Sunday, January 1st, 1865
Moved to town this morning; some misunderstanding, marched back to our quarters.
Wednesday 4th
to 0
Friday 6th
At town.
Sunday 8th
At Catholic Church this morning, Presbyterian Church at 3 p.m.; preaching by Rev. Dr. Aron.
Friday 13th
Hallock Aug. 19th /61 (1861)
Sherman Aug. 12th /64 (1864)
Sheridan Nov. 8th /64 (1864)
Thomas Dec. 15th /64 (1864)
Meade Aug. 18th /64 (1864)
Saturday 13th
Colonel Robinson’s Eagles have turned into Stars.
(Editor’s Note: Col. Robinson promoted to General – see entry for Tuesday, Feb. 14.)
Sunday 15th
At Presbyterian Church l0 and a half a.m. Dr. Aron, Chaplain; sermon preached in camp at 2 p.m.; meeting at the Wesley Chapel in the evening.
Monday 16th
Gen’l Inspection by Capt. Reynolds; orders to march in the morning.
(Editor’s Note: Sherman appointed the 15th of January as the day when
he would commence his march. The left wing under Slocum accompanied by
Kilpatrick’s cavalry was to have crossed the Savannah River on a pontoon bridge
laid at the city but incessant rains which flooded the country swelled the
stream and overflowed the swamps on their margins and had caused the
submergence of a causeway which Slocum had constructed opposite Savannah and
broken up his pontoon bridge. He was compelled to look higher up the river for
a passage and marched his troops to Sister’s Ferry, or Purysburg (also Three
Sister’s Ferry). The delay caused by the flood prevented Slocum getting his
entire wing of the army across the Savannah River until the first week in
February.)
Tuesday 17th
Marched 8 a.m., crossed the Savannah River, marched 7 miles; camped on Gen. Hardee’s plantation.[1]
Wednesday 18th
Marched at 2 p.m. - 5 miles.
Thursday 19th
Marched at 9 a.m. – 8 miles; news of the capture of Fort Fisher read to us[2]; rains fast.
Friday 20th
In Camp at Three Sister’s Ferry.
Sunday 22nd
On Fatigue.
Pleasures are like Poppies spread
You seize the flower, its bloom is sped
Or like the snow falls in the river
A moment white, then melts forever
Or like the Borealis race
That flits ere you can point the place
Or like the rainbow’s lovely form
Evanishing amid the storm.
Saturday 28th
Move at 7 a.m., 12 miles, camped at 5 p.m.
Sunday 29th
March 7 a.m., camp 5 p.m., 10 miles; plenty of forage, Hogs and Sweet Potatoes.
Monday 30th
In camp at Robertsville on the River.[3]
Tuesday 31st
Saw George Scarthe.
Wednesday, February 1st, 1865
On Foraging Expedition, thousands of everything, 10 miles.
Thursday 2nd
March at 8 a.m., camp at 8 p.m., 12 miles.
Friday 3rd
March 6 a.m., camp at 5 p.m., march 15 miles.
Saturday 4th
Leave camp at 8 a.m., march 9 miles.
Sunday 5th
March 7 and a half a.m., camp 5 p.m. 10 miles.
Monday 6th
March 10 a.m., camp 6 p.m., 7 miles.
Tuesday 7th
March 7 a.m., camp at 5 p.m., march 9 miles; struck the Railroad at Blackville[4]. Grahams turn out (?)
Wednesday 8th
Repairing the Railroad, 4 miles.[5]
Thursday 9th
Marched 14 miles, destroyed some road.
Friday 10th
Remodeling the Road.
Saturday 11th
March at 8 a.m., cross a small river, the South Edisto; camp 5 p.m., 12 miles.
(Editor’s Note: Slocum with Kilpatrick’s cavalry comprising the left
wing pressed through the wet swamps from Sister’s Ferry toward Barnwell,
threatening Augusta; while the right wing keeping westward of the Salkhatchie
River made for the crossings of that stream at River’s and Beaufort Bridges for
the purpose of pushing on to the Edisto River and thus flanking Charleston.)
Sunday 12th
March at 5 p.m., reach camp at 9 p.m., 9 miles; some skirmishing.
