The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-05-06

MAY 8 1865.
reached Hanging Rock ON the 26th. and
waited there for the 18th corps to gel
across the Catawba. The heavy rains had
80 swollen the river that the pontoon bridge
broke, and General Davis had very hard
work to restore it and get his command
across. AT last he succeeded, and the left
wing was all put in motion for Cheraw. In
the meantime the right wing had broken
up the railroad to Winnsboro, and thence
turned Tor Peas Ferry, where it was cross
ed over the Catawba before the heavy rains
set IN, the l7th corps moving straight ON
Cheraw via Young's Bridge, and the 18th
corps by Tiller and Kelly's bridges. From
tnis latter corps sdetatchments were sent in.
10 Camden to burn the bridge over the Wa.
teree, With the railroad depot, stores. &c.
a small force of mounted men under Cap
tain duncan was also dispatched to make
dash and interrupt the railroad from
charleston to Florence, but it met Buffers
DIVISION Of cavalry, and after sharp night
skirmish on Mount Ebon was compelled
% return unsuccessful. Much bad road
was encountered at Lynch's creek, which
oelayed the right wing about the same
length CT time as the left wing had been at
the Catawba. On the Goth OF March, the
leading division of the Goth corps entered
chesterfield, skirmishing with Buffers di-
vision OF cavalry, aud the next day about
noon the l7th corps entered Cheraw. the
enemy retreating across the Pedee, and
burning the bridge at that point. At Che
raw We found much ammunition and ma.
ny guns, which had been brought from
charleston On the evacuation Of that city.
These We're destroyed. as also the railroad
tressles and bridges down as 1Ar as Dar-
llngton. An expedition of mounted in
fantfv was aiSO cent 70 EIOropoa h,1t ~ or.
countered both cavalry and infantry, and
returned, having only broken up in part
the branch road from Florence to Cheraw.
ADVANCING INTO NORTH CAROLINA.
without unnecessary delay the columns
were again. put in motion, directed on Fay.
etteville, North Carolina, the right wing
crossing the Pedee at Cheraw, and the left
wing and cavalry at Sneedsboro. General
Fitzpatrick was ordered to keep well on the
left flank, and the l4th Corps, moving by
Loves bridge, was given the right to enter
and occupy Fayetteville first. The wealth.
er continued uniavorable and the roads
bad, but the 14th and 18th Corps reached
Fayetteville on the 11th of March. skir-
mlshing with Wade Hampton's cavalry,
that covered the rear OF Hardee's retreat
ing army. which, rs usual, had crossed
Cape Fear river. burling the bridge. Dur
Ing the march from the Pedee, Gen. Kilpat-
rick had kept his cavalry well on the left
and exposed flank. During the night Of
the 9th Of March his three brigades were
divided to picket the roads. Gen. Hamp-
ton detecting this, rushed in at daylight !
and gained possession OF the camp Of Col. |
Spencer's brigade, and the house in which |
Gen. Fitzpatrick and Col. Spencer had their |
quarters. The surprise was complete, but !
Gen. Fitzpatrick quickly succeeded in rail-
lying his men, on foot, in q swamp near by |
and by prompt attack, well followed up. |
regained his artillery, horses, camp, and |
every thing save some prisoners, whom the |
enemy carried OF, leaving their dead on the |
ground.
The 18th, 18th and 18th, were passed at
Fayetteville. destroying absolutely the
United States Arsenal and the vast amount |
of machinery which had formerly belonged |
to the old Harper's Ferry United States
Arsenal. Every building was knocked
down and burned, and every piece of ma
the lst regiment Michigan Engineers, un-
der the immediate supervision Of Col. o.
N. Poe, Chief Engineer. Much valuable
property, Of great use to the enemy, was
here destroyed or cast into the river.
wlLM1NGTOE-CAPRF FEAR RIVER.
Up TO this period had perfectly succeeded
in interposing my superior army between
the scattered parts OF the enemy. Bu. I
was then aware that the fragments that
been reinforced by Cheatham's corps from
the West, and the garrison of Augusta,
and that ample time had been given to
move them to my front and flank about
Raleigh. Hardee had also succeeded in
getting across Cape Fear river ahead of
me, and could, therefore complete, the
junction with the other armies of Johnston
and Hoke in North Carolina. And the
whole, under the command Of the experi- II
anced 10 Johnston, made upanarmy supe.
rior to me in cavalry, and formidable /
enough in artillery and infantry, to Justify
me In extreme caution in making the last
,sep necessary 70 complete the march I had
Previous to reaching Faye,te-
Vile had dispatched to Wilmington. from
Laurel Hill Church, two of our best scouts,
With intelligence of our position, and my
general plans. Both of these messengers I,
reached Wilmington, and on the morning
II the 18th Of March, the army tug, David {
ION, Captain AinswOrth reached Fayette. {
7jlle from Wilmington, bringing me full
Intelligence of events from the outer 4
world. On the same day this tug carried I
,ack to General Terry, At WILMINGTON. /
md General 6cho6eld, at Newbern, my
dispatches to the effect that, ON Wednes- {
lay, the 18th, We would move for Colds I
,ofo, feigning on Raleigh, and ordering ]
hem to march straight for GOldsboro,
which expected TO reach about the 10th.
mo same uSy tue BUuOO9t, E<o1uS, CSpk0ln
lvung, United States Navy, also reached j
and through her 1 continued I
o have communication with Wilmington
Until the Gay Of our actual departure.- !
work yot destruction was going i
n at Fayetteville two pontoon bridges ;
vere laid across Cape Fear River, one Op- d
osite the town, ths other three miles be-. b
oWs sG safsf H5 as5a, 81 g o
3D. r. SMANEUv8RING 1oR POSITION. o
General Fitzpatrick Was ordered TO move e
10 the plank road, to and beyond Averys- t.
0rO. He Was to be followed by four di- il
isions Of the left wing, with as few wag- !,
ns as possible; ]; the rest Of the train un- b
er escort of the two remaining divisions a
that wing, to take shorter and more n
irect road to Goldsboro. In like manner, d
eneral Howard was ordered TO send his Il
aims, ullder good escort, we'll to the right, il
)kard Faison's depot aud Goldsboro, and q
hold four divisions light, ready to go to c,
,e aid of the left wing, If attacked while it
motion. The weather continued very u
land the roads had become mere q
d1gmire. Almost every foot of it had to T
8 corduroyed to admit the passage of g
heels. Still time was SO important, that u
anctually, according to order, the columns d