12th Wisconsin Infantry:

The 12th Wisconsin Infantry marched by Huntsville and Decatur, Ala., to Rome, Ga., nearly 300 miles, and joined the "Army of the Tennessee" at Ackworth, Ga., on the 8th of June 1864. Here they became identified with the Atlanta campaign, under General Sherman.

On the 10th, the regiment, with the division, took its place in the advance, and on the night of the 11th, arrived within two miles of the enemy's position, at the base of Kennesaw Mountain. Here they began to throw up entrenchments, working most of the night. The next two days they lay in camp. On the 14th, another line of breastworks were thrown up a quarter of a mile nearer the enemy, on the crest of a hill, and about 1000 yards from the enemy's rifle pits. On the 15th, large masses of rebels were noticed in piece of pine woods in front of the position, who kept up a gallant fire. General Blair, expressing a desire to know the condition of, things behind this rebel cover, twenty-five men from each of six companies of the Twelfth were detached, under Captain Maxon, who volunteered to lead the desperate enterprise. Crossing the open space at a double quick, they endeavored, in pain to penetrate the matted copse of briars, vines and young pines. Captain Maxon at last found and opening, through which he pressed with his command, and came upon the rifle pits of the enemy filled with men. Crossing them, with part of his little force, he opened an enfilading fire, which soon emptied the rifle pits, the rebels fleeing for life to their reserves. For forty rods, the pits were emptied be, the little band of Captain Maxon, when a rebel brigade made their appearance, and opened on the detachment. Captain Maxon's men took shelter, behind the captured rifle pits, and volley after volley was poured into them, and the fire was gallantly returned. At length, the enemy charged bayonets, when Captain Maxon ordered his men to fall back, which they did in good order, halting as soon as they were clear of the thicket, and preparing to dispute the ground, with the assistance of the skirmishers in the rifle pits. General McPherson, and the division and brigade commanders, complimented Captain Maxon and his little band for their indomitable bravery in thus bearding, the foe in his den and driving a brigade out of their rifle pits, and holding the ground in face of all opposition for twenty minutes with a force of only 150 men. Nathaniel Camp was one of only two men from this group who lost his life as a result of this battle.

A few weeks later, General Leggett, crossed the Chattahoochie at Roswell, passing through Decatur on the morning of the 20th of July, 1864, and took up position near the extreme left of the line, on the south side of the Augusta Railroad, about eighty rods from the rebel intrenchments, where it halted for the night, and threw up rifle pits in its front. In front of the division was a cornfield, covering the side of a hill on the summit of which was a road, and the rebel earthworks, which were filled with the choice troops of the confederacy, from Alabama and Texas. Another cornfield stretched behind these works beyond which were other lines of works, covering those in front. This proved to be the key of the enemy's position, and the rebels considered it impossible for the Union forces to take it. Both sides spent the night in strengthening their position, to prevent surprise and repel attack.

Early next morning, orders were received for the division to change the works, and hold Bald Hill, in its front. The Twelfth and Sixteenth Wisconsin formed the advance of the charging column, supported by the Twentieth, Thirtieth and Thirty-first in Illinois. At the word of command, the several regiments rushed forward up the hill, crossing the cornfield, exposed to the most terrible fire from the entrenchments but the charging column never wavered. Side by side the Twelfth and Sixteenth rushed up to the rebel works and over them with a cheer, engaging in a hand to hand fight, using bayonets and clubbing their muskets till the stubborn defenders were forced out of their works in utter confusion, the brigade charging after them for sixty rods, and strewing the ground with dead and wounded rebels. The impetus of the charge carried them clear beyond the enemy's works, until they became exposed to the scathing fire of the rebels from their other works in the vicinity. The rebel troops belonged to the celebrated Cleburn's division, which was considered the crack fighting corps of the rebel army.

The command was recalled from following the rebels, and fell back to the captured works, which were at once strengthened, so as to repel any attempt the enemy might make to retake them. A terrible cross fire, from three directions, was kept up by the rebels and several charges made to regain their lost ground. The Twelfth in fifteen minutes, out of less than 600 men engaged, lost one hundred and thirty-four, killed or wounded, and captured more small arms than it had men engaged, many of them loaded and capped. Five color bearers were shot, and the two flag staffs were shot off. Earthworks, for the further preservation of the captured position, and the protection of the, Union troops, were erected during the afternoon and night of the 21st, at times, under a severe fire of the enemy. The Sixteenth Corps, towards night, moved to a position to protect the left flank of the Seventeenth Corps. James Camp was among the men wounded in this battle.