(Editor’s Note: The 17th and 15th Corps crossed the south fork of the
Edisto and converged at Poplar Spring where the 17th moving swiftly on
Orangeburg dashed upon the Confederates intrenched in front of the bridge near
there and drove them across the stream. The latter tried to burn the bridge but
failed. With the various Union forces completely flanking the Confederates, the
latter retreated and by four o’clock that afternoon the whole of the 17th Corps
was in Orangeburg and had begun the work of destruction of the railway
connecting that place with Columbia.)
Monday 13th
March at 10 a.m., camp at 4 p.m., 8 miles; some skirmishing.
Tuesday 14th
March at 7 a.m., camp at 12 a.m., 6 miles; Capt. Reynolds of Gen. Robinson’s staff captured.
Wednesday 15th
Leave camp at 9 a.m., camp at 9 p.m., 10 miles; sharp skirmishing all day; out with foraging party.
Thursday 16th
Leave camp at 8 a.m., every appearance of a fight; our troops are concentrating; camp at 4 p.m., 4 miles from Columbia, 8 miles.
(Editor’s Note: While the 17th and 15th Corps approached Columbia the
left wing under Slocum had pushed steadily forward some distance to the
westward of the right but with the same destination, Columbia. For a while
Augusta trembled with fear as his host passed by but Slocum was very little
troubled excepting by Wheeler, and those troopers were kept too busy by
Kilpatrick to be very mischievous. Thru swamps and across the streams he
trudged on for the Saluda River, hearing now and then of the approach of troops
from the westward.)
Friday l7th
March at 8 a.m., 4 miles up the river, 14th Corps crossing on pontoons.
(Editor’s Note: The scattered remnants of the Confederate army were
ordered to cut off Sherman’s march but his movements were too rapid and the
National army was at Columbia before any of Hood’s men appeared. Slocum had not
been molested by them and he arrived on the banks of the Saluda near Columbia.)
Sunday 19th
March at 8 a.m., camp at 5 p.m., 6 miles.
Monday 20th
March at 7 a.m., crossed the Broad River about 100 yards wide; 6 miles.
(Editor’s Note: Slocum was ordered to cross the Saluda and Broad rivers
and to march directly upon Winsboro’, destroying the Greenville & Columbia
railroad near Alston, where it crosses the Broad River. Both orders were
executed.)
Tuesday 21st
Leave camp at 10 a.m., march 12 miles; pass through Winnsboro’; camp at 5 p.m., cut the Charlotte Railroad.
(Editor’s Note: Sherman moved his whole army from Columbia to
Winnsboro’ in the direction of Charlotte and from that point Slocum who arrived
on the 21st with the 20th Corps caused the railway to be broken up well toward
Chesterville (Chesterfield).)
Wednesday 22nd
Leave camp at 12 a.m., march 17 miles, camp at 12 p.m.; got lost from the Regiment.
Thursday 23rd
Leave camp at 7 a.m., cross the Wateree River, march six miles; the Hilliest country we have passed through.
Friday 24th
March 4 miles, the 14th Corps cross the road ahead of us.
Saturday 25th
Lay over.
Sunday 26th
March at 9 a.m., march 7 miles, camp at 6 p.m.; roads dreadful, much rain has fallen the last two or three days; the country is very broken but thickly settled.
(Editor’s Note: Slocum crossed the Catawba on a pontoon bridge at Rocky
Mount on the 23rd just as a heavy rainstorm set in which flooded the country
and swelled the streams.)
Monday 27th
Move at 6 a.m., 2 miles; wash and mend our clothing; rain.
Tuesday 28th
Leave camp at 7 a.m., march 7 miles, camp at 3 p.m., muster.
Wednesday, March 1st, 1865
Move at 6 a.m., march 18 miles, camp at 4 p.m., roads good; crossed a small stream, Lynch’s Creek.
(Editor’s Note: It was a most fatiguing march for the whole army for
much of the country presented flooded swamps, especially in the region of
Lynch’s Creek at which the left wing was detained.)
Thursday 2nd
March at 6 a.m., marched 18 miles, camped at 4 p.m. at Chesterfield; sharp skirmishing, drizzling rain: crossed a small stream, our Division in advance.
(Editor’s Note: On the 2nd of March the leading division of the 20th
Corps reached Chesterfield, skirmishing there with Butler’s cavalry division.)
Friday 3rd
Move at 7 a.m., cross a small River, had to wade it, rather a cold bath: march 5 miles; our Division has been in advance 3 days.
