On the 18th a detachment under Major Baird sharply engaged a Confederate force under Clayton, near Montgomery, in which the latter was defeated with considerable loss. As the sun went down on the 22d Rousseau’s army reached Marietta, on the line of communication from Chattanooga to Atlanta, where Sherman had thirteen days before directed him to strike the Confederate lines. General Rousseau had marched nearly four hundred miles in thirteen days, had crossed the Sand Mountains, two large rivers, fought two battles, destroyed thirty miles of railroad, five large depots of cotton and army supplies. Not a single act of pillage or vandalism had been committed by his soldiers. His loss did not exceed thirty men.
The Fifth Iowa took a prominent part in this raid in which Captain Curl was killed and Captain Wilcox severely wounded. In the latter part of July the Fifth Cavalry took part in another raid which proved disastrous. It was under command of General Edward McCook who for a time was successful. He destroyed two large wagon trains, filled with supplies, and many miles of railroad north and south of Lovejoy; but soon disasters came thick and fast. The loss of the Fifth Iowa was very heavy although it fought bravely on all occasions. Lieutenant Andrew Guler was killed, Lieutenant W. T. Hays was taken prisoner and about one hundred and twenty men were killed, wounded and captured. The remnants of the regiment were collected near Sandtown, numbering but a little more than one hundred men. This fragment of the regiment, now under Major Young, in August marched with General Kilpatrick to cut the communications south of Atlanta on the Macon railroad. There was hard fighting and severe marching. The Fifth Regiment greatly distinguished itself, again losing heavily. In September, by order of the War Department, two companies of the Fifth Regiment greatly distinguished itself, again losing heavily. In September, by order of the War Department, two companies of the Fifth Iowa Infantry were consolidated with the remnant of the Fifth Cavalry. Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick resigned and Major Harlan Baird was promoted to the
