The Battle of Utoy Creek

I can't make it out on that page...does it say which unit the flag belonged too? I know that a member of Tyler's Brigade who was a Tennessean mentioned in his writings they they faced the 8th Tennessee Federal Infantry as he commented that they fought like Tennesseeans out in the open. I also believe I read somewhere that the Kentucky Orphan Brigade faced Federal Kentucky Units at Utoy Creek....it might help figure out where Mr. Scaife went wrong.
I know kentuckians fought Kentuckians at Stone river
 
Are you freakin kidding me?!
Does it cover the war and reunions or....? What else is in it? REALLY want to see everything
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Ok so here is the Battle of Utoy as told in the "The History of the 112th Illinois Infantry":

Eeilly was ordered to make a reconnoissance in force
with his brigade. At 11 o clock the brigade moved, and form
ed in line of battle, the 100th Ohio on the left, 112th Illinois in
the center, 104th Ohio on the right, the 16th Kentucky off to
the right to protect the flank, and the 8th Tennessee in re
serve. The brigade was supported by Cameron s old brigade,
now commanded by Casement. A strong skirmish line was
advanced across the field to the timber, and the order was giv
en to charge. The skirmish line advanced, and the brigade
moved rapidly across the creek, up the slope beyond and into
the woods. The skirmishers reported that the works were
protected by abattis, and could not be carried, but the line
was pushed forward, amidst a shower of bullets, until it found
itself entangled among the felled trees and undergrowth half-
cut off and bent downward and interlaced, but it pushed for
ward until it found itself within a few yards of the enemy s
works, when it was compelled to halt. The reconnoissance
developed a solid line of breast-works as far as could be seon
to the right and left, well-filled with Confederate infantry.
The 8th Tennessee was brought forward to reinforce the line,
but ten times that number could not have carried the works.
Casement s brigade was advanced across the valley, and un
der its cover the brigade was withdrawn, a well-supported skir
mish line being intrenched close up to the abattis, anct hold
ing the position.

The loss of the b;iga:le was three hundred and thirty-three,
in killed, wounded and missing. All the killed and many of
the wounded were left on the field.

So what can we deduce? The 16th Kentucky was off on the Brigade right as a flank guard. They would have probably been bought forward to attack as well at some state and thus would have probably attacked on the Brigade extreme right which from the sounds of other clues, would have caused them to face the Kentucky Orphan Brigade thus Kentuckian against Kentuckian. The original right Regiment of the Brigade at the start of the attach was the 100th Ohio Infantry with the 112th Illinois in the center and the 104th Ohio on the right with the 8th Tennessee in Reserve. Now we know the 112th Illinois and the 8th Tennessee had it's battleflags captured by Tyler's Brigade so we have to assume that the Confederate units in their front were members of this Brigade. It sounds from the wording of the above that the 8th Tennessee was probably deployed in the center of the Brigade with the 112th Illinois to re-enforce the line hence both units having their flags captured. Now Foosfoos has revealed that the Kentucky Orphans captured the Battle flag of the 104th Ohio which doesn't work with Scaife's map at all, unless the flag was captured after the battle because it was left on the field.... This history does not mention a counter charge by the Confederate's which evidently did happen as the soldier who's diary I have been reading mentions it. Very perplexing to say the least.
 
Ok so in the interest of sharing information on this seeming little known Battle of have took the liberty of compiling some information from some of the sources I have gathered. The following comes from writings by members of Tyler's Brigade regarding Utoy Creek. I have included which Regiment the soldier who wrote these accounts belongs too...some of them vary a bit but I hope they can help paint a picture. I will do a union one later on. At the time of the Battle of Utoy Creek, Tyler's Brigade was composed of the 15/37th Tennessee Infantry which had been placed in a field consolidation since after the Battle of Stones River, 2nd (Bate's) Tennessee Infantry which at this time was typically referred too as the 2nd Tennessee Confederate Infantry or just the 2nd Confederate Infantry, the 30th Tennessee Infantry, the 20th Tennessee Infantry, the 37th Georgia Infantry, and the 4th Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters. I have so far managed to find writings from each of these units about Utoy Creek with the exception of the 4th Georgia Sharpshooters.