(Editor’s Note: The left wing with the cavalry crossed the Pedee River
at Sneedsboro on the state line.)
Saturday 4th
Leave camp 5 p.m., roads very much cut up, march 5 miles, camp at 2 p.m., rear Guard.
Sunday 5th
In camp near Cheraw; detailed on Picket.
Monday 6th
March at 8 a.m., reach Cheraw 2 p.m., cross the Little Pedee River 7 p.m.. camp at 2 a.m., next morning, 15 miles, cross the North Caroline line.
Tuesday 7th
March at 7 a.m., march 15 miles, camp at 3 p.m.
Wednesday 8th
Move at 6 a.m., in advance, march 20 miles; camp at 5 p.m., by the Cumber River, the Rebs burnt the bridge; rained all day.
Thursday 9th
Detail repairing the bridge all night, march at 3 p.m., 1 mile; rained very hard.
Friday 10th
March 6 a.m., camp 3 p.m., 6 miles, our Division has had the advance 3 days; camped by a large stream, bridge burnt.
Saturday 11th
Leave camp at 11 a.m., camp at 11 p.m., roads bad; camp near Fayetteville, 18 miles.
(Editor’s Note: The weather was bad but the Nationals made good time
and on the 11th of March Sherman’s whole force was concentrated at Fayetteville
from which Hardee had also retreated.)
Sunday 12th
On Picket.
(Editor’s Note: The National army rested three days at Fayetteville
during which time the U.S. Arsenal there with all the costly machinery which
the Confederates brought to that place from Harper’s Ferry in the spring of
1861 was utterly destroyed.)
Monday 13th
Marched at 2 p.m., passed through town [Fayetteville], General Sherman and other Generals reviewed us: camped all night on the river bank [Cape Fear River], 2 miles.
Tuesday 14th
Crossed the Cape Fear River at 2 p.m., communication open with Wilmington, a gunboat and some transports here received northern papers of the 23rd February, march 4 miles (Wilmington, Delaware).
Wednesday 15th
March at 8 a.m., sharp skirmishing at 5 p.m., march 10 miles.
Thursday 16th
March at 8 a .m., 3rd Div. in advance, the Cavalry are engaged and are fighting bravely, our Div. arrived on the ground, 12 a.m.; we have sharp fighting all day; both sides lose heavily; we capture 3 pieces of artillery and 300 prisoners; the 14th Corps arrived at 3 p.m.; the loss of our Div. was 180 killed and wounded, 5 miles; the Rebs left their dead and wounded in our hands.
(Editor’s Note: In accordance with his usual plan of distracting the
attention of his antagonist, Gen. Sherman sent Slocum with four divisions of
the left wing toward Averasboro’ on the main road to Raleigh, feigning an
advance upon the capital of the state while the two remaining divisions of that
wing took the direct road to Goldsboro’. Sherman was with Slocum on the left.
Incessant rains had made quagmires of the roads and the army was compelled to
corduroy them continually. Near Taylor’s Hole Creek to which Slocum had
advanced Kilpatrick skirmished heavily with Hardee’s rear guard that evening
and captured some of them. On the following morning Slocum advanced his
infantry and in the vicinity of Averasboro’ he found Hardee intrenched with a
force of all arms estimated at 20,000 men on a narrow swampy neck of land
between the Cape Fear & South Rivers. Hardee’s object was to hold Sherman
there while Johnston should concentrate his forces at Raleigh, Smithfield or
Goldsboro’. It was necessary to dislodge him and also to keep up the feint on
Raleigh as long as possible and hold possession of the road to Goldsboro’.
Slocum was, therefore, ordered to advance and carry the position. The ground
was so soft that horses sank deep at every step and men traveled over the
pine-barren only with difficulty. They ran into a Confederate brigade of heavy
artillery but by a quick charge upon their flank broke that wing into fragments
and drove it back. Three guns and 217 men were captured. The confederates in
their haste left 108 of their dead on the field. Various other corps advanced
to equally strategic positions while the whole of Slocum’s line advanced and
after a hard fight drove Hardee within his entrenchments and there pressed him
so heavily that during the dark and stormy night that succeeded he retreated to
Smithfield over the most wretched roads. So ended the conflict known as the
Battle of Averasboro’ in which Slocum lost 77 killed & 477 wounded but no
prisoners. Hardee’s loss was similar.)
