Personal Recollections of Sherman's Campaigns in Georgia and the Carolinas

by George W Pepper

  A HALT IN CONNECTION WITH THE TWENTIETH ARMY CORPS.

  Two miles from Lexington the advance halted and opened communication with the Twentieth Corps on a road one mile to the right this was at two o'clock. At five the bugle sounded the advance, and Carlin's division moved into town where they arrived at seven, to find it occupied by General Barnum's brigade, of the Twentieth Corps. Carlin encamped in the town for the night. The brigade of General Barnura acted as provost guard, and maintained excellent order in the place, and protected it from destruction.

  MOVING ON THE CAPITAL.

  This morning Morgan's and Baird's divisions arrived in town at an early hour, and halted until Barnum had moved out, when Hobart's brigade of the First Division, was detailed as provost guard.

  Morgan's division, at nine A. M, moved out on the direct Columbia road, in rear of the Twentieth Corps and Carlin soon after followed the Fourteenth Corps countermarched to Hart's, of Zion Church Ferry, where Carlin crossed tonight, with a view of making a flank movement upon the rear of Columbia, and cutting the railroads in rear of the city, connecting it with North Carolina and Virginia.

  The other divisions will cross the ferry tomorrow morning.

  Leaving Hart's Ferry, on the Saluda, at daylight this morning, Carlin and Morgan arrived at this point today at two P. M., and encamped, having marched about fourteen miles through fearfully muddy roads, in a clayey soil that does not quickly dry after a rain. The soil between Edisto and the Saluda is sandy, and never are the roads seriously affected by rains. The moment we crossed the Saluda, we struck the red clay, which has caused more than one mule driver to dun South Carolina roads forever.

  Carlin has been lying still at this place all day, awaiting the arrival up of the other two divisions at Freshley’s Ferry, where the corps crossed to the north side of the river.

  Morgan arrived at the ferry last night, and during tile night threw across his division in pontoon boats. Baird, who had charge of the corps trains, today moved up from the Saluda, and tonight will cross his division and train if the pontoniers get the bridge done in time.

  SPENCER'S CAVALRY RECONNOISSANCE

  Colonel Spencer's brigade, of Kilpatrick's cavalry, moved out this afternoon to within a mile of the bridge, and formed line of battle. Colonel Spencer reports Cheatham's corps now moving on his flank in the direction of the railway bridge. This is Cheatham's only chance of crossing, as he has no pontoon train with him. What his object is no one knows; but he is probably endeavoring to form a junction with Beauregard's forces below.

  ACROSS BROAD RIVER.

  Yesterday morning the rear of Morgan's and Baird's divisions crossed Broad River at Freshley's ferry, and were followed at ten A. M. by Carlin, who was relieved at Spring Hill by Ward's division, of the Twentieth Army Corps. The Broad river is broad and shallow, and very easily pontooned, as the current is not rapid and the approaches from the banks are all that could be wished.

  The left wing finished crossing Little river last evening, and this morning Williams' and Davis' corps moved upon Winnsboro, the county seat of Fairfield district — the former taking the road to the right, and the latter the left. Carlin and Geary had the advance of their respective corps.

  About eleven o'clock Carlin's and Geary's advance guards ran together a few yards from town, when General Geary, by order of General Slocum, assumed command, and placed guards upon every house to prevent pillaging and incendiary fires. Generals Geary and Carlin were met by a deputation of citizens, who asked that private property be protected.

  Yesterday our march was a little varied from what it has been for some time. Marching on the road parallel with the railroad, at Youngsville a halt was made by the corps, wagons and pack mules parked, and a general assault made upon the railroad, six miles of which was torn up and burned by Davis' corps, completing its utter destruction from Columbia to Blackstock, a distance of fifty-four miles.

  Halting for the night near Blackstock, the divisions Encamped in close proximity, and at daylight turned to the right in a northeasterly direction, with a view of joining the right wing at the crossing of the Cahawba River, which Howard crossed yesterday, and Williams (Twentieth corps) last night and today.