37th Tennessee Infantry

The fighting was heavy every day and night till the 6th of August, when the enemy charged the picket line of our Division, and after a very stubborn fight, in which we lost but little, they were driven back. The 37th Tennessee was confronted by the 8th Tennessee Federal and killed, wounded and captured nearly all of them.

30th Tennessee Infantry

The 8th, there was a heavy fight on the left. We drove the enemy and got 1,000 prisoners and a pair of guns.



2nd Tennessee (Bate’s) Infantry/ 2nd Tennessee Confederate Infantry

Bate’s Division was massed in the skirmish pits on the extreme left and met Schofield who expected to run over a mere skirmish line. Gen Bate thus ambushed Schofield’s Corps and inflicted on them a heavy loss. I find no history giving Gen Bate’s proper credit for this. My Regiment there faced the 8th Tennessee Federal Infantry and permit me to say here, we met gallant foemen. They stood with no protection save the few forest trees, like Tennesseeans, in the face of a withering fire until they realized that to stay longer meant annihilation. Then they sullenly fell back firing on us as they retreated.
I am not sure if this this next paragraph is Utoy Creek or not but is appears directly after the last one and sounds like it could be Utoy Creek.
In our next Battle, which if I mistake not, immediately to the right of the Midway Plaisance at the Exposition, we witnessed the bravest Federal Charge that I saw during the war. We were in rifle pits on the bluff with a stream 50 yards in our front. The Federals raked us from the right and from the left with numerous batteries, and then came the infantry. In a solid line they sprang into the water, waist deep, and climbing the bank, rushed our pits. Then we had orders to quit. We left without an introduction and never knew who our visitors were. But we will always say they were the best Federals we ever faced. The Regiment lost more that day in captures than any other Regiment.



20th Tennessee Infantry

On the fifth of this month we, our brigade were placed in position in front of the lines, as a trap for the Yankees. We were at work nearly all night arranging our trap…..

Saturday the 6th, the Yankee’s thinking we were only skirmishers at daylight, attacked us. They were considerably worsened, and left in a hurry. About 12 o’clock, they came up in force and hurled their columns against our little brigade. They were met gallantly and after a fierce struggle, almost breast to breast, the enemy fled leaving the ground covered with their dead and wounded. We secured over a hundred stand of arms, thirty prisoners, and two stand of colors, belonging to the 8th Tenn. regt. and 12th (112th) Ohio. Our victory was complete, and the brigade was complimented in General Orders by our Corps commander S. D. Lee.

The 7th was consumed in skirmishing and in returning to the main lines, having only a few men in our former position. One of the men killed a wounded federal this day, by mistake.



37th Georgia Infantry


August 1st 1864 We moved to the left on the Sandtown Road.


August 2nd and 3rd Moved to the right one mile and back to the

Sandtown Road. Heavy fighting today.


August 6th Our division was in a considerable fight today, killing,

wounding and taking prisoners a good many, our Losses was light. W. M

Perry was killed and D. R. Mosely better known as Dick was wounded


August 7th 1864 Very heavy picket fighting today.


August 10th General Bates was wounded today in the leg by riding in

too far.
 
One of my friends relatives, William West, was shot on August 6, 1864 at Utoy Creek. He was a first Sgt. in Scofields 23rd Corps, 12th KY Inf Co A. He was from Science Hill, KY and his brother, Henry, was also in the regiment. Henry survived the war but William died August 14th of either sepsis or on the operating table getting his leg amputated. He’s buried at the Marietta National Cemetery.
 
