General Sherman was not
content, however, until every vestige of the Confederate army was upon
the south side of the Chattahoochie. Accordingly, he ordered his
"flanking machine," under command of General Schofield, to cross the
river and operate on the enemy's flank.

General Schofield crossed the Chattahoochie on the 7th of July,
compelling an evacuation of the enemy's works on the 9th, their whole
force crossing to the Atlanta side of the river and burning the bridge
after them; and thus, on the morning of the 10th, Sherman's army held
undisputed possession of the right bank of the Chattahoochie; one of
the chief objects of his campaign was gained, and Atlanta lay before
him only eight miles distant. It was too important a place in the hands
of the enemy to be left undisturbed, with its magazines, stores,
arsenals, work shops, founderies and converging railways. But the army
had worked hard and needed rest. Therefore it was put in camp in
favorable positions along the Chattahoochie, General Davis' division of
Palmer's corps camping near the railroad and wagon bridge across the
river. While we were encamped at this place, the adventuresome boys
would go near the banks of the river and gather blackberries,
notwithstanding the continuous fire of the rebel pickets on the
opposite side, there being scarcely a soldier who would not risk his
life for a blackberry.

The 3rd brigade remained in this camp just eight days, when on the
18th, it crossed the Chattahoochie river at Paice's ferry several miles
above our camp, the other two brigades having preceded it on the same
route.

After crossing the river, the division advanced cautiously in line of
battle, preparatory for any emergency. The advance was made over woody
and uneven ground, although not to say very broken. Shortly before
night, the command took up a position on favorable ground, the front
lines building rail breastworks. During the night, there was some
skirmish firing in our immediate front, though it was not sufficient to
prevent the boys from gathering blackberries, which had to be had,
Johnnies or no Johnnies.

On the morning of the 19th, at ten o'clock A.M., the division was again
put on the move, going further to the right and front. It halted a
short time at Peach Tree creek until a crossing could be made over it.
The Eighty-sixth and One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Illinois were the
last of the 3rd brigade to cross over this creek, the other regiments