Friday 17th
March at 8 a.m. the 14th Corps in advance, march 6 miles.
Saturday 18th
March 7 a.m., camp at 7 p.m., 10 miles.
Sunday 19th
March 6 a.m., 8 miles, 14th Corps in advance; skirmishing in front; our Regt. left behind to guard a cross road, heavy firing in front; we arrive just in time; the Rebs have been driving our men; we form new lines with artillery in position; the Rebs made 8 or 10 charges on our lines but were repulsed each time; our loss slight: the Rebs lost heavily.
(Editor’s Note: Sherman felt satisfied that he should have no more
serious strife with the enemy on his march to Goldsboro’ He issued an order to
the effect that commanders would march their corps in the easiest manner and by
the nearest roads to Goldsboro’. That sense of security was almost fatal to
Sherman’s army for at that moment Johnston, who had come down from Smithfield
in rapid but stealthy march under cover of night, was hovering near in full
force. He found the Union forces in a favorable position for the execution of
his designs. Early on the morning of the 19th Sherman was so assured of
security that he left Slocum’s wing of the army, which was most exposed to the
foe, and joined Howard’s farther to the right which was scattered and moving as
rapidly as the wretched state of the roads would admit. When only 6 miles on
his journey to overtake Howard he heard cannonading at the northwest but was
assured that it was only a slight encounter between Carlin’s division and
Dibrell’s cavalry (rebel) and that the former was easily driving the latter. It
was true that Carlin and Dibrell had met but the matter soon assumed a most
serious aspect. Confederate cavalry made much stouter resistance than common;
each moment they revealed increased strength. Measures were taken to
counteract it & by 10 o’clock the brigades of Carlin’s division were both
deployed & the former had made a vigorous assault on the foe and driven
them back some distance. By 12 o’clock the fighting had become stubborn;
artillery was at work vigorously on both sides. A deserter, a ‘galvanized
Yankee” (A Union prisoner forced into fighting to escape the horrors of
captivity) was brought to Gens. Slocum & Davis & declared that the
whole of Johnson’s army were in a fortified position intending an immediate
attack. It was now half past two o’clock. Measures were taken to resist the
expected overwhelming attack. Just then the rebels dashed out of the woods and fell
with great fury mainly upon Carlin’s division already wearied & weakened by
continual & severe fighting for hours. The scene was in a densely wooded,
dark, wet and dismal swamp. Encouraged by Gen. Davis the men dashed forward in
an impetuous charge. That charge was a magnificent display of courage,
discipline and enthusiasm. The confederates were staggered and paralyzed by
this unexpected and stunning blow from a force hitherto unseen by them. They
reeled and fell back in amazement, fearing they knew not what and the attack
was not renewed on that part of the field for more than an hour afterward. The
army was saved!)
Monday 20th
All quiet during the night; the Rebs carrying off their dead by torch light; we advance our line half a mile.
Tuesday 21st
Keep our old position; we are well fortified; our wagons ordered to the river with the sick and wounded.
Wednesday 22nd
The Rebs all gone; we march to the right: march 10 miles.
Thursday 23rd
March at 7 a.m., crossed the Neuse River at 2 p.m., camp at 6 p.m., 9 miles; make connection with Terry’s forces (partly negroes); on Picket.
(Editor’s Note: Schofield and Terry had been approaching Goldsboro’ and
at the very time when Sherman was pressing Johnston at Bentonsville the former
entered that place and Terry laid a pontoon bridge over the Neuse River ten
miles above at Cox’s Bridge. On the 23rd of March all the armies in the
aggregate about 60,000 strong were disposed in camps around Goldsboro’ there to
rest and receive needed clothing.)
Friday 24th
March 7 a.m., pass through Goldsboro [North Carolina] 11 a.m.; meet Schofield’s Corps; camp at 1 p.m., .7 miles.
Saturday 25th
In camp.
(Editor’s Note: On the 25th the railroad between Goldsboro’ and New
Berne was completed and in perfect order by which a rapid channel of supply
from the sea was opened. So ended in complete triumph with small loss Sherman’s
second great march through the interior of enemy country.)
Sunday 26th
Change position; receive mail, one letter from Richard.
Wednesday 29th
General Inspection, orders to be ready to move by the 10th of April.
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