  PONTOON BOATS SWEPT AWAY.

  We have been lying here on the south side of the ferry for three days. On the 23d, Morgan's division crossed the pontoon during a heavy rain that fearfully swelled the river, and that same night twelve pontoon boats were carried away. There was a pretty state of things — Baird's and Carlin's divisions on the south side of the angry river, and the rest of the army on the other, moving on, and no more pontoons to cross! The fight wing (Howard's) had just crossed eight miles below, at Play's ferry, and had moved on one day’s march. The flood has somewhat subsided, and it is believed that we will cross tomorrow.

  MILE’S BRIGADE ATTACKED

  This morning a large number of mounted forager went out for fodder for the stock in the direction of our camp. They had not been out long when about five hundred of Butler's rebel cavalry brigade, left on this side of the river, swooped down upon them, capturing some and stampeding the rest.

  Yesterday morning the rain somewhat subsided, and shortly after one o'clock in the morning Baird commenced crossing the Cahawba. By daylight his division was on the north side. The entire day was spent in crossing the trains until two P. M., when Carlin's division took the pontoons.

  THE REBELS ATTACK THE REAR GUARD.

  The train and troops moved safely over at sundown, and the pontoons were removed under cover of details from Buell's brigade. While the boats were being lifted, about one hundred rebel cavalry attacked the Sixty-ninth Ohio, who were out as skirmishers, and who held them in check until the work was accomplished, when a few shells were thrown into the enemy from battery C, First Illinois artillery, posted on the northern bank, and the enemy dispersed. The pontoonists worked all night getting their loaded wagons up the bank and by daylight all was ready for a forward movement. Today the column moved at daylight, Morgan in advance, Baird, Carter and Carlin in the rear. The first eight miles of road were continuous corduroy, built by Morgan and the Twentieth corps which had preceded him. After this we struck the sandy soil, and the trains moved along without difficulty. About fifteen miles were made by the divisions.

  CROSSING OF HANGING ROOK CREEK.

  The trains moved at the usual hour this morning, but the crossing of Hanging Rock creek was so bad that the trains did not get over until noon. Nevertheless twelve miles were made today. The rain that has constantly poured down for nine days ceased tonight, and, as the soil is sandy, we have very passable roads before us.

  The command has made a fine march today, Morgan covering twenty-six miles, and Baird and Carly About fourteen each. Tonight Morgan is near Chesterfield .Court House. The roads, as far as the line of Lancaster and Chesterfield, were very bad; but after crossing Lynch's creek we struck sandy soil and found excellent roads.

  HARD MARCHING.

  Today has been one of the hardest upon the men and animals we have yet experienced. We moved at the usual hour over the worst road I have ever seen, and at Thompson's creek encamped at eleven P. M., after pulling out of the mud the whole division trains, which stuck fast and baffled all the attempts of the mules to extricate them. Our advance tonight is in North Carolina, near Sneedsboro.

  On the 5th, the whole wing encamped at Sneedsboro, and Kilpatrick's cavalry also. General Buell's pontoon brigade the same evening commenced throwing the pontoons, after the Thirteenth Michigan had crossed the river, and it was believed that the cavalry would commence crossing at midnight. Kilpatrick accordingly marched his command to the river and awaited the moment to cross. Midnight of the 5th and daylight of the 6th found the bridge not yet completed; and what made the matter worse, was that Carlin had been ordered to cross at daylight, after the cavalry, but, by some delay on the part of somebody, he was not informed of the non-completion of the bridge, and at daylight moved down expecting to cross at once. Here th
e position was at once manifest. His whole division stacked arms upon the low, wet bottom, where it lay for hours. Noon arrived, darkness followed, and ten o'clock P. M. at last found the bridge "finished." Kilpatrick at once crossed, and in his rear, at midnight, Carlin followed, Hobart's brigade leading. The two brigades encamped two miles from the river, and the tired officers and men looked in vain for the arrival of their wagons.