One of my friends relatives, William West, was shot on August 6, 1864 at Utoy Creek. He was a first Sgt. in Scofields 23rd Corps, 12th KY Inf Co A. He was from Science Hill, KY and his brother, Henry, was also in the regiment. Henry survived the war but William died August 14th of either sepsis or on the operating table getting his leg amputated. He’s buried at the Marietta National Cemetery.

My GG grandfather, Sgt. James I. Neely and his brother, Pvt. John L. Neely were in Co. F, 12th Ky Inf. They were from near Science Hill in Pulaski Co., Ky. John was killed after the Utoy Creek battle on 18 August 1864. He was 28 years old. Burial report states that his original grave was in a corner of a field "7 miles west of Atlanta on Wm. Bryant's land, one-half mile south of the grave of Warren A. Cramer (65th Indiana) which was under an oak tree 100 yards west of Bryant's house." His remains were removed three years later on August 22, 1867 and reburied August 24, 1867 at the Marietta National Cemetery.
Does anyone know, would this have been the Battle of Camp Creek? I've tried to pinpoint the present location.
 
Actually Bill...I believe that only a small part of the Utoy Creek Battlefield lies inside of the modern day Cascade Springs Nature preserve. If you look at William Scaife map of the Battle, only the Kentucky Orphan Brigade and Captain Houston Kings's Missouri Battary were inside of the modern day Nature preserve......Tyler's Brigade which I am interested in, Scaife has them on a hill to the east of the Orphan Brigade. I found a modern typographical map of Cascade Springs nature preserve and according to it, this hill that Scaife has Tyler's Brigade situated is not in the nature preserve today. There is a street that crosses directly over the center of the hill today called "Woodland Terrace SW" According to Scaife's Map, Tyler's Brigade would have straddled Woodland Terrace if you go to Google Street view...you can still see the hill on this road. Jackson's Brigade was next in line for the Confederates even further to the East. His brigade straddled modern day Willis Mill Road SW, again according to Scaife. The next Confederate Brigade to the East of Findley's Florida Brigade who held the ground occupied by today's Cascade Elementary and a brigade of Georgia Militia was even further to the east....I haven't bothered to figure out exactly where they were plus topographical map didn't cover that far east so... My research has led me to question Scaife's map of Utoy Creek though which I mentioned in another thread. According to the History of the 112 Illinois Infantry Scaife's deployment of the Union troops appears to be accurate on his map.....their location might be slightly off. As I stated in my other tread. The ground held by Reilly's Brigade of which the 112th Illinois was members and they path he has them advancing would have bought them into contact with the Kentucky Orphan brigade. Yet it is clear that Reilly's Brigade faced Tyler's Brigade...as the 112th had his colors captured by Tyler's Brigade as well as the 8th Tennessee USA Infantry of the same brigade.

Is there any other mention of King's Mo. Battery, other than the map? I have not read Scaife's book. King's battery seems to be connected to Ross's Texas cavalry brigade during most of the retreat to and defense of Atlanta.
 
My GG grandfather, Sgt. James I. Neely and his brother, Pvt. John L. Neely were in Co. F, 12th Ky Inf. They were from near Science Hill in Pulaski Co., Ky. John was killed after the Utoy Creek battle on 18 August 1864. He was 28 years old. Burial report states that his original grave was in a corner of a field "7 miles west of Atlanta on Wm. Bryant's land, one-half mile south of the grave of Warren A. Cramer (65th Indiana) which was under an oak tree 100 yards west of Bryant's house." His remains were removed three years later on August 22, 1867 and reburied August 24, 1867 at the Marietta National Cemetery.
Does anyone know, would this have been the Battle of Camp Creek? I've tried to pinpoint the present location.

Malam:

Your great grandfather SGT James I Neeley would have been involvd inna continuous operation by the US XXIii Corps to break the Confedederate lines protecting the railroad at East Point, Ga.

Gen Cox 3rd Division, XXIII Corps Attacked East Point along a southernntributary of Utoy Creek on
18 Aug 1864.

