History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

1082 SEVENTY-NINTH REGIMENT. 1864
and the regiment prepared to breast the storm of battle, which continued to
rage with little interruption until that stronghold of rebellion had fallen.
Shortly after getting into position Colonel Hambright was struck by a fragment of shell, which disabled him, and Major Locher succeeded to the command. On the 11th the regiment was on the skirmish line and had one killed
and several wounded. The enemy having fallen back, the division moved
along the base of St. John's Mountain, through Snake Gap, had a brisk skirmish midway between Dalton and Resaca, and arrived at Resaca on the 16th of
May. The Seventy-ninth was here detailed to collect the arms and bury the
dead left upon the field. Fifteen hundred stands of arms were gathered, and
two hundred and twenty-eight of the enemy's dead buried. Soon afterwards,
the regiment was sent to escort a wagon train to Ackworth. This duty done,
it re-joined the brigade, and was again engaged on the 18th of June, losing
eight men wounded. In the operations in front of Kenesaw Mountain it was
employed in throwing up works, and in skirmishing, losing several killed and
wounded. In the advance of the enemy on the 20th, Major Locher and seven
enlisted men were wounded, and the command devolved on Captain J. S.
M'Bride. In connection with the Twenty-first Ohio it was ordered to charge
the enemy's works, and succeeded in driving him out, but with a loss of one
killed and sixteen wounded.
The enemy now fell back to his intrenched lines about Atlanta, and the
operations to turn him out commenced. In these the regiment participited,
and, upon the fall of the city, the division was commended for its gallantry in
an order from General Carlin in command. After the occupation of the city
the division was sent back as far as Marietta, where it was engaged in repairing the railroad, which the enemy had destroyed. The losses during the entire
Atlanta campaign were six killed, eighty-six wounded, twelve mortally, and
two taken prisoners, an aggregate of ninety-four.
On the 16th of November, clothing and rations having been issued, the
regiment set forward on the Great March to the Sea. The following brief extract from the record of its progress will illustrate the general character of that
memorable march: "24th of November, left camp at seven A. M., crossing the
Oconee River, marching ten miles on Sandersville Road and encamping. 25th,
not on the march; day spent in foraging. 26th, left camp at seven A. M., the
division in rear of cavalry train. A swamp at Buffalo Creek delayed the train,
and it was midnight before the wagons all got over. 27th, left camp at seven,
A. M.; crossing the swamp, marched three miles to Scragg Creek Swamp,
passing through Sandersville at one P. M., and thence south-east, striking the
Macon and Savannah Railroad and encamping. 28th, left camp at eight A. M.,
and at Davidsboro Station came up with the Twentieth Corps, engaged in
tearing up the road." On the 21st of December the regiment entered Savannah, the enemy having retired without offering serious opposition. After its
occupation the regiment went into camp a few miles from the city, where supplies of clothing were issued, and where it rested for a month.
On the 18th of January, 1865, the regiment broke camp, and passing through
the city, started with the army on the march north through the Carolinas. On
approaching the Black River, on the 15th of March, it was ascertained that
the enemy in force under Hardee was in front. Three days later a part of the
Twentieth Corps had an engagement at Swiss Farm, the First Division of the
Fourteenth Corps being in line, but not engaged. On the morning of the 19th