Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-05
ERoM sHERMAN,sARM
toorrsspOudenoe Of The Cleveland LalDEB. J

nth ARMY CORPS, BEFORE SA- 7
T. YANNAB, GA, DEC. ~, 1864 J
BDIroR LEADER After an interval Of
more than thirty days communication Is
again open between shermsn's Army and
the North, and joyfully hsil the oppor-
tunity of sending greetings from our new
baso.e5 There were four Corps selected for
the great enterprise of changing our base
to the coast. These were the l4lh, 18th,
nth and 10Th The 14th and 10th, under
Major General Slocum, forming the left
wing, and the 18th and 18th under Msior
General Howard, the right the whole di-
rected by the glorions Chief, MEjor Gene
raj Sherman. 11f
We marched from Kingston on the 18th
Of November, following anddestroying the
railroad to Atlanta, severing the Last link
between us and the North, and arrived at
Atlanta on the 18th and camped near the
town, The aGate City presented 3 grand
snd fearful spectacle in the evening. The
whole heavens were lighted with the lurid
glare Of tbe burning buildings. The black
clouds of smoke rolled slowly upward, the
bursting shells hurled huge timbers high in
air and shattered the stout masonry of the
walls, while the hot flames roared and
hissed liked msddened beasts. Twas the
carnival of destruction. The morning
showed the late beautiful city q mass of
smouldering ruins. On the 18th, st A,
n, we commenced our long and dif6cnlt
march, tho habitual order of which was TO
be by four roads-one for each Corps--Rs
nearly parallelas possible, eonVeIgiBg at
points thereafter to be designated. Thus.
forsging would be facilitated and weshould
rest more securely. After two days march
forsge in abundance was found. Parties
were sent out each day to obtain provis-
Ions, who always rejoined the column be-
fore our midday halt laden with every
thing that can tempt soldiers palate, and
bringing in the fine mules and horses of
the opulent planters to recruit our tesmsl
a party from the Brigade brought in 90
mules one night. Each man also forsged
for himself, and when arms were stacked,
there were few bsyonets without a piece Of
| fresh meat, q chicken, or something to
cheer the inner man. Our advent was q
millennium to the darkies. With broad
grin, Illuminating their black faces, they
would pilot the soldiers to the swamps
| where emassa" had concealed his wines, his
plate and most valuable furniture and
I clothing. With liberal hand, Sir Yank
would bestoW on the delighted blacks the
fruit Of their long unrewarded years of
toll, who, with dotted caps and eyes stsFt-
| ing from their sockets, uttered u heartfelt
"tsnkee" must say, however, that very
| little Cf the wine moistened black throat.
Many Of these 'sons Of the sun" followed
US and would enliven our evenings with
songs and dances around our bivousck fire
two or three in the Iuost grotesque cos
TUNES, would "pst' or @knock," clspping
their hands together on their shins or
thighs, their bodies keeping up kind OF
weaving motion, accompanied with some
monotonous, senseless words, drawlea
/ through the nose. The following is a
specimen /; "Soup, soup Soup, pecker-
wood so1p Rabbit hash, RABBIT hash,
takes two hams to make good soupl Tad
pole gravy, tad-pole gravy Bnll-freg
chidlin, bull-frOg chidlin." This, with
endless repetition, would be spoken By the
master Of ceremonies" while two OF three
| limbef-limbed darkeys would give Us the
'fhoe-down' until the sweat would roll from
their bisciH hides aud perfume stronger
than the civet scented tho midnight
breeze.
Our Corps camped on Howell Cobb's
plantation on the night OF the 22d, and
next morning marched to MilledgeYille.
L Is small town, and contains but few
faO b1ailaiags. There were about Eve
hundred laloos or pixies and as many sflg-
knives, much like butchers cleaFer, in
the arsenal. The authorities were evil
IDENTIFY ashamed of the folly of making
these weapons, for they have never seen
the light since their deposit in tho arsenal.
They we're burned, and keg of powder
laid the arsenal level with the earth. We
continued onr march on the 25th, burned
the bridge over the Oconee after crossing,
and met with no resistance till reaching
Louisville, after crossing the Ogeechee
river. Fitzpatrick, in cur froat, met
Wheeler.
From Louisville, Baird's Division went
with Fitzpatrick. Cavalry fight much
better when the Hweb-fset' Gas they call
tuo AlAeAtlJy olO alSAs'
At Wsynesboro, on the Augusta and
Savannah railroad, Wheeler made an at
tack early on the morning of the 4th of
December, but was driven seven miles
with great slsughter-only one brigade of
our cavalry being engaged. The rebel
papers claim victory for Wheeler.
On the 8th Of December we camped on
the Savsnuah river, nesr church built in
1863. Here Is q fort built by Marion
during the Revolution, and once visited
by Washington.
On the 18th we reached our present po-
sitioD, about six miles from Savannah.
We had spprehended some suffering be-
fore we could open communication with
the feet, but on the morning of the 14th
We were cheered by the follow ing order
.HEADQRs MILITARY Dry. MISS,
In THE FIELD, Ga, Dec. l3. ! T.
Special Field Order No. l3l.
The General-in- Chief announces with
pleasure that to-day, at half past four
O'Clock P. n, the Second Division of the
Fifteenth Corps assaulted Fort MeAllister
and carried the place, capturing its entire
garrison and armament, giving him full
Communication with the fleets of Admi-
rails Fsrragut and Porter, and the army of
Major General Foster.
By command of
VT. SHERMAN,
Maior-General.