The Bryant house wasé located at the intersectiin of Connolly and Dodson Drive in East Point, Ga.

Call me and i will be delighted to discuss.

See:. Cox, Jacob D,. atlanta ,Scribners, 1888

Perry Bennett
Lieutenant Colonel, US Army (Ret)
Military Historian
East Point Historical Society
404-399-7159
[email protected]
 
Is there any other mention of King's Mo. Battery, other than the map? I have not read Scaife's book. King's battery seems to be connected to Ross's Texas cavalry brigade during most of the retreat to and defense of Atlanta.

A different theory regarding Mr. Scaifes map of the Battlefield of Utoy Creek would be as follows.

The Alignment of Batès Division by brigade should be from left to right Tylers Tenbessee Brigade under BG TB Smith, Mebanes Tessessee Battery which has 6 guns, 2 being 3 inch Ordinance rifles captired at Chicamauga by the Forner Brigade of Bate. Next on the right the Kentucky orphin Brigade, then BG H Rs Jascksons Georgia Brigade, then BG Finleys Florida Brigade and on their right the 4th Brigade, Georgia Militia.

Regards

Perry Bennett
Lieutenant Colonel
US Army Ret
Military Historian
East Point Historical Society
404-399-7159
 
That's interesting because the 108th Ohio was also in Reilly's Brigade along with the 8th Tennessee Federal Infantry and the 112th Illinois Infantry...we have confirmed that the 112th Illinios and the 8th Tennessee faced portions of Tyler's Brigade. so Reilly's Brigade must have attached at a point where his right met the Kentucky Orphans and his left met Tyler. I believe in the history of the 112th Illinois, the author lays out how Reilly deployed and lined up his brigade..I'll go back and check and see if the 108th Ohio was indeed on Reilly's Right...I do believe if I remember correctly that the 8th Tennessee was on the Brigade right...I think the 112th Illinois was near the Brigade Center. I'll have to reread that section of the book.
I have been working on a history of the 104th Ohio for many years. The temporary commander of the 8th Tennessee at Utoy was Major. William Jordan of the 104th. I don't recall him mentioning losing the colors in his report, but it deserves another look. The 104th's Colonel Reilly commanded the brigade and Lt. Col Oscar Sterl led the 104th. I mentioned my 2016 visit to Cascade in the more recent Utoy Creek thread.
 
My GG grandfather, Sgt. James I. Neely and his brother, Pvt. John L. Neely were in Co. F, 12th Ky Inf. They were from near Science Hill in Pulaski Co., Ky. John was killed after the Utoy Creek battle on 18 August 1864. He was 28 years old. Burial report states that his original grave was in a corner of a field "7 miles west of Atlanta on Wm. Bryant's land, one-half mile south of the grave of Warren A. Cramer (65th Indiana) which was under an oak tree 100 yards west of Bryant's house." His remains were removed three years later on August 22, 1867 and reburied August 24, 1867 at the Marietta National Cemetery.
Does anyone know, would this have been the Battle of Camp Creek? I've tried to pinpoint the present location.
The Battle of Camp Creek was part of the Battle of Resaca which wasn't anywhere near Utoy Creek. That's all I know.
 
Union Buff,

Most of the Utoy Creek battlefield is inside the grounds of the Cascade Springs Nature Preserve. When my son and I conducted our Atlanta Campaign Tour last May, this park was closed when we arrived. Crudball.....

Bill
Only a small part took place in the preserve. It is wideley spread out across the greater area.
 
Actually, only a small portion is in Cascade Springs.
I once owned the house at 1771 Willis Mill Road, between Mill Acres and Campbellton Road, on a mostly wooded three acres. The property sloped upward, then down to a creek. I found two lead bullets while tromping through the woods one day. One was a Confederate bullet; one was a Union bullet. I still have them, evidence that the Battle of Utoy Creek took place there.
 
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