Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-12-29

halted the caravan OF cOntrabandS until |
the rear of the column passed and |
then removed the pontoon. The negroes,
however, not TO be frustrated, construct |
ed foot bridge and crossed. Next day
the column had It's full complement of
negroes.
Arriving at Ebenezer creek, the same
method was.taken to clear the column,
with better success. The creek runs
through half mile of swamp, which is
covered with water, and can only be
crossed by o narrow bridge. This
bridge was taken up, and the moment
our forces disappeared the brutal Wheel
er was In our rear Next day only a
few darkies came up. Another day
passed, and still fully two-thirds were
missing Inquiries elected the infor-
nation that Wheeler, on finding the de-
fenceless negroes blocked, charged upon
the women and children and drove them
pellmell into the water, where those who
escaped say they struggled to reach the
opposite bank, amidst heartreuding
shrisks but most of the mothers went
down In the water with their children
claSped TO their bosoms, while Wheeler
| and his iuhuman band looked on with
demoniac smiles. How far true this
NAV be know not but all the negroes
who escaped, with whom talked, seem
to agree ia their accounts OF the hellish
slaughter.
GEN FITZPATRICK MOVEMENTS.
1t is curious to note the history OF the
proceedings of Gen. Fitzpatrick, whose
| course through Georgia was on the left
| Of haaritrn
! the rebel statements so frequently re-
peated that Fitzpatrick had once and
again been cut to pieces by the rebel
Wheeler The account from which we
quote says that nearly all the skirmish-
ing from Atlanta to Macon was done By
| Kilpatrick's command. On the 18th
| ult. the enemy were whipped near Jones
boro, aud on the 10Th the rebels were
beaten. and two guns taken from them
at Loyeioys. On the Goth the teint
was made on Macon, where the enemy
WAS found strongly posted on the nights
with eight pieces of artillery. kilpat-
rick made preliminary disposition OF
his forces, and skirmishing at once CON-
menced After the position of the enc
nv had been discovered, the railway
was torn up some miles, train cap
tured, loaded with supplies near Gris-
woldville, where the Tenth Ohio charg-
ed on horseback into the works, captur-
ing the artillery bat the fighting OF
the enemy was so determined that they
were compelled to retreat without the
guns. The charge is described by those
who witnessed it as one OF the most gal
liant on record. Having carried out his
orders to threaten Macon, but not sacrl-
fee life in its capture, Fitzpatrick with
J drew his foHes. and on the 2lst tore uI
. the railway to Gordonsville, burned 9
number of factories and machine shops
, and some houses, skirmlshing the entirs
day.
On the 22d the command arrived seal
, Gordon. where the enemy showed fight
2 and Col. Jordan with the Ninth Penn
l sylyapia cavalry charged them in splen
did style. routing the terror-stricken en-
t emy In every direction, and capturing
!, arms horses, hats, &C., which the enc
] my left behind in their precipitate re
) treat, The regiment lost six killed
: twenty-one wounded and forty-nin
4 missing. The enemy also suffered Sc
! verely.
' While the cavalry battle was pro
9 crossing the rebels brought up thre
d brigades of infantry under Gen. Phil
!. lips when Howard ordered up Gen. Wal
t colts brigade of the Fifteenth corps t
+ support the cavalry, and the engage
i ment at once assumed the form OF oa'
e tie Walcott came down on the rebs
8 militia like a hurricane, dealing deaf
l. and destruction, into the enemy ye
e they gallantly stood the terrific fire
II infantry and artillery, until fifteen mir
/ utes slipped by, and hundreds OF reb'
r dead and wounded went down. Wa
u colt was quick to see the advantage
d gained by him, improved them, and te
N npon them with irresistible ferocity. II
y swept the hilsides, pickets, breastworl
&c and road before him. In disorder rusl
A. ed the horror stricken men. Gen. Phi
l. Iips tried to rally his troops, but 1t WI
n in vain, They still ran madly to Il
IN rear, Phillips saw the day was lost u
IN less the men were rallied, and throwiI
himself in front, he called wildly upt
n. them to follow. A few turned bac
a. and hurriedly forming them, he NOV
ne forward but our deadly shells and b'
o. lets struck his column while 1t W
he, being dressed Walcott rushed forwa
to at the moment on the double quick, t
ys enemy broke in disorder and away To
nd cut across field and forest, throwi
OF their arms away, and leaving Phill
,he and many of his command prisoners
rts our hands. The yells of triumph OF
men only heightened their terror, mil
rY. ling as they did, with the whistling
ith Enfield balls, the deep toned tramp
,ol- horses and men, and the rolling Of E
in carriages In the storm that follows "
ee- The battle lasted four hours, and "
IN cott-the brave leader Of the yictori'
cd ho.ts-was carried out wounded
al. night end all was still. The next mo
rth inc the sun -ose upon the bloody ii
ar and the enemy were gone, leaving nea
'ho four hundred dead anu wounded on
cry field. Walcott lost but thirsy-seven.
md The 23d, Oath and 25th were spent
ne marching through Gordon, across
ns, Oconee river to Milledgeville and
ip- creek, skirmishing all the way.
.'ly On the 26th Captains Hayes and Ell
-. of Kilpatffck's stat, set out for Waynes
ro, on the Augusta and Savannah railr
;. l. | With two hundred men They arri