  THE BRIDGE BROKEN

  Only a half dozen trades had crossed the bridge, when it broke, and was not repaired until nine this morning. During the whole night we lay upon the ground, supperless and hungry, but when the train arrived over today we refreshed our stomachs and resumed the march. While the pontoons were being laid Williams' corps inarched to Cheraw, where it, yesterday, crossed, and, taking its position on the left centre, resumed the advance upon Fayetteville.

  Carlin is now on the right of Rockingham, encamped for the night in the turpentine forests of North Carolina. Morgan is a few miles in the rear, and Baird still further back.

  FORAGERS CAPTURE ROCKINGHAM.

  Kilpatrick started early this morning for Rockingham, where a rebel brigade of five hundred men were encamped; but he failed to get ahead of the mounted foragers of the Fourteenth corps, who skirmished into town, drove out the rebels, and devoured the subsistence before the cavalry got up.

  We got an early start this morning, and found the roads through this turpentine and rosin forest beyond our expectations. The trains moved along on the double quick, and before we halted for dinner thirteen miles had been made through a heavy rain that poured down upon us in torrents.

  Yesterday and today we have found the sandy roads of North Carolina covered with miniature rivulets, from the torrents of rain that have fallen steadily during the whole time, drenching the troops to the skin and leaving not a dry thread in their garments. Yesterday eighteen miles were easily made, Baird taking the advance, and encamped twenty-one miles from the city.

  Today the column moved up, the advance to the ten mile post, where we encamped to await the arrival up to the Twentieth corps on our right, when an advance will be made on Fayetteville.

  Another city to inscribe upon the banners of Sherman's victorious army. Fayetteville is ours. And this without a fight. The price we paid for it was a few rounds of ammunition and the lives of nine reckless men, foragers, who entered the town early in the morning, were captured, shot in detail and their bodies, and thrown out upon the street as a terror to all who should come after.

  A BOLD RUSH FOR THE CITY.

  Baird last night was encamped ten miles from the city, on the plank road, Carlin fifteen miles and Morgan seventeen miles. Baird got an early start, before the first glance of the sun was on the road, pushing rapidly for the city. General Slocum and staff had joined the General's column eight miles out, and at the seven mile post the sharp report of the muskets announced that the enemy was in front.

  SKIRMISHING COMMENCED

  immediately between the enemy and a company of the Seventy-fifth Indiana, which was the advance guard, and the rebels were driven back to a small creek six miles from town, where they had cut the bridge away and erected a barricade across the road, the fire from which covered the men who attempted to repair it.

  Baird promptly deployed several companies of skirmishers, and formed Davis' brigade in line of battle within supporting distance. A few shots from the skirmishers cleaned out the barricade, and a moment later it was in our possession.

  Thirty minutes delay was caused in repairing the bridge for the crossing of horses; meanwhile the skirmishers pushed on up and over the hill, and beyond the ground on which still smoked the unfinished breakfasts of "Johnny Reb." Crossing my horse among the first staff officers, I joined several of General Slocum's staff, and we rode forward to the skirmish line expecting momentarily to witness a gray mass of life swooping down upon the thin skirmish line to crush it into dust.

  None of the party, in whose company I was seemed inclined to "turn out," in compliance with the General's invitation; but on the contrary, spurred their horses to gallop, and were soon two hundred yards in advance of the skirmish line, eager to have the start of the mounted men in entering the town. Four miles from the town the firing had entirely ceased, and not a rebel could be seen. At the moment when we were tightening our reins and adjusting ourselves in the saddle for a charge into town, three bummers in our advance wheeled their horses and came riding back. Instantly we turned our eyes to the front, and a great battle line appeared across the road, their colors flaunting in the breeze and bayonets fixed, ready to guard the door to Fayetteville and Goldsboro.

  For a moment we sat speechless within hailing distance of the gray mass of steel and muscle, when they began to move slowly down upon us.

