esteem and most submissive
obedience. With his gayest humor there mingled a settled air of
resolution, which made those who approached him feel they must obey,
and which infused love and confidence in those with whom he was
surrounded. His manners ingenuous and open-hearted, concealed an
imperturbable and calculating spirit. His dress--neither gaudy nor
striking, but neat--was such as to set off his person to advantage.

The Colonel took his departure from the regiment on Sunday, the 27th of
March, with the consciousness of taking with him the hearty "God bless
you" of all his men.

Immediately after the resignation of Colonel Magee, the regimental and
company officers held an election, and unanimously voted Major Allen L.
Fahnestock Colonel of the regiment, who received his commission and was
mustered in as such on the 13th of April, 1864, by Captain Cole, of the
9th Indiana. Colonel Fahnestock entered upon the duties of his office
with a spirit and resolution that characterized him through all the
future events of the regimental history, worthy in every respect the
honors of the position left vacant by his energetic predecessor.

At the same time that Colonel Fahnestock was promoted, Captain J. F.
Thomas, of Company C, was voted to the position of Major of the
regiment.

Major Thomas was a man of a kind and affable disposition, easy and
dignified in his intercourse with others, and the real exemplification
of the right man in the right place.

CHAPTER V.

CAMPAIGN AGAINST ATLANTA.

Early on the morning of the 3rd of May, 1864, the Third Brigade of the
Second Division, Fourteenth Army Corps, under command of Colonel Dan.
McCook, left Lee and Gordon's Mills and arrived in Ringgold, a distance
of twelve miles, in the afternoon of the same day, and there joined the
other two brigades of the division. There was a large army camped in
the vicinity of Ringgold, and the hills and valleys were covered with
camps, and rung merrily with the voices of many soldiers. It now became
evident that the indomitable Sherman was assembling his whole force to
make a crushing effort to drive back the threatening rebels under Jo.
Johnston.

The few days we remained at Ringgold our army was continually
augmenting, when by the 7th of the month it had assembled in force, and
set in motion against the enemy at Tunnel Hill and Dalton.

The grand army of the Mississippi, under the immediate command of
Major-General Sherman, at