Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-03-25

" been raised, educated and practiced tn
life Of a school master. He has been boss o
} the yard so long, it is hard for him to give i
up. When things do not 60 to suit him, h
scolds and storms like country school mas
ter. He probably means all right, but evi
IDENTIFY fcrgets, at times, that he is not talking
to boys. G.
sHERMAN's GREAT EXPEDITION.
A Detailed Account.
Correspondence CT the Cedar Falls Gazette.
FOURTH DIVISION, 1Iru A. c.
| HssRoE, Miss, March 9Th, 1864.
Last evening the 10th and Eth Army
Corps returned to this place, after an absenc,
| Of 81 days. The object Of the Great Expe
dition,-I say Great Expedition because thi,
country never saw one Of such magnitude
before,-was to destroy the great Southern
railway center at Meridian, Mississippi THAI
was all that was proposed to be accomplished
although more than this. perhaps, was claim
cd for it, and certainly more was feared BY
the rebels. The belief that the object Of ouI
raid was further inland led tho enemy to pre-
pare to meet US further eastward than we in.
tended to 60.
By glance at the map it will be seen that
| from Meridian Railroads run south to Mobile
northward toward Corinth, eastward to Dem.
opolis, there connecting with a line Of roads
which extend to Richmond; westward is the
road to jackson which there connects with
! the Now Orleans, Jackson & Grand North
ern Railroad. Once break and destroy the
road at Meridian and all these roads become
useless, and then SO far as giving aid to the
Confederacy, the State of Mississippi becomes
cypher. 1t must remain like Mssouri,and
Western Tennessee, only able to assist the
rebellion by grapevine telegraphs and by
paths for runners Of contraband stores. No
provisions or any thing not easily transport
ed can be moved out of the State. 1t was
for the purpose of destroying this railway
center that the expedition under Gen. Shsr-
man commanding, with Generals Hur!but
and McPhsrson's corps commanders, was At.
ted out at this place. The force numbered
some 10000, and moved in what we term
light marching order. That is, the men car
ried no baggage not required for the march.
Scant rations were taken for the men, and
but little for the teams, the latter being sub
sisted almost wholly upon the country
through which we passed But five days
meat was taken for the men, the balance was
obtained from the enemy's country. Every
thing was prepared for rapid movements. A
special train Was kept for ordinance, also ore
for rations, and the ambulances were put into
train by themselves. This left each reS-
ment with but one regmental wagon.
Late in the evening OF Feb. Cd orders came
to march early on the following morning.
So on the morning of the Sd OF Feb. we
turned toward the east for march in which
we were to keep open no communication with
our base, but like the mariner cutting loose
from his moorings and floating out upon the
stormy sea, trusting TO ski,lful pilot and his
own staunoh ship. The first day we Cl7th
Army Corps) crossed Big Black upon pom
toons, and camped just across the low lands
that border upon the eastern side Of the river,
having made march of some eight miles
The 10th Army Corps crossed further up the
river and took road north Of tho one We
were upon. By marching in this manner
we could move much more rapid, beside pre-
vent a flank movement should the enemy
attempt one.
Feb. Ave marched but ten miles, the
enemy resisting our advance continually.
Our skirmishers pushed out boldly and dreve
the enemy back, though often not unit! hard
pressed.
Just before shutdown, at Bakers Creek We
found the enemy drawn up in line Of battle
determined to resist our advance across the
little bridge that spans that stream. By the
time our lines were formed the sun had al
ready Sc, and i, was determined to wait unit
morning for further movements. So camp
ing in line Of battle, hardly out Of range o.
the enemy's guns, We laid down upon tht
ground, the soldiers ever ready bed, FOR the
night.
Feb. 5.-Making = dash across Baker.
Creek, with some loss We drove tie enemy
from his position, after which he seemed t
make no real determined resistance, though
there was continual skirmishing on to Jack
son. After a march Of IL miles we canpet
for the night.
Feb. 6.-Entered Jackson this morning
and went into camp for the purpose Of re
pairing fine pontoon across Tho Pearl river
which the enemy in their haste did not hav,
time 10 destroy. At Jackson the boys i'm
proved the opportunity Of renewing thei
supply of tobacco as well as many othel
things. The city was partially des:royet
last summer, and what few public building
/ were left at that time "went up" as we say
this time. Several dwelling houses were de
stroyed. In truth, but little Of the once beau
tiful city now remains. Just before nigh
we began to move across the Pearl. Til,
evening afforded us one of the finest sights
ever witnessed. 1t was the scenery lighted
up. so that one could see perfectly, by burn
ing buildings, and the trains moving down thu
bluffs that rise up from the western side o
the river, and across the beautiful Pearl, GU
into the wilderness beyond. A mile out from
the river we went into camp for the nigh
having marched five miles during the day.
Feb. 7.-Marched to Brandon, distant /:
miles. Brandon has been fine little, 70
mantle town, but two visits to it by the Fed
eral troops have we'll nigh ruined it. Idoub
not tho last visit was the worst Of the two
Most Of the public buildings together with
mary dwellings have been destroyed.