  The movement was so strange and mysterious that I instantly recalled the tragedy on the 20th of June last, at Peach tree creek, when Hood suddenly launched his columns of steel upon our unsuspecting troops as they hurried forward for the prize of Atlanta, to find many of them a soldier's grave and a gory winding sheet. I was, however, fortunately deceived in my conclusion.

  A yell from our line of skirmishers, which had come up, soon dispelled the battle line that confronted them. We saw them no more.

  THE CAVALRY BATTLES.

  On the 28th day of January, from the banks of the Little Ogeechee River, Kilpatrick moved to the main, Savannah and Louisville road, going into camp, after a march of twelve miles. On the morning of the 20th he moved on the Springfield and Sister's Ferry road, going into camp about four miles from the ferry, and remained in camp at this point until the third of February, when the pontoon bridge, which had been very difficult to lay, was completed. Nothing of the enemy was seen, until the cavalry struck the Little Hatchie River, near Barnwell. The stream being very swampy, a small force of the enemy held them in check about three-quarters of an hour. That night, the 6th instant, they reached Barnwell Court House.

  The next morning Kilpatrick moved for Blackwell, on the line of the Augusta and Charleston Railroad, and met a small force of the enemy's cavalry; but found no difficulty in driving them through and beyond the town. Here the command destroyed about two miles of the railroad.

  In the meantime our infantry had struck the railroad toward Charleston; and while engaged in destroying the same, the cavalry moved towards Augusta, for the purpose of creating a diversion in favor of our infantry, and hold at that point whatever force the enemy might have. By this move they were, as desired, completely deceived as to the intentions of General Sherman, and a concentration of their army prevented.

  From the best information derived from persons and scouts, General Kilpatrick learned that General Wheeler, with his corps of cavalry, and Cheatham, with a corps of infantry, were cut off from the main rebel army at Barnwell, having been deceived by our movements towards Augusta. He continued to march up the railroad through Williston and Windsor to Johnston's station. Colonel Spencer, with the Third brigade, .having the advance, met a force of the enemy, composed of six regiments, which he attacked and completely routed, capturing three battle flags. The rebels were under command of General Hagan. The road for miles was strewn with guns, sabres, blankets, abandoned by the enemy in their flight. The pursuit continued for about nine miles, but only a few mea were captured and a few wounded. Four were found dead on the field. Altogether it was a very brilliant affair and reflects great credit upon Colonel Spencer.

  THE FIGHT AT AIKEN

  On the morning of the eleventh instant the Second brigade, under General Atkins, moved out of camp towards Aiken for the purpose of developing what force of the enemy was in his front, it being supposed that the enemy had discovered our real intentions and was moving toward the South Edisto, with the intention of crossing. Arriving before Aiken, General Atkins found a small force of the enemy's cavalry on picket, which gave but slight resistance. Feeling, however, that it might be a movement on the part of the enemy to draw us into a snare, two regiments were deployed — the Ninety-s
econd Illinois mounted infantry on the right, and Ninth Michigan cavalry on the left — while the Scouts, under Captain Northrop and Lieutenant Griffin, moved down the road followed by the General and staff. We had nearly reached the centre of the town, skirmishing quite briskly, giving occasionally a few shots from a section of artillery of Beebe's battery (Tenth Wisconsin), when the energy charged in force. They were met with stubborn resistance by the Ninety-second Illinois; but, owing to their far superior numbers, they finally were compelled to retire. At about the same time they charged again, going entirely through the Ninety-second, and dashed on toward the second line of defense. At this point they were repulsed and held in check until the remainder of the command was drawn in, preparatory to falling back, it being evident that Wheeler's entire command was opposed to us.

  The brigade retired in good order to Johnston's station, going into position with the First and third, awaiting the attack of the enemy, which was made at about four P. M., and he was handsomely repulsed. Our loss in killed, wounded and prisoners, was thirty-one. Lieutenant Newton, of the staff, was seriously wounded, and Lieutenant Oliver captured, the following afternoon, while reconnoitering the rear.