the fight; we are moving to the right; camped six miles from Marietta, in line of battle (&) ready for the Yanks.
“7th: Had a nice dinner, roasted mutton…our Regiment is fortifying getting ready for the Yanks.
“8th: I learn that Colonel Chester is entirely relieved from (command) of our Regiment. He is ordered to some point in Alabama…(51st Regiment) now only numbers 266 officers and men; at Corinth (1862) the number was 1,050…
“9th: The rations & cooking detail is ordered four miles to the right which will throw us within 3 miles of Marietta near the foot of Kennesaw Mountain…some firing in the front today, on the right very heavy musketry.
10th : Raining this morning; some firing going on…in front of our Division…Captain (Henry) Sanford (of Tipton) will go“ to the front today with forage for the Regiment…I hear cannonading this morning; heavy firing of pickets.
“11th: Still heavy picket firing. I delivered rations to my Regiment at daylight…orders to move 7 miles below Marietta on the Atlanta road…I was on the Kennesaw Mountain yesterday. I could see our (artillery) pieces playing on them (Federals)…raining very hard and the muddiest road from Marietta to this place I ever saw…
“12th: We are at our new camp in the rain and mud; cooking detail all worn out & sleepy…I can hear cannon this morning…I have to go to the front with rations which is 10? Miles in front of Marietta. I found the boys all in line of battle ready for the Yanks…
“13th: Still raining; I go to the Regiment again; I have to travel 15 miles…I got to the Regiment at 12 o’clock at night; the boys are in fine spirits but do not liked to be waked up at this time of night. I found them in mud & water but they did not seem to mind it…returned to the Division hospital…found Dr. (Thomas Walter) Roane (of Tipton)…Walker &Dr. Jones the brigade surgeon all together.
“14th: Beautiful morning; Dr. Roane, Dr. Bell & myself started to Kennesaw Mountain which is about 3 miles from the Hospital; about 8 o’clock we reached the summit…we found the signal station with a large crowd of citizens & soldiers looking at the Yanks. From this point they could be plainly seen with the naked eye; I saw them marching in solid column…I could see them moving to the left and right…to the front at 10 o’clock; each army commence artillery firing; from this point I could see both parties…I saw each line of skirmishers advance, then I could see one line give way, then advance and the other give way…
“About 11 o’clock General (Leonidas) Polk was shot dead by one of the enemy guns…a solid shot cut him clear in to; we have lost a good officer, a good man, a good citizen & a brave man, one who all the soldiers loved that knew him…
“After dark my Regiment was fortifying on their line of battle; some of them were falling a very large tree (when) it fell across the camp wounding Colonel (John Gracey) Hall, Lieutenant (James Fentress) Dickson, Lieut. (Samuel C.) Simpson, George Wilkerson, (Corporal Robert) Dickey… in all 8 wounded that will be sent to the Hospital on the morrow.”